This is a list of the bird species recorded in Malta. The avifauna of Malta include a total of 426 species. It lies on a major migration route and many species pass through during spring and autumn. Two have been introduced by humans.
This list's taxonomic treatment (designation and sequence of orders, families and species) and nomenclature (common and scientific names) follow the conventions of The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World, 2022 edition. The family accounts at the beginning of each heading reflect this taxonomy, as do the species counts found in each family account. Accidental species are included in the total species count for Malta.
The following tags highlight several categories of occurrence other than regular migrants and residents. The commonly occurring native species are untagged. Birds that have been recorded breeding in Malta are also tagged.
(A) Accidental - a species that rarely or accidentally occurs in Malta (I) Introduced - a species introduced to Malta as a consequence, direct or indirect, of human actions
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.
Graylag goose, Anser anser (A) Greater white-fronted goose, Anser albifrons (A) Red-breasted goose, Branta ruficollis (A) Mute swan, Cygnus olor (A) Egyptian goose, Alopochen aegyptiacus (A) Ruddy shelduck, Tadorna ferruginea (A) Common shelduck, Tadorna tadorna Baikal teal, Sibirionetta formosa (A) Garganey, Spatula querquedula Blue-winged teal, Spatula discors (A) Northern shoveler, Spatula clypeata Gadwall, Mareca strepera Falcated duck, Mareca falcata (A) Eurasian wigeon, Mareca penelope Mallard, Anas platyrhynchos Cape teal, Anas capensis (A) Northern pintail, Anas acuta Green-winged teal, Anas crecca Marbled teal, Marmaronetta angustirostris (A) Red-crested pochard, Netta rufina (A) Common pochard, Aythya ferina Ferruginous duck, Aythya nyroca Tufted duck, Aythya fuligula (A) Greater scaup, Aythya marila (A) Common scoter, Melanitta nigra (A) Common goldeneye, Bucephala clangula (A) Smew, Mergellus albellus (A) Common merganser, Mergus merganser (A) Red-breasted merganser, Mergus serrator White-headed duck, Oxyura leucocephala (A)
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 Chukar, Alectoris chukar (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.
Greater flamingo, Phoenicopterus roseus
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 Great crested grebe, Podiceps cristatus Eared grebe, Podiceps nigricollis
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 Stock dove, Columba oenas Common wood-pigeon, Columba palumbus European turtle-dove, Streptopelia turtur Eurasian collared-dove, Streptopelia decaocto Laughing dove, Streptopelia senegalensis (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.
Pin-tailed sandgrouse, Pterocles alchata (A) Spotted sandgrouse, Pterocles senegallus (A) Black-bellied sandgrouse, Pterocles orientalis (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, roadrunners and anis. These birds are of variable size with slender bodies, long tails and strong legs. The Old World cuckoos are brood parasites.
Great spotted cuckoo, Clamator glandarius Common cuckoo, Cuculus canorus
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) Red-necked nightjar, Caprimulgus ruficollis (A) Eurasian nightjar, Caprimulgus europaeus Egyptian nightjar, Caprimulgus aegyptius (A)
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.
White-throated needletail, Hirundapus caudacutus (A) Alpine swift, Apus melba Common swift, Apus apus Pallid swift, Apus pallidus Little swift, Apus affinis (A) White-rumped swift, Apus caffer (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.
Water rail, Rallus aquaticus Corn crake, Crex crex Spotted crake, Porzana porzana Eurasian moorhen, Gallinula chloropus Eurasian coot, Fulica atra Red-knobbed coot, Fulica cristata (A) Allen's gallinule, Porphyrio alleni (A) Purple gallinule, Porphyrio martinicus (A) Western swamphen, Porphyrio porphyrio (A) Striped crake, Amaurornis marginalis (A) Little crake, Zapornia parva Baillon's crake, Zapornia pusilla
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".
Demoiselle crane, Anthropoides virgo (A) Common crane, Grus grus
Thick-knees Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Burhinidae
The 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 thick-knee, Burhinus oedicnemus
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 Pied avocet, Recurvirostra avosetta
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
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 European golden-plover, Pluvialis apricaria Pacific golden-plover, Pluvialis fulva (A) Northern lapwing, Vanellus vanellus Spur-winged lapwing, Vanellus spinosus (A) Sociable lapwing, Vanellus gregarius (A) White-tailed lapwing, Vanellus leucurus (A) Greater sand-plover, Charadrius leschenaultii (A) Caspian plover, Charadrius asiaticus (A) Kentish plover, Charadrius alexandrinus Common ringed plover, Charadrius hiaticula Little ringed plover, Charadrius dubius Eurasian dotterel, Charadrius morinellus
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 Slender-billed curlew, Numenius tenuirostris (A) Eurasian curlew, Numenius arquata Bar-tailed godwit, Limosa lapponica (A) Black-tailed godwit, Limosa limosa Ruddy turnstone, Arenaria interpres Red knot, Calidris canutus (A) Ruff, Calidris pugnax Broad-billed sandpiper, Calidris falcinellus (A) Curlew sandpiper, Calidris ferruginea Temminck's stint, Calidris temminckii Sanderling, Calidris alba Dunlin, Calidris alpina Purple sandpiper, Calidris maritima (A) Little stint, Calidris minuta Buff-breasted sandpiper, Calidris subruficollis (A) Pectoral sandpiper, Calidris melanotos (A) Long-billed dowitcher, Limnodromus scolopaceus (A) Jack snipe, Lymnocryptes minimus Eurasian woodcock, Scolopax rusticola Great snipe, Gallinago media Common snipe, Gallinago gallinago Terek sandpiper, Xenus cinereus (A) Red-necked phalarope, Phalaropus lobatus (A) Red phalarope, Phalaropus fulicarius (A) Common sandpiper, Actitis hypoleucos Green sandpiper, Tringa ochropus Spotted redshank, Tringa erythropus Common greenshank, Tringa nebularia Lesser yellowlegs, Tringa flavipes (A) Marsh sandpiper, Tringa stagnatilis Wood sandpiper, Tringa glareola Common redshank, Tringa totanus
Pratincoles and coursers Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Glareolidae
Glareolidae is a family of wading birds comprising the pratincoles, which have short legs, long pointed wings and long forked tails, and the coursers, which have long legs, short wings and long, pointed bills which curve downwards.
Cream-colored courser, Cursorius cursor (A) Collared pratincole, Glareola pratincola (A)
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.
Great skua, Stercorarius skua Pomarine jaeger, Stercorarius pomarinus Parasitic jaeger, Stercorarius parasiticus (A) Long-tailed jaeger, Stercorarius longicaudus (A)
Auks, murres, and puffins