The following is a list of the bird species recorded in Rivers State, Nigeria. The avifauna of Rivers State include a total of 442 species.
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.
The following tag has been used to highlight accidental species.
(A) Accidental - a species that rarely or accidentally occurs in Rivers State
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.
White-faced whistling duck, Dendrocygna viduata Knob-billed duck, Sarkidiornis melanotos Hartlaub's duck, Pteronetta hartlaubii Spur-winged goose, Plectropterus gambensis African pygmy-goose, Nettapus auritus Garganey, Spatula querquedula
Guineafowl Order: GalliformesFamily: Numididae
Guineafowl are a group of African, seed-eating, ground-nesting birds that resemble partridges, but with featherless heads and spangled grey plumage.
Western crested guineafowl, Guttera verreauxi
Pheasants, grouse, and allies Order: GalliformesFamily: Phasianidae
Phasianidae consists of the pheasants and their allies. These are terrestrial species, variable in size but generally plump, with broad, relatively short wings. Many species are gamebirds or have been domesticated as a food source for humans.
Latham's francolin, Peliperdix lathami Blue quail, Synoicus adansonii Double-spurred francolin, Pternistis bicalcaratus Scaly francolin, Pternistis squamatus
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
Pigeons and doves Order: ColumbiformesFamily: Columbidae
Pigeons and doves are stout-bodied birds with short necks and short slender bills with a fleshy cere.
Speckled pigeon, Columba guinea Mourning collared-dove, Streptopelia decipiens Red-eyed dove, Streptopelia semitorquata Laughing dove, Streptopelia senegalensis Black-billed wood-dove, Turtur abyssinicus Blue-spotted wood-dove, Turtur afer Tambourine dove, Turtur tympanistria Blue-headed wood-dove, Turtur brehmeri African green-pigeon, Treron calvus
Turacos Order: MusophagiformesFamily: Musophagidae
The turacos, plantain eaters and go-away-birds make up the bird family Musophagidae. They are medium-sized arboreal birds. The turacos and plantain eaters are brightly coloured, usually in blue, green or purple. The go-away birds are mostly grey and white.
Great blue turaco, Corythaeola cristata Guinea turaco, Tauraco persa Yellow-billed turaco, Tauraco macrorhynchus Western plantain-eater, Crinifer piscator
Cuckoos Order: CuculiformesFamily: Cuculidae
The family Cuculidae includes cuckoos, roadrunners, coucals and anis. These birds are of variable size with slender bodies, long tails, and strong legs.
Black-throated coucal, Centropus leucogaster Senegal coucal, Centropus senegalensis Blue-headed coucal, Centropus monachus Black coucal, Centropus grillii Blue malkoha, Ceuthmochares aereus Great spotted cuckoo, Clamator glandarius Levaillant's cuckoo, Clamator levaillantii Dideric cuckoo, Chrysococcyx caprius Klaas's cuckoo, Chrysococcyx klaas African emerald cuckoo, Chrysococcyx cupreus Dusky long-tailed cuckoo, Cercococcyx mechowi Olive long-tailed cuckoo, Cercococcyx olivinus Black cuckoo, Cuculus clamosus Red-chested cuckoo, Cuculus solitarius Common cuckoo, Cuculus canorus
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.
Pennant-winged nightjar, Caprimulgus vexillarius Standard-winged nightjar, Caprimulgus longipennis Eurasian nightjar, Caprimulgus europaeus Fiery-necked nightjar, Caprimulgus pectoralis Swamp nightjar, Caprimulgus natalensis Plain nightjar, Caprimulgus inornatus Long-tailed nightjar, Caprimulgus climacurus
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.
Mottled spinetail, Telacanthura ussheri Sabine's spinetail, Rhaphidura sabini Cassin's spinetail, Neafrapus cassini Common swift, Apus apus Pallid swift, Apus pallidus Little swift, Apus affinis White-rumped swift, Apus caffer African palm-swift, Cypsiurus parvus
Flufftails Order: GruiformesFamily: Sarothruridae
The flufftails are a small family of ground-dwelling birds found only in Madagascar and sub-Saharan Africa.
White-spotted flufftail, Sarothrura pulchra
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. The most typical family members occupy 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.
African crake, Crex egregia Gray-throated rail, Canirallus oculeus Lesser moorhen, Paragallinula angulata Eurasian moorhen, Gallinula chloropus Allen's gallinule, Porphyrio alleni Nkulengu rail, Himantornis haematopus Black crake, Zapornia flavirostra
Finfoots Order: GruiformesFamily: Heliornithidae
Heliornithidae is a small family of tropical birds with webbed lobes on their feet similar to those of grebes and coots.
African finfoot, Podica senegalensis
Thick-knees Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Burhinidae
The thick-knees and stone-curlews are a group of largely tropical waders in the family Burhinidae. 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.
Water thick-knee, Burhinus vermiculatus Senegal thick-knee, Burhinus senegalensis
Egyptian plover Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Pluvianidae
The Egyptian plover is found across equatorial Africa and along the Nile River.
Egyptian plover, Pluvianus aegyptius
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
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
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 Spur-winged lapwing, Vanellus spinosus White-headed lapwing, Vanellus albiceps Brown-chested lapwing, Vanellus superciliosus Kittlitz's plover, Charadrius pecuarius Common ringed plover, Charadrius hiaticula Little ringed plover, Charadrius dubius Forbes's plover, Charadrius forbesi White-fronted plover, Charadrius marginatus
Jacanas Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Jacanidae
The jacanas are a group of tropical waders in the family Jacanidae. They are found throughout the tropics. They are identifiable by their huge feet and claws which enable them to walk on floating vegetation in the shallow lakes that are their preferred habitat.
African jacana, Actophilornis africanus
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.
Whimbrel, Numenius phaeopus Eurasian curlew, Numenius arquata Bar-tailed godwit, Limosa lapponica Black-tailed godwit, Limosa limosa Ruddy turnstone, Arenaria interpres Red knot, Calidris canutus Curlew sandpiper, Calidris ferruginea Sanderling, Calidris alba Little stint, Calidris minuta Jack snipe, Lymnocryptes minimus Great snipe, Gallinago media Common snipe, Gallinago gallinago Common sandpiper, Actitis hypoleucos Green sandpiper, Tringa ochropus Spotted redshank, Tringa erythropus Common greenshank, Tringa nebularia Marsh sandpiper, Tringa stagnatilis Wood sandpiper, Tringa glareola Common redshank, Tringa totanus
Buttonquails Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Turnicidae
The buttonquails 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.
Small buttonquail, Turnix sylvatica
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.
Temminck's courser, Cursorius temminckii Collared pratincole, Glareola pratincola Rock pratincole, Glareola nuchalis Gray pratincole, Glareola cinerea
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. Skimmers are a small family of tropical tern-like birds. They have an elongated lower mandible which they use to feed by flying low over the water surface and skimming the water for small fish.
Gray-hooded gull, Chroicocephalus cirrocephalus Lesser black-backed gull, Larus fuscus Brown noddy, Anous stolidus Black noddy, Anous minutus Sooty tern, Onychoprion fuscatus Bridled tern, Onychoprion anaethetus Little tern, Sternula albifrons Damara tern, Sternula balaenarum Gull-billed tern, Gelochelidon nilotica Caspian tern, Hydroprogne caspia Black tern, Chlidonias niger White-winged tern, Chlidonias leucopterus Whiskered tern, Chlidonias hybrida Common tern, Sterna hirundo Arctic tern, Sterna paradisaea Sandwich tern, Thalasseus sandvicensis West African crested tern, Thalasseus albididorsalis African skimmer, Rynchops flavirostris
Tropicbirds