This is a list of the bird species recorded in Iraq. The avifauna of Iraq include a total of 421 species, of which two have been introduced by humans. 20 species are globally threatened.
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. Introduced and accidental species are included in the total counts for Iraq.
The following tags have been used to highlight several categories, but not all species fall into one of these categories. Those that do not are commonly occurring native species.
(A) Accidental - a species that rarely or accidentally occurs in Iraq (I) Introduced - a species introduced to Iraq as a consequence, direct or indirect, of human actions (Ex) Extirpated - a species that no longer occurs in Iraq although populations exist elsewhere (X) Extinct - a species that no longer exists
Ostriches Order: StruthioniformesFamily: Struthionidae
Common ostrich, Struthio camelus (Ex) Arabian ostrich, Struthio camelus syriacus (X)
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) Graylag goose, Anser anser Greater white-fronted goose, Anser albifrons Lesser white-fronted goose, Anser erythropus Red-breasted goose, Branta ruficollis Mute swan, Cygnus olor Tundra swan, Cygnus columbianus Whooper swan, Cygnus cygnus Ruddy shelduck, Tadorna ferruginea Common shelduck, Tadorna tadorna Cotton pygmy-goose, Nettapus coromandelianus (A) Garganey, Spatula querquedula Northern shoveler, Spatula clypeata Gadwall, Mareca strepera Falcated duck, Mareca falcata (A) Eurasian wigeon, Mareca penelope Mallard, Anas platyrhynchos Northern pintail, Anas acuta Green-winged teal, Anas crecca 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 Common goldeneye, Bucephala clangula Smew, Mergellus albellus Common merganser, Mergus merganser (A) Red-breasted merganser, Mergus serrator (A) White-headed duck, Oxyura leucocephala
Pheasants, grouse, and allies Order: GalliformesFamily: Phasianidae
The Phasianidae are a family of terrestrial birds which consists of quails, partridges, snowcocks, francolins, spurfowls, tragopans, monals, pheasants, peafowls and jungle fowls. In general, they are plump (although they vary in size) and have broad, relatively short wings.
See-see partridge, Ammoperdix griseogularis Common quail, Coturnix coturnix Chukar, Alectoris chukar Caspian snowcock, Tetraogallus caspius Black francolin, Francolinus francolinus
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 Speckled pigeon, Columba guinea (A) Stock dove, Columba oenas Common wood-pigeon, Columba palumbus European turtle-dove, Streptopelia turtur Oriental turtle-dove, Streptopelia orientalis (A) Eurasian collared-dove, Streptopelia decaocto 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. 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 Spotted sandgrouse, Pterocles senegallus Black-bellied sandgrouse, Pterocles orientalis Lichtenstein's sandgrouse, Pterocles lichtensteinii (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 MacQueen's bustard, Chlamydotis macqueenii Little bustard, Tetrax tetrax
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.
Eurasian nightjar, Caprimulgus europaeus Egyptian nightjar, Caprimulgus aegyptius
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 (A) Common swift, Apus apus Pallid swift, Apus pallidus Little swift, Apus affinis (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 Gray-headed swamphen, Porphyrio poliocephalus 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 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. There are 9 species worldwide and 2 species which occur in Iraq.
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 (A) Pacific golden-plover, Pluvialis fulva (A) Northern lapwing, Vanellus vanellus Spur-winged lapwing, Vanellus spinosus Red-wattled lapwing, Vanellus indicus Sociable lapwing, Vanellus gregarius White-tailed lapwing, Vanellus leucurus Lesser sand-plover, Charadrius mongolus Greater sand-plover, Charadrius leschenaultii Caspian plover, Charadrius asiaticus 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 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.
Whimbrel, Numenius phaeopus Slender-billed curlew, Numenius tenuirostris (Ex) Eurasian curlew, Numenius arquata Bar-tailed godwit, Limosa lapponica Black-tailed godwit, Limosa limosa Ruddy turnstone, Arenaria interpres Red knot, Calidris canutus (A) Ruff, Calidris pugnax Broad-billed sandpiper, Calidris falcinellus Curlew sandpiper, Calidris ferruginea Temminck's stint, Calidris temminckii Sanderling, Calidris alba Dunlin, Calidris alpina Little stint, Calidris minuta Jack snipe, Lymnocryptes minimus Eurasian woodcock, Scolopax rusticola Solitary snipe, Gallinago solitaria (Ex) Great snipe, Gallinago media Common snipe, Gallinago gallinago Terek sandpiper, Xenus cinereus Red-necked phalarope, Phalaropus lobatus Red phalarope, Phalaropus fulicarius (A) Common sandpiper, Actitis hypoleucos Green sandpiper, Tringa ochropus Spotted redshank, Tringa erythropus Common greenshank, Tringa nebularia Marsh sandpiper, Tringa stagnatilis Wood sandpiper, Tringa glareola Common redshank, Tringa totanus
Crab plover Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Dromadidae
The crab plover is related to the waders. It resembles a plover but with very long grey legs and a strong heavy black bill similar to a tern. It has black-and-white plumage, a long neck, partially webbed feet and a bill designed for eating crabs.
Crab-plover, Dromas ardeola
Pratincoles and coursers Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Glareolidae