This list of birds of Corsica includes the 367 bird species that have been recorded on Corsica.
Corsica is a French island in the Mediterranean Sea west of the Italian Peninsula, southeast of the French mainland, and north of the Italian island of Sardinia. Mountains make up two-thirds of the island, forming a single chain. The island has an area of and measures in length (north to south) and east to west.
The status of each species is based on the annotated list by Jean-Claude Thibault and Gilles Bonaccorsi published in 1999 with supplemental additions from Avibase. The family accounts at the beginning of each heading reflect this taxonomy, as do the species counts found in each family account. Accidental species are included in the total species count for Corsica. As with its parent List of birds of Metropolitan France, this list's taxonomic treatment (designation and sequence of orders, families and species) and nomenclature (English and scientific names) are those of the IOC World Bird List, Version 14.2 (2024).
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.
Greylag goose - Anser anser - () passage migrant and winter visitor Greater white-fronted goose - Anser albifrons - () Mute swan - Cygnus olor - () accidental visitor Black swan - Cygnus atratus - () introduced species Tundra swan - Cygnus columbianus () accidental visitor Common shelduck - Tadorna tadorna - () passage migrant and winter visitor Ruddy shelduck - Tadorna ferruginea - () accidental visitor Garganey - Spatula querquedula - () passage migrant and occasional breeder Blue-winged teal - Spatula discors - () accidental visitor Northern shoveler - Spatula clypeata - () passage migrant, winter visitor and occasional breeder Gadwall - Mareca strepera - () passage migrant and winter visitor Eurasian wigeon - Mareca penelope - () passage migrant and winter visitor Mallard - Anas platyrhynchos - () resident breeder Northern pintail - Anas acuta - () passage migrant and winter visitor Eurasian teal - Anas crecca - () passage migrant and winter visitor Marbled duck - Marmaronetta angustirostris - () accidental visitor Red-crested pochard - Netta rufina - () resident breeder and passage migrant Common pochard - Aythya ferina - () winter visitor and passage migrant Ferruginous duck - Aythya nyroca - () passage migrant and occasional breeder Tufted duck - Aythya fuligula - () winter visitor and passage migrant Greater scaup - Aythya marila - () accidental visitor Common eider - Somateria mollissima - () accidental visitor Velvet scoter - Melanitta fusca - () accidental visitor Common scoter - Melanitta nigra - () accidental visitor Long-tailed duck - Clangula hyemalis - () accidental visitor Common goldeneye - Bucephala clangula - () accidental visitor Smew - Mergellus albellus - () accidental visitor Goosander - Mergus merganser - () accidental visitor Red-breasted merganser - Mergus serrator - () winter visitor and passage migrant Ruddy duck - Oxyura jamaicensis - () introduced species White-headed duck - Oxyura leucocephala - () former breeder, extirpated
Pheasants, grouse, and allies Order: GalliformesFamily: Phasianidae
These are terrestrial species of gamebirds, feeding and nesting on the ground. They are variable in size but generally plump, with broad and relatively short wings.
Common pheasant - Phasianus colchicus - () introduced breeder Common quail - Coturnix coturnix - () breeding visitor and passage migrant Red-legged partridge - Alectoris rufa - () introduced breeder
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.
European nightjar - Caprimulgus europaeus - () passage migrant
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.
Alpine swift - Apus melba - () breeding visitor and passage migrant Common swift - Apus apus - () breeding visitor and passage migrant Pallid swift - Apus pallidus - () breeding visitor and passage migrant Little swift - Apus affinis - () accidental visitor
Bustards Order: OtidiformesFamily: Otididae
Bustards are large terrestrial birds mainly associated with dry open country and steppes in the Old World. They are omnivorous and nest on the ground. They walk steadily on strong legs and big toes, pecking for food as they go. They have long broad wings with "fingered" wingtips and striking patterns in flight. Many have interesting mating displays.
Little bustard - Tetrax tetrax - () accidental visitor
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.
Great spotted cuckoo - Clamator glandarius - () passage migrant Common cuckoo - Cuculus canorus - () passage migrant and breeding visitor
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 dove - Columba livia - () resident breeder Stock dove - Columba oenas - () passage migrant and winter visitor Common wood pigeon - Columba palumbus - () passage migrant, winter visitor and resident breeder European turtle dove - Streptopelia turtur - () passage migrant and breeding visitor Eurasian collared dove - Streptopelia decaocto - () resident breeder
Rails, moorhens, and coots Order: GruiformesFamily: Rallidae
Rallidae is a large family of small to medium-sized birds which includes the rails, crakes, coots, and moorhens. Typically they inhabit dense vegetation in damp environments near lakes, swamps, or rivers. Many are shy and secretive birds, but some are bold and conspicuous. Most species have strong legs and long toes which are well adapted to soft uneven surfaces. They tend to have short, rounded wings and appear to be to be weak fliers, though many are capable of long-distance migration.
Water rail - Rallus aquaticus - () resident breeder, passage migrant and winter visitor Corn crake - Crex crex - () accidental visitor Spotted crake - Porzana porzana - () passage migrant Common moorhen - Gallinula chloropus - () resident breeder, passage migrant and winter visitor Eurasian coot - Fulica atra - () winter visitor, resident breeder and passage migrant Western swamphen - Porphyrio porphyrio - () accidental visitor Baillon's crake - Zapornia pusilla - () accidental visitor Little crake - Zapornia parva - () passage migrant
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".
Common crane - Grus grus - () passage migrant and winter visitor
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 - () resident breeder and winter visitor Red-necked grebe - Podiceps grisegena - () passage migrant and winter visitor Great crested grebe - Podiceps cristatus - () resident breeder, passage migrant and winter visitor Slavonian grebe - Podiceps auritus - () accidental visitor Black-necked grebe - Podiceps nigricollis - () passage migrant, winter visitor and occasional breeder
Flamingos Order: PhoenicopteriformesFamily: Phoenicopteridae
Flamingos are gregarious warm temperate to tropical wetland birds, usually high, found in both the Western and Eastern Hemispheres. Flamingos filter-feed on shrimps and algae. Their oddly shaped beaks are specially adapted to separate mud and silt from the food they consume and, uniquely, are used upside-down.
Greater flamingo - Phoenicopterus roseus - () passage migrant and winter visitor
Stone-curlews Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Burhinidae
The stone-curlews, also called thick-knees, are a group of waders 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.
Eurasian stone-curlew - Burhinus oedicnemus - () passage migrant and winter visitor
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 - () passage migrant
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 - () passage migrant and occasional breeder Pied avocet - Recurvirostra avosetta - () passage migrant and winter visitor
Plovers and lapwings Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Charadriidae
The family Charadriidae includes the plovers, dotterel, 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.
Grey plover - Pluvialis squatarola - () passage migrant European golden plover - Pluvialis apricaria - () passage migrant and winter visitor Eurasian dotterel - Charadrius morinellus - () accidental visitor Common ringed plover - Charadrius hiaticula - () passage migrant Little ringed plover - Charadrius dubius - () breeding visitor and passage migrant Northern lapwing - Vanellus vanellus - () passage migrant and winter visitor Kentish plover - Charadrius alexandrinus - () passage migrant, winter visitor and occasional breeder
Sandpipers and allies Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Scolopacidae
Scolopacidae is a large diverse family of small to medium-sized waders including the sandpipers, curlews, godwits, shanks, woodcock, snipe, 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.
Eurasian whimbrel - Numenius phaeopus - () passage migrant Eurasian curlew - Numenius arquata - () passage migrant and winter visitor Bar-tailed godwit - Limosa lapponica - () passage migrant Black-tailed godwit - Limosa limosa - () passage migrant Jack snipe - Lymnocryptes minimus - () passage migrant and winter visitor Eurasian woodcock - Scolopax rusticola - () passage migrant, winter visitor and occasional breeder Great snipe - Gallinago media - () passage migrant Common snipe - Gallinago gallinago - () passage migrant and winter visitor Wilson's phalarope - Phalaropus tricolor - () accidental visitor Terek sandpiper - Xenus cinereus - () accidental visitor