This is a list of the bird species recorded in Afghanistan. The avifauna of Afghanistan include a total of 503 species, of which 4 have been introduced by humans. Of the species in Afghanistan, 46 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 Afghanistan.

The following tags have been used to highlight certain aspects of each species.

(A) Accidental – a species that rarely or accidentally occurs in Afghanistan (I) Introduced – a species introduced to Afghanistan as a consequence, direct or indirect, of human actions Conservation status – the conservation status of the listed species

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.

Bar-headed goose, Anser indicus 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 Whooper swan, Cygnus cygnus Ruddy shelduck, Tadorna ferruginea Common shelduck, Tadorna tadorna Cotton pygmy goose, Nettapus coromandelianus Baikal teal, Sibirionetta formosa (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 Eurasian teal, Anas crecca Marbled duck, Marmaronetta angustirostris Red-crested pochard, Netta rufina Common pochard, Aythya ferina Ferruginous duck, Aythya nyroca Tufted duck, Aythya fuligula Greater scaup, Aythya marila Velvet scoter, Melanitta fusca (A) Common goldeneye, Bucephala clangula Smew, Mergellus albellus Common merganser, Mergus merganser 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. 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 Tibetan snowcock, Tetraogallus tibetanus Himalayan snowcock, Tetraogallus himalayensis Black francolin, Francolinus francolinus Gray francolin, Ortygornis pondicerianus Himalayan monal, Lophophorus impejanus Common pheasant, Phasianus colchicus Cheer pheasant, Catreus wallichii Gray partridge, Perdix perdix Koklass pheasant, Pucrasia macrolopha

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 Lesser flamingo, Phoenicopterus minor (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 Red-necked grebe, Podiceps grisegena Great crested grebe, Podiceps cristatus Black-necked 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 dove, Columba livia Hill pigeon, Columba rupestris Snow pigeon, Columba leuconota Speckled pigeon, Columba guinea (I) Stock dove, Columba oenas (A) Yellow-eyed pigeon, Columba eversmanni Common wood-pigeon, Columba palumbus European turtle-dove, Streptopelia turtur Oriental turtle-dove, Streptopelia orientalis Eurasian collared-dove, Streptopelia decaocto Spotted dove, Spilopelia chinensis (A) Laughing dove, Spilopelia senegalensis

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.

Tibetan sandgrouse, Syrrhaptes tibetanus Pin-tailed sandgrouse, Pterocles alchata Spotted sandgrouse, Pterocles senegallus (A) 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. 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.

Jacobin cuckoo, Clamator jacobinus (A) Asian koel, Eudynamys scolopaceus Lesser cuckoo, Cuculus poliocephalus 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 Sykes's nightjar, Caprimulgus mahrattensis Indian nightjar, Caprimulgus asiaticus

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 Little swift, Apus affinis

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 Common moorhen, Gallinula chloropus Eurasian coot, Fulica atra Gray-headed swamphen, Porphyrio poliocephalus Ruddy-breasted crake, Zapornia fusca (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 Siberian crane, Leucogeranus leucogeranus (A) (possibly extirpated) Common crane, Grus grus

Stone-curlews Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Burhinidae

The stone-curlews 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

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

Ibisbill

Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Ibidorhynchidae

The ibisbill is related to the waders, but is sufficiently distinctive to be a family unto itself. The adult is gray with a white belly, red legs, a long down curved bill, and a black face and breast band.

Ibisbill, Ibidorhyncha struthersii (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

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 Pacific golden plover, Pluvialis fulva (A) Northern lapwing, Vanellus vanellus Red-wattled lapwing, Vanellus indicus Sociable lapwing, Vanellus gregarius White-tailed lapwing, Vanellus leucurus Siberian 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

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

Jacanas

Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Jacanidae

The jacanas are a group of tropical waders in the family Jacanidae. They are found throughout the tropics. They are identifiable by their huge feet and claws which enable them to walk on floating vegetation in the shallow lakes that are their preferred habitat.

Pheasant-tailed jacana, Hydrophasianus chirurgus

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. There are 27 species which have been recorded in Afghanistan.

Eurasian whimbrel, Numenius phaeopus Far Eastern curlew, Numenius madagascariensis (A) Eurasian curlew, Numenius arquata Bar-tailed godwit, Limosa lapponica Black-tailed godwit, Limosa limosa Ruddy turnstone, Arenaria interpres Ruff, Calidris pugnax Broad-billed sandpiper, Calidris falcinellus (A) Curlew sandpiper, Calidris ferruginea Temminck's stint, Calidris temminckii Sanderling, Calidris alba Dunlin, Calidris alpina Little stint, Calidris minuta Jack snipe, Lymnocryptes minimus