This is a list of the bird species recorded in Hong Kong. The avifauna of Hong Kong include a total of 599 species, of which 12 have been introduced by humans.
This list's taxonomic treatment (designation and sequence of orders, families and species) and nomenclature (common and scientific names) follow the Hong Kong Bird List published by Hong Kong Bird Watching Society. Supplemental updates follow 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 Hong Kong.
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 Hong Kong (I) Introduced - a species introduced to Hong Kong as a consequence, direct or indirect, of human actions
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 Graylag goose, Anser anser (A) Greater white-fronted goose, Anser albifrons (A) Lesser white-fronted goose, Anser erythropus (A) Taiga bean goose, Anser fabalis (A) Tundra bean goose, Anser serrirostris (A) Whooper swan, Cygnus cygnus (A) Ruddy shelduck, Tadorna ferruginea Common shelduck, Tadorna tadorna Cotton pygmy-goose, Nettapus coromandelianus (A) 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 American wigeon, Mareca americana (A) Philippine duck, Anas luzonica (A) 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 (A) Common pochard, Aythya ferina Ferruginous duck, Aythya nyroca (A) Baer's pochard, Aythya baeri (A) Tufted duck, Aythya fuligula Greater scaup, Aythya marila Velvet scoter, Melanitta fusca (A) White-winged scoter, Melanitta deglandi (A) Stejneger's scoter, Melanitta stejnegeri (A) Black scoter, Melanitta americana (A) Common goldeneye, Bucephala clangula (A) Smew, Mergellus albellus (A) Red-breasted merganser, Mergus serrator Scaly-sided merganser, Mergus squamatus (A)
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.
Chinese bamboo-partridge, Bambusicola thoracicus (A) Chinese francolin, Francolinus pintadeanus Japanese quail, Coturnix japonica
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 (A) Great crested grebe, Podiceps cristatus Eared 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) Oriental turtle-dove, Streptopelia orientalis Eurasian collared-dove, Streptopelia decaocto Red collared-dove, Streptopelia tranquebarica Spotted dove, Spilopelia chinensis Barred cuckoo-dove, Macropygia unchall (A) Asian emerald dove, Chalcophaps indica (I) Orange-breasted green-pigeon, Treron bicinctus (A) Thick-billed green-pigeon, Treron curvirostra (A) Wedge-tailed green-pigeon, Treron sphenurus (A) White-bellied green-pigeon, Treron sieboldii (A) Whistling green-pigeon, Treron formosae (A)
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.
Greater coucal, Centropus sinensis Lesser coucal, Centropus bengalensis Chestnut-winged cuckoo, Clamator coromandus Asian koel, Eudynamys scolopacea Plaintive cuckoo, Cacomantis merulinus Square-tailed drongo-cuckoo, Surniculus lugubris (A) Large hawk-cuckoo, Hierococcyx sparverioides Northern hawk-cuckoo, Hierococcyx hyperythrus (A) Hodgson's hawk-cuckoo, Hierococcyx nisicolor Malaysian hawk-cuckoo, Hierococcyx fugax (A) Lesser cuckoo, Cuculus poliocephalus Indian cuckoo, Cuculus micropterus Common cuckoo, Cuculus canorus (A) Oriental cuckoo, Cuculus optatus
Nightjars 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 (A) Savanna nightjar, Caprimulgus affinis
Swifts Order: ApodiformesFamily: 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 Silver-backed needletail, Hirundapus cochinchinensis Brown-backed needletail, Hirundapus giganteus (A) Himalayan swiftlet, Aerodramus brevirostris Common swift, Apus apus (A) Pacific swift, Apus pacificus House swift, Apus nipalensis
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 (A) Brown-cheeked rail, Rallus indicus Slaty-breasted rail, Lewinia striata Eurasian moorhen, Gallinula chloropus Eurasian coot, Fulica atra Gray-headed swamphen, Porphyrio poliocephalus (A) White-browed crake, Poliolimnas cinereus (A) Watercock, Gallicrex cinerea White-breasted waterhen, Amaurornis phoenicurus Slaty-legged crake, Rallina eurizonoides (A) Ruddy-breasted crake, Zapornia fusca Band-bellied crake, Zapornia paykullii (A) Brown crake, Zapornia akool (A) 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".
Siberian crane, Leucogeranus leucogeranus (A) Common crane, Grus grus (A)
Thick-knees Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Burhinidae
The thick-knees, also known as dikkops or stone-curlews, consist of species within the family Burhinidae, and are found throughout the tropical and temperate parts of the world.
Great thick-knee, Esacus recurvirostris (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 Pied avocet, Recurvirostra avosetta
Oystercatchers Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Haematopodidae
The oystercatchers are a group of waders; they form the family Haematopodidae, which has a single genus, Haematopus.
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 European golden-plover, Pluvialis apricaria (A) American golden-plover, Pluvialis dominica (A) Pacific golden-plover, Pluvialis fulva Northern lapwing, Vanellus vanellus Gray-headed lapwing, Vanellus cinereus Lesser sand-plover, Charadrius mongolus Greater sand-plover, Charadrius leschenaultii Kentish plover, Charadrius alexandrinus White-faced plover, Charadrius dealbatus (A) Snowy plover, Charadrius nivosus Common ringed plover, Charadrius hiaticula (A) Long-billed plover, Charadrius placidus (A) Little ringed plover, Charadrius dubius Oriental plover, Charadrius veredus
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.
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 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 Spoon-billed sandpiper, Calidris pygmeus Red-necked stint, Calidris ruficollis Sanderling, Calidris alba Dunlin, Calidris alpina Little stint, Calidris minuta Buff-breasted sandpiper, Calidris subruficollis (A) Pectoral sandpiper, Calidris melanotos (A) Asian dowitcher, Limnodromus semipalmatus Long-billed dowitcher, Limnodromus scolopaceus Eurasian woodcock, Scolopax rusticola Latham's snipe, Gallinago hardwickii (A) 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 (A) Common sandpiper, Actitis hypoleucos Green sandpiper, Tringa ochropus Gray-tailed tattler, Tringa brevipes Spotted redshank, Tringa erythropus Common greenshank, Tringa nebularia Nordmann's greenshank, Tringa guttifer Lesser yellowlegs, Tringa flavipes (A) Marsh sandpiper, Tringa stagnatilis Wood sandpiper, Tringa glareola Common redshank, Tringa totanus
Buttonquail Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Turnicidae
The buttonquail are small, drab, running birds which resemble the true quails. The female is the brighter of the sexes and initiates courtship. The male incubates the eggs and tends the young.