This is a list of the bird species recorded in Mongolia. The avifauna of Mongolia include a total of 534 species.
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 Mongolia.
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 Mongolia (Ex) Extirpated - a species that no longer occurs in Mongolia although populations exist elsewhere
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.
Lesser whistling-duck, Dendrocygna javanica Bar-headed goose, Anser indicus Graylag goose, Anser anser Swan goose, Anser cygnoides Greater white-fronted goose, Anser albifrons Lesser white-fronted goose, Anser erythropus Taiga bean-goose, Anser fabalis Tundra bean-goose, Anser serrirostris Barnacle goose, Branta leucopsis (A) Red-breasted goose, Branta ruficollis (A) Mute swan, Cygnus olor Tundra swan, Cygnus columbianus Whooper swan, Cygnus cygnus Ruddy shelduck, Tadorna ferruginea Common shelduck, Tadorna tadorna Mandarin duck, Aix galericulata (A) Baikal teal, Sibirionetta formosa Garganey, Spatula querquedula Northern shoveler, Spatula clypeata Gadwall, Mareca strepera Falcated duck, Mareca falcata Eurasian wigeon, Mareca penelope Indian spot-billed duck, Anas poecilorhyncha (A) Eastern spot-billed duck, Anas zonorhyncha Mallard, Anas platyrhynchos Northern pintail, Anas acuta Green-winged teal, Anas crecca Red-crested pochard, Netta rufina Common pochard, Aythya ferina Ferruginous duck, Aythya nyroca Baer's pochard, Aythya baeri (A) Tufted duck, Aythya fuligula Greater scaup, Aythya marila Harlequin duck, Histrionicus histrionicus Velvet scoter, Melanitta fusca (A) Stejneger's scoter, Melanitta stejnegeri Long-tailed duck, Clangula hyemalis (A) Common goldeneye, Bucephala clangula Smew, Mergellus albellus Common merganser, Mergus merganser Red-breasted merganser, Mergus serrator 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.
Hazel grouse, Tetrastes bonasia Willow ptarmigan, Lagopus lagopus Rock ptarmigan, Lagopus muta Black-billed capercaillie, Tetrao urogalloides Western capercaillie, Tetrao urogallus Black grouse, Lyrurus tetrix Daurian partridge, Perdix dauurica Ring-necked pheasant, Phasianus colchicus Altai snowcock, Tetraogallus altaicus Common quail, Coturnix coturnix Japanese quail, Coturnix japonica Chukar, Alectoris chukar
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 (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 Horned grebe, Podiceps auritus Red-necked grebe, Podiceps grisegena 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 Hill pigeon, Columba rupestris Stock dove, Columba oenas Yellow-eyed pigeon, Columba eversmanni (A) Common wood-pigeon, Columba palumbus European turtle-dove, Streptopelia turtur Oriental turtle-dove, Streptopelia orientalis Eurasian collared-dove, Streptopelia decaocto Red collared-dove, Streptopelia tranquebarica (A) Laughing dove, Streptopelia 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.
Pallas's sandgrouse, Syrrhaptes paradoxus
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
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.
Lesser cuckoo, Cuculus poliocephalus Indian cuckoo, Cuculus micropterus Common cuckoo, Cuculus canorus Oriental cuckoo, Cuculus optatus
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.
Gray nightjar, Caprimulgus jotaka 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.
White-throated needletail, Hirundapus caudacutus Common swift, Apus apus Pacific swift, Apus pacificus
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 Brown-cheeked rail, Rallus indicus Corn crake, Crex crex Spotted crake, Porzana porzana (A) Eurasian moorhen, Gallinula chloropus Eurasian coot, Fulica atra White-breasted waterhen, Amaurornis phoenicurus (A) Ruddy-breasted crake, Zapornia fusca (A) Band-bellied crake, Zapornia paykullii (A) Little crake, Zapornia parva Baillon's crake, Zapornia pusilla Swinhoe's rail, Coturnicops exquisitus (A)
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 White-naped crane, Antigone vipio Common crane, Grus grus Hooded crane, Grus monacha Black-necked crane, Grus nigricollis (A) Red-crowned crane, Grus japonensis
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 (A)
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 Pacific golden-plover, Pluvialis fulva Northern lapwing, Vanellus vanellus Gray-headed lapwing, Vanellus cinereus Sociable lapwing, Vanellus gregarius Lesser sand-plover, Charadrius mongolus Greater sand-plover, Charadrius leschenaultii Kentish plover, Charadrius alexandrinus Common ringed plover, Charadrius hiaticula Long-billed plover, Charadrius placidus (A) Little ringed plover, Charadrius dubius Oriental plover, Charadrius veredus 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
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 Little curlew, Numenius minutus Far Eastern curlew, Numenius madagascariensis 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 Sharp-tailed sandpiper, Calidris acuminata Curlew sandpiper, Calidris ferruginea Temminck's stint, Calidris temminckii Long-toed stint, Calidris subminuta Red-necked stint, Calidris ruficollis Sanderling, Calidris alba Dunlin, Calidris alpina Baird's sandpiper, Calidris bairdii (A) Little stint, Calidris minuta Buff-breasted sandpiper, Calidris subruficollis (A) Pectoral sandpiper, Calidris melanotos Asian dowitcher, Limnodromus semipalmatus Long-billed dowitcher, Limnodromus scolopaceus (A) Jack snipe, Lymnocryptes minimus Eurasian woodcock, Scolopax rusticola Solitary snipe, Gallinago solitaria Common snipe, Gallinago gallinago Pin-tailed snipe, Gallinago stenura Swinhoe's snipe, Gallinago megala Terek sandpiper, Xenus cinereus Red-necked phalarope, Phalaropus lobatus Red phalarope, Phalaropus fulicarius Common sandpiper, Actitis hypoleucos