The avifauna of Fiji is the richest in West Polynesia. Numerous families reach the farthest east of their range, and the island is home to several endemic species and genera, as well as sharing several more endemics with its close neighbours Tonga and Samoa.
The birds of Fiji have been heavily impacted by the arrival of humans. Several species (and some genera) were lost in prehistory and are known only from fossil remains. Other have become extinct more recently, and some species remain very close to extinction. It is certain that the current knowledge of the previous ranges of many species is incomplete and further research is needed.
This is a list of the bird species recorded in Fiji. The avifauna of Fiji include a total of 179 species, of which 31 are endemic, and 13 have been introduced by humans. Numerous species listed have been extirpated from Fiji.
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 Fiji. There are also a few species listed that have been recorded in Fiji, but not known to what specific island they were recorded at.
The following tags have been used to highlight several categories.
(V) Vagrant - a species that rarely or accidentally occurs in Fiji (B) Breeder - a species that breeds in Fiji (M) Migrant - a species that regularly migrates to Fiji (P) Passage migrant - a species that neither breeds nor winters in Fiji but regularly passes through (I) Introduced - a species introduced to Fiji as a consequence, direct or indirect, of human actions (X) Extirpated - a species that no longer occurs here although populations may exist elsewhere (*) Endemic - a species that is endemic to Fiji (?) Uncertain - a species with uncertain records or current status
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.
Species Viti Levu Vanua Levu Taveuni Kadavu Lomaiviti Lau Rotuma Wandering whistling-duckDendrocygna arcuata X Pacific black duckAnas superciliosa B B B B B Eastern spot-billed duckAnas zonorhyncha MallardAnas platyrhynchosV
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.
Species Viti Levu Vanua Levu Taveuni Kadavu Lomaiviti Lau Rotuma Consumed scrubfowlMegapodius alimentum X Viti Levu scrubfowlMegapodius amissus * X X Melanesian scrubfowlMegapodius eremita
Sylviornithids PangalliformesFamily: Sylviornithidae
Sylviornithids are an extinct lineage of flightless birds related to modern Galliformes. They are represented by two species, one of them native to Fiji.
Species Viti Levu Vanua Levu Taveuni Kadavu Lomaiviti Lau Rotuma Noble megapodeMegavitiornis altirostris X
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.
Species Viti Levu Vanua Levu Taveuni Kadavu Lomaiviti Lau Rotuma Brown quailSynoicus ypsilophorus I I Red junglefowlGallus gallus IX IX I I I I I Wild turkeyMeleagris gallopavoI
Pigeons and doves
Order: ColumbiformesFamily: Columbidae
Pigeons and doves are stout-bodied birds with short necks and short slender bills with a fleshy cere.
Species Viti Levu Vanua Levu Taveuni Kadavu Lomaiviti Lau Rotuma Rock doveColumba livia I I I Metallic pigeonColumba vitiensis B B B B B B Spotted doveSpilopelia chinensis I I I I Shy ground doveAlopecoenas stairi B B B B B B Many-colored fruit-dovePtilinopus perousii B B B B B B Crimson-crowned fruit dovePtilinopus porphyraceus B B Orange dovePtilinopus victor* B B Golden dovePtilinopus luteovirens* B B Velvet dovePtilinopus layardi* B Pacific imperial-pigeonDucula pacifica B B B Peale's imperial-pigeonDucula latrans* B B B B B B Lau imperial-pigeonDucula lakeba X X Viti Levu giant pigeonNatunaornis gigoura* X
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.
Species Viti Levu Vanua Levu Taveuni Kadavu Lomaiviti Lau Rotuma Long-tailed koelUrodynamis taitensis M M M M M M Fan-tailed cuckooCacomantis flabelliformis B B B B B
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.
Species Viti Levu Vanua Levu Taveuni Kadavu Lomaiviti Lau Rotuma Tawny frogmouthPodargus strigoidesI
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.
Species Viti Levu Vanua Levu Taveuni Kadavu Lomaiviti Lau Rotuma White-throated needletailHirundapus caudacutusV White-rumped swiftletAerodramus spodiopygius B B B B B B Australian swiftletAerodramus terraereginae
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.
Species Viti Levu Vanua Levu Taveuni Kadavu Lomaiviti Lau Rotuma Buff-banded railGallirallus philippensis X X B B B B B Bar-winged railGallirallus poecilopterus* Black-backed swamphenPorphyrio indicus Australasian swamphenPorphyrio melanotus X X B B B B B Viti Levu railVitirallus watlingi* X White-browed crakePoliolimnas cinereus B B B B B B Spotless crakeZapornia tabuensis B B B B B B
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.
Species Viti Levu Vanua Levu Taveuni Kadavu Lomaiviti Lau Rotuma Black-bellied ploverPluvialis squatarolaV Pacific golden-ploverPluvialis fulva M M M M M M M Masked lapwingVanellus milesV Lesser sand-ploverCharadrius mongolusV Caspian ploverCharadrius asiaticusV Double-banded ploverCharadrius bicinctusV
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.
Species Viti Levu Vanua Levu Taveuni Kadavu Lomaiviti Lau Rotuma Bristle-thighed curlewNumenius tahitiensis M M M M M M M WhimbrelNumenius phaeopus M M M M M M M Far Eastern curlewNumenius madagascariensisV Bar-tailed godwitLimosa lapponica M M M M M M M Hudsonian godwitLimosa haemasticaV Ruddy turnstoneArenaria interpres M M M M M M M Red knotCalidris canutusV RuffCalidris pugnaxV Sharp-tailed sandpiperCalidris acuminata Curlew sandpiperCalidris ferrugineaV Red-necked stintCalidris ruficollisV SanderlingCalidris alba Pectoral sandpiperCalidris melanotosV Terek sandpiperXenus cinereusV Common sandpiperActitis hypoleucosV Solitary sandpiperTringa solitariaV Gray-tailed tattlerTringa brevipes M M M M M M M Wandering tattlerTringa incana M M M M M M M Lesser yellowlegsTringa flavipesV Viti Levu snipeCoenocorypha miratropica* X
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.
Species Viti Levu Vanua Levu Taveuni Kadavu Lomaiviti Lau Rotuma South polar skuaStercorarius maccormickiV Pomarine jaegerStercorarius pomarinusV Parasitic jaegerStercorarius parasiticusV Long-tailed jaegerStercorarius longicaudusV
Gulls, terns, and skimmers
Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Laridae
Laridae is a family of medium to large seabirds, the gulls, terns, and skimmers. Gulls are typically grey or white, often with black markings on the head or wings. They have stout, longish bills and webbed feet. Terns are a group of generally medium to large seabirds typically with grey or white plumage, often with black markings on the head. Most terns hunt fish by diving but some pick insects off the surface of fresh water. Terns are generally long-lived birds, with several species known to live in excess of 30 years.
Species Viti Levu Vanua Levu Taveuni Kadavu Lomaiviti Lau Rotuma Silver gullChroicocephalus novaehollandiaeV Laughing gullLeucophaeus atricillaV Kelp gullLarus dominicanusV Brown noddyAnous stolidus B B B B B B B Black noddyAnous minutus B B B B B B B Blue-gray noddyAnous ceruleus B B B B B B B White ternGygis alba B B B B B B B Sooty ternOnychoprion fuscatus B B B B B B B Gray-backed ternOnychoprion lunatus Bridled ternOnychoprion anaethetus Little ternSternula albifronsV White-winged ternChlidonias leucopterusV Black-naped ternSterna sumatrana B B B B B B Common ternSterna hirundo P P P P P Great crested ternThalasseus bergii B B B B B B B
Tropicbirds
Order: PhaethontiformesFamily: Phaethontidae
Tropicbirds are slender white birds of tropical oceans, with exceptionally long central tail feathers. Their heads and long wings have black markings.
Species Viti Levu Vanua Levu Taveuni Kadavu Lomaiviti Lau Rotuma White-tailed tropicbirdPhaethon lepturus B B B B B B B Red-tailed tropicbirdPhaethon rubricauda B B B B B B B
Albatrosses Order: ProcellariiformesFamily: Diomedeidae
The albatrosses are among the largest of flying birds, and the great albatrosses from the genus Diomedea have the largest wingspans of any extant birds.
Species Viti Levu Vanua Levu Taveuni Kadavu Lomaiviti Lau Rotuma Black-browed albatrossThalassarche melanophrisV Wandering albatrossDiomedea exulans
Southern storm-petrels
Order: ProcellariiformesFamily: Oceanitidae
The southern storm-petrels are relatives of the petrels and are the smallest seabirds. They feed on planktonic crustaceans and small fish picked from the surface, typically while hovering. The flight is fluttering and sometimes bat-like.
Species Viti Levu Vanua Levu Taveuni Kadavu Lomaiviti Lau Rotuma Wilson's storm-petrelOceanites oceanicusP White-faced storm-petrelPelagodroma marinaV White-bellied storm-petrelFregetta grallariaV New Zealand storm-petrelFregetta maorianaV Black-bellied storm-petrelFregetta tropica V Polynesian storm-petrelNesofregatta fuliginosa B B B B B
Northern storm-petrels Order: ProcellariiformesFamily: Hydrobatidae