This is a list of the bird species recorded in the Turks and Caicos Islands. The avifauna of the Turks and Caicos Islands included a total of 235 species according to Bird Checklists of the World as of October 2024. Of them species, five have been introduced by humans and 127 are rare or accidental. One species on the list has been extirpated. Four species are globally threatened.
This list is presented in the taxonomic sequence of the Check-list of North and Middle American Birds, 7th edition through the 63rd Supplement, published by the American Ornithological Society (AOS). Common and scientific names are also those of the Check-list, except that the common names of families are from the Clements taxonomy because the AOS list does not include them.
The following tags have been used to highlight several categories of occurrence.
(A) Accidental - a species that rarely or accidentally occurs in the Turks and Caicos Islands (I) Introduced - a species introduced directly to the Turks and Caicos Islands or elsewhere in the New world (Ex) Extirpated - a species that no longer occurs in the Turks and Caicos Islands although populations exist elsewhere
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.
Black-bellied whistling-duck, Dendrocygna autumnalis (A) West Indian whistling-duck, Dendrocygna arborea (A) Fulvous whistling-duck, Dendrocygna bicolor (A) Canada goose, Branta canadensis (A) Blue-winged teal, Spatula discors Northern shoveler, Spatula clypeata (A) Gadwall, Mareca strepera (A) American wigeon, Mareca americana (A) Mallard, Anas platyrhynchos (A) American black duck, Anas rubripes (A) White-cheeked pintail, Anas bahamensis Northern pintail, Anas acuta (A) Green-winged teal, Anas crecca (A) Redhead, Aythya americana (A) Ring-necked duck, Aythya collaris (A) Greater scaup, Aythya marila (A) Lesser scaup, Aythya affinis (A) Hooded merganser, Lophodytes cucullatus (A) Red-breasted merganser, Mergus serrator (A) Masked duck, Nomonyx dominicus (A) Ruddy duck, Oxyura jamaicensis (A)
Flamingos Order: PhoenicopteriformesFamily: Phoenicopteridae
Flamingos are gregarious wading birds, usually 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.
American flamingo, Phoenicopterus ruber
Grebes Order: PodicipediformesFamily: Podicipedidae
Grebes are small to medium-large freshwater diving birds. They have lobed toes and are excellent swimmers and divers. However, they have their feet placed far back on the body, making them quite ungainly on land.
Least grebe, Tachybaptus dominicus Pied-billed grebe, Podilymbus podiceps
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) Scaly-naped pigeon, Patagioenas squamosa (A) White-crowned pigeon, Patagioenas leucocephala Eurasian collared-dove, Streptopelia decaocto (I) Common ground dove, Columbina passerina Key West quail-dove, Geotrygon chrysia (A) White-winged dove, Zenaida asiatica Zenaida dove, Zenaida aurita Mourning dove, Zenaida macroura
Cuckoos Order: CuculiformesFamily: Cuculidae
The family Cuculidae includes cuckoos, roadrunners, and anis. These birds are of variable size with slender bodies, long tails, and strong legs. The Old World cuckoos are brood parasites.
Smooth-billed ani, Crotophaga ani Yellow-billed cuckoo, Coccyzus americanus Mangrove cuckoo, Coccyzus minor
Nightjars and allies Order: CaprimulgiformesFamily: Caprimulgidae
Nightjars are medium-sized nocturnal birds that usually nest on the ground. They have long wings, short legs, and very short bills. Most have small feet, of little use for walking, and long pointed wings. Their soft plumage is camouflaged to resemble bark or leaves.
Common nighthawk, Chordeiles minor (A) Antillean nighthawk, Chordeiles gundlachii Chuck-will's-widow, Antrostomus carolinensis (A)
Swifts Order: ApodiformesFamily: Apodidae
Swifts are small birds which spend the majority of their lives flying. These birds have very short legs and never settle voluntarily on the ground, perching instead only on vertical surfaces. Many swifts have long swept-back wings which resemble a crescent or boomerang.
Chimney swift, Chaetura pelagica (A) Antillean palm-swift, Tachornis phoenicobia (A)
Hummingbirds Order: ApodiformesFamily: Trochilidae
Hummingbirds are small birds capable of hovering in mid-air due to the rapid flapping of their wings. They are the only birds that can fly backwards.
Ruby-throated hummingbird, Archilochus colubris Bee hummingbird, Mellisuga helenae (A) Bahama woodstar, Calliphlox evelynae Cuban emerald, Chlorostilbon ricordii (A)
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.
Clapper rail, Rallus crepitans Sora, Porzana carolina (A) Common gallinule, Gallinula galeata American coot, Fulica americana Purple gallinule, Porphyrio martinica
Limpkin Order: GruiformesFamily: Aramidae
The limpkin resembles a large rail. It has drab-brown plumage and a greyer head and neck.
Limpkin, Aramus guarauna (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".
Sandhill crane, Antigone canadensis (A)
Stilts and avocets Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Recurvirostridae
Recurvirostridae is a family of large wading birds which includes the avocets and stilts. The avocets have long legs and long up-curved bills. The stilts have extremely long legs and long, thin, straight bills.
Black-necked stilt, Himantopus mexicanus American avocet, Recurvirostra americana (A)
Oystercatchers Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Haematopodidae
The oystercatchers are large and noisy plover-like birds, with strong bills used for smashing or prising open molluscs.
American oystercatcher, Haematopus palliatus
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 American golden-plover, Pluvialis dominica (A) Killdeer, Charadrius vociferus Semipalmated plover, Charadrius semipalmatus Piping plover, Charadrius melodus (A) Wilson's plover, Charadrius wilsonia Snowy plover, Charadrius nivosus
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.
Upland sandpiper, Bartramia longicauda (A) Whimbrel, Numenius phaeopus Hudsonian godwit, Limosa haemastica (A) Ruddy turnstone, Arenaria interpres Red knot, Calidris canutus (A) Stilt sandpiper, Calidris himantopus Sanderling, Calidris alba Dunlin, Calidris alpina (A) Least sandpiper, Calidris minutilla White-rumped sandpiper, Calidris fuscicollis (A) Buff-breasted sandpiper, Calidris subruficollis (A) Pectoral sandpiper, Calidris melanotos (A) Semipalmated sandpiper, Calidris pusilla Western sandpiper, Calidris mauri Short-billed dowitcher, Limnodromus griseus Long-billed dowitcher, Limnodromus scolopaceus (A) Wilson's snipe, Gallinago delicata Spotted sandpiper, Actitis macularia Solitary sandpiper, Tringa solitaria (A) Lesser yellowlegs, Tringa flavipes Willet, Tringa semipalmata Greater yellowlegs, Tringa melanoleuca Wilson's phalarope, Phalaropus tricolor
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.
Pomarine jaeger, Stercorarius pomarinus (A) Parasitic jaeger, Stercorarius parasiticus (A)
Auks, murres, and puffins Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Alcidae
Alcids are superficially similar to penguins due to their black-and-white colours, their upright posture, and some of their habits; however, they are not related to the penguins and differ in being able to fly. Auks live on the open sea, only deliberately coming ashore to nest.
Dovekie, Alle alle (A)
Gulls, terns, and skimmers Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Laridae
Laridae is a family of medium to large seabirds and includes gulls, kittiwakes, terns and skimmers. They are typically grey or white, often with black markings on the head or wings. They have 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.
Bonaparte's gull, Chroicocephalus philadelphia (A) Black-headed gull, Chroicocephalus ridibundus (A) Laughing gull, Leucophaeus atricilla Ring-billed gull, Larus delawarensis (A) Herring gull, Larus argentatus Lesser black-backed gull, Larus fuscus (A) Great black-backed gull, Larus marinus (A) Brown noddy, Anous stolidus Black noddy, Anous minutus Sooty tern, Onychoprion fuscata Bridled tern, Onychoprion anaethetus Least tern, Sternula antillarum Gull-billed tern, Gelochelidon nilotica (A) Caspian tern, Hydroprogne caspia (A) Black tern, Chlidonias niger (A) Roseate tern, Sterna dougallii Common tern, Sterna hirundo (A) Forster's tern, Sterna forsteri Royal tern, Thalasseus maxima Sandwich tern, Thalasseus sandvicensis Black skimmer, Rynchops niger (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
Southern storm-petrels Order: ProcellariiformesFamily: Oceanitidae
The storm-petrels are the smallest seabirds, relatives of the petrels, feeding on planktonic crustaceans and small fish picked from the surface, typically while hovering. The flight is fluttering and sometimes bat-like. Until 2018, these species were included with the other storm-petrels in family Hydrobatidae.
Wilson's storm-petrel, Oceanites oceanicus (A)
Shearwaters and petrels Order: ProcellariiformesFamily: Procellariidae