This is a list of the bird species recorded in the US Virgin Islands. The avifauna of the US Virgin Islands included a total of 267 species as of July 2022, according to Bird Checklists of the World. Of them, 18 have been introduced by humans and 176 are rare or accidental. Three species on the list have been extirpated and five 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 US Virgin Islands (I) Introduced - a species introduced directly to the US Virgin Islands or elsewhere in the New World

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) Black-bellied whistling-duck, Dendrocygna autumnalis (A) West Indian whistling-duck, Dendrocygna arborea (A) Fulvous whistling-duck, Dendrocygna bicolor (A) Snow goose, Anser caerulescens (A) Tundra swan, Cygnus columbianus (A) Blue-winged teal, Spatula discors Cinnamon teal, Spatula cyanoptera (A) Northern shoveler, Spatula clypeata (A) Gadwall, Mareca strepera (A) American wigeon, Mareca americana (A) Mallard, Anas platyrhynchos (A) White-cheeked pintail, Anas bahamensis Northern pintail, Anas acuta (A) Green-winged teal, Anas crecca (A) Ring-necked duck, Aythya collaris (A) Greater scaup, Aythya marila (A) Lesser scaup, Aythya affinis (A) Bufflehead, Bucephala albeola (A) Hooded merganser, Lophodytes cucullatus (A) Masked duck, Nomonyx dominicus (A) Ruddy duck, Oxyura jamaicensis

Guineafowl Order: GalliformesFamily: Numididae

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

Helmeted guineafowl, Numida meleagris (I)

New World quail Order: GalliformesFamily: Odontophoridae

The New World quails are small, plump terrestrial birds only distantly related to the quails of the Old World, but named for their similar appearance and habits.

Northern bobwhite, Colinus virginianus (I) (extirpated) Crested bobwhite, Colinus cristatus (I) (extirpated) California quail, Callipepla californica (I) (extirpated)

Pheasants, grouse, and allies Order: GalliformesFamily: Phasianidae

The Phasianidae are a family of terrestrial birds which consists of quails, partridges, snowcocks, francolins, spurfowl, tragopans, monals, pheasants, peafowl, junglefowl, turkeys, and grouse. In general, they are plump (although they vary in size) and have broad, relatively short wings.

Red junglefowl, Gallus gallus (I)

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 (A)

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 White-crowned pigeon, Patagioenas leucocephala African collared-dove, Streptopelia roseogrisea (A) Eurasian collared-dove, Streptopelia decaocto (I) Spotted dove, Spilopelia chinensis (I) (extirpated) Common ground dove, Columbina passerina Ruddy quail-dove, Geotrygon montana (A) Key West quail-dove, Geotrygon chrysia (A) Bridled quail-dove, Geotrygon mystacea White-winged dove, Zenaida asiatica Zenaida dove, Zenaida aurita Mourning dove, Zenaida macroura (A)

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.

Greater ani, Crotophaga major (A) Smooth-billed ani, Crotophaga ani Yellow-billed cuckoo, Coccyzus americanus (A) Mangrove cuckoo, Coccyzus minor Puerto Rican lizard-cuckoo, Saurothera vieilloti (A)

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.

Black swift, Cypseloides niger (A) Chimney swift, Chaetura pelagica (A) Short-tailed swift, Chaetura brachyura (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.

Puerto Rican mango, Anthracothorax aurulentus (A) Green mango, Anthracothorax viridis (A) Purple-throated carib, Eulampis jugularis (A) Green-throated carib, Eulampis holosericeus Antillean crested hummingbird, Orthorhyncus cristatus

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 Common gallinule, Gallinula galeata American coot, Fulica americana Purple gallinule, Porphyrio martinica (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 (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.

Upland sandpiper, Bartramia longicauda (A) Whimbrel, Numenius phaeopus Long-billed curlew, Numenius americanus (A) Bar-tailed godwit, Limosa lapponica (A) Hudsonian godwit, Limosa haemastica (A) Marbled godwit, Limosa fedoa (A) Ruddy turnstone, Arenaria interpres Red knot, Calidris canutus (A) Ruff, Calidris pugnax (A) Stilt sandpiper, Calidris himantopus Curlew sandpiper, Calidris ferruginea (A) Sanderling, Calidris alba (A) Dunlin, Calidris alpina (A) Baird's sandpiper, Calidris bairdii (A) Least sandpiper, Calidris minutilla White-rumped sandpiper, Calidris fuscicollis Buff-breasted sandpiper, Calidris subruficollis (A) Pectoral sandpiper, Calidris melanotos Semipalmated sandpiper, Calidris pusilla Western sandpiper, Calidris mauri (A) Short-billed dowitcher, Limnodromus griseus Long-billed dowitcher, Limnodromus scolopaceus (A) Wilson's snipe, Gallinago delicata Spotted sandpiper, Actitis macularia Solitary sandpiper, Tringa solitaria Lesser yellowlegs, Tringa flavipes Willet, Tringa semipalmata Greater yellowlegs, Tringa melanoleuca Wilson's phalarope, Phalaropus tricolor (A) Red phalarope, Phalaropus fulicarius (A)

Skuas and jaegers Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Stercorariidae

The family Stercorariidae are, in general, medium to large birds, typically with gray 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)

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 gray 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 gray 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.

Black-legged kittiwake, Rissa tridactyla (A) 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 (A) Lesser black-backed gull, Larus fuscus (A) Great black-backed gull, Larus marinus (A) Brown noddy, Anous stolidus Sooty tern, Onychoprion fuscata (A) Bridled tern, Onychoprion anaethetus Least tern, Sternula antillarum Gull-billed tern, Gelochelidon nilotica (A) Caspian tern, Hydroprogne caspia (A) Black tern, Chlidonias niger (A) White-winged tern, Chlidonias leucopterus (A) Roseate tern, Sterna dougallii Common tern, Sterna hirundo Arctic tern, Sterna paradisaea (A) Forster's tern, Sterna forsteri (A) Royal tern, Thalasseus maxima Sandwich tern, Thalasseus sandvicensis Black skimmer, Rynchops niger (A)

Tropicbirds Order: PhaethontiformesFamily: Phaethontidae