List of birds of the Comoros

This is a list of the bird species recorded in the Comoros. The avifauna of the Comoros include a total of 166 species, of which 17 are endemic, and 12 have been introduced by humans.

This list's taxonomic treatment (designation and sequence of orders, families and species) and nomenclature (common and scientific names) 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 Comoros.

The following tags have been used to highlight several categories. The commonly occurring native species do not fall into any of these categories.

• (A) Accidental - a species that rarely or accidentally occurs in the Comoros
• (E) Endemic - a species endemic to the Comoros
• (I) Introduced - a species introduced to the Comoros as a consequence, direct or indirect, of human actions

Ducks, geese, and waterfowl

Order: Anseriformes   Family: 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.

• White-faced whistling-duck, Dendrocygna viduata (A)
• Knob-billed duck, Sarkidiornis melanotos (A)

Guineafowl

Order: Galliformes   Family: Numididae

Guineafowl are a group of African, seed-eating, ground-nesting birds that resemble partridges, but with featherless heads and spangled grey plumage.

• Helmeted guineafowl, Numida meleagris (I)

Pheasants, grouse, and allies

Order: Galliformes   Family: 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 (although they vary in size) and have broad, relatively short wings.

• Common quail, Coturnix coturnix
• Harlequin quail, Coturnix delegorguei (A)

Flamingos

Order: Phoenicopteriformes   Family: Phoenicopteridae

Flamingos are gregarious wading birds, usually 3 to 5 feet (0.9 to 1.5 m) tall, found in both the Western and Eastern Hemispheres. Flamingos filter-feed on shellfish and algae. Their oddly shaped beaks are specially adapted to separate mud and silt from the food they consume and, uniquely, are used upside-down.

• Greater flamingo, Phoenicopterus roseus (A)
• Lesser flamingo, Phoenicopterus minor (A)

Grebes

Order: Podicipediformes   Family: 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.

• Little grebe, Tachybaptus ruficollis

Pigeons and doves

Order: Columbiformes   Family: Columbidae

Pigeons and doves are stout-bodied birds with short necks and short slender bills with a fleshy cere.

• Rock pigeon, Columba livia (I)
• Comoro pigeon, Columba polleni (E)
• European turtle-dove, Streptopelia turtur (A)
• Ring-necked dove, Streptopelia capicola (I)
• Malagasy turtle-dove, Nesoenas picturatus (I)
• Tambourine dove, Turtur tympanistria (I)
• Comoros green-pigeon, Treron griveaudi (E)
• Comoro blue-pigeon, Alectroenas sganzini (E)

Cuckoos

Order: Cuculiformes   Family: Cuculidae

The family Cuculidae includes cuckoos, roadrunners and anis. These birds are of variable size with slender bodies, long tails and strong legs.

• Malagasy coucal, Centropus toulou
• Madagascar cuckoo, Cuculus rochii (A)
• Common cuckoo, Cuculus canorus (A)

Swifts

Order: Caprimulgiformes   Family: 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.

• Madagascar spinetail, Zoonavena grandidieri
• Mottled spinetail, Telacanthura ussheri
• Common swift, Apus apus (A)
• African swift, Apus barbatus
• Malagasy swift, Apus balstoni
• Malagasy palm-swift, Cypsiurus gracilis

Rails, gallinules, and coots

Order: Gruiformes   Family: 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.

• Eurasian moorhen, Gallinula chloropus
• Allen's gallinule, Porphyrio alleni (A)
• Striped crake, Amaurornis marginalis (A)

Plovers and lapwings

Order: Charadriiformes   Family: 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.

• Black-bellied plover, Pluvialis squatarola
• Pacific golden-plover, Pluvialis fulva (A)
• Senegal lapwing, Vanellus lugubris (A)
• Lesser sand-plover, Charadrius mongolus
• Greater sand-plover, Charadrius leschenaultii
• Common ringed plover, Charadrius hiaticula
• Three-banded plover, Charadrius tricollaris (A)
• White-fronted plover, Charadrius marginatus (A)

Sandpipers and allies

Order: Charadriiformes   Family: 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. There are 16 species which occur in the Comoros.

• Whimbrel, Numenius phaeopus
• Slender-billed curlew, Numenius tenuirostris (A)
• Eurasian curlew, Numenius arquata
• Bar-tailed godwit, Limosa lapponica
• Black-tailed godwit, Limosa limosa
• Ruddy turnstone, Arenaria interpres
• Ruff, Calidris pugnax
• Curlew sandpiper, Calidris ferruginea
• Sanderling, Calidris alba
• Little stint, Calidris minuta
• Pin-tailed snipe, Gallinago stenura (A)
• Terek sandpiper, Xenus cinereus
• Common sandpiper, Actitis hypoleucos
• Common greenshank, Tringa nebularia
• Marsh sandpiper, Tringa stagnatilis (A)
• Wood sandpiper, Tringa glareola (A)

Crab-plover

Order: Charadriiformes   Family: Dromadidae

The crab-plover is related to the waders. It resembles a plover but with very long grey legs and a strong heavy black bill similar to a tern. It has black-and-white plumage, a long neck, partially webbed feet and a bill designed for eating crabs.

• Crab plover, Dromas ardeola

Pratincoles and coursers

Order: Charadriiformes   Family: 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.

• Madagascar pratincole, Glareola ocularis (A)

Skuas and jaegers

Order: Charadriiformes   Family: Stercorariidae

The family Stercorariidae are, in general, medium to large birds, typically with grey 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.

• South polar skua, Stercorarius maccormicki (A)

Gulls, terns, and skimmers

Order: Charadriiformes   Family: Laridae

Laridae is a family of medium to large seabirds, the gulls, terns, and skimmers. They are typically grey 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 grey 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.

• Gray-hooded gull, Chroicocephalus cirrocephalus (A)
• Lesser black-backed gull, Larus fuscus
• Brown noddy, Anous stolidus
• Lesser noddy, Anous tenuirostris (A)
• White tern, Gygis alba
• Sooty tern, Onychoprion fuscatus
• Bridled tern, Onychoprion anaethetus
• Little tern, Sternula albifrons
• Saunders's tern, Sternula saundersi (A)
• Gull-billed tern, Gelochelidon nilotica (A)
• Caspian tern, Hydroprogne caspia
• Roseate tern, Sterna dougallii (A)
• Black-naped tern, Sterna sumatrana
• Common tern, Sterna hirundo
• Great crested tern, Thalasseus bergii
• Lesser crested tern, Thalasseus bengalensis

Tropicbirds

Order: Phaethontiformes   Family: Phaethontidae

Tropicbirds are slender white birds of tropical oceans, with exceptionally long central tail feathers. Their heads and long wings have black markings.

• White-tailed tropicbird, Phaethon lepturus
• Red-tailed tropicbird, Phaethon rubricauda

Shearwaters and petrels

Order: Procellariiformes   Family: Procellariidae

The procellariids are the main group of medium-sized "true petrels", characterised by united nostrils with medium septum and a long outer functional primary.

• Wedge-tailed shearwater, Ardenna pacificus (A)
• Tropical shearwater, Puffinus bailloni
• Persian shearwater, Puffinus persicus

Frigatebirds

Order: Suliformes   Family: 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 coloured 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.

• Lesser frigatebird, Fregata ariel
• Great frigatebird, Fregata minor

Boobies and gannets

Order: Suliformes   Family: Sulidae

The sulids comprise the gannets and boobies. Both groups are medium to large coastal seabirds that plunge-dive for fish. There are 9 species worldwide and 3 species which occur in the Comoros.

• Masked booby, Sula dactylatra
• Brown booby, Sula leucogaster (A)
• Red-footed booby, Sula sula (A)

Anhingas

Order: Suliformes   Family: Anhingidae

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.

• African darter, Anhinga melanogaster

Cormorants and shags

Order: Suliformes   Family: Phalacrocoracidae

Phalacrocoracidae is a family of medium to large coastal, fish-eating seabirds that includes cormorants and shags. Plumage colouration varies, with the majority having mainly dark plumage, some species being black-and-white and a few being colourful.

• Long-tailed cormorant, Microcarbo africanus (A)

Herons, egrets, and bitterns

Order: Pelecaniformes   Family: 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.

• Gray heron, Ardea cinerea
• Humblot's heron, Ardea humbloti
• Great egret, Ardea alba
• Little egret, Egretta garzetta (A)
• Western reef-heron, Egretta gularis
• Cattle egret, Bubulcus ibis
• Squacco heron, Ardeola ralloides
• Malagasy pond-heron, Ardeola idae
• Striated heron, Butorides striata
• Black-crowned night-heron, Nycticorax nycticorax (A)

Ibises and spoonbills

Order: Pelecaniformes   Family: 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.

• African sacred ibis, Threskiornis aethiopicus

Hawks, eagles, and kites

Order: Accipitriformes   Family: 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.

• Bat hawk, Macheiramphus alcinus (A)
• Malagasy harrier, Circus macrosceles
• Frances's sparrowhawk, Accipiter francesii
• Black kite, Milvus migrans
• Common buzzard, Buteo buteo (A)

Barn-owls

Order: Strigiformes   Family: Tytonidae

Barn-owls are medium to large owls with large heads and characteristic heart-shaped faces. They have long strong legs with powerful talons.

• Western barn owl, Tyto alba

Owls

Order: Strigiformes   Family: 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.

• Moheli scops owl, Otus moheliensis (E)
• Comoro scops owl, Otus pauliani (E)
• Anjouan scops owl, Otus capnodes (E)
• Mayotte scops-owl, Otus mayottensis

Cuckoo-roller

Order: Leptosomiformes   Family: Leptosomidae

The cuckoo-roller is an insectivorous medium-sized bird of the forests of Madagascar and the Comoros. Unlike the true rollers and ground rollers, where the sexes have identical appearance, the male and female cuckoo roller have distinctive plumages. Males are mostly velvety grey. The back, tail, and wings are dark shiny green. They have a black eyestripe. Females and young birds are mostly brown marked with darker streaks.

• Cuckoo-roller, Leptosomus discolor

Kingfishers

Order: Coraciiformes   Family: Alcedinidae

Kingfishers are medium-sized birds with large heads, long, pointed bills, short legs and stubby tails.

• Malagasy kingfisher, Corythornis vintsioides

Bee-eaters

Order: Coraciiformes   Family: 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 characterised by richly coloured plumage, slender bodies and usually elongated central tail feathers. All are colourful and have long downturned bills and pointed wings, which give them a swallow-like appearance when seen from afar.

• Blue-cheeked bee-eater, Merops persicus (A)
• Madagascar bee-eater, Merops superciliosus

Rollers

Order: Coraciiformes   Family: Coraciidae

Rollers resemble crows in size and build, but are more closely related to the kingfishers and bee-eaters. They share the colourful appearance of those groups with blues and browns predominating. The two inner front toes are connected, but the outer toe is not.

• European roller, Coracias garrulus (A)
• Broad-billed roller, Eurystomus glaucurus

Falcons and caracaras

Order: Falconiformes   Family: 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.

• Lesser kestrel, Falco naumanni (A)
• Malagasy kestrel, Falco newtoni (A)
• Eleonora's falcon, Falco eleonorae
• Peregrine falcon, Falco peregrinus

Old world parrots

Order: Psittaciformes   Family: Psittaculidae

Parrots are small to large birds with a characteristic curved beak. Their upper mandibles have slight mobility in the joint with the skull and they have a generally erect stance. All parrots are zygodactyl, having the four toes on each foot placed two at the front and two to the back.

• Greater vasa parrot, Coracopsis vasa
• Lesser vasa parrot, Coracopsis nigra
• Rose-ringed parakeet, Psittacula krameri (I)
• Gray-headed lovebird, Agapornis canus (I)

Cuckooshrikes

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Campephagidae

The cuckooshrikes are small to medium-sized passerine birds. They are predominantly greyish with white and black, although some species are brightly coloured.

• Comoros cuckooshrike, Coracina cucullata

Old World orioles

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Oriolidae

The Old World orioles are colourful passerine birds. They are not related to the New World orioles.

• Eurasian golden oriole, Oriolus oriolus (A)

Vangas, helmetshrikes, and allies

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Vangidae

The vangas are shrike-like, arboreal forest birds, feeding on reptiles, frogs and insects.

• Blue vanga, Cyanolanius madagascarinus

Drongos

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Dicruridae

The drongos are mostly black or dark grey in colour, 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.

• Comoro drongo, Dicrurus fuscipennis (E)
• Crested drongo, Dicrurus forficatus
• Mayotte drongo, Dicrurus waldenii

Monarch flycatchers

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Monarchidae

The monarch flycatchers are small to medium-sized insectivorous passerines which hunt by flycatching.

• Malagasy paradise-flycatcher, Terpsiphone mutata

Shrikes

Order: Passeriformes   Family: 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.

• Lesser gray shrike, Lanius minor

Crows, jays, and magpies

Order: Passeriformes   Family: 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.

• Pied crow, Corvus albus

Cisticolas and allies

Order: Passeriformes   Family: 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 grey appearance found in open country such as grassland or scrub.

• Madagascar cisticola, Cisticola cherinus (A)

Reed warblers and allies

Order: Passeriformes   Family: 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.

• Malagasy brush-warbler, Nesillas typica
• Grand Comoro brush-warbler, Nesillas brevicaudata (E)
• Moheli brush-warbler, Nesillas mariae (E)

Swallows

Order: Passeriformes   Family: 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.

• Bank swallow, Riparia riparia
• Mascarene martin, Phedina borbonica (A)
• Barn swallow, Hirundo rustica
• Common house-martin, Delichon urbicum (A)

Bulbuls

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Pycnonotidae

Bulbuls are medium-sized songbirds. Some are colourful 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.

• Malagasy bulbul, Hypsipetes madagascariensis
• Grand Comoro bulbul, Hypsipetes parvirostris (E)
• Moheli bulbul, Hypsipetes moheliensis (E)

Leaf warblers

Order: Passeriformes   Family: 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 grayish-green to grayish-brown colors.

• Wood warbler, Phylloscopus sibilatrix
• Willow warbler, Phylloscopus trochilus

White-eyes, yuhinas, and allies

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Zosteropidae

The white-eyes are small and mostly undistinguished, their plumage above being generally some dull colour 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.

• Comoro white-eye, Zosterops mouroniensis (E)
• Anjouan white-eye, Zosterops anjuanensis (E)
• Moheli white-eye, Zosterops comorensis (E)
• Malagasy white-eye, Zosterops maderaspatanus
• Kirk's white-eye, Zosterops kirki (E)

Starlings

Order: Passeriformes   Family: 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.

• Common myna, Acridotheres tristis (I)

Thrushes and allies

Order: Passeriformes   Family: 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.

• Comoro thrush, Turdus bewsheri (E)

Old World flycatchers

Order: Passeriformes   Family: 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.

• Spotted flycatcher, Muscicapa striata (A)
• Grand Comoro flycatcher, Humblotia flavirostris (E)
• African stonechat, Saxicola torquatus
• Northern wheatear, Oenanthe oenanthe

Sunbirds and spiderhunters

Order: Passeriformes   Family: 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.

• Malagasy sunbird, Cinnyris notatus
• Humblot's sunbird, Cinnyris humbloti (E)
• Anjouan sunbird, Cinnyris comorensis (E)
• Mayotte sunbird, Cinnyris coquerellii

Weavers and allies

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Ploceidae

The weavers are small passerine birds related to the finches. They are seed-eating birds with rounded conical bills. The males of many species are brightly coloured, usually in red or yellow and black, some species show variation in colour only in the breeding season.

• Red fody, Foudia madagascariensis (I)
• Red-headed fody, Foudia eminentissima

Waxbills and allies

Order: Passeriformes   Family: 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 colours and patterns.

• Bronze mannikin, Spermestes cucullatus
• Java sparrow, Padda oryzivora (extirpated)
• Red avadavat, Amandava amandava (I)

Indigobirds

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Viduidae

The indigobirds are finch-like species which usually have black or indigo predominating in their plumage. All are brood parasites which lay their eggs in the nests of waxbills and other estrildid finches.

• Pin-tailed whydah, Vidua macroura (extirpated)

Old World sparrows

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Passeridae

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

• House sparrow, Passer domesticus (I)

Wagtails and pipits

Order: Passeriformes   Family: 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.

• Western yellow wagtail, Motacilla flava (A)
• White wagtail, Motacilla alba
• Tree pipit, Anthus trivialis (A)

See also

• List of birds
• Lists of birds by region

References

• Lepage, Denis. "Checklist of Birds of the Comoros". Bird Checklists of the World. Avibase. Retrieved 27 August 2021.
• Clements, James F. (2000). Birds of the World: A Checklist. Cornell University Press. p. 880. ISBN 0-934797-16-1.