This is a list of the bird species recorded in French Polynesia. The avifauna of French Polynesia include a total of 175 species, of which 41 are endemic, 15 have been introduced. Of these, 35 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 French Polynesia.
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 French Polynesia (E) Endemic - a species endemic to French Polynesia (I) Introduced - a species introduced to French Polynesia as a consequence, direct or indirect, of human actions (Ex) Extinct (Ext) Extirpated - a species that no longer occurs in French Polynesia 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.
Northern shoveler, Spatula clypeata Pacific black duck, Anas superciliosa Northern pintail, Anas acuta (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.
Red junglefowl, Gallus gallus (I) Ring-necked pheasant, Phasianus colchicus (I)
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) Marquesas ground dove, Alopecoenas rubescens (E) Polynesian ground dove, Alopecoenas erythropterus (E) Zebra dove, Geopelia striata (I) Gray-green fruit-dove, Ptilinopus purpuratus (E) Raiatea fruit-dove, Ptilinopus chrysogaster (E) Makatea fruit-dove, Ptilinopus chalcurus (E) Atoll fruit-dove, Ptilinopus coralensis (E) Rapa fruit-dove, Ptilinopus huttoni (E) White-capped fruit-dove, Ptilinopus dupetithouarsii (E) Red-moustached fruit-dove, Ptilinopus mercierii (E) (Ext) Pacific imperial-pigeon, Ducula pacifica (I) Polynesian imperial-pigeon, Ducula aurorae (E) Marquesas imperial-pigeon, Ducula galeata (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.
Long-tailed koel, Eudynamys taitensis
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.
Polynesian swiftlet, Aerodramus leucophaeus (E) Marquesan swiftlet, Aerodramus ocistus (E)
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.
Astolfo's rail, Gallirallus astolfoi (E) (Ext) Tahiti rail, Gallirallus pacificus (E) (Ext) Marquesan swamphen, Porphyrio paepae (E) (Ext) Miller's rail, Zapornia nigra (E) (Ext) Spotless crake, Zapornia tabuensis
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 (A) Pacific golden-plover, Pluvialis fulva Masked lapwing, Vanellus miles (A) Semipalmated plover, Charadrius semipalmatus (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.
Bristle-thighed curlew, Numenius tahitiensis Whimbrel, Numenius phaeopus (A) Bar-tailed godwit, Limosa lapponica (A) Ruddy turnstone, Arenaria interpres White-winged sandpiper, Prosobonia leucoptera (E) (Ex) Moorea sandpiper, Prosobonia ellisi (E) (Ex) Tuamotu sandpiper, Prosobonia parvirostris (E) Ruff, Calidris pugnax (A) Sharp-tailed sandpiper, Calidris acuminata (A) Sanderling, Calidris alba Buff-breasted sandpiper, Calidris subruficollis (A) Pectoral sandpiper, Calidris melanotos Gray-tailed tattler, Tringa brevipes Wandering tattler, Tringa incana Willet, Tringa semipalmata (A) Lesser yellowlegs, Tringa flavipes (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) Pomarine jaeger, Stercorarius pomarinus (A) Parasitic jaeger, Stercorarius parasiticus (A) 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.
Laughing gull, Leucophaeus atricilla (A) Franklin's gull, Leucophaeus pipixcan (A) Ring-billed gull, Larus delawarensis (A) Brown noddy, Anous stolidus Black noddy, Anous minutus Blue-gray noddy, Anous cerulea White tern, Gygis alba Sooty tern, Onychoprion fuscatus Gray-backed tern, Onychoprion lunatus Bridled tern, Onychoprion anaethetus (A) Roseate tern, Sterna dougallii Black-naped tern, Sterna sumatrana (A) Great crested tern, Thalasseus bergii
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.
White-tailed tropicbird, Phaethon lepturus Red-billed tropicbird, Phaethon aethereus (A) Red-tailed tropicbird, Phaethon rubricauda
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.
Gray-headed albatross, Thalassarche chrysostoma (A) Buller's albatross, Thalassarche bulleri Salvin's albatross, Thalassarche salvini (A) Chatham albatross, Thalassarche eremita (A) Black-browed albatross, Thalassarche melanophris (A) Light-mantled albatross, Phoebetria palpebrata (A) Royal albatross, Diomedea epomophora Wandering albatross, Diomedea 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.
Wilson's storm-petrel, Oceanites oceanicus (A) White-faced storm-petrel, Pelagodroma marina (A) White-bellied storm-petrel, Fregetta grallaria Black-bellied storm-petrel, Fregetta tropica (A) Polynesian storm-petrel, Nesofregetta fuliginosa
Northern storm-petrels Order: ProcellariiformesFamily: Hydrobatidae
Though the members of this family are similar in many respects to the southern storm-petrels, including their general appearance and habits, there are enough genetic differences to warrant their placement in a separate family.
Leach's storm petrel, Hydrobates leucorhous Band-rumped storm-petrel, Hydrobates castro (A)
Shearwaters and petrels Order: ProcellariiformesFamily: Procellariidae
The procellariids are the main group of medium-sized "true petrels", characterised by united nostrils with medium septum and a long outer functional primary.
Southern giant-petrel, Macronectes giganteus (A) Northern giant-petrel, Macronectes halli (A) Cape petrel, Daption capense (A) Gray-faced petrel, Pterodroma gouldi (A) Kermadec petrel, Pterodroma neglecta Herald petrel, Pterodroma heraldica Murphy's petrel, Pterodroma ultima Providence petrel, Pterodroma solandri Henderson petrel, Pterodroma atrata Soft-plumaged petrel, Pterodroma mollis (A) White-headed petrel, Pterodroma lessonii (A) Mottled petrel, Pterodroma inexpectata (A) Juan Fernandez petrel, Pterodroma externa Hawaiian petrel, Pterodroma sandwichensis (A) White-necked petrel, Pterodroma cervicalis Black-winged petrel, Pterodroma nigripennis Cook's petrel, Pterodroma cookii (A) Gould's petrel, Pterodroma leucoptera Collared petrel, Pterodroma brevipes Stejneger's petrel, Pterodroma longirostris (A) Pycroft's petrel, Pterodroma pycrofti (A) Phoenix petrel, Pterodroma alba Blue petrel, Halobaena caerulea Bulwer's petrel, Bulweria bulwerii Tahiti petrel, Pseudobulweria rostrata Gray petrel, Procellaria cinerea (A) White-chinned petrel, Procellaria aequinoctialis (A) Parkinson's petrel, Procellaria parkinsoni (A) Pink-footed shearwater, Ardenna creatopus (A) Flesh-footed shearwater, Ardenna carneipes (A) Wedge-tailed shearwater, Ardenna pacificus Buller's shearwater, Ardenna bulleri (A) Sooty shearwater, Ardenna griseus (A) Short-tailed shearwater, Ardenna tenuirostris (A) Christmas shearwater, Puffinus nativitatis Townsend's shearwater, Puffinus auricularis Rapa shearwater, Puffinus myrtae Tropical shearwater, Puffinus bailloni
Frigatebirds Order: SuliformesFamily: Fregatidae
Frigatebirds are large seabirds usually found over tropical oceans. They are large, black-and-white or completely black, with long wings and deeply forked tails. The males have coloured inflatable throat pouches. They do not swim or walk and cannot take off from a flat surface. Having the largest wingspan-to-body-weight ratio of any bird, they are essentially aerial, able to stay aloft for more than a week.
Lesser frigatebird, Fregata ariel Great frigatebird, Fregata minor
Boobies and gannets Order: SuliformesFamily: Sulidae
The sulids comprise the gannets and boobies. Both groups are medium to large coastal seabirds that plunge-dive for fish.
Masked booby, Sula dactylatra Brown booby, Sula leucogaster Red-footed booby, Sula sula Abbott's booby, Papasula abbotti (Ext)
Herons, egrets, and bitterns Order: PelecaniformesFamily: Ardeidae