This is a list of the bird species recorded in Myanmar. The avifauna of Myanmar include a total of 1150 species, of which 7 are endemic, and two have been introduced by humans. 68 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 Myanmar.
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 Myanmar (E) Endemic – a species endemic to Myanmar (I) Introduced – a species introduced to Myanmar as a consequence, direct or indirect, of human actions (Ex) Extirpated – a species that no longer occurs in Myanmar 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.
Fulvous whistling-duck, Dendrocygna bicolor Lesser whistling-duck, Dendrocygna javanica Bar-headed goose, Anser indicus Graylag goose, Anser anser Greater white-fronted goose, Anser albifrons Taiga bean-goose, Anser fabalis (A) Tundra bean-goose, Anser serrirostris (A) Knob-billed duck, Sarkidiornis melanotos Ruddy shelduck, Tadorna ferruginea Common shelduck, Tadorna tadorna Cotton pygmy-goose, Nettapus coromandelianus 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 Eastern spot-billed duck, Anas zonorhyncha Mallard, Anas platyrhynchos Northern pintail, Anas acuta Green-winged teal, Anas crecca Pink-headed duck, Rhodonessa caryophyllacea (Ex?) White-winged duck, Asarcornis scutulata Red-crested pochard, Netta rufina Common pochard, Aythya ferina Ferruginous duck, Aythya nyroca Baer's pochard, Aythya baeri Tufted duck, Aythya fuligula Greater scaup, Aythya marila Common goldeneye, Bucephala clangula Smew, Mergellus albellus Common merganser, Mergus merganser Red-breasted merganser, Mergus serrator Scaly-sided merganser, Mergus squamatus
Megapodes Order: GalliformesFamily: Megapodiidae
The Megapodiidae are stocky, medium-large chicken-like birds with small heads and large feet. All but the malleefowl occupy jungle habitats and most have brown or black colouring.
Tabon scrubfowl, Megapodius cumingii
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.
Ferruginous partridge, Caloperdix oculeus Crested partridge, Rollulus rouloul Hill partridge, Arborophila torqueola Rufous-throated partridge, Arborophila rufogularis White-cheeked partridge, Arborophila atrogularis Bar-backed partridge, Arborophila brunneopectus Scaly-breasted partridge, Tropicoperdix chloropus Chestnut-necklaced partridge, Tropicoperdix charltonii Long-billed partridge, Rhizothera longirostris Great argus, Argusianus argus Green peafowl, Pavo muticus Malayan peacock-pheasant, Polyplectron malacense Gray peacock-pheasant, Polyplectron bicalcaratum Blue-breasted quail, Synoicus chinensis Japanese quail, Coturnix japonica Common quail, Coturnix coturnix Rain quail, Coturnix coromandelica Chinese francolin, Francolinus pintadeanus Mountain bamboo-partridge, Bambusicola fytchii Red junglefowl, Gallus gallus Blood pheasant, Ithaginis cruentus Himalayan monal, Lophophorus impejanus Sclater's monal, Lophophorus sclateri Snow partridge, Lerwa lerwa (A) Blyth's tragopan, Tragopan blythii Temminck's tragopan, Tragopan temminckii Hume's pheasant, Syrmaticus humiae Lady Amherst's pheasant, Chrysolophus amherstiae Ring-necked pheasant, Phasianus colchicus Silver pheasant, Lophura nycthemera Kalij pheasant, Lophura leucomelanos Siamese fireback, Lophura diardi Malayan crestless fireback, Lophura erythrophthalma Malayan crested fireback, Lophura rufa
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 Snow pigeon, Columba leuconota Speckled wood-pigeon, Columba hodgsonii Ashy wood-pigeon, Columba pulchricollis Pale-capped pigeon, Columba punicea Oriental turtle-dove, Streptopelia orientalis Eurasian collared-dove, Streptopelia decaocto Burmese collared-dove, Streptopelia xanthocycla Red collared-dove, Streptopelia tranquebarica Spotted dove, Spilopelia chinensis Barred cuckoo-dove, Macropygia unchall Little cuckoo-dove, Macropygia ruficeps Asian emerald dove, Chalcophaps indica Zebra dove, Geopelia striata Nicobar pigeon, Caloenas nicobarica Pink-necked green-pigeon, Treron vernans Cinnamon-headed green-pigeon, Treron fulvicollis Orange-breasted green-pigeon, Treron bicincta Andaman green pigeon, Treron chloropterus Ashy-headed green-pigeon, Treron phayrei Thick-billed green-pigeon, Treron curvirostra Large green-pigeon, Treron capellei Yellow-footed green-pigeon, Treron phoenicoptera Pin-tailed green-pigeon, Treron apicauda Wedge-tailed green-pigeon, Treron sphenura Green imperial-pigeon, Ducula aenea Mountain imperial-pigeon, Ducula badia Pied imperial-pigeon, Ducula bicolor
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.
Andaman coucal, Centropus andamanensis Greater coucal, Centropus sinensis Lesser coucal, Centropus bengalensis Raffles's malkoha, Rhinortha chlorophaea Red-billed malkoha, Zanclostomus javanicus Chestnut-breasted malkoha, Phaenicophaeus curvirostris Chestnut-bellied malkoha, Phaenicophaeus sumatranus Black-bellied malkoha, Phaenicophaeus diardi Green-billed malkoha, Phaenicophaeus tristis Chestnut-winged cuckoo, Clamator coromandus Pied cuckoo, Clamator jacobinus Asian koel, Eudynamys scolopaceus Asian emerald cuckoo, Chrysococcyx maculatus Violet cuckoo, Chrysococcyx xanthorhynchus Banded bay cuckoo, Cacomantis sonneratii Plaintive cuckoo, Cacomantis merulinus Fork-tailed drongo-cuckoo, Surniculus dicruroides Square-tailed drongo-cuckoo, Surniculus lugubris Moustached hawk-cuckoo, Hierococcyx vagans Large hawk-cuckoo, Hierococcyx sparverioides Common hawk-cuckoo, Hierococcyx varius Northern hawk-cuckoo, Hierococcyx hyperythrus Hodgson's hawk-cuckoo, Hierococcyx nisicolor Lesser cuckoo, Cuculus poliocephalus Indian cuckoo, Cuculus micropterus Himalayan cuckoo, Cuculus saturatus Common cuckoo, Cuculus canorus Oriental cuckoo, Cuculus optatus
Frogmouths Order: CaprimulgiformesFamily: Podargidae
The frogmouths are a group of nocturnal birds related to the nightjars. They are named for their large flattened hooked bill and huge frog-like gape, which they use to take insects.
Hodgson's frogmouth, Batrachostomus hodgsoni Blyth's frogmouth, Batrachostomus affinis
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.
Great eared-nightjar, Lyncornis macrotis Gray nightjar, Caprimulgus jotaka Large-tailed nightjar, Caprimulgus macrurus Indian nightjar, Caprimulgus asiaticus Savanna nightjar, Caprimulgus affinis
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-rumped needletail, Zoonavena sylvatica Silver-rumped needletail, Rhaphidura leucopygialis White-throated needletail, Hirundapus caudacutus Silver-backed needletail, Hirundapus cochinchinensis Brown-backed needletail, Hirundapus giganteus Plume-toed swiftlet, Collocalia affinis Himalayan swiftlet, Aerodramus brevirostris Black-nest swiftlet, Aerodramus maximus White-nest swiftlet, Aerodramus fuciphagus Germain's swiftlet, Aerodramus germani Pacific swift, Apus pacificus Cook's swift, Apus cooki Dark-rumped swift, Apus acuticauda (A) House swift, Apus nipalensis Asian palm-swift, Cypsiurus balasiensis
Treeswifts Order: CaprimulgiformesFamily: Hemiprocnidae
The treeswifts, also called crested swifts, are closely related to the true swifts. They differ from the other swifts in that they have crests, long forked tails and softer plumage.
Crested treeswift, Hemiprocne coronata Gray-rumped treeswift, Hemiprocne longipennis Whiskered treeswift, Hemiprocne comata
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.
Brown-cheeked rail, Rallus indicus Slaty-breasted rail, Lewinia striata Spotted crake, Porzana porzana (A) Eurasian moorhen, Gallinula chloropus Eurasian coot, Fulica atra Gray-headed swamphen, Porphyrio poliocephalus Watercock, Gallicrex cinerea White-breasted waterhen, Amaurornis phoenicurus White-browed crake, Poliolimnas cinereus (A) Red-legged crake, Rallina fasciata Slaty-legged crake, Rallina eurizonoides Ruddy-breasted crake, Zapornia fusca Brown crake, Zapornia akool Baillon's crake, Zapornia pusilla Black-tailed crake, Zapornia bicolor
Finfoots Order: GruiformesFamily: Heliornithidae
Heliornithidae is a small family of tropical birds with webbed lobes on their feet similar to those of grebes and coots.
Masked finfoot, Heliopais personatus
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 Sarus crane, Antigone antigone Common crane, Grus grus Black-necked crane, Grus nigricollis
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.
Indian thick-knee, Burhinus indicus Great thick-knee, Esacus recurvirostris Beach thick-knee, Esacus magnirostris
Stilts and avocets