This is a list of the bird species recorded in Albania. The avifauna of Albania include a total of 355 species, of which 19 species are globally endangered, and one has been introduced by humans.
The Albanian species list follows the taxonomic treatment (designation and sequence of orders, families and species) and nomenclature of the HBW and BirdLife International Illustrated Checklist of the Birds of the World. 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 Albania.
The following tags have been used to highlight several categories. The commonly occurring native species do not fall into any of these categories.
(A) Accidental - a species that rarely or accidentally occurs in Albania (I) Introduced - a species introduced to Albania as a consequence, direct or indirect, of human actions
Pheasants, grouse, and allies Order: GalliformesFamily: Phasianidae
The Phasianidae are a family of terrestrial birds. In general, they are plump (although they vary in size) and have broad, relatively short wings.
Common quail, Coturnix coturnix Rock partridge, Alectoris graeca Common pheasant, Phasianus colchicus (I) Grey partridge, Perdix perdix Hazel grouse, Tetrastes bonasia Western capercaillie, Tetrao urogallus Black grouse, Lyrurus tetrix
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-headed duck, Oxyura leucocephala Mute swan, Cygnus olor Whooper swan, Cygnus cygnus Bewick's swan, Cygnus columbianus Red-breasted goose, Branta ruficollis (A) Greylag goose, Anser anser Taiga bean goose, Anser fabalis Greater white-fronted goose, Anser albifrons Lesser white-fronted goose, Anser erythropus Long-tailed duck, Clangula hyemalis Common eider, Somateria mollissima Velvet scoter, Melanitta fusca (A) Common scoter, Melanitta nigra (A) Common goldeneye, Bucephala clangula Smew, Mergellus albellus Goosander, Mergus merganser Red-breasted merganser, Mergus serrator Common shelduck, Tadorna tadorna Ruddy shelduck, Tadorna ferruginea Marbled teal, Marmaronetta angustirostris Red-crested pochard, Netta rufina Common pochard, Aythya ferina Ferruginous duck, Aythya nyroca Tufted duck, Aythya fuligula Greater scaup, Aythya marila Garganey, Spatula querquedula Northern shoveler, Spatula clypeata Gadwall, Mareca strepera Eurasian wigeon, Mareca penelope Mallard, Anas platyrhynchos Northern pintail, Anas acuta Eurasian teal, Anas crecca
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 Red-necked grebe, Podiceps grisegena Great crested grebe, Podiceps cristatus Slavonian grebe, Podiceps auritus Black-necked grebe, Podiceps nigricollis
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.
Greater flamingo, Phoenicopterus roseus
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 Stock dove, Columba oenas Common wood pigeon, Columba palumbus European turtle dove, Streptopelia turtur Eurasian collared dove, Streptopelia decaocto Laughing dove, Streptopelia senegalensis (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.
Eurasian nightjar, Caprimulgus europaeus
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, Apus melba Pallid swift, Apus pallidus Common swift, Apus apus
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.
Great spotted cuckoo, Clamator glandarius Common cuckoo, Cuculus canorus
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.
Water rail, Rallus aquaticus Corn crake, Crex crex Spotted crake, Porzana porzana Little crake, Zapornia parva Baillon's crake, Zapornia pusilla Common moorhen, Gallinula chloropus Eurasian coot, Fulica atra
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 crane, Grus grus
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.
Little bustard, Tetrax tetrax Great bustard, Otis tarda
Divers Order: GaviiformesFamily: Gaviidae
Divers, known as loons in North America, are a group of aquatic birds found in many parts of northern Euasia and North America. They are the size of a large duck or small goose, which they somewhat resemble when swimming, but to which they are completely unrelated.
Red-throated diver, Gavia stellata Black-throated diver, Gavia arctica Great northern diver, Gavia immer
Northern storm petrels Order: ProcellariiformesFamily: Hydrobatidae
The northern 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.
European storm petrel, Hydrobates pelagicus
Shearwaters and petrels Order: ProcellariiformesFamily: Procellariidae
The procellariids are the main group of medium-sized petrels and shearwaters, characterised by united nostrils with medium septum and a long outer functional primary. There are 3 species which have been recorded in Albania.
Scopoli's shearwater, Calonectris diomedea Yelkouan shearwater, Puffinus yelkouan
Storks Order: CiconiiformesFamily: Ciconiidae
Storks are large, long-legged, long-necked, wading birds with long, stout bills. Storks are mute, but bill-clattering is an important mode of communication at the nest. Their nests can be large and may be reused for many years. Many species are migratory.
Black stork, Ciconia nigra White stork, Ciconia ciconia
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 Eurasian spoonbill, Platalea leucorodia
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.
Eurasian bittern, Botaurus stellaris Little bittern, Ixobrychus minutus Black-crowned night heron, Nycticorax nycticorax Squacco heron, Ardeola ralloides Western cattle egret, Bubulcus ibis Grey heron, Ardea cinerea Purple heron, Ardea purpurea Great egret, Ardea alba Little egret, Egretta garzetta
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.
Dalmatian pelican, Pelecanus crispus Great white pelican, Pelecanus onocrotalus
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.
Northern gannet, Morus bassanus
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.
Pygmy cormorant, Microcarbo pygmeus European shag, Gulosus aristotelis Great cormorant, Phalacrocorax carbo
Stone-curlews and thick-knees Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Burhinidae
The stone-curlews and thick-knees are a group of largely tropical waders in the family Burhinidae. They are 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
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
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.
Pied avocet, Recurvirostra avosetta Black-winged stilt, Himantopus himantopus
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.
Grey plover, Pluvialis squatarola European golden plover, Pluvialis apricaria Pacific golden plover, Pluvialis fulva (A) Eurasian dotterel, Charadrius morinellus Common ringed plover, Charadrius hiaticula Little ringed plover, Charadrius dubius Kentish plover, Charadrius alexandrinus Northern lapwing, Vanellus vanellus
Sandpipers and allies
Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Scolopacidae