List of birds of Papua New Guinea

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Raggiana bird of paradise
is the national bird of Papua New Guinea.

This is a list of the bird species recorded in Papua New Guinea. The avifauna of

endemic, and 2 have been introduced by humans
. 44 species are globally threatened.

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 in each family account. Introduced and accidental species are included in the total counts for Papua New Guinea.

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 Papua New Guinea
  • (E)
    Endemic
    - a species that is native only to Papua New Guinea
  • (I) Introduced - a species introduced to Papua New Guinea as a consequence, direct or indirect, of human actions


Cassowaries and emu

Order: Struthioniformes   Family: Casuariidae

The cassowaries are large flightless birds native to Australia and New Guinea.

Magpie goose

Order: Anseriformes   Family: Anseranatidae

The family contains a single species, the

anseriform family tree, diverging after the screamers and before all other ducks, geese and swans, sometime in the late Cretaceous
.

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.

Megapodes

Order:

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 colouring.

Pheasants, grouse, and allies

Order: Galliformes   Family: Phasianidae

The Phasianidae are a family of terrestrial birds. In general, they are plump (although they vary in size) and have broad, relatively short wings.

Grebes

Order:

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.

Pigeons and doves

Order:

Columbiformes   Family: Columbidae

cere
.

  • Rock pigeon
    , Columba livia
  • Metallic pigeon, Columba vitiensis
  • Yellow-legged pigeon, Columba pallidiceps
  • Spotted dove, Spilopelia chinensis (A)
  • Amboyna cuckoo-dove, Macropygia amboinensis
  • Sultan's cuckoo-dove, Macropygia doreya
  • Black-billed cuckoo-dove
    , Macropygia nigrirostris
  • Mackinlay's cuckoo-dove, Macropygia mackinlayi
  • Great cuckoo-dove, Reinwardtoena reinwardti
  • Pied cuckoo-dove, Reinwardtoena browni (E)
  • Crested cuckoo-dove, Reinwardtoena crassirostris
  • Pacific emerald dove, Chalcophaps longirostris
  • Stephan's dove
    , Chalcophaps stephani
  • New Guinea bronzewing, Henicophaps albifrons
  • New Britain bronzewing, Henicophaps foersteri (E)
  • Bronze ground dove, Alopecoenas beccarii
  • White-bibbed ground dove
    , Alopecoenas jobiensis
  • Zebra dove, Geopelia striata
  • Peaceful dove, Geopelia placida
  • Bar-shouldered dove, Geopelia humeralis
  • Nicobar pigeon, Caloenas nicobarica
  • Cinnamon ground dove, Gallicolumba rufigula
  • Thick-billed ground-pigeon
    , Trugon terrestris
  • Pheasant pigeon, Otidiphaps nobilis
  • Western crowned-pigeon
    , Goura cristata
  • Sclater's crowned-pigeon
    , Goura sclaterii
  • Scheepmaker's crowned-pigeon
    , Goura scheepmakeri (E)
  • Victoria crowned-pigeon
    , Goura victoria
  • Wompoo fruit-dove
    , Ptilinopus magnificus
  • Pink-spotted fruit-dove
    , Ptilinopus perlatus
  • Ornate fruit-dove
    , Ptilinopus ornatus
  • Orange-fronted fruit-dove
    , Ptilinopus aurantiifrons
  • Superb fruit-dove
    , Ptilinopus superbus
  • Rose-crowned fruit-dove
    , Ptilinopus regina
  • Coroneted fruit-dove
    , Ptilinopus coronulatus
  • Beautiful fruit-dove
    , Ptilinopus pulchellus
  • White-breasted fruit-dove
    , Ptilinopus rivoli
  • Yellow-bibbed fruit-dove
    , Ptilinopus solomonensis
  • Claret-breasted fruit-dove
    , Ptilinopus viridis
  • Orange-bellied fruit-dove
    , Ptilinopus iozonus
  • Knob-billed fruit-dove
    , Ptilinopus insolitus (E)
  • Dwarf fruit-dove
    , Ptilinopus nainus
  • Spectacled imperial-pigeon
    , Ducula perspicillata (A)
  • Elegant imperial-pigeon
    , Ducula concinna (A)
  • Pacific imperial-pigeon
    , Ducula pacifica
  • Red-knobbed imperial-pigeon
    , Ducula rubricera
  • Purple-tailed imperial-pigeon
    , Ducula rufigaster
  • Finsch's imperial-pigeon
    , Ducula finschii (E)
  • Rufescent imperial-pigeon
    , Ducula chalconota
  • Island imperial-pigeon
    , Ducula pistrinaria
  • Pinon's imperial-pigeon
    , Ducula pinon
  • Bismarck imperial-pigeon
    , Ducula melanochroa (E)
  • Collared imperial-pigeon
    , Ducula mullerii
  • Zoe's imperial-pigeon
    , Ducula zoeae
  • Pied imperial-pigeon
    , Ducula bicolor
  • Yellowish imperial-pigeon
    , Ducula subflavescens (E)
  • Torresian imperial-pigeon
    , Ducula spilorrhoa
  • Topknot pigeon, Lopholaimus antarcticus
  • Papuan mountain-pigeon
    , Gymnophaps albertisii
  • Pale mountain-pigeon
    , Gymnophaps solomonensis (E)

Bustards

Order:

Otididae

Bustards are large terrestrial birds mainly associated with dry open country and steppes in the Old World. They are omnivorous and nest on the ground. They walk steadily on strong legs and big toes, pecking for food as they go. They have long broad wings with "fingered" wingtips and striking patterns in flight. Many have interesting mating displays.

Cuckoos

Order:

Cuculidae

The family Cuculidae includes

brood parasites
.

Frogmouths

Order:

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.

Nightjars and allies

Order:

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.

Owlet-nightjars

Order:

Aegothelidae

The owlet-nightjars are small nocturnal birds related to the nightjars and frogmouths. They are insectivores which hunt mostly in the air. Their soft plumage is a mixture of browns and paler shades.

Swifts

Uniform swiftlet

Order:

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.

Treeswifts

Moustached treeswift

Order:

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.

Rails, gallinules, and coots

Order:

Rallidae

Rallidae is a large family of small to medium-sized birds which includes the

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.

Cranes

Order:

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".

Thick-knees

Order:

Burhinidae

Beach thick-knee

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.

  • Bush thick-knee
    , Burhinus grallarius
  • Beach thick-knee
    , Esacus magnirostris

Stilts and avocets

Order: Charadriiformes   Family: 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.

Oystercatchers

Order:

Haematopodidae

The

molluscs
.

Plovers and lapwings

Order: Charadriiformes   Family: Charadriidae

The family Charadriidae includes the

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.

Jacanas

Order: Charadriiformes   Family: 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.

Sandpipers and allies

Order:

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.

Buttonquail

Order:

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.

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.

Skuas and jaegers

Order:

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.

Gulls, terns, and skimmers

Order: Charadriiformes   Family: Laridae

Laridae is a family of medium to large seabirds, the

skimmers
. Gulls 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.

Tropicbirds

Order:

Phaethontidae

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

Albatrosses

Order:

Diomedeidae

The albatrosses are a family of large seabird found across the Southern and North Pacific Oceans. The largest are among the largest flying birds in the world.

Southern storm-petrels

Order:

Oceanitidae

The southern storm-petrels are relatives of the petrels and are the smallest seabirds. They feed on planktonic crustaceans and small fish picked from the surface, typically while hovering. The flight is fluttering and sometimes bat-like.

  • Wilson's storm-petrel
    , Oceanites oceanicus
  • White-faced storm-petrel
    , Pelagodroma marina (A)
  • White-bellied storm-petrel
    , Fregetta grallaria
  • Black-bellied storm-petrel
    , Fregetta tropica

Northern storm-petrels

Order:

Hydrobatidae

Though the members of this family are similar in many respects to the southern storm-petrels, including their general appearance and habits, there are enough genetic differences to warrant their placement in a separate family.

  • Leach's storm-petrel
    , Hydrobates leucorhous
  • Band-rumped storm-petrel
    , Hydrobates castro (A)
  • Matsudaira's storm-petrel
    , Hydrobates matsudairae

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.

Storks

Order:

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.

Frigatebirds

Order:

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.

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.

Anhingas

Order:

Anhingidae

Anhingas or darters are often called "snake-birds" because of their long thin necks, 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.

Cormorants and shags

Order:

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.

Pelicans

Order: Pelecaniformes   Family: Pelecanidae

Pelicans are large water birds with a distinctive pouch under their beak. As with other members of the order Pelecaniformes, they have webbed feet with four toes.

Herons, egrets, and bitterns

Order:

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.

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.

Osprey

Order:

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.

Hawks, eagles, and kites

Doria's goshawk
New Guinea eagle

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.

Barn-owls

Order:

Tytonidae

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

  • Sooty owl
    , Tyto tenebricosa
  • Australian masked-owl
    , Tyto novaehollandiae
  • Golden masked-owl
    , Tyto aurantia (E)
  • Manus masked-owl
    , Tyto manusi (E)
  • Australasian grass-owl
    , Tyto longimembris
  • Barn owl, Tyto alba

Owls

Order:

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.

Hornbills

Order:

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 coloured.

Kingfishers

Order:

Alcedinidae

Brown-headed paradise-kingfisher

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

Bee-eaters

Order:

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.

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.

  • Dollarbird
    , Eurystomus orientalis

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.

Cockatoos

Order:

Cacatuidae

Main article: Parrots of New Guinea

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.

Old World parrots

Order:

Psittaciformes   Family: Psittaculidae

Main article: Parrots of New Guinea

Characteristic features of parrots include a strong curved bill, an upright stance, strong legs, and clawed

zygodactyl
feet. Many parrots are vividly coloured, and some are multi-coloured. In size they range from 8 cm (3.1 in) to 1 m (3.3 ft) in length. Old World parrots are found from Africa east across south and southeast Asia and Oceania to Australia and New Zealand.

Pittas

Noisy pitta

Order:

Pittidae

Pittas are medium-sized by passerine standards and are stocky, with fairly long, strong legs, short tails and stout bills. Many are brightly coloured. They spend the majority of their time on wet forest floors, eating snails, insects and similar invertebrates.

Bowerbirds

Order:

Ptilonorhynchidae

The bowerbirds are small to medium-sized passerine birds. The males notably build a bower to attract a mate. Depending on the species, the bower ranges from a circle of cleared earth with a small pile of twigs in the center to a complex and highly decorated structure of sticks and leaves.

Australasian treecreepers

Order:

Climacteridae

The Climacteridae are medium-small, mostly brown-coloured birds with patterning on their underparts. They are endemic to Australia and New Guinea.

Fairywrens

Order:

Maluridae

Maluridae is a family of small, insectivorous passerine birds endemic to Australia and New Guinea. They are socially monogamous and sexually promiscuous, meaning that although they form pairs between one male and one female, each partner will mate with other individuals and even assist in raising the young from such pairings.

Honeyeaters

Noisy friarbird
Blue-faced honeyeater

Order:

Meliphagidae

The honeyeaters are a large and diverse family of small to medium-sized birds most common in Australia and New Guinea. They are nectar feeders and closely resemble other nectar-feeding passerines.

Thornbills and allies

Order:

Passeriformes   Family: Acanthizidae

Thornbills are small passerine birds, similar in habits to the tits.

Pseudo-babblers

Order:

Pomatostomidae

The pseudo-babblers are small to medium-sized birds endemic to Australia and New Guinea. They are ground-feeding omnivores and highly social.

  • New Guinea babbler
    , Pomatostomus isidorei
  • Gray-crowned babbler
    , Pomatostomus temporalis

Logrunners

Order:

Passeriformes   Family: Orthonychidae

The Orthonychidae is a family of birds with a single genus, Orthonyx, which comprises two types of passerine birds endemic to Australia and New Guinea, the logrunners and the chowchilla. Both use stiffened tails to brace themselves when feeding.

Quail-thrushes and jewel-babblers

Order:

Passeriformes   Family: Cinclosomatidae

The Cinclosomatidae is a family containing jewel-babblers and quail-thrushes.

Cuckooshrikes

Order:

Campephagidae

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

Sittellas

Order:

Neosittidae

The sittellas are a family of small passerine birds found only in Australasia. They resemble treecreepers, but have soft tails.

Whipbirds and wedgebills

Order:

Passeriformes   Family: Psophodidae

The Psophodidae is a family containing whipbirds and wedgebills.

Ploughbill

Order:

Eulacestomidae

The wattled ploughbill was long thought to be related to the whistlers (Pachycephalidae), and shriketits (formerly Pachycephalidae, now often treated as its own family).

Australo-Papuan bellbirds

Order:

Passeriformes   Family: Oreoicidae

The three species contained in the family have been moved around between different families for fifty years. A series of studies of the DNA of Australian birds between 2006 and 2001 found strong support for treating the three genera as a new family, which was formally named in 2016.

Tit berrypecker and crested berrypecker

Crested berrypecker

Order:

Paramythiidae

Paramythiidae is a very small bird family restricted to the mountain forests of New Guinea. The two species are colourful medium-sized birds which feed on fruit and some insects.

Whistlers and allies

Order:

Passeriformes   Family: Pachycephalidae

The family Pachycephalidae includes the whistlers, shrikethrushes, and some of the pitohuis.

Old World orioles

Olive-backed oriole

Order:

Oriolidae

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

Boatbills

Order:

Machaerirhynchidae

The boatbills have affinities to woodswallows and butcherbirds, and are distributed across New Guinea and northern Queensland.

Woodswallows, bellmagpies, and allies

Great woodswallow

Order:

Passeriformes   Family: Artamidae

The woodswallows are soft-plumaged, somber-coloured passerine birds. They are smooth, agile flyers with moderately large, semi-triangular wings. The cracticids: currawongs, bellmagpies and butcherbirds, are similar to the other corvids. They have large, straight bills and mostly black, white or grey plumage. All are omnivorous to some degree.

Mottled berryhunter

Order:

Rhagologidae

The mottled berryhunter or mottled whistler (Rhagologus leucostigma) is a species of bird whose relationships are unclear but most likely related to the woodswallows, boatbills and butcherbirds.

Fantails

Order:

Passeriformes   Family: Rhipiduridae

The fantails are small insectivorous birds which are specialist aerial feeders.

Drongos

Order:

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.

Birds-of-paradise

Order:

Paradisaeidae

The birds-of-paradise are best known for the striking plumage possessed by the males of most species, in particular highly elongated and elaborate feathers extending from the tail, wings or head. These plumes are used in courtship displays to attract females.

Ifritas

Order:

Ifritidae

The ifritas are a small and

Monarchidae.[1] They are considered an ancient relic species endemic to New Guinea
.

  • Blue-capped ifrita
    , Ifrita kowaldi

Monarch flycatchers

Golden monarch

Order:

Monarchidae

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

Melampittas

Order:

Melampittidae

They are little studied and before being established as a family in 2014 their taxonomic relationships with other birds were uncertain, being considered at one time related variously to the pittas, Old World babblers and birds-of-paradise.

Shrikes

Order:

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:

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.

Satinbirds

Order:

Cnemophilidae

They are a family of

Campephagidae).[3]

Berrypeckers and longbills

Order:

Passeriformes   Family: Melanocharitidae

The Melanocharitidae are medium-sized birds which feed on fruit and some insects and other invertebrates. They have drab plumage in greys, browns or black and white. The berrypeckers resemble stout short-billed honeyeaters, and the longbills are like drab sunbirds.

Australasian robins

Order:

Petroicidae

Most species of Petroicidae have a stocky build with a large rounded head, a short straight bill and rounded wingtips. They occupy a wide range of wooded habitats, from subalpine to tropical rainforest, and

mangrove swamp
to semi-arid scrubland. All are primarily insectivores, although a few supplement their diet with seeds.

Larks

Order:

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.

  • Horsfield's bushlark
    , Mirafra javanica

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.

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.

Grassbirds and allies

Tawny grassbird

Order:

Passeriformes   Family: 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:

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:

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.

Leaf warblers

Order:

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 colours.

Bush warblers and allies

Order:

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.[4]

  • Odedi
    , Horornis haddeni (E)

White-eyes, yuhinas, and allies

Order:

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.

Starlings

Order:

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:

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:

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.

  • Gray-streaked flycatcher
    , Muscicapa griseisticta
  • Siberian rubythroat, Calliope calliope
  • Blue rock-thrush
    , Monticola solitarius
  • Pied bushchat
    , Saxicola caprata

Flowerpeckers

Order:

Dicaeidae

The flowerpeckers are very small, stout, often brightly coloured birds, with short tails, short thick curved bills and tubular tongues.

Sunbirds and spiderhunters

Olive-backed sunbird

Order:

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.

  • Black sunbird, Leptocoma sericea
  • Olive-backed sunbird
    , Cinnyris jugularis

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.

  • Mountain firetail, Oreostruthus fuliginosus
  • Red-browed firetail
    , Neochmia temporalis
  • Crimson finch, Neochmia phaeton
  • Blue-faced parrotfinch, Erythrura trichroa
  • Papuan parrotfinch, Erythrura papuana
  • Streak-headed munia
    , Mayrimunia tristissima
  • White-spotted munia
    , Mayrimunia leucosticta
  • Grand munia
    , Lonchura grandis
  • Gray-crowned munia
    , Lonchura nevermanni
  • Hooded munia
    , Lonchura spectabilis
  • Gray-headed munia
    , Lonchura caniceps
  • Mottled munia
    , Lonchura hunsteini (E)
  • New Ireland munia
    , Lonchura forbesi (E)
  • New Hanover munia
    , Lonchura nigerrima (E)
  • Chestnut-breasted munia
    , Lonchura castaneothorax
  • Black munia
    , Lonchura stygia
  • Snow Mountain munia
    , Lonchura montana
  • Alpine munia
    , Lonchura monticola (E)
  • Bismarck munia
    , Lonchura melaena (E)

Old World sparrows

Order:

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.

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.

See also

References

  1. ^
    PMID 24869551
    .
  2. ^ Donaghey, Richard H. (2015-09-07). "Nest and egg of the Dimorphic Fantail Rhipidura brachyrhyncha and a review of clutch-sizes in New Guinean passerines". Australian Field Ornithology. 32 (2).
  3. ^ "Satinbird family Cnemophilidae".
  4. doi:10.14344/IOC.ML.9.2. http://www.worldbirdnames.org/
    retrieved 22 June 2019.
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