List of birds of the Philippines


This is a list of the bird species recorded in the Philippines. The avifauna of the Philippines include a total of 743 species, of which 229 are endemic, five have been introduced by humans.
This list's taxonomic treatment and nomenclature follow the conventions of The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World, 2022 edition. The family accounts at the beginning of each heading reflect this taxonomy, as do the species counts found in each family account. Introduced and accidental species are included in the total counts for the Philippines.
The following tags have been used to highlight several categories. The commonly occurring native species do not fall into any of these categories:
  • Accidental: a species that rarely or accidentally occurs in the Philippines
  • Endemic: a species endemic to the Philippines
  • Introduced: a species introduced to the Philippines as a consequence, direct or indirect, of human actions


Ducks, geese, and waterfowl

Order: AnseriformesFamily: Anatidae
Anatidae includes the ducks and most duck-like waterfowl, such as geese and swans. These birds are adapted to an aquatic existence with webbed feet, flattened bills, and feathers that are excellent at shedding water due to an oily coating.
Common nameScientific namePresenceIUCNImage
Spotted whistling-duckDendrocygna guttata
Wandering whistling-duckDendrocygna arcuata
Bar-headed gooseAnser indicus
Graylag gooseAnser anser
Greater white-fronted gooseAnser albifrons
Lesser white-fronted gooseAnser erythropus
Taiga bean-gooseAnser fabalis
Tundra bean-gooseAnser serrirostris
BrantBranta bernicla
Tundra swanCygnus columbianus
Ruddy shelduckTadorna ferruginea
Common shelduckTadorna tadorna
Cotton pygmy-gooseNettapus coromandelianus
Mandarin duckAix galericulata
Baikal tealSibirionetta formosa
GarganeySpatula querquedula
Northern shovelerSpatula clypeata
GadwallMareca strepera
Falcated duckMareca falcata
Eurasian wigeonMareca penelope
Philippine duckAnas luzonica
Eastern spot-billed duckAnas zonorhyncha
MallardAnas platyrhynchos
Northern pintailAnas acuta
Green-winged tealAnas crecca
CanvasbackAythya valisineria
Common pochardAythya ferina
Ferruginous duckAythya nyroca
Baer's pochardAythya baeri
Tufted duckAythya fuligula
Greater scaupAythya marila
Scaly-sided merganserMergus squamatus

Megapodes

Order: GalliformesFamily: Megapodiidae
The Megapodiidae are stocky, medium-large chicken-like birds with small heads and large feet. All but the malleefowl occupy jungle habitats and most have brown or black coloring.
Common nameScientific namePresenceIUCNImage
Tabon scrubfowlMegapodius cumingii

Pheasants, grouse, and allies

Order: GalliformesFamily: Phasianidae
The Phasianidae are a family of terrestrial birds which consists of quails, partridges, snowcocks, francolins, spurfowls, tragopans, monals, pheasants, peafowls and jungle fowls. In general, they are plump and have broad, relatively short wings.
Common nameScientific namePresenceIUCNImage
Palawan peacock-pheasantPolyplectron napoleonis
Blue-breasted quailCoturnix chinensis
Japanese quailCoturnix japonica
Common quailCoturnix coturnix
Chinese francolinFrancolinus pintadeanus
Red junglefowlGallus gallus
Daurian partridgePerdix dauurica

Grebes

Order: PodicipediformesFamily: Podicipedidae
Grebes are small to medium-large freshwater diving birds. They have lobed toes and are excellent swimmers and divers. However, they have their feet placed far back on the body, making them quite ungainly on land.
Common nameScientific namePresenceIUCNImage
Little grebeTachybaptus ruficollis
Eared grebePodiceps nigricollis

Pigeons and doves

Order: ColumbiformesFamily: Columbidae
Pigeons and doves are stout-bodied birds with short necks and short slender bills with a fleshy cere.
Common nameScientific namePresenceIUCNImage
Rock pigeonColumba livia
Metallic pigeonColumba vitiensis
Oriental turtle-doveStreptopelia orientalis
Philippine collared-doveStreptopelia dusumieri
Red collared-doveStreptopelia tranquebarica
Spotted doveSpilopelia chinensis
Philippine cuckoo-doveMacropygia tenuirostris
Asian emerald doveChalcophaps indica
Zebra doveGeopelia striata
Nicobar pigeonCaloenas nicobarica
Mindoro bleeding-heartGallicolumba platenae
Negros bleeding-heartGallicolumba keayi
Sulu bleeding-heartGallicolumba menagei
Luzon bleeding-heartGallicolumba luzonica
Mindanao bleeding-heartGallicolumba criniger
White-eared brown-dovePhapitreron leucotis
Amethyst brown-dovePhapitreron amethystina
Mindanao brown-dovePhapitreron brunneiceps
Tawitawi brown-dovePhapitreron cinereiceps-
Pink-necked green-pigeonTreron vernans
Philippine green-pigeonTreron axillaris
Thick-billed green-pigeonTreron curvirostra
Gray-cheeked green-pigeonTreron griseicauda
Whistling green-pigeonTreron formosae
Yellow-breasted fruit-dovePtilinopus occipitalis
Flame-breasted fruit-dovePtilinopus marchei
Cream-breasted fruit-dovePtilinopus merrilli
Black-chinned fruit-dovePtilinopus leclancheri
Superb fruit-dovePtilinopus superbus
Black-naped fruit-dovePtilinopus melanospila
Negros fruit-dovePtilinopus arcanus
Pink-bellied imperial-pigeonDucula poliocephala
Mindoro imperial-pigeonDucula mindorensis
Spotted imperial-pigeonDucula carola
Green imperial-pigeonDucula aenea
Gray imperial-pigeonDucula pickeringii
Pied imperial-pigeonDucula bicolor

Cuckoos

Order: CuculiformesFamily: Cuculidae
The family Cuculidae includes cuckoos, roadrunners and anis. These birds are of variable size with slender bodies, long tails and strong legs. The Old World cuckoos are brood parasites.
Common nameScientific namePresenceIUCNImage
Rufous coucalCentropus unirufus
Black-faced coucalCentropus melanops
Black-hooded coucalCentropus steerii
Greater coucalCentropus sinensis
Philippine coucalCentropus viridis
Lesser coucalCentropus bengalensis
Chestnut-breasted malkohaPhaenicophaeus curvirostris
Red-crested malkohaDasylophus superciliosus
Scale-feathered malkohaDasylophus cumingi
Chestnut-winged cuckooClamator coromandus
Pied cuckooClamator jacobinus
Asian koelEudynamys scolopacea
Channel-billed cuckooScythrops novaehollandiae
Violet cuckooChrysococcyx xanthorhynchus
Little bronze-cuckooChrysococcyx minutillus
Banded bay cuckooCacomantis sonneratii
Plaintive cuckooCacomantis merulinus
Brush cuckooCacomantis variolosus
Asian drongo-cuckooSurniculus lugubris
Philippine drongo-cuckooSurniculus velutinus
Large hawk-cuckooHierococcyx sparverioides
Philippine hawk-cuckooHierococcyx pectoralis
Indian cuckooCuculus micropterus
Oriental cuckooCuculus optatus

Frogmouths

Order: CaprimulgiformesFamily: Podargidae
The frogmouths are a group of nocturnal birds related to the nightjars. They are named for their large flattened hooked bill and huge frog-like gape, which they use to take insects.
Common nameScientific namePresenceIUCNImage
Philippine frogmouthBatrachostomus septimus
Palawan frogmouthBatrachostomus chaseni

Nightjars and allies

Order: CaprimulgiformesFamily: Caprimulgidae
Nightjars are medium-sized nocturnal birds that usually nest on the ground. They have long wings, short legs and very short bills. Most have small feet, of little use for walking, and long pointed wings. Their soft plumage is camouflaged to resemble bark or leaves.
Common nameScientific namePresenceIUCNImage
Great eared-nightjarLyncornis macrotis
Gray nightjarCaprimulgus jotaka
Large-tailed nightjarCaprimulgus macrurus
Philippine nightjarCaprimulgus manillensis
Savanna nightjarCaprimulgus affinis

Swifts

Order: ApodiformesFamily: Apodidae
Swifts are small birds which spend the majority of their lives flying. These birds have very short legs and never settle voluntarily on the ground, perching instead only on vertical surfaces. Many swifts have long swept-back wings which resemble a crescent or boomerang.
Common nameScientific namePresenceIUCNImage
Philippine spinetailed swiftMearnsia picina
White-throated needletailHirundapus caudacutus
Brown-backed needletailHirundapus giganteus
Purple needletailHirundapus celebensis-
Pygmy swiftletCollocalia troglodytes
Gray-rumped swiftletCollocalia marginata
Ridgetop swiftletCollocalia isonota
Philippine swiftletAerodramus mearnsi
Whitehead's swiftletAerodramus whiteheadi
Ameline swiftletAerodramus amelis
Mossy-nest swiftletAerodramus salangana
Black-nest swiftletAerodramus maximus
White-nest swiftletAerodramus fuciphagus
Germain's swiftletAerodramus germani
Pacific swiftApus pacificus
House swiftApus nipalensis
Asian palm-swiftCypsiurus balasiensis

Treeswifts

Order: CaprimulgiformesFamily: Hemiprocnidae
The treeswifts, also called crested swifts, are closely related to the true swifts. They differ from the other swifts in that they have crests, long forked tails and softer plumage.
Common nameScientific namePresenceIUCNImage
Gray-rumped treeswiftHemiprocne longipennis
Whiskered treeswiftHemiprocne comata

Rails, gallinules, and coots

Order: GruiformesFamily: Rallidae
Rallidae is a large family of small to medium-sized birds which includes the rails, crakes, coots and gallinules. Typically they inhabit dense vegetation in damp environments near lakes, swamps or rivers. In general they are shy and secretive birds, making them difficult to observe. Most species have strong legs and long toes which are well adapted to soft uneven surfaces. They tend to have short, rounded wings and to be weak fliers.
Common nameScientific namePresenceIUCNImage
Slaty-breasted railLewinia striata
Luzon railLewinia mirifica
Calayan railGallirallus calayanensis
Buff-banded railGallirallus philippensis
Barred railGallirallus torquatus
Eurasian moorhenGallinula chloropus
Eurasian cootFulica atra
Black-backed swamphenPorphyrio indicus
Philippine swamphenPorphyrio pulverulentus
WatercockGallicrex cinerea
Plain bush-henAmaurornis olivacea
White-breasted waterhenAmaurornis phoenicurus
White-browed crakePoliolimnas cinereus
Red-legged crakeRallina fasciata
Slaty-legged crakeRallina eurizonoides
Ruddy-breasted crakeZapornia fusca
Baillon's crakeZapornia pusilla
Spotless crakeZapornia tabuensis

Cranes

Order: GruiformesFamily: Gruidae
Cranes are large, long-legged and long-necked birds. Unlike the similar-looking but unrelated herons, cranes fly with necks outstretched, not pulled back. Most have elaborate and noisy courting displays or "dances".
Common nameScientific namePresenceIUCNImage
Demoiselle craneAnthropoides virgo
Sarus craneGrus antigone
Hooded craneGrus monacha

Thick-knees

Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Burhinidae
The thick-knees are a group of largely tropical waders in the family Burhinidae. They are found worldwide within the tropical zone, with some species also breeding in temperate Europe and Australia. They are medium to large waders with strong black or yellow-black bills, large yellow eyes and cryptic plumage. Despite being classed as waders, most species have a preference for arid or semi-arid habitats.
Common nameScientific namePresenceIUCNImage
Beach thick-kneeEsacus magnirostris

Stilts and avocets

Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Recurvirostridae
Recurvirostridae is a family of large wading birds, which includes the avocets and stilts. The avocets have long legs and long up-curved bills. The stilts have extremely long legs and long, thin, straight bills.
Common nameScientific namePresenceIUCNImage
Black-winged stiltHimantopus himantopus
Pied stiltHimantopus leucocephalus
Pied avocetRecurvirostra avosetta

Oystercatchers

Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Haematopodidae
The oystercatchers are large and noisy plover-like birds, with strong bills used for smashing or prising open molluscs.
Common nameScientific namePresenceIUCNImage
Eurasian oystercatcherHaematopus ostralegus

Plovers and lapwings

Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Charadriidae
The family Charadriidae includes the plovers, dotterels and lapwings. They are small to medium-sized birds with compact bodies, short, thick necks and long, usually pointed, wings. They are found in open country worldwide, mostly in habitats near water.
Common nameScientific namePresenceIUCNImage
Black-bellied ploverPluvialis squatarola
Pacific golden-ploverPluvialis fulva
Northern lapwingVanellus vanellus
Gray-headed lapwingVanellus cinereus
Lesser sand-ploverCharadrius mongolus
Greater sand-ploverCharadrius leschenaultii
Malaysian ploverCharadrius peronii
Kentish ploverCharadrius alexandrinus
Common ringed ploverCharadrius hiaticula
Semipalmated ploverCharadrius semipalmatus
Long-billed ploverCharadrius placidus
Little ringed ploverCharadrius dubius
Oriental ploverCharadrius veredus

Painted-snipes

Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Rostratulidae
Painted-snipe are short-legged, long-billed birds similar in shape to the true snipes, but more brightly colored.
Common nameScientific namePresenceIUCNImage
Greater painted-snipeRostratula benghalensis

Jacanas

Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Jacanidae
The jacanas are a group of tropical waders in the family Jacanidae. They are found throughout the tropics. They are identifiable by their huge feet and claws which enable them to walk on floating vegetation in the shallow lakes that are their preferred habitat.
Common nameScientific namePresenceIUCNImage
Comb-crested jacanaIrediparra gallinacea
Pheasant-tailed jacanaHydrophasianus chirurgus

Sandpipers and allies

Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Scolopacidae
Scolopacidae is a large diverse family of small to medium-sized shorebirds including the sandpipers, curlews, godwits, shanks, tattlers, woodcocks, snipes, dowitchers and phalaropes. The majority of these species eat small invertebrates picked out of the mud or soil. Variation in length of legs and bills enables multiple species to feed in the same habitat, particularly on the coast, without direct competition for food.
Common nameScientific namePresenceIUCNImage
Bristle-thighed curlewNumenius tahitiensis
WhimbrelNumenius phaeopus
Little curlewNumenius minutus
Far Eastern curlewNumenius madagascariensis
Eurasian curlewNumenius arquata
Bar-tailed godwitLimosa lapponica
Black-tailed godwitLimosa limosa
Ruddy turnstoneArenaria interpres
Great knotCalidris tenuirostris
Red knotCalidris canutus
RuffCalidris pugnax
Broad-billed sandpiperCalidris falcinellus
Sharp-tailed sandpiperCalidris acuminata
Curlew sandpiperCalidris ferruginea
Temminck's stintCalidris temminckii
Long-toed stintCalidris subminuta
Spoon-billed sandpiperCalidris pygmea
Red-necked stintCalidris ruficollis
SanderlingCalidris alba
DunlinCalidris alpina
Little stintCalidris minuta
Pectoral sandpiperCalidris melanotos
Asian dowitcherLimnodromus semipalmatus
Long-billed dowitcherLimnodromus scolopaceus
Jack snipeLymnocryptes minimus
Bukidnon woodcockScolopax bukidnonensis
Latham's snipeGallinago hardwickii
Common snipeGallinago gallinago
Pin-tailed snipeGallinago stenura
Swinhoe's snipeGallinago megala
Terek sandpiperXenus cinereus
Red-necked phalaropePhalaropus lobatus
Red phalaropePhalaropus fulicarius
Common sandpiperActitis hypoleucos
Green sandpiperTringa ochropus
Gray-tailed tattlerTringa brevipes
Spotted redshankTringa erythropus
Common greenshankTringa nebularia
Nordmann's greenshankTringa guttifer
Marsh sandpiperTringa stagnatilis
Wood sandpiperTringa glareola
Common redshankTringa totanus

Buttonquail

Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Turnicidae
The buttonquail are small, drab, running birds which resemble the true quails. The female is the brighter of the sexes and initiates courtship. The male incubates the eggs and tends the young.
Common nameScientific namePresenceIUCNImage
Small buttonquailTurnix sylvatica
Spotted buttonquailTurnix ocellata
Barred buttonquailTurnix suscitator
Luzon buttonquailTurnix worcesteri-

Pratincoles and coursers

Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Glareolidae
Glareolidae is a family of wading birds comprising the pratincoles, which have short legs, long pointed wings and long forked tails, and the coursers, which have long legs, short wings and long, pointed bills which curve downwards.
Common nameScientific namePresenceIUCNImage
Oriental pratincoleGlareola maldivarum

Skuas and jaegers

Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Stercorariidae
The family Stercorariidae are, in general, medium to large birds, typically with gray or brown plumage, often with white markings on the wings. They nest on the ground in temperate and arctic regions and are long-distance migrants.
Common nameScientific namePresenceIUCNImage
Pomarine jaegerStercorarius pomarinus
Long-tailed jaegerStercorarius longicaudus

Gulls, terns, and skimmers

Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Laridae
Laridae is a family of medium to large seabirds, the gulls, terns, and skimmers. Gulls are typically gray or white, often with black markings on the head or wings. They have stout, longish bills and webbed feet. Terns are a group of generally medium to large seabirds typically with gray or white plumage, often with black markings on the head. Most terns hunt fish by diving but some pick insects off the surface of fresh water. Terns are generally long-lived birds, with several species known to live in excess of 30 years.
Common nameScientific namePresenceIUCNImage
Saunders's gullSaundersilarus saundersi
Black-headed gullChroicocephalus ridibundus
Little gullHydrocoloeus minutus
Laughing gullLeucophaeus atricilla
Black-tailed gullLarus crassirostris
Common gullLarus canus
Herring gullLarus argentatus
Slaty-backed gullLarus schistisagus
Brown noddyAnous stolidus
Black noddyAnous minutus
White ternGygis alba
Sooty ternOnychoprion fuscatus
Bridled ternOnychoprion anaethetus
Aleutian ternOnychoprion aleuticus
Little ternSternula albifrons
Gull-billed ternGelochelidon nilotica
Caspian ternHydroprogne caspia
White-winged ternChlidonias leucopterus
Whiskered ternChlidonias hybrida
Roseate ternSterna dougallii
Black-naped ternSterna sumatrana
Common ternSterna hirundo
Great crested ternThalasseus bergii
Chinese crested ternThalasseus bernsteini

Tropicbirds

Order: PhaethontiformesFamily: Phaethontidae
Tropicbirds are slender white birds of tropical oceans with exceptionally long central tail feathers. Their heads and long wings have black markings.
Common nameScientific namePresenceIUCNImage
White-tailed tropicbirdPhaethon lepturus
Red-tailed tropicbirdPhaethon rubricauda

Northern storm-petrels

Order: ProcellariiformesFamily: Hydrobatidae
Storm-petrels are small birds which spend most of their lives at sea, coming ashore only to breed. They feed on planktonic crustaceans and small fish picked from the surface, typically while hovering or pattering across the water. Their flight is fluttering and sometimes bat-like.
Common nameScientific namePresenceIUCNImage
Leach's storm-petrelHydrobates leucorhous
Swinhoe's storm-petrelHydrobates monorhis

Shearwaters and petrels

Order: ProcellariiformesFamily: Procellariidae
The procellariids are the main group of medium-sized "true petrels", characterized by united nostrils with medium septum and a long outer functional primary.
Common nameScientific namePresenceIUCNImage
Kermadec petrelPterodroma neglecta
Hawaiian petrelPterodroma sandwichensis
Bonin petrelPterodroma hypoleuca
Bulwer's petrelBulweria bulwerii
Tahiti petrelPseudobulweria rostrata
Streaked shearwaterCalonectris leucomelas
Wedge-tailed shearwaterArdenna pacificus
Short-tailed shearwaterArdenna tenuirostris

Storks

Order: CiconiiformesFamily: Ciconiidae
Storks are large, long-legged, long-necked, wading birds with long, stout bills. Storks are mute, but bill-clattering is an important mode of communication at the nest. Their nests can be large and may be reused for many years. Many species are migratory.
Common nameScientific namePresenceIUCNImage
Black storkCiconia nigra
Asian woolly-necked storkCiconia episcopus
Oriental storkCiconia boyciana

Frigatebirds

Order: SuliformesFamily: Fregatidae
Frigatebirds are large seabirds usually found over tropical oceans. They are large, black-and-white or completely black, with long wings and deeply forked tails. The males have colored inflatable throat pouches. They do not swim or walk and cannot take off from a flat surface. Having the largest wingspan-to-body-weight ratio of any bird, they are essentially aerial, able to stay aloft for more than a week.
Common nameScientific namePresenceIUCNImage
Lesser frigatebirdFregata ariel
Christmas Island frigatebirdFregata andrewsi
Great frigatebirdFregata minor

Boobies and gannets

Order: SuliformesFamily: Sulidae
The sulids comprise the gannets and boobies. Both groups are medium to large coastal seabirds that plunge-dive for fish.
Common nameScientific namePresenceIUCNImage
Masked boobySula dactylatra
Brown boobySula leucogaster
Red-footed boobySula sula

Anhingas

Order: SuliformesFamily: Anhingidae
Anhingas or darters are often called "snake-birds" because of their long thin neck, which gives a snake-like appearance when they swim with their bodies submerged. The males have black and dark-brown plumage, an erectile crest on the nape and a larger bill than the female. The females have much paler plumage especially on the neck and underparts. The darters have completely webbed feet and their legs are short and set far back on the body. Their plumage is somewhat permeable, like that of cormorants, and they spread their wings to dry after diving.
Common nameScientific namePresenceIUCNImage
Oriental darterAnhinga melanogaster

Cormorants and shags

Order: SuliformesFamily: Phalacrocoracidae
Phalacrocoracidae is a family of medium to large coastal, fish-eating seabirds that includes cormorants and shags. Plumage coloration varies, with the majority having mainly dark plumage, some species being black-and-white and a few being colorful.
Common nameScientific namePresenceIUCNImage
Great cormorantPhalacrocorax carbo

Pelicans

Order: PelecaniformesFamily: Pelecanidae
Pelicans are large water birds with a distinctive pouch under their beak. They have webbed feet with four toes.
Common nameScientific namePresenceIUCNImage
Australian pelicanPelecanus conspicillatus
Spot-billed pelicanPelecanus philippensis
Dalmatian pelicanPelecanus crispus

Herons, egrets, and bitterns

Order: PelecaniformesFamily: Ardeidae
The family Ardeidae contains the bitterns, herons and egrets. Herons and egrets are medium to large wading birds with long necks and legs. Bitterns tend to be shorter necked and more wary. Members of Ardeidae fly with their necks retracted, unlike other long-necked birds such as storks, ibises and spoonbills.
Common nameScientific namePresenceIUCNImage
Great bitternBotaurus stellaris
Yellow bitternIxobrychus sinensis
Schrenck's bitternIxobrychus eurhythmus
Cinnamon bitternIxobrychus cinnamomeus
Black bitternIxobrychus flavicollis
Gray heronArdea cinerea
Great-billed heronArdea sumatrana
Purple heronArdea purpurea
Great egretArdea alba
Intermediate egretArdea intermedia
Chinese egretEgretta eulophotes
Little egretEgretta garzetta
Pacific reef-heronEgretta sacra
Cattle egretBubulcus ibis
Chinese pond-heronArdeola bacchus
Javan pond-heronArdeola speciosa
Striated heronButorides striata
Black-crowned night-heronNycticorax nycticorax
Nankeen night-heronNycticorax caledonicus
Japanese night-heronGorsachius goisagi
Malayan night-heronGorsachius melanolophus

Ibises and spoonbills

Order: PelecaniformesFamily: Threskiornithidae
Threskiornithidae is a family of large terrestrial and wading birds which includes the ibises and spoonbills. They have long, broad wings with 11 primary and about 20 secondary feathers. They are strong fliers and despite their size and weight, very capable soarers.
Common nameScientific namePresenceIUCNImage
Glossy ibisPlegadis falcinellus
Black-headed ibisThreskiornis melanocephalus
Eurasian spoonbillPlatalea leucorodia
Black-faced spoonbillPlatalea minor

Osprey

Order: AccipitriformesFamily: Pandionidae
The family Pandionidae contains only one species, the osprey. The osprey is a medium-large raptor which is a specialist fish-eater with a worldwide distribution.
Common nameScientific namePresenceIUCNImage
OspreyPandion haliaetus

Hawks, eagles, and kites

Order: AccipitriformesFamily: Accipitridae
Accipitridae is a family of birds of prey, which includes hawks, eagles, kites, harriers and Old World vultures. These birds have powerful hooked beaks for tearing flesh from their prey, strong legs, powerful talons and keen eyesight.
Common nameScientific namePresenceIUCNImage
Black-winged kiteElanus caeruleus
Philippine honey-buzzardPernis steerei
Oriental honey-buzzardPernis ptilorhynchus
Jerdon's bazaAviceda jerdoni
Cinereous vultureAegypius monachus
Crested serpent-eagleSpilornis cheela
Philippine serpent-eagleSpilornis holospilus
Philippine eaglePithecophaga jefferyi
Changeable hawk-eagleNisaetus cirrhatus
Philippine hawk-eagleNisaetus philippensis
Pinsker's hawk-eagleNisaetus pinskeri
Rufous-bellied eagleLophotriorchis kienerii
Gray-faced buzzardButastur indicus
Eastern marsh-harrierCircus spilonotus
Pied harrierCircus melanoleucos
Crested goshawkAccipiter trivirgatus
ShikraAccipiter badius
Chinese sparrowhawkAccipiter soloensis
Japanese sparrowhawkAccipiter gularis
BesraAccipiter virgatus
Eurasian sparrowhawkAccipiter nisus
Black kiteMilvus migrans
Brahminy kiteHaliastur indus
White-bellied sea-eagleHaliaeetus leucogaster
Gray-headed fish-eagleHaliaeetus ichthyaetus
Eastern buzzardButeo japonicus

Barn-owls

Order: StrigiformesFamily: Tytonidae
Barn owls are medium to large owls with large heads and characteristic heart-shaped faces. They have long strong legs with powerful talons.
Common nameScientific namePresenceIUCNImage
Australasian grass-owlTyto longimembris
Oriental bay-owlPhodilus badius

Owls

Order: StrigiformesFamily: Strigidae
The typical owls are small to large solitary nocturnal birds of prey. They have large forward-facing eyes and ears, a hawk-like beak and a conspicuous circle of feathers around each eye called a facial disk.
Common nameScientific namePresenceIUCNImage
Collared scops-owlOtus rufescens
Giant scops-owlOtus gurneyi
Palawan scops-owlOtus fuliginosus
Philippine scops-owlOtus megalotis
Everett's scops-owlOtus everetti
Negros scops-owlOtus nigrorum
Mindoro scops-owlOtus mindorensis
Mantanani scops-owlOtus mantananensis
Ryukyu scops-owlOtus elegans
Mindanao scops-owlOtus mirus
Luzon scops-owlOtus longicornis
Philippine eagle-owlBubo philippensis
Spotted wood-owlStrix seloputo
Short-eared owlAsio flammeus
Brown boobookNinox scutulata
Northern boobookNinox japonica
Chocolate boobookNinox randi
Luzon boobookNinox philippensis
Mindanao boobookNinox spilocephala
Mindoro boobookNinox mindorensis
Romblon boobookNinox spilonotus
Cebu boobookNinox rumseyi
Camiguin boobookNinox leventisi
Sulu boobookNinox reyi

Trogons

Order: TrogoniformesFamily: Trogonidae
The family Trogonidae includes trogons and quetzals. Found in tropical woodlands worldwide, they feed on insects and fruit, and their broad bills and weak legs reflect their diet and arboreal habits. Although their flight is fast, they are reluctant to fly any distance. Trogons have soft, often colorful, feathers with distinctive male and female plumage.
Common nameScientific namePresenceIUCNImage
Philippine trogonHarpactes ardens

Hoopoes

Order: BucerotiformesFamily: Upupidae
Hoopoes have black, white and orangey-pink coloring with a large erectile crest on their head.
Common nameScientific namePresenceIUCNImage
Eurasian hoopoeUpupa epops

Hornbills

Order: BucerotiformesFamily: Bucerotidae
Hornbills are a group of birds whose bill is shaped like a cow's horn, but without a twist, sometimes with a casque on the upper mandible. Frequently, the bill is brightly colored. All ten of the Philippine hornbills are endemic.
Common nameScientific namePresenceIUCNImage
Rufous hornbillBuceros hydrocorax
Sulu hornbillAnthracoceros montani
Palawan hornbillAnthracoceros marchei
Writhe-billed hornbillRhabdotorrhinus waldeni
Writhed hornbillRhabdotorrhinus leucocephalus
Visayan hornbillPenelopides panini
Luzon hornbillPenelopides manillae
Mindoro hornbillPenelopides mindorensis
Samar hornbillPenelopides samarensis
Mindanao hornbillPenelopides affinis

Kingfishers

Order: CoraciiformesFamily: Alcedinidae
Kingfishers are medium-sized birds with large heads, long, pointed bills, short legs, and stubby tails.
Common nameScientific namePresenceIUCNImage
Common kingfisherAlcedo atthis
Blue-eared kingfisherAlcedo meninting
Indigo-banded kingfisherCeyx cyanopectus
Northern silvery-kingfisherCeyx flumenicola
Southern silvery-kingfisherCeyx argentatus
Black-backed dwarf-kingfisherCeyx erithaca
Rufous-backed dwarf-kingfisherCeyx rufidorsa
Philippine dwarf-kingfisherCeyx melanurus
Dimorphic dwarf-kingfisherCeyx margaethae
Stork-billed kingfisherPelargopsis capensis
Ruddy kingfisherHalcyon coromanda
Brown-breasted kingfisherHalcyon gularis
Black-capped kingfisherHalcyon pileata
Rufous-lored kingfisherTodirhamphus winchelli
Sacred kingfisherTodirhamphus sanctus
Collared kingfisherTodirhamphus chloris
Rufous-collared kingfisherActenoides concretus
Spotted kingfisherActenoides lindsayi
Blue-capped kingfisherActenoides hombroni

Bee-eaters

Order: CoraciiformesFamily: Meropidae
The bee-eaters are a group of near passerine birds in the family Meropidae. Most species are found in Africa but others occur in southern Europe, Madagascar, Australia and New Guinea. They are characterized by richly colored plumage, slender bodies and usually elongated central tail feathers. All are colorful and have long downturned bills and pointed wings, which give them a swallow-like appearance when seen from afar.
Common nameScientific namePresenceIUCNImage
Rufous-crowned bee-eaterMerops americanus
Blue-tailed bee-eaterMerops philippinus

Rollers

Order: CoraciiformesFamily: Coraciidae
Rollers resemble crows in size and build, but are more closely related to the kingfishers and bee-eaters. They share the colorful appearance of those groups with blues and browns predominating. The two inner front toes are connected, but the outer toe is not.
Common nameScientific namePresenceIUCNImage
DollarbirdEurystomus orientalis

Asian barbets

Order: PiciformesFamily: Megalaimidae
The Asian barbets are plump birds, with short necks and large heads. They get their name from the bristles which fringe their heavy bills. Most species are brightly colored.
Common nameScientific namePresenceIUCNImage
Coppersmith barbetPsilopogon haemacephalus

Woodpeckers

Order: PiciformesFamily: Picidae
Woodpeckers are small to medium-sized birds with chisel-like beaks, short legs, stiff tails and long tongues used for capturing insects. Some species have feet with two toes pointing forward and two backward, while several species have only three toes. Many woodpeckers have the habit of tapping noisily on tree trunks with their beaks.
Common nameScientific namePresenceIUCNImage
Philippine pygmy woodpeckerYungipicus maculatus
Sulu pygmy woodpeckerYungipicus ramsayi
Luzon flamebackChrysocolaptes haematribon
Yellow-faced flamebackChrysocolaptes xanthocephalus
Buff-spotted flamebackChrysocolaptes lucidus
Red-headed flamebackChrysocolaptes erythrocephalus
Spot-throated flamebackDinopium everetti
Northern sooty woodpeckerMulleripicus funebris
Southern sooty woodpeckerMulleripicus fuliginosus
Great slaty woodpeckerMulleripicus pulverulentus
White-bellied woodpeckerDryocopus javensis

Falcons and caracaras

Order: FalconiformesFamily: Falconidae
Falconidae is a family of diurnal birds of prey. They differ from hawks, eagles and kites in that they kill with their beaks instead of their talons.
Common nameScientific namePresenceIUCNImage
Philippine falconetMicrohierax erythrogenys
Eurasian kestrelFalco tinnunculus
Spotted kestrelFalco moluccensis
MerlinFalco columbarius
Eurasian hobbyFalco subbuteo
Oriental hobbyFalco severus
Peregrine falconFalco peregrinus

Cockatoos

Order: PsittaciformesFamily: Cacatuidae
The cockatoos share many features with other parrots including the characteristic curved beak shape and a zygodactyl foot, with two forward toes and two backwards toes. They differ, however, in a number of characteristics, including the often spectacular movable headcrest.
Common nameScientific namePresenceIUCNImage
Philippine cockatooCacatua haematuropygia

Old World parrots

Order: PsittaciformesFamily: Psittaculidae
Characteristic features of parrots include a strong curved bill, an upright stance, strong legs, and clawed zygodactyl feet. Many parrots are vividly colored, and some are multi-colored. In size they range from to in length. Old World parrots are found from Africa east across south and southeast Asia and Oceania to Australia and New Zealand.
Common nameScientific namePresenceIUCNImage
Mindanao racquet-tailPrioniturus waterstradti
Luzon racquet-tailPrioniturus montanus
Blue-headed racquet-tailPrioniturus platenae
Mindoro racquet-tailPrioniturus mindorensis
Blue-winged racquet-tailPrioniturus verticalis
Green racquet-tailPrioniturus luconensis
Blue-crowned racquet-tailPrioniturus discurus
Rose-ringed parakeetPsittacula krameri
Great-billed parrotTanygnathus megalorynchos
Blue-naped parrotTanygnathus lucionensis
Azure-rumped parrotTanygnathus sumatranus
GuaiaberoBolbopsittacus lunulatus
Mindanao lorikeetSaudareos johnstoniae
Philippine hanging-parrotLoriculus philippensis
Camiguin hanging-parrotLoriculus camiguinensis

Asian and Grauer's broadbills

Order: PasseriformesFamily: Eurylaimidae
The broadbills are small, brightly colored birds, which feed on fruit and also take insects in flycatcher fashion, snapping their broad bills. Their habitat is canopies of wet forests.
Common nameScientific namePresenceIUCNImage
Wattled broadbillSarcophanops steerii
Visayan broadbillSarcophanops samarensis

Pittas

Order: PasseriformesFamily: Pittidae
Pittas are medium-sized by passerine standards and are stocky, with fairly long, strong legs, short tails and stout bills. Many are brightly colored. They spend the majority of their time on wet forest floors, eating snails, insects and similar invertebrates.
Common nameScientific namePresenceIUCNImage
Whiskered pittaErythropitta kochi
Blue-breasted pittaErythropitta erythrogaster
Blue-winged pittaPitta moluccensis
Fairy pittaPitta nympha
Hooded pittaPitta sordida
Azure-breasted pittaPitta steerii

Thornbills and allies

Order: PasseriformesFamily: Acanthizidae
Thornbills are small passerine birds, similar in habits to the tits.
Common nameScientific namePresenceIUCNImage
Golden-bellied gerygoneGerygone sulphurea

Cuckooshrikes

Order: PasseriformesFamily: Campephagidae
The cuckooshrikes are small to medium-sized passerine birds. They are predominantly grayish with white and black, although some species are brightly colored.
Common nameScientific namePresenceIUCNImage
Fiery minivetPericrocotus igneus
Scarlet minivetPericrocotus flammeus
Ashy minivetPericrocotus divaricatus
Bar-bellied cuckooshrikeCoracina striata
McGregor's cuckooshrikeCoracina mcgregori
Black-and-white trillerLalage melanoleuca
Pied trillerLalage nigra
Black-winged cuckooshrikeLalage melaschistos
Blackish cuckooshrikeAnalisoma coerulescens
White-winged cuckooshrikeAnalisoma ostenta
Black-bibbed cuckooshrikeEdolisoma mindanense

Whistlers and allies

Order: PasseriformesFamily: Pachycephalidae
The family Pachycephalidae includes the whistlers, shrikethrushes, and some of the pitohuis.
Common nameScientific namePresenceIUCNImage
Yellow-bellied whistlerPachycephala philippinensis
Mangrove whistlerPachycephala cinerea
Green-backed whistlerPachycephala albiventris
White-vented whistlerPachycephala homeyeri

Old World orioles

Order: PasseriformesFamily: Oriolidae
The Old World orioles are colorful passerine birds. They are not related to the New World orioles.
Common nameScientific namePresenceIUCNImage
Dark-throated orioleOriolus xanthonotus
White-lored orioleOriolus albiloris
Philippine orioleOriolus steerii
Isabela orioleOriolus isabellae
Black-naped orioleOriolus chinensis

Woodswallows, bellmagpies, and allies

Order: PasseriformesFamily: Artamidae
The woodswallows are soft-plumaged, somber-colored passerine birds. They are smooth, agile flyers with moderately large, semi-triangular wings.
Common nameScientific namePresenceIUCNImage
White-breasted woodswallowArtamus leucorynchus

Ioras

Order: PasseriformesFamily: Aegithinidae
The ioras are bulbul-like birds of open forest or thorn scrub, but whereas that group tends to be drab in coloration, ioras are sexually dimorphic, with the males being brightly plumaged in yellows and greens.
Common nameScientific namePresenceIUCNImage
Common ioraAegithina tiphia

Fantails

Order: PasseriformesFamily: Rhipiduridae
The fantails are small insectivorous birds which are specialist aerial feeders. There are 7 species which have been recorded in the Philippines.
Common nameScientific namePresenceIUCNImage
Black-and-cinnamon fantailRhipidura nigrocinnamomea
Mindanao blue-fantailRhipidura superciliaris
Visayan blue-fantailRhipidura samarensis
Tablas fantailRhipidura sauli
Visayan fantailRhipidura albiventris
Blue-headed fantailRhipidura cyaniceps
Philippine pied-fantailRhipidura nigritorquis

Drongos

Order: PasseriformesFamily: Dicruridae
The drongos are mostly black or dark gray in color, sometimes with metallic tints. They have long forked tails, and some Asian species have elaborate tail decorations. They have short legs and sit very upright when perched, like a shrike. They flycatch or take prey from the ground.
Common nameScientific namePresenceIUCNImage
Black drongoDicrurus macrocercus
Ashy drongoDicrurus leucophaeus
Crow-billed drongoDicrurus annectens
Hair-crested drongoDicrurus hottentottus
BalicassiaoDicrurus balicassius
Tablas drongoDicrurus menagei

Monarch flycatchers

Order: PasseriformesFamily: Monarchidae
The monarch flycatchers are small to medium-sized insectivorous passerines which hunt by flycatching.
Common nameScientific namePresenceIUCNImage
Short-crested monarchHypothymis helenae
Black-naped monarchHypothymis azurea
Celestial monarchHypothymis coelestis
Blue paradise-flycatcherTerpsiphone cyanescens
Rufous paradise-flycatcherTerpsiphone cinnamomea
Japanese paradise-flycatcherTerpsiphone atrocaudata

Shrikes

Order: PasseriformesFamily: Laniidae
Shrikes are passerine birds known for their habit of catching other birds and small animals and impaling the uneaten portions of their bodies on thorns. A typical shrike's beak is hooked, like a bird of prey.

Crows, jays, and magpies

Order: PasseriformesFamily: Corvidae
The family Corvidae includes crows, ravens, jays, choughs, magpies, treepies, nutcrackers and ground jays. Corvids are above average in size among the Passeriformes, and some of the larger species show high levels of intelligence.

Fairy flycatchers

Order: PasseriformesFamily: Stenostiridae
Are a family of small passerine birds classified as a result of recent discoveries in molecular systematics. They are also referred to as stenostirid warblers.

Tits, chickadees, and titmice

Order: PasseriformesFamily: Paridae
The Paridae are mainly small stocky woodland species with short stout bills. Some have crests. They are adaptable birds, with a mixed diet including seeds and insects.

Larks

Order: PasseriformesFamily: Alaudidae
Larks are small terrestrial birds with often extravagant songs and display flights. Most larks are fairly dull in appearance. Their food is insects and seeds. There are 91 species worldwide and 2 species which occur in the Philippines.

Cisticolas and allies

Order: PasseriformesFamily: Cisticolidae
The Cisticolidae are warblers found mainly in warmer southern regions of the Old World. They are generally very small birds of drab brown or gray appearance found in open country such as grassland or scrub.

Reed warblers and allies

Order: PasseriformesFamily: Acrocephalidae
The members of this family are usually rather large for "warblers". Most are rather plain olivaceous brown above with much yellow to beige below. They are usually found in open woodland, reedbeds, or tall grass. The family occurs mostly in southern to western Eurasia and surroundings, but it also ranges far into the Pacific, with some species in Africa.

Grassbirds and allies

Order: PasseriformesFamily: Locustellidae
Locustellidae are a family of small insectivorous songbirds found mainly in Eurasia, Africa, and the Australian region. They are smallish birds with tails that are usually long and pointed, and tend to be drab brownish or buffy all over.

Swallows

Order: PasseriformesFamily: Hirundinidae
The family Hirundinidae is adapted to aerial feeding. They have a slender streamlined body, long pointed wings and a short bill with a wide gape. The feet are adapted to perching rather than walking, and the front toes are partially joined at the base.

Bulbuls

Order: PasseriformesFamily: Pycnonotidae
Bulbuls are medium-sized songbirds. Some are colorful with yellow, red or orange vents, cheeks, throats or supercilia, but most are drab, with uniform olive-brown to black plumage. Some species have distinct crests.

Leaf warblers

Order: PasseriformesFamily: Phylloscopidae
Leaf warblers are a family of small insectivorous birds found mostly in Eurasia and ranging into Wallacea and Africa. The species are of various sizes, often green-plumaged above and yellow below, or more subdued with greyish-green to greyish-brown colors.

Bush warblers and allies

Order: PasseriformesFamily: Scotocercidae
The members of this family are found throughout Africa, Asia, and Polynesia. Their taxonomy is in flux, and some authorities place some genera in other families.

White-eyes, yuhinas, and allies

Order: PasseriformesFamily: Zosteropidae
The white-eyes are small and mostly undistinguished, their plumage above being generally some dull color like greenish-olive, but some species have a white or bright yellow throat, breast or lower parts, and several have buff flanks. As their name suggests, many species have a white ring around each eye.

Tree-babblers, scimitar-babblers, and allies

Order: PasseriformesFamily: Timaliidae
The babblers, or timaliids, are somewhat diverse in size and coloration, but are characterized by soft fluffy plumage.

Ground babblers and allies

Order: PasseriformesFamily: Pellorneidae
These small to medium-sized songbirds have soft fluffy plumage but are otherwise rather diverse. Members of the genus Illadopsis are found in forests, but some other genera are birds of scrublands.

Nuthatches

Order: PasseriformesFamily: Sittidae
Nuthatches are small woodland birds. They have the unusual ability to climb down trees head first, unlike other birds which can only go upwards. Nuthatches have big heads, short tails and powerful bills and feet.

Starlings

Order: PasseriformesFamily: Sturnidae
Starlings are small to medium-sized passerine birds. Their flight is strong and direct and they are very gregarious. Their preferred habitat is fairly open country. They eat insects and fruit. Plumage is typically dark with a metallic sheen.

Thrushes and allies

Order: PasseriformesFamily: Turdidae
The thrushes are a group of passerine birds that occur mainly in the Old World. They are plump, soft plumaged, small to medium-sized insectivores or sometimes omnivores, often feeding on the ground. Many have attractive songs.

Old World flycatchers

Order: PasseriformesFamily: Muscicapidae
Old World flycatchers are a large group of small passerine birds native to the Old World. They are mainly small arboreal insectivores. The appearance of these birds is highly varied, but they mostly have weak songs and harsh calls.

Waxwings

Order: PasseriformesFamily: Bombycillidae
The waxwings are a group of passerine birds with soft silky plumage and unique red tips to some of the wing feathers. These tips look like sealing wax and give the group its name. These are arboreal birds of northern forests. They live on insects in summer and berries in winter.

Flowerpeckers

Order: PasseriformesFamily: Dicaeidae
The flowerpeckers are very small, stout, often brightly colored birds, with short tails, short thick curved bills and tubular tongues.

Sunbirds and spiderhunters

Order: PasseriformesFamily: Nectariniidae
The sunbirds and spiderhunters are very small passerine birds which feed largely on nectar, although they will also take insects, especially when feeding young. Flight is fast and direct on their short wings. Most species can take nectar by hovering like a hummingbird, but usually perch to feed.

Fairy-bluebirds

Order: PasseriformesFamily: Irenidae
The fairy-bluebirds are bulbul-like birds of open forest or thorn scrub. The males are dark-blue and the females a duller green.

Leafbirds

Order: PasseriformesFamily: Chloropseidae
The leafbirds are small, bulbul-like birds. The males are brightly plumaged, usually in greens and yellows.

Waxbills and allies

Order: PasseriformesFamily: Estrildidae
The estrildid finches are small passerine birds of the Old World tropics and Australasia. They are gregarious and often colonial seed eaters with short thick but pointed bills. They are all similar in structure and habits, but have wide variation in plumage colors and patterns.

Old World sparrows

Order: PasseriformesFamily: Passeridae
Old World sparrows are small passerine birds. In general, sparrows tend to be small, plump, brown or gray birds with short tails and short powerful beaks. Sparrows are seed eaters, but they also consume small insects.

Wagtails and pipits

Order: PasseriformesFamily: Motacillidae
Motacillidae is a family of small passerine birds with medium to long tails. They include the wagtails, longclaws and pipits. They are slender, ground feeding insectivores of open country.

Finches, euphonias, and allies

Order: PasseriformesFamily: Fringillidae
Finches are seed-eating passerine birds, that are small to moderately large and have a strong beak, usually conical and in some species very large. All have twelve tail feathers and nine primaries. These birds have a bouncing flight with alternating bouts of flapping and gliding on closed wings, and most sing well.

Longspurs and snow buntings

Order: PasseriformesFamily: Calcariidae
The Calcariidae are a group of passerine birds which had been traditionally grouped with the New World sparrows, but differ in a number of respects and are usually found in open grassy areas.

Old World buntings

Order: PasseriformesFamily: Emberizidae
The emberizids are a large family of passerine birds. They are seed-eating birds with distinctively shaped bills. Many emberizid species have distinctive head patterns.