This is a list of the bird species recorded in Micronesia. The avifauna of the Federated States of Micronesia include a total of 240 species, of which 22 are endemic, and 13 have been introduced. Of those species, 24 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 Micronesia.
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 Micronesia (E) Endemic - a species endemic to Micronesia (I) Introduced - a species introduced to Micronesia as a consequence, direct or indirect, of human actions (EW) Extinct in the wild (Ex) Extinct
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.
Snow goose, Chen caerulescens (A) Cackling goose, Branta hutchinsii (A) Canada goose, Branta canadensis (A) Garganey, Spatula querquedula (A) Northern shoveler, Spatula clypeata Gadwall, Mareca strepera (A) Eurasian wigeon, Mareca penelope American wigeon, Mareca americana (A) Pacific black duck, Anas superciliosa Mallard, Anas platyrhynchos (A) Northern pintail, Anas acuta Green-winged teal, Anas crecca Canvasback, Aythya valisineria (A) Redhead, Aythya americana Common pochard, Aythya ferina (A) Tufted duck, Aythya fuligula Greater scaup, Aythya marila
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 coloring.
Micronesian scrubfowl, Megapodius laperouse
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.
Blue-breasted quail, Synoicus chinensis (I) Black francolin, Francolinus francolinus (I) Red junglefowl, Gallus gallus (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) Philippine collared-dove, Streptopelia dusumieri (I) Shy ground dove, Alopecoenas stairi (I) Caroline Islands ground dove, Alopecoenas kubaryi (E) White-throated ground dove, Alopecoenas xanthonurus Nicobar pigeon, Caloenas nicobarica Purple-capped fruit-dove, Ptilinopus ponapensis (E) Kosrae fruit-dove, Ptilinopus hernsheimi (E) Crimson-crowned fruit-dove, Ptilinopus porphyraceus Mariana fruit-dove, Ptilinopus roseicapilla (E) Micronesian imperial-pigeon, Ducula oceanica
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.
Chestnut-winged cuckoo, Clamator coromandus (A) Long-tailed koel, Urodynamis taitensis Shining bronze-cuckoo, Chrysococcyx lucidus (A) Brush cuckoo, Cacomantis variolosus (A) Northern hawk-cuckoo, Hierococcyx hyperythrus (A) Hodgson's hawk-cuckoo, Hierococcyx nisicolor (A) Common cuckoo, Cuculus canorus (A) Oriental cuckoo, Cuculus optatus
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.
Uniform swiftlet, Aerodramus vanikorensis Mariana swiftlet, Aerodramus bartschi (E) Caroline Islands swiftlet, Aerodramus inquietus (E) Pacific swift, Apus pacificus (A)
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 Eurasian moorhen, Gallinula chloropus Eurasian coot, Fulica atra (A) Black-backed swamphen, Porphyrio indicus Australasian swamphen, Porphyrio melanotus Pale-vented bush-hen, Amaurornis moluccana (A) White-browed crake, Poliolimnas cinereus Red-legged crake, Rallina fasciata (A) Slaty-legged crake, Rallina eurizonoides Spotless crake, Zapornia tabuensis Kosrae crake, Zapornia monasa (E) (Ex)
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 (A) Black-necked stilt, Himantopus mexicanus (A)
Oystercatchers Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Haematopodidae
The oystercatchers are large and noisy plover-like birds, with strong bills used for smashing or prising open molluscs.
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 Pacific golden-plover, Pluvialis fulva Lesser sand-plover, Charadrius mongolus Greater sand-plover, Charadrius leschenaultii Kentish plover, Charadrius alexandrinus (A) Common ringed plover, Charadrius hiaticula (A) Little ringed plover, Charadrius dubius (A) Oriental plover, Charadrius veredus (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 Little curlew, Numenius minutus (A) Far Eastern curlew, Numenius madagascariensis Eurasian curlew, Numenius arquata (A) Bar-tailed godwit, Limosa lapponica Black-tailed godwit, Limosa limosa Ruddy turnstone, Arenaria interpres Great knot, Calidris tenuirostris (A) Red knot, Calidris canutus (A) Ruff, Calidris pugnax Broad-billed sandpiper, Calidris falcinellus (A) Sharp-tailed sandpiper, Calidris acuminata Curlew sandpiper, Calidris ferruginea Temminck's stint, Calidris temminckii (A) Long-toed stint, Calidris subminuta Red-necked stint, Calidris ruficollis Sanderling, Calidris alba Dunlin, Calidris alpina (A) Buff-breasted sandpiper, Calidris subruficollis (A) Pectoral sandpiper, Calidris melanotos Latham's snipe, Gallinago hardwickii (A) Common snipe, Gallinago gallinago (A) Swinhoe's snipe, Gallinago megala Terek sandpiper, Xenus cinereus Red phalarope, Phalaropus fulicarius (A) Common sandpiper, Actitis hypoleucos Spotted sandpiper, Actitis macularia (A) Gray-tailed tattler, Tringa brevipes Wandering tattler, Tringa incana Spotted redshank, Tringa erythropus (A) Greater yellowlegs, Tringa melanoleuca (A) Common greenshank, Tringa nebularia Nordmann's greenshank, Tringa guttifer (A) Marsh sandpiper, Tringa stagnatilis Wood sandpiper, Tringa glareola Common redshank, Tringa totanus
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 gray 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 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 gray 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 gray 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.
Black-headed gull, Chroicocephalus ridibundus Laughing gull, Leucophaeus atricilla (A) Franklin's gull, Leucophaeus pipixcan (A) Herring gull, Larus argentatus (A) Brown noddy, Anous stolidus Black noddy, Anous minutus Blue-gray noddy, Anous ceruleus White tern, Gygis alba Sooty tern, Onychoprion fuscatus Gray-backed tern, Onychoprion lunatus Bridled tern, Onychoprion anaethetus Little tern, Sternula albifrons Gull-billed tern, Gelochelidon nilotica (A) White-winged tern, Chlidonias leucopterus Whiskered tern, Chlidonias hybrida (A) Black-naped tern, Sterna sumatrana Common tern, Sterna hirundo Arctic tern, Sterna paradisaea (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-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.
Laysan albatross, Phoebastria immutabilis (A) Black-footed albatross, Phoebastria nigripes Short-tailed albatross, Phoebastria albatrus
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) Polynesian storm-petrel, Nesofregetta fuliginosa
Northern storm-petrels Order: ProcellariiformesFamily: Hydrobatidae