This list of birds of Wales includes every species of bird that has been recorded in a wild state in Wales. Compared to the avifauna of Britain as a whole, Wales has fewer breeding species, but these include a number of moorland species such as red grouse and black grouse, large numbers of seabirds (particularly on offshore islands such as Skomer, Grassholm and Bardsey) and good populations of several species typical of Welsh oak woods including redstart, pied flycatcher and wood warbler.O'Shea (2000)Tipling (1996) Among the birds of prey is the red kite, which had become extinct in other parts of Britain until being reintroduced recently. In winter many wildfowl and waders are found around the coast, attracted by the mild temperatures. In spring and autumn a variety of migrant and vagrant birds can be seen, particularly on headlands and islands. Three-quarters of the UK population of the red-billed chough resides in Wales.
The list is based on Birds in Wales (Lovegrove et al. 1994), Birds in Wales 1992–2022 (Green 2022) and the list of the Welsh Ornithological Society (Prater & Thorpe 2006) with updates from the Welsh Records Panel's annual reports. The taxonomy and scientific names follow the official list of the British Ornithologists' Union (BOU).British Ornithologist's Union (2008) The English names are the vernacular names used in the 7th edition of the BOU list with the standardized names from that list given in brackets where they differ.Dudley et al. (2006) The family introductions are based on The New Encyclopedia of Birds (Perrins 2004) except where otherwise stated.
Certain categories of birds are noted with the following tags:
(A) Accidental - a species that rarely or accidentally occurs in Wales (I) Introduced - a species introduced to Wales as a consequence, direct or indirect, of human actions
The total number of species on the list is 463 and 10 introduced species. About 150 species breed annually.
Ducks, geese and swans
Order: AnseriformesFamily: Anatidae
The swans, ducks and geese are medium to large birds that are adapted to an aquatic existence with webbed feet and bills which are flattened to a greater or lesser extent. In many ducks the male is colourful while the female is dull brown. The diet consists of a variety of animals and plants. The family is well represented in Wales, especially in winter when large numbers visit from Greenland, Scandinavia and Russia. Common name Binomial Status Brent goose Branta bernicla Red-breasted goose Branta ruficollis Canada goose Branta canadensis I Barnacle goose Branta leucopsis Greylag goose Anser anser Taiga bean goose Anser fabalis (A) Pink-footed goose Anser brachyrhynchus Tundra bean goose Anser serrirostris (A) White-fronted goose Anser albifrons Lesser white-fronted goose Anser erythropus (A) Mute swan Cygnus olor Bewick's swan Cygnus columbianus Whooper swan Cygnus cygnus Egyptian goose Alopochen aegyptiacus IMany or all records of Egyptian goose and ring-necked parakeet may refer to escapes from captivity rather than feral wanderers from England (Prater & Thorpe 2006). Shelduck Tadorna tadorna Ruddy shelduck Tadorna ferruginea (A) Mandarin duck Aix galericulata I Garganey Spatula querquedula Blue-winged teal Spatula discors (A) Shoveler Spatula clypeata Gadwall Mareca strepera Falcated duck Mareca falcata Wigeon Anas penelope American wigeon Mareca americana (A) Mallard Anas platyrhynchos Black duck Anas rubripes (A) Pintail Anas acuta Teal Anas crecca Green-winged teal Anas carolinensis (A) Red-crested pochard Netta rufina I Pochard Aythya ferina Ferruginous duck Aythya nyroca (A) Ring-necked duck Aythya collaris (A) Tufted duck Aythya fuligula Scaup Aythya marila Lesser scaup Aythya affinis (A)Rogers & the BBRC (2004) King eider Somateria spectabilis (A) Eider Somateria mollissima Surf scoter Melanitta perspicillata (A) Velvet scoter Melanitta fusca Common scoter Melanitta nigra Black scoter Melanitta americana (A) Long-tailed duck Clangula hyemalis Goldeneye Bucephala clangula Smew Mergellus albellus Hooded merganser Lophodytes cucullatus (A) Goosander Mergus merganser Red-breasted merganser Mergus serrator Ruddy duck Oxyura jamaicensis I
Pheasants, grouse, and allies Order: GalliformesFamily: Phasianidae
These are terrestrial species, feeding and nesting on the ground. They are variable in size but generally plump, with broad and relatively short wings. Common name Binomial StatusRed grouse Lagopus lagopus Black grouse Lyrurus tetrix Grey partridge Perdix perdix Pheasant Phasianus colchicus I Quail Coturnix coturnix Red-legged partridge Alectorix rufa I
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. Their soft plumage is cryptically coloured to resemble bark or leaves.
Common name Binomial Status Common nighthawk Chordeiles minor (A) Nightjar Caprimulgus europaeus
Swifts Order: ApodiformesFamily: Apodidae
The 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.
Common name Binomial Status Chimney swift Chaetura pelagica (A)First recorded November 2005 (WRP 2006) Alpine swift Apus melba (A) Swift Apus apus Pallid swift Apus pallidus (A) Little swift Apus affinis (A)
Bustards Order: OtidiformesFamily: Otididae
Large, sturdy birds of open plains with long legs and necks and strong feet. Common name Binomial Status Great bustard Otis tarda (A) Little bustard Tetrax tetrax (A)
Cuckoos Order: CuculiformesFamily: Cuculidae
Birds of variable size with slender bodies and long tails. Some species are known for laying their eggs in the nests of other birds. Common name Binomial Status Great spotted cuckoo Clamator glandarius (A) Yellow-billed cuckoo Coccyzus americanus (A) Cuckoo Cuculus canorus
Sandgrouse Order: PterocliformesFamily: Pteroclidae
Sturdy, medium-sized birds with a small head and long, pointed wings. Common name Binomial Status Pallas's sandgrouse Syrrhaptes paradoxus (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. Common name Binomial Status Rock dove Columba livia Stock dove Columba oenas Woodpigeon Columba palumbus Turtle dove Streptopelia turtur Collared dove Streptopelia decaocto
Rails, gallinules, and coots Order: GruiformesFamily: Rallidae
These birds mainly occupy dense vegetation in damp environments near lakes, marshes or rivers. Many 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. Common name Binomial Status Water rail Rallus aquaticus Corncrake Crex crex (A) Sora Porzana carolina (A) Spotted crake Porzana porzana (A) Moorhen Gallinula chloropus Coot Fulica atra Baillon's crake Porzana pusilla (A) Little crake Porzana parva (A)
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 name Binomial Status Crane Grus grus (A)
Grebes
Order: PodicipediformesFamily: Podicipedidae
Grebes are small to medium-large diving birds with lobed toes and pointed bills. They are seen mainly on lowland waterbodies and coasts. They feed on aquatic animals and nest on a floating platform of vegetation. Common name Binomial Status Little grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis Pied-billed grebe Podilymbus podiceps (A) Red-necked grebe Podiceps grisegena Great crested grebe Podiceps cristatus Slavonian grebe Podiceps auritus Black-necked grebe Podiceps nigricollis
Stone-curlews Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Burhinidae
A small family of medium to large waders with strong black bills, large yellow eyes and cryptic plumage. Common name Binomial Status Stone-curlew Burhinus oedicnemus (A)
Oystercatchers
Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Haematopodidae
The oystercatchers are large, obvious and noisy wading birds with strong bills used for smashing or prising open molluscs. Common name Binomial StatusOystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus
Stilts and avocets Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Recurvirostridae
A family of fairly large wading birds. The avocets have long legs and long up-curved bills. The stilts have extremely long legs and long, thin, straight bills. Common name Binomial Status Black-winged stilt Himantopus himantopus (A) Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta
Plovers and lapwings
Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Charadriidae
Small to medium-sized wading birds with compact bodies, short, thick necks and long, usually pointed, wings. Common name Binomial Status Lapwing Vanellus vanellus Sociable plover Vanellus gregarius (A) Golden plover Pluvialis apricaria Pacific golden plover Pluvialis fulva (A) American golden plover Pluvialis dominica (A) Grey plover Pluvialis squatarola Ringed plover Charadrius hiaticula Little ringed plover Charadrius dubius Killdeer Charadrius vociferus (A) Kentish plover Charadrius alexandrinus (A) Greater sand plover Charadrius leschenaultii (A) Dotterel Charadrius morinellus
Sandpipers and allies
Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Scolopacidae
A large, diverse family of wading birds. Different lengths of legs and bills enable multiple species to feed in the same habitat, particularly on the coast, without direct competition for food. Common name Binomial Status Upland sandpiper Bartramia longicauda (A) Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus Hudsonian whimbrel Numenius hudsonicus (A) Little whimbrel Numenius minutus (A) Curlew Numenius arquata Bar-tailed godwit Limosa lapponica Black-tailed godwit Limosa limosa Turnstone Arenaria interpres Knot Calidris canutus Ruff Calidris pugnax Broad-billed sandpiper Calidris falcinellus (A) Sharp-tailed sandpiper Calidris acuminata (A) Stilt sandpiper Calidris himantopus (A)First recorded July 2006 (WRP2007) Curlew sandpiper Calidris ferruginea Temminck's stint Calidris temminckii (A) Sanderling Calidris alba Dunlin Calidris alpina Purple sandpiper Calidris maritima Baird's sandpiper Calidris bairdii (A) Little stint Calidris minuta Least sandpiper Calidris minutilla (A) White-rumped sandpiper Calidris fuscicollis (A) Buff-breasted sandpiper Calidris subruficollis (A) Pectoral sandpiper Calidris melanotos (A) Semipalmated sandpiper Calidris pusilla (A) Long-billed dowitcher Limnodromus scolopaceus Woodcock Scolopax rusticola Jack snipe Lymnocryptes minimus Great snipe Gallinago minima (A) Snipe Gallinago gallinago Terek sandpiper Xenus cinerea (A) Wilson's phalarope Phalaropus tricolor (A) Red-necked phalarope Phalaropus lobatus (A) Grey phalarope Phalaropus fulicarius Common sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos Spotted sandpiper Tringa macularius (A) Green sandpiper Tringa ochropus Grey-tailed tattler Tringa brevipes (A) Lesser yellowlegs Tringa flavipes (A) Redshank Tringa totanus Marsh sandpiper Tringa stagnatilis (A) Wood sandpiper Tringa glareola Spotted redshank Tringa erythropus Greenshank Tringa nebularia Greater yellowlegs Tringa melanoleuca (A)
Pratincoles and coursers Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Glareolidae
A family of slender, long-winged wading birds. Common name Binomial Status Cream-coloured courser Cursorius cursor (A) Collared pratincole Glareola pratincola (A) Black-winged pratincole Glareola nordmanni (A)
Gulls, terns, and skimmers
Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Laridae
Medium to large seabirds with grey, white and black plumage, webbed feet and strong bills. Many are opportunistic and adaptable feeders.