This is a list of the bird species recorded in Morocco. The avifauna of Morocco include a total of 563 species. Three of them have been introduced by humans.
This list's taxonomic treatment (designation and sequence of orders, families and species) and nomenclature (English and scientific names) are those of The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World, 2022 edition.Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, S. M. Billerman, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2021. The eBird/Clements Checklist of Birds of the World: v2021. Downloaded from https://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/ Retrieved August 15, 2021.
The following tags have been used to highlight several categories of occurrence.
(A) Accidental - a species that only rarely occurs in Morocco; records of these species require formal acceptance by the Commission d'Homologation Marocaine (Moroccan Rare Birds Committee) (I) Introduced - a species introduced to Morocco as a consequence, direct or indirect, of human actions, and has become established (Ex) Extirpated - a species that no longer occurs in Morocco although populations exist elsewhere
Ostriches Order: StruthioniformesFamily: Struthionidae
The ostriches are a flightless birds native to Africa. They are the largest living species of bird and are distinctive in appearance, with a long neck and legs and the ability to run at high speeds. This species was extirpated from Morocco some time before 1990; a re-introduction programme for the North African ostrich is in progress.
Common ostrich, Struthio camelus North African ostrich, Struthio camelus camelus reintroduced
Ducks, geese, and waterfowl Order: AnseriformesFamily: Anatidae
Anatidae includes the ducks and most duck-like waterfowl such as swans and geese.
Fulvous whistling-duck, Dendrocygna bicolor (A) Snow goose, Anser caerulescens (A) Graylag goose, Anser anser Greater white-fronted goose, Anser albifrons (A) Taiga bean-goose, Anser fabalis (A) Bar-headed goose, Anser indicus (A) Brant, Branta bernicla (A) Barnacle goose, Branta leucopsis (A) Mute swan, Cygnus olor (A) Whooper swan, Cygnus cygnus (A) Egyptian goose, Alopochen aegyptiacus (A) Ruddy shelduck, Tadorna ferruginea Common shelduck, Tadorna tadorna Spur-winged goose, Plectropterus gambensis (A) Mandarin duck, Aix galericulata (I) Garganey, Spatula querquedula Blue-winged teal, Spatula discors (A) Cinnamon teal, Spatula cyanoptera (A) Cape shoveler, Spatula smithii (A) Northern shoveler, Spatula clypeata Gadwall, Mareca strepera Eurasian wigeon, Mareca penelope American wigeon, Mareca americana (A) Mallard, Anas platyrhynchos Northern pintail, Anas acuta Green-winged teal, Anas crecca Marbled teal, Marmaronetta angustirostris Southern pochard, Netta erythrophtalma (A) Red-crested pochard, Netta rufina Common pochard, Aythya ferina Ring-necked duck, Aythya collaris (A) Ferruginous duck, Aythya nyroca Tufted duck, Aythya fuligula Greater scaup, Aythya marila (A) Lesser scaup, Aythya affinis (A) Common eider, Somateria mollissima (A) Velvet scoter, Melanitta fusca (A) Common scoter, Melanitta nigra Long-tailed duck, Clangula hyemalis (A) Common goldeneye, Bucephala clangula (A) Smew, Mergellus albellus (A) Common merganser, Mergus merganser (A) Red-breasted merganser, Mergus serrator Ruddy duck, Oxyura jamaicensis (I) White-headed duck, Oxyura leucocephala
Guineafowl Order: GalliformesFamily: Numididae
Guineafowl are a group of African birds that resemble partridges, but with featherless heads and spangled grey plumage.
Helmeted guineafowl, Numida meleagris reintroduced
Pheasant, grouse, and allies Order: GalliformesFamily: Phasianidae
Phasianidae are a family of terrestrial birds which consists of quails, partridges, francolins and pheasants. In general, they are plump (although they vary in size) and have broad, relatively short wings.
Rock ptarmigan, Lagopus muta (A) Ring-necked pheasant, Phasianus colchicus (I) Common quail, Coturnix coturnix Barbary partridge, Alectoris barbara Double-spurred francolin, Pternistis bicalcaratus
Flamingos Order: PhoenicopteriformesFamily: Phoenicopteridae
Flamingos are gregarious wading birds, usually tall, found in both the Western and Eastern Hemispheres.
Greater flamingo, Phoenicopterus roseus Lesser flamingo, Phoeniconaias minor (A)
Grebes Order: PodicipediformesFamily: Podicipedidae
Grebes are small to medium-large freshwater diving birds.
Little grebe, Tachybaptus ruficollis Horned grebe, Podiceps auritus (A) Red-necked grebe, Podiceps grisegena (A) 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 Trocaz pigeon, Columba trocaz (A) Common wood-pigeon, Columba palumbus European turtle-dove, Streptopelia turtur Eurasian collared-dove, Streptopelia decaocto African collared-dove, Streptopelia roseogrisea (A) Laughing dove, Streptopelia senegalensis Namaqua dove, Oena capensis (A)
Sandgrouse Order: PterocliformesFamily: Pteroclidae
Sandgrouse have small, pigeon-like, heads and necks, but sturdy compact bodies.
Pin-tailed sandgrouse, Pterocles alchata Spotted sandgrouse, Pterocles senegallus Black-bellied sandgrouse, Pterocles orientalis Crowned sandgrouse, Pterocles coronatus Lichtenstein's sandgrouse, Pterocles lichtensteinii
Bustards Order: OtidiformesFamily: Otididae
Bustards are large terrestrial birds mainly associated with dry open country and steppes in the Old World. The Arabian bustard has been extirpated from Morocco since about 1985 and the houbara bustard is close to being extirpated.
Great bustard, Otis tarda Houbara bustard, Chlamydotis undulata Little bustard, Tetrax tetrax
Cuckoos Order: CuculiformesFamily: Cuculidae
The cuckoos are birds are of variable size with slender bodies, long tails, and strong legs.
Great spotted cuckoo, Clamator glandarius Yellow-billed cuckoo, Coccyzus americanus (A) Common cuckoo, Cuculus canorus
Nightjars and allies Order: CaprimulgiformesFamily: Caprimulgidae
Nightjars are medium-sized nocturnal birds with long wings, short legs, and very short bills.
Red-necked nightjar, Caprimulgus ruficollis Eurasian nightjar, Caprimulgus europaeus Egyptian nightjar, Caprimulgus aegyptius Nubian nightjar, Caprimulgus nubicus (A) Golden nightjar, Caprimulgus eximius (A)
Swifts Order: CaprimulgiformesFamily: Apodidae
Swifts are small birds which spend the majority of their lives flying.
Chimney swift, Chaetura pelagica (A) Alpine swift, Apus melba Common swift, Apus apus Plain swift, Apus unicolor (A) Pallid swift, Apus pallidus Little swift, Apus affinis White-rumped swift, Apus caffer
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.
Water rail, Rallus aquaticus Corn crake, Crex crex African crake, Crex egregia (A) Sora, Porzana carolina (A) Spotted crake, Porzana porzana Lesser moorhen, Paragallinula angulata (A) Eurasian moorhen, Gallinula chloropus Eurasian coot, Fulica atra Red-knobbed coot, Fulica cristata Allen's gallinule, Porphyrio alleni (A) Purple gallinule, Porphyrio martinica (A) Western swamphen, Porphyrio porphyrio Striped crake, Amaurornis marginalis (A) Little crake, Porzana parva Baillon's crake, Porzana pusilla
Cranes Order: GruiformesFamily: Gruidae
Cranes are large, long-legged, and long-necked birds. The demoiselle crane has been extirpated since 1985.
Common crane, Grus grus
Thick-knees Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Burhinidae
The thick-knees are a group of waders found worldwide within the tropical zone, with some species also breeding in temperate Europe and Australia. Despite being classed as waders, most species have a preference for arid or semi-arid habitats.
Eurasian thick-knee, Burhinus oedicnemus Senegal thick-knee, Burhinus senegalensis (A)
Stilts and avocets Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Recurvirostridae
Recurvirostridae is a family of large wading birds which includes the avocets and stilts.
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.
Black-bellied plover, Pluvialis squatarola European golden-plover, Pluvialis apricaria American golden-plover, Pluvialis dominica (A) Pacific golden-plover, Pluvialis fulva (A) Northern lapwing, Vanellus vanellus Sociable lapwing, Vanellus gregarius (A) White-tailed lapwing, Vanellus leucurus (A) Greater sand-plover, Charadrius leschenaultii (A) Kittlitz's plover, Charadrius pecuarius (A) Kentish plover, Charadrius alexandrinus Common ringed plover, Charadrius hiaticula Little ringed plover, Charadrius dubius Eurasian dotterel, Charadrius morinellus
Painted-snipes Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Rostratulidae
Painted-snipes are short-legged, long-billed birds similar in shape to the true snipes, but more brightly coloured.
Greater painted-snipe, Rostratula benghalensis (A)
Sandpipers and allies Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Scolopacidae
Scolopacidae is a large diverse family of small to medium-sized waders including the sandpipers, curlews, godwits, shanks, 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 Eurasian curlew, Numenius arquata Bar-tailed godwit, Limosa lapponica Black-tailed godwit, Limosa limosa Ruddy turnstone, Arenaria interpres Great knot, Calidris tenuirostris (A) Red knot, Calidris canutus Ruff, Calidris pugnax Broad-billed sandpiper, Calidris falcinellus (A) Stilt sandpiper, Calidris himantopus (A) Curlew sandpiper, Calidris ferruginea Temminck's stint, Calidris temminckii Sanderling, Calidris alba Dunlin, Calidris alpina Purple sandpiper, Calidris maritima (A) Baird's sandpiper, Calidris bairdii (A) Little stint, Calidris minuta White-rumped sandpiper, Calidris fuscicollis (A) Buff-breasted sandpiper, Calidris subruficollis (A) Pectoral sandpiper, Calidris melanotos (A) Semipalmated sandpiper, Calidris pusilla (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) Wilson's phalarope, Phalaropus tricolor (A) Red-necked phalarope, Phalaropus lobatus (A) Red phalarope, Phalaropus fulicarius Common sandpiper, Actitis hypoleucos Spotted sandpiper, Actitis macularia (A) Green sandpiper, Tringa ochropus Spotted redshank, Tringa erythropus Greater yellowlegs, Tringa melanoleuca (A) Common greenshank, Tringa nebularia Lesser yellowlegs, Tringa flavipes (A) Marsh sandpiper, Tringa stagnatilis Wood sandpiper, Tringa glareola Common redshank, Tringa totanus
Buttonquail Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Turnicidae
The buttonquails are small, drab, running birds which resemble the true quails. This species is close to being extirpated in Morocco.
Small buttonquail, Turnix sylvaticus
Pratincoles and coursers Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Glareolidae