Several bird species have been recorded in Solomon Islands (the state, excluding areas of the wider Solomon Islands archipelago such as Bougainville Island which is part of the state of Papua New Guinea). The area's avifauna include a total of 321 species, of which 76 are endemic, and three have been introduced by humans. Of these, 28 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 Solomon Islands.

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 Solomon Islands (E) Endemic - a species endemic to Solomon Islands (I) Introduced - a species introduced to Solomon Islands as a consequence, direct or indirect, of human actions (Ext) Extinct - a species or subspecies that no longer exists.

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.

Plumed whistling duck, Dendrocygna eytoni (A) Pacific black duck, Anas superciliosa Gray teal, Anas gracilis

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.

Melanesian scrubfowl, Megapodius eremita

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, grouse, ptarmigan, and junglefowls. In general, they are plump (although they vary in size) and have broad, relatively short wings.

Red junglefowl, Gallus gallus

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 Australasian grebe, Tachybaptus novaehollandiae

Pigeons and doves Order: ColumbiformesFamily: Columbidae

Pigeons and doves are stout-bodied birds with short necks and short slender bills with a fleshy cere.

Metallic pigeon, Columba vitiensis Yellow-legged pigeon, Columba pallidiceps MacKinlay's cuckoo-dove, Macropygia mackinlayi Crested cuckoo-dove, Reinwardtoena crassirostris (E) Pacific emerald dove, Chalcophaps longirostris Stephan's dove, Chalcophaps stephani Santa Cruz ground dove, Alopecoenas sanctaecrucis (E) Thick-billed ground dove, Alopecoenas salamonis (Ext) Bronze ground dove, Alopecoenas beccarii White-bibbed ground dove, Alopecoenas jobiensis Nicobar pigeon, Caloenas nicobarica Choiseul pigeon, Microgoura meeki (Ext) Superb fruit-dove, Ptilinopus superbus Silver-capped fruit-dove, Ptilinopus richardsii (E) Red-bellied fruit-dove, Ptilinopus greyi Yellow-bibbed fruit-dove, Ptilinopus solomonensis Claret-breasted fruit-dove, Ptilinopus viridis White-headed fruit-dove, Ptilinopus eugeniae (E) Pacific imperial-pigeon, Ducula pacifica Red-knobbed imperial-pigeon, Ducula rubricera Island imperial-pigeon, Ducula pistrinaria Chestnut-bellied imperial-pigeon, Ducula brenchleyi (E) Pale mountain-pigeon, Gymnophaps solomonensis (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.

Buff-headed coucal, Centropus milo (E) Asian koel, Eudynamys scolopaceus Pacific koel, Eudynamys orientalis Long-tailed koel, Urodynamis taitensis Channel-billed cuckoo, Scythrops novaehollandiae Shining bronze-cuckoo, Chrysococcyx lucidus Fan-tailed cuckoo, Cacomantis flabelliformis Brush cuckoo, Cacomantis variolosus Himalayan cuckoo, Cuculus saturatus 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.

Solomons frogmouth, Rigidipenna inexpectata (E)

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.

Solomons nightjar, Eurostopodus nigripennis (E) White-throated nightjar, Eurostopodus mystacalis

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.

Glossy swiftlet, Collocalia esculenta Satin swiftlet, Collocalia uropygialis White-rumped swiftlet, Aerodramus spodiopygius Australian swiftlet, Aerodramus terraereginae Mayr's swiftlet, Aerodramus orientalis Uniform swiftlet, Aerodramus vanikorensis Pacific swift, Apus pacificus

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.

Moustached treeswift, Hemiprocne mystacea

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.

Buff-banded rail, Gallirallus philippensis Woodford's rail, Gallirallus woodfordi (E) Roviana rail, Gallirallus rovianae (E) Makira moorhen, Gallinula silvestris (E) Dusky moorhen, Gallinula tenebrosa Black-backed swamphen, Porphyrio indicus Australasian swamphen, Porphyrio melanotus Pale-vented bush-hen, Amaurornis moluccana White-browed crake, Poliolimnas cinereus Spotless crake, Zapornia tabuensis

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.

Beach thick-knee, Esacus magnirostris

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 stilt, Himantopus leucocephalus Black-necked stilt, Himantopus mexicanus (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 Masked lapwing, Vanellus miles Lesser sand-plover, Charadrius mongolus Greater sand-plover, Charadrius leschenaultii Oriental plover, Charadrius veredus

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.

Bristle-thighed curlew, Numenius tahitiensis Whimbrel, Numenius phaeopus Little curlew, Numenius minutus Far Eastern curlew, Numenius madagascariensis Bar-tailed godwit, Limosa lapponica Black-tailed godwit, Limosa limosa Ruddy turnstone, Arenaria interpres Great knot, Calidris tenuirostris (A) Red knot, Calidris canutus Broad-billed sandpiper, Calidris falcinellus (A) Sharp-tailed sandpiper, Calidris acuminata Curlew sandpiper, Calidris ferruginea Long-toed stint, Calidris subminuta Red-necked stint, Calidris ruficollis Sanderling, Calidris alba Pectoral sandpiper, Calidris melanotos (A) Asian dowitcher, Limnodromus semipalmatus Swinhoe's snipe, Gallinago megala Terek sandpiper, Xenus cinereus Common sandpiper, Actitis hypoleucos Gray-tailed tattler, Tringa brevipes Wandering tattler, Tringa incana Common greenshank, Tringa nebularia Marsh sandpiper, Tringa stagnatilis

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.

Red-backed buttonquail, Turnix maculosus

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.

Oriental pratincole, Glareola maldivarum (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 Brown skua, Stercorarius antarcticus Pomarine jaeger, Stercorarius pomarinus Parasitic jaeger, Stercorarius parasiticus Long-tailed jaeger, Stercorarius longicaudus (A)

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.

Brown noddy, Anous stolidus Black noddy, Anous minutus White tern, Gygis alba Sooty tern, Onychoprion fuscatus Gray-backed tern, Onychoprion lunatus Bridled tern, Onychoprion anaethetus Little tern, Sternula albifrons