This is a list of the bird species recorded in Germany. The avifauna of Germany includes a total of 527 confirmed species as of December 2016, according to the German Ornithologists' Society (Deutsche Ornithologen-Gesellschaft (DO-G), published in October 2019; four more were added up to 2021. This list's taxonomic treatment (designation and sequence of orders, families and species) and nomenclature (English and scientific names) are those of the IOC World Bird List, version 9.2. Subsequent additions are from the following annual rare bird reports: Rare birds in Germany 2018 (Seltene Vogelarten in Deutschland 2018). Rare birds in Germany 2019 (Seltene Vogelarten in Deutschland 2019). Rare birds in Germany 2020 (Seltene Vogelarten in Deutschland 2020). Revision of the national reporting list of the German Avifaunistic Commission as of 1 January 2023 (Überarbeitung der nationalen Meldeliste der Deutschen Avifaunistischen Kommission zum 1. Januar 2023).
Bird species admitted to the German List are included in the following categories A, B or C, with the same definitions as the British and other Western Palaearctic bird lists: A: species that have been recorded in an apparently natural state at least once since 1 January 1950. B: species that were recorded in an apparently natural state at least once between 1 January 1800 and 31 December 1949, but have not been recorded subsequently. C: species introduced by humans, and have established breeding populations derived from introduced stock, which maintain themselves without necessary recourse to further introduction.
Categories D and E (uncertain and escaped species; see #Appendices) are used for record keeping only, and species in these categories are not included in the German List:
Pheasants, grouse, and allies Order: GalliformesFamily: Phasianidae
The Phasianidae are a family of terrestrial birds which consists of grouse, quail, partridges, and pheasants. In general, they are plump (although they vary in size) and have broad, relatively short wings.
Hazel grouse () Tetrastes bonasia – A Western capercaillie () Tetrao urogallus – A Black grouse () Lyrurus tetrix – A Rock ptarmigan () Lagopus muta – A Rock partridge () Alectoris graeca – A Grey partridge () Perdix perdix – A Common quail () Coturnix coturnix – A Ring-necked pheasant () Phasianus colchicus – C
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.
Brent goose () Branta bernicla – A Red-breasted goose () Branta ruficollis – A Canada goose () Branta canadensis – C Barnacle goose () Branta leucopsis – A Bar-headed goose () Anser indicus – C Greylag goose () Anser anser – A Taiga bean goose () Anser fabalis – A Pink-footed goose () Anser brachyrhynchus – A Tundra bean goose () Anser serrirostris – A Greater white-fronted goose () Anser albifrons – A Lesser white-fronted goose () Anser erythropus – A Mute swan () Cygnus olor – A Tundra swan () Cygnus columbianus – A Whooper swan () Cygnus cygnus – A Egyptian goose () Alopochen aegyptiacus – C Common shelduck () Tadorna tadorna – A Ruddy shelduck () Tadorna ferruginea – BC Mandarin duck () Aix galericulata – C Garganey () Spatula querquedula – A Blue-winged teal () Spatula discors – A Northern shoveler () Spatula clypeata – A Gadwall () Mareca strepera – A Eurasian wigeon () Mareca penelope – A American wigeon () Mareca americana – A Mallard () Anas platyrhynchos – A Northern pintail () Anas acuta – A Eurasian teal () Anas crecca – A Green-winged teal () Anas carolinensis – A Marbled teal () Marmaronetta angustirostris – B Red-crested pochard () Netta rufina – A Common pochard () Aythya ferina – A Ferruginous duck () Aythya nyroca – A Ring-necked duck () Aythya collaris – A Tufted duck () Aythya fuligula – A Greater scaup () Aythya marila – A Lesser scaup () Aythya affinis – A Steller's eider () Polysticta stelleri – A King eider () Somateria spectabilis – A Common eider () Somateria mollissima – A Harlequin duck () Histrionicus histrionicus – B Surf scoter () Melanitta perspicillata – A Velvet scoter () Melanitta fusca – A Stejneger's scoter () Melanitta stejnegeri – A Common scoter () Melanitta nigra – A Black scoter () Melanitta americana – A Long-tailed duck () Clangula hyemalis – A Common goldeneye () Bucephala clangula – A Barrow's goldeneye () Bucephala islandica – B Smew () Mergellus albellus – A Goosander () Mergus merganser – A Red-breasted merganser () Mergus serrator – A Ruddy duck () Oxyura jamaicensis – C White-headed duck () Oxyura leucocephala – B
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.
Eurasian nightjar () Caprimulgus europaeus – A Egyptian nightjar () Caprimulgus aegyptius – B
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.
Alpine swift () Tachymarptis melba – A Common swift () Apus apus – A Pallid swift () Apus pallidus – A Pacific swift () Apus pacificus – A Little swift () Apus affinis – A
Bustards Order: OtidiformesFamily: 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.
Great bustard () Otis tarda – A MacQueen's bustard () Chlamydotis macqueenii – A Little bustard () Tetrax tetrax – A
Cuckoos Order: CuculiformesFamily: Cuculidae
The family Cuculidae includes cuckoos and allies. These birds are of variable size with slender bodies, long tails, and strong legs.
Great spotted cuckoo () Clamator glandarius – A Black-billed cuckoo () Coccyzus erythropthalmus – A Common cuckoo () Cuculus canorus – A
Sandgrouse Order: PterocliformesFamily: Pteroclidae
Sandgrouse have small, pigeon-like, heads and necks, but sturdy compact bodies. They have long pointed wings and sometimes tails and a fast direct flight. Flocks fly to watering holes at dawn and dusk. Their legs are feathered down to the toes.
Pallas's sandgrouse () Syrrhaptes paradoxus – A Black-bellied sandgrouse () Pterocles orientalis – B
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 dove () Columba livia – C Stock dove () Columba oenas – A Common wood pigeon () Columba palumbus – A European turtle dove () Streptopelia turtur – A Oriental turtle dove () Streptopelia orientalis – A Eurasian collared dove () Streptopelia decaocto – A Mourning dove () Zenaida macroura – A
Rails, moorhens, and coots Order: GruiformesFamily: Rallidae
Rallidae is a large family of small to medium-sized birds which includes the rails, crakes, coots, and moorhens. 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, but some are bold and conspicuous. Most species have strong legs and long toes which are well adapted to soft uneven surfaces. They tend to have short, rounded wings and appear to be weak fliers, though many are capable of long-distance migration.
Water rail () Rallus aquaticus – A Corn crake () Crex crex – A Spotted crake () Porzana porzana – A Little crake () Zapornia parva – A Baillon's crake () Zapornia pusilla – A Western swamphen () Porphyrio porphyrio – B Grey-headed swamphen () Porphyrio poliocephalus – A Allen's gallinule () Porphyrio alleni – B Common moorhen () Gallinula chloropus – A Eurasian coot () Fulica atra – 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 Demoiselle crane () Anthropoides virgo – B Common crane () Grus grus – 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.
Little grebe () Tachybaptus ruficollis – A Pied-billed grebe () Podilymbus podiceps – A Red-necked grebe () Podiceps grisegena – A Great crested grebe () Podiceps cristatus – A Slavonian grebe () Podiceps auritus – A Black-necked grebe () Podiceps nigricollis – A
Flamingos Order: PhoenicopteriformesFamily: Phoenicopteridae
Flamingos are gregarious wading birds, usually high, 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
Stone-curlews Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Burhinidae
The stone-curlews and thick-knees are a group of waders 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.
Eurasian stone-curlew () Burhinus oedicnemus – A
Oystercatchers Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Haematopodidae
The oystercatchers are large and noisy plover-like birds with strong bills used for smashing or prising open molluscs.
Eurasian oystercatcher () Haematopus ostralegus – 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-winged stilt () Himantopus himantopus – A Pied avocet () Recurvirostra avosetta – 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.
Northern lapwing () Vanellus vanellus – A Sociable lapwing () Vanellus gregarius – A White-tailed lapwing () Vanellus leucurus – A European golden plover () Pluvialis apricaria – A Pacific golden plover () Pluvialis fulva – A American golden plover () Pluvialis dominica – A Grey plover () Pluvialis squatarola – A Common ringed plover () Charadrius hiaticula – A Little ringed plover () Charadrius dubius – A Kentish plover () Charadrius alexandrinus – A Siberian sand plover () Charadrius mongolus – A Greater sand plover () Charadrius leschenaultii – A Caspian plover () Charadrius asiaticus – B Eurasian dotterel () Charadrius morinellus – A
Sandpipers and allies Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Scolopacidae