List of birds of Réunion

This is a list of the bird species recorded in Réunion. The avifauna of Réunion include a total of 161 species, of which 17 are endemic, and 27 have been introduced.

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 Réunion.

The following tags have been used to highlight several categories. Not all species fall into one of these categories. Those that do not are commonly occurring native species.


 * (A) Accidental - a species that rarely or accidentally occurs in Réunion
 * (E) Endemic - a species endemic to Réunion
 * (I) Introduced - a species introduced to Réunion as a consequence, direct or indirect, of human actions
 * (Ex) Extirpated - a species that no longer occurs in Réunion although populations exist elsewhere
 * (X) Extinct - a species formerly found on Réunion, but no longer exists alive globally

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.


 * White-faced whistling duck, Dendrocygna viduata (A)
 * Fulvous whistling duck, Dendrocygna bicolor (A)
 * Knob-billed duck, Sarkidiornis melanotos (A)
 * Egyptian goose, Alopochen aegyptiaca (A)
 * Réunion shelduck, Alopochen kervazoi (X)
 * Meller's duck, Anas melleri (I)
 * Garganey, Spatula querquedula
 * Mauritius duck, Anas theodori (X)

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 (although they vary in size) and have broad, relatively short wings.


 * Ring-necked pheasant, Phasianus colchicus (I)
 * Red junglefowl, Gallus gallus (I)
 * Gray francolin, Ortygornis pondicerianus (I)
 * Chinese francolin, Francolinus pintadeanus (extirpated)
 * Blue-breasted quail, Synoicus chinensis (I)
 * Madagascar partridge, Margaroperdix madagarensis (I)
 * Common quail, Coturnix coturnix (I)
 * Jungle bush-quail, Perdicula asiatica (I)

Flamingos
Order: PhoenicopteriformesFamily: Phoenicopteridae

Flamingos are gregarious wading birds, usually 3 to 5 ft 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)

Pigeons and doves
Order: ColumbiformesFamily: Columbidae

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


 * Rock pigeon, Columba livia (I)
 * Pink pigeon, Nesoenas mayeri (Ex)
 * Malagasy turtle-dove, Nesoenas picturatus (I)
 * Zebra dove, Geopelia striata (I)

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.


 * Madagascar cuckoo, Cuculus rochii (A)

Swifts
Order: CaprimulgiformesFamily: 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.


 * Mascarene swiftlet, Aerodramus francicus

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.


 * Reunion rail, Dryolimnas augusti (X)
 * Eurasian moorhen, Gallinula chloropus
 * Mascarene coot, Fulica newtonii (X)
 * Reunion gallinule, Porphyrio caerulescens (X)
 * African swamphen, Porphyrio madagascariensis (A)

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.


 * Black-bellied plover, Pluvialis squatarola (A)
 * Greater sand-plover, Charadrius leschenaultii
 * Common ringed plover, Charadrius hiaticula (A)
 * Oriental plover, Charadrius veredus (A)

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.


 * Whimbrel, Numenius phaeopus
 * Eurasian curlew, Numenius arquata (A)
 * Bar-tailed godwit, Limosa lapponica (A)
 * Ruddy turnstone, Arenaria interpres
 * Ruff, Calidris pugnax (A)
 * Sharp-tailed sandpiper, Calidris acuminata (A)
 * Curlew sandpiper, Calidris ferruginea
 * Red-necked stint, Calidris ruficollis (A)
 * Sanderling, Calidris alba
 * Little stint, Calidris minuta (A)
 * Pectoral sandpiper, Calidris melanotos (A)
 * Terek sandpiper, Xenus cinereus (A)
 * Common sandpiper, Actitis hypoleucos (A)
 * Common greenshank, Tringa nebularia
 * Wood sandpiper, Tringa glareola (A)

Buttonquails
Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Turnicidae

The buttonquails 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.


 * Madagascar buttonquail, Turnix nigricollis (I)

Crab-plover
Order: CharadriiformesFamily: 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: 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.


 * Oriental pratincole, Glareola maldivarum (A)
 * Madagascar pratincole, Glareola ocularis (A)

Skuas and jaegers
Order: CharadriiformesFamily: 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)
 * Brown skua, Stercorarius antarctica (A)
 * Pomarine jaeger, Stercorarius pomarinus (A)
 * Parasitic jaeger, Stercorarius parasiticus (A)
 * Long-tailed jaeger, Stercorarius longicaudus (A)

Gulls, terns, and skimmers
Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Laridae

Laridae is a family of medium to large seabirds, the gulls, terns, and 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. Skimmers are a small family of tropical tern-like birds. They have an elongated lower mandible which they use to feed by flying low over the water surface and skimming the water for small fish.


 * Gray-hooded gull, Chroicocephalus cirrocephalus (A)
 * Kelp gull, Larus dominicanus (A)
 * Brown noddy, Anous stolidus
 * Lesser noddy, Anous tenuirostris (A)
 * Black noddy, Anous minutus
 * White tern, Gygis alba (A)
 * Sooty tern, Onychoprion fuscatus (A)
 * Bridled tern, Onychoprion anaethetus (A)
 * Little tern, Sternula albifrons (A)
 * Saunders's tern, Sternula saundersi (A)
 * White-winged tern, Chlidonias leucopterus (A)
 * Whiskered tern, Chlidonias hybrida (A)
 * Roseate tern, Sterna dougallii (A)
 * Common tern, Sterna hirundo (A)
 * Great crested tern, Thalasseus bergii (A)
 * Lesser crested tern, Thalasseus bengalensis (A)

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.


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

Penguins
Order: SphenisciformesFamily: Spheniscidae

The penguins are a group of aquatic, flightless birds living almost exclusively in the Southern Hemisphere. Most penguins feed on krill, fish, squid and other forms of sealife caught while swimming underwater.


 * Southern rockhopper penguin, Eudyptes chrysocome (A)

Albatrosses
Order: ProcellariiformesFamily: Diomedeidae

The albatrosses are among the largest of flying birds, and the great albatrosses from the genus Diomedea have the largest wingspans of any extant birds.


 * Yellow-nosed albatross, Thalassarche chlororhynchos (A)
 * White-capped albatross, Thalassarche cauta (A)
 * Salvin's albatross, Thalassarche salvini (A)
 * Black-browed albatross, Thalassarche melanophris (A)
 * Sooty albatross, Phoebetria fusca (A)
 * Light-mantled albatross, Phoebetria palpebrata (A)
 * Wandering albatross, Diomedea exulans

Southern storm-petrels
Order: ProcellariiformesFamily: 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 (A)
 * White-faced storm-petrel, Pelagodroma marina (A)
 * White-bellied storm-petrel, Fregetta grallaria (A)
 * Black-bellied storm-petrel, Fregetta tropica (A)

Northern storm-petrels
Order: ProcellariiformesFamily: 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.


 * Matsudaira's storm-petrel, Hydrobates matsudairae (A)

Shearwaters and petrels
Order: ProcellariiformesFamily: 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.


 * Southern giant-petrel, Macronectes giganteus (A)
 * Northern giant-petrel, Macronectes halli (A)
 * Cape petrel, Daption capense (A)
 * Great-winged petrel, Pterodroma macroptera
 * Soft-plumaged petrel, Pterodroma mollis (A)
 * Barau's petrel, Pterodroma baraui
 * Broad-billed prion, Pachyptila vittata (A)
 * Slender-billed prion, Pachyptila belcheri (A)
 * Bulwer's petrel, Bulweria bulwerii
 * Jouanin's petrel, Bulweria fallax (A)
 * Mascarene petrel, Pseudobulweria aterrima
 * Gray petrel, Procellaria cinerea (A)
 * White-chinned petrel, Procellaria aequinoctialis (A)
 * Spectacled petrel, Procellaria conspicillata (A)
 * Streaked petrel, Calonectris leucomelas (A)
 * Cory's shearwater, Calonectris diomedea (A)
 * Flesh-footed shearwater, Ardenna carneipes (A)
 * Wedge-tailed shearwater, Ardenna pacificus
 * Tropical shearwater, Puffinus bailloni (A)

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 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 (A)
 * Great frigatebird, Fregata minor (A)

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.


 * Masked booby, Sula dactylatra (A)
 * Brown booby, Sula leucogaster (A)
 * Red-footed booby, Sula sula
 * Australasian gannet, Morus serrator (A)

Cormorants and shags
Order: SuliformesFamily: 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)

Pelicans
Order: PelecaniformesFamily: 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.


 * Pink-backed pelican, Pelecanus rufescens (A)

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.


 * Gray heron, Ardea cinerea (A)
 * Little egret, Egretta garzetta (A)
 * Cattle egret, Bubulcus ibis (A)
 * Malagasy pond-heron, Ardeola idae (A)
 * Striated heron, Butorides striata
 * Reunion night-heron, Nycticorax duboisi (X)

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.


 * Glossy ibis, Plegadis falcinellus (A)
 * Réunion ibis, Threskiornis solitarius (X)

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.


 * Réunion harrier, Circus maillardi (E)
 * Black kite, Milvus migrans (A)

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.


 * Réunion scops-owl, Bubo lacteus (X)

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 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 (A)

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.


 * Reunion kestrel, Falco duboisi (X)
 * Eleonora's falcon, Falco eleonorae
 * Sooty falcon, Falco concolor (A)

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 coloured, and some are multi-coloured. In size they range from 8 cm to 1 m in length. Old World parrots are found from Africa east across south and southeast Asia and Oceania to Australia and New Zealand.


 * Mascarene parrot, Mascarinus mascarin (X)
 * Rose-ringed parakeet, Psittacula krameri (I)
 * Echo parakeet, Psittacula eques
 * Reunion echo parakeet, Psittacula eques eques (X)
 * Mauritius gray parrot, Psittacula bensoni (X)

Cuckooshrikes
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Campephagidae

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


 * Réunion cuckooshrike, Coracina newtoni (E)

Monarch flycatchers
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Monarchidae

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


 * Mascarene paradise-flycatcher, Terpsiphone bourbonnensis

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.


 * House crow, Corvus splendens (A)

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.


 * Mascarene martin, Phedina borbonica

Bulbuls
Order: PasseriformesFamily: 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.


 * Red-whiskered bulbul, Pycnonotus jocosus (I)
 * Réunion bulbul, Hypsipetes borbonicus (E)

White-eyes, yuhinas, and allies
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Zosteropidae


 * Réunion olive white-eye, Zosterops olivaceus (E)
 * Réunion gray white-eye, Zosterops borbonicus (E)

Laughingthrushes and allies
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Leiothrichidae

The members of this family are diverse in size and coloration, though those of genus Turdoides tend to be brown or grayish. The family is found in Africa, India, and southeast Asia.


 * Red-billed leiothrix, Leiothrix lutea (I)

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.


 * Common hill myna, Gracula religiosa (I)
 * Reunion starling, Fregilupus varius (X)
 * Common myna, Acridotheres tristis (I)

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.


 * Réunion stonechat, Saxicola tectes (E)

Weavers and allies
Order: PasseriformesFamily: 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.


 * Village weaver, Ploceus cucullatus (I)
 * Red-billed quelea, Quelea quelea (I)
 * Red fody, Foudia madagascariensis (I)
 * Reunion fody, Foudia delloni (X)

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 colours and patterns.


 * Java sparrow, Padda oryzivora (Ex)
 * Scaly-breasted munia, Lonchura punctulata (I)
 * Common waxbill, Estrilda astrild (I)
 * Red avadavat, Amandava amandava (I)

Indigobirds
Order: PasseriformesFamily: 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 estrildid finches.


 * Pin-tailed whydah, Vidua macroura (I)

Old World sparrows
Order: PasseriformesFamily: 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)
 * Eurasian tree sparrow, Passer montanus (I)

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.


 * Western yellow wagtail, Motacilla flava (A)
 * White wagtail, Motacilla alba (A)

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.


 * Yellow-fronted canary, Crithagra mozambicus (I)
 * European goldfinch, Carduelis carduelis (I)
 * Cape canary, Serinus canicollis (I)