This is a list of the bird species recorded by Seychelles Bird Records Committee (SBRC) in Seychelles up to 25 October 2022 SBRC. It includes 279 species per The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World plus yellow-billed kite, currently treated by Clements as a subspecies of black kite, which has also been recorded in Seychelles, and also Asian plain martin and African plain martin, both of which have been recorded in Seychelles but are currently classed as races of the same species, plain martin. Fourteen extant species are endemic. Ten have been introduced by humans although the red fody is possibly native. Of these 139 (or 178 as per the SBRC list of 1 January 2020) are rare or accidental. Eleven species listed are extinct or extirpated in the Seychelles. Sixteen species are globally threatened.
In August 2025, SBRC adopted the AviList taxonomy. A new list has been produced of 286 species recorded in Seychelles up to 1 August 2025 .
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 the Seychelles.
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 the Seychelles (E) Endemic - a species endemic to the Seychelles (I) Introduced - a species introduced to the Seychelles as a consequence, direct or indirect, of human actions (Ex) Extirpated - a species that no longer occurs in the Seychelles 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.
White-faced whistling-duck, Dendrocygna viduata (A) Knob-billed duck, Sarkidiornis melanotos (A) Ruddy shelduck, Tadorna ferruginea (A) Garganey, Spatula querquedula Northern shoveler, Spatula clypeata (A) Eurasian wigeon, Mareca penelope (A) Mallard, Anas platyrhynchos (A) Red-billed duck, Anas erythrorhyncha (A) Northern pintail, Anas acuta (A) Green-winged teal, Anas acuta (A) Ferruginous pochard, Aythya nyroca (A) Tufted duck, Aythya fuligula (A)
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.
Grey francolin, Francolinus pondicerianus (I) Common quail, Coturnix coturnix (A)
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.
Black-necked grebe, Podiceps nigricollis (A)
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 (I) European turtle-dove, Streptopelia turtur (A) Malagasy turtle-dove, Nesoenas picturatus Namaqua dove, Oena capensis (A) Zebra dove, Geopelia striata (I) Comoro blue-pigeon, Alectroenas sganzini Seychelles blue-pigeon, Alectroenas pulcherrimus (E)
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.
Malagasy coucal, Centropus toulou Great spotted cuckoo, Clamator glandarius (A) Pied cuckoo, Clamator jacobinus (A) Lesser cuckoo, Cuculus poliocephalus (A) Common cuckoo, Cuculus canorus (A)
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 (A) Madagascar nightjar, Caprimulgus madagascariensis
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) Seychelles swiftlet, Aerodramus elaphrus (E) Alpine swift, Apus melba (A) Common swift, Apus apus (A) Pacific swift, Apus pacificus (A) 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.
White-throated rail, Dryolimnas cuvieri Corn crake, Crex crex (A) Spotted crake, Porzana porzana (A) Lesser moorhen, Paragallinula angulata (A) Eurasian moorhen, Gallinula chloropus Allen's gallinule, Porphyrio alleni (A) African swamphen, Porphyrio madagascariensis (Ex) White-breasted waterhen, Amaurornis phoenicurus (A) Striped crake, Amaurornis marginalis (A) Little crake, Zapornia parva (A)
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 (A)
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 (A) Pied avocet, Recurvirostra avosetta (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 (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.
Grey plover, Pluvialis squatarola Pacific golden-plover, Pluvialis fulva Spur-winged lapwing, Vanellus spinosus (A) Senegal lapwing, Vanellus lugubris (A) Sociable lapwing, Vanellus gregarius (A) Lesser sand-plover, Charadrius mongolus Greater sand-plover, Charadrius leschenaultii Caspian plover, Charadrius asiaticus (A) Common ringed plover, Charadrius hiaticula Little ringed plover, Charadrius dubius (A) Oriental plover, Charadrius veredus (A)
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 Little curlew, Numenius minutus (A) Eurasian curlew, Numenius arquata Bar-tailed godwit, Limosa lapponica Black-tailed godwit, Limosa limosa (A) Ruddy turnstone, Arenaria interpres Great knot, Calidris tenuirostris (A) Red knot, Calidris canutus (A) Ruff, Calidris pugnax (A) Broad-billed sandpiper, Calidris falcinellus (A) Sharp-tailed sandpiper, Calidris acuminata (A) Curlew sandpiper, Calidris ferruginea Temminck's stint, Calidris temminckii (A) Long-toed stint, Calidris subminuta (A) Sanderling, Calidris alba Little stint, Calidris minuta (A) Buff-breasted sandpiper, Calidris subruficollis (A) Pectoral sandpiper, Calidris melanotos (A) Jack snipe, Lymnocryptes minimus (A) Great snipe, Gallinago media (A) Common snipe, Gallinago gallinago (A) Pin-tailed snipe, Gallinago stenura (A) Terek sandpiper, Xenus cinereus Red-necked phalarope, Phalaropus lobatus (A) Common sandpiper, Actitis hypoleucos Green sandpiper, Tringa ochropus (A) Grey-tailed tattler, Tringa brevipes (A) Spotted redshank, Tringa erythropus (A) Common greenshank, Tringa nebularia Marsh sandpiper, Tringa stagnatilis (A) Wood sandpiper, Tringa glareola Common redshank, Tringa totanus (A)
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
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.
Collared pratincole, Glareola pratincola (A) Oriental pratincole, Glareola maldivarum (A) Black-winged pratincole, Glareola nordmanni (A) Madagascar pratincole, Glareola ocularis (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.
South polar skua, Stercorarius maccormicki (A) Brown skua, Stercorarius antarctica (A) Pomarine skua, Stercorarius pomarinus (A) Arctic skua, Stercorarius parasiticus (A)
Gulls, terns, and skimmers Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Laridae