The birds of Asia are diverse. The avifauna of Asia includes 3845 species.
The taxonomy of this list adheres to James Clements's Birds of the World: A Checklist, 2022 edition. Taxonomic changes are ongoing; as more research is gathered from studies of distribution, behaviour, and DNA, the order and number of families and species may change. Furthermore, different approaches to ornithological nomenclature have led to concurrent systems of classification (see Sibley-Ahlquist taxonomy).
The area includes Russia east of the Ural River and the Ural Mountains and the Russian Arctic islands east of Novaya Zemlya, as well as Kazakhstan, Georgia, Azerbaijan, and Turkey. The area is separated from Africa by the Suez Canal. In the Indian Ocean it includes Sri Lanka, Lakshadweep (the Laccadive Islands), the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. It includes the Russian islands in the Bering Sea and North Pacific, Japan, the Izu Islands, the Ryukyu Islands, Taiwan, the Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia.
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 Asia (I) Introduced – a species introduced to Asia as a consequence, direct or indirect, of human actions (Ex) Extirpated – a species that no longer occurs in Asia although populations exist elsewhere (X) Extinct – a species or subspecies that no longer exists.
Ostriches Order: StruthioniformesFamily: Struthionidae
The ostrich is a flightless bird native to Africa. It is the largest living species of bird. It is distinctive in its appearance, with a long neck and legs and the ability to run at high speeds.
Common ostrich, Struthio camelus Arabian ostrich, Struthio camelus syriacus (X) North African ostrich, Struthio camelus camelus (I)
Cassowaries and emu Order: StruthioniformesFamily: Casuariidae
The cassowaries are large flightless birds native to Australia and New Guinea.
Southern cassowary, Casuarius casuarius Dwarf cassowary, Casuarius bennetti Northern cassowary, Casuarius unappendiculatus
Magpie goose Order: AnseriformesFamily: Anseranatidae
The family contains a single species, the magpie goose. It was an early and distinctive offshoot of the anseriform family tree, diverging after the screamers and before all other ducks, geese and swans, sometime in the late Cretaceous.
Magpie goose, Anseranas semipalmata
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.
Spotted whistling-duck, Dendrocygna guttata Plumed whistling-duck, Dendrocygna eytoni (A) Fulvous whistling-duck, Dendrocygna bicolor Wandering whistling-duck, Dendrocygna arcuata Lesser whistling-duck, Dendrocygna javanica White-faced whistling-duck, Dendrocygna viduata Bar-headed goose, Anser indicus Emperor goose, Anser canagicus Snow goose, Anser caerulescens Ross's goose, Anser rossii (A) Graylag goose, Anser anser Swan goose, Anser cygnoides Greater white-fronted goose, Anser albifrons Lesser white-fronted goose, Anser erythropus Taiga bean-goose, Anser fabalis Tundra bean-goose, Anser serrirostris Pink-footed goose, Anser brachyrhynchus (A) Brant, Branta bernicla Barnacle goose, Branta leucopsis Cackling goose, Branta hutchinsii Canada goose, Branta canadensis (A) Red-breasted goose, Branta ruficollis Mute swan, Cygnus olor Black swan, Cygnus atratus Trumpeter swan, Cygnus buccinator Tundra swan, Cygnus columbianus Whooper swan, Cygnus cygnus Black-necked swan, Cygnus melancoryphus Knob-billed duck, Sarkidiornis melanotos Radjah shelduck, Radjah radjah Egyptian goose, Alopochen aegyptiaca Ruddy shelduck, Tadorna ferruginea Australian shelduck, Tadorna tadornoides Common shelduck, Tadorna tadorna Crested shelduck, Tadorna cristata Paradise shelduck, Tadorna variegata Green pygmy-goose, Nettapus pulchellus Cotton pygmy-goose, Nettapus coromandelianus Mandarin duck, Aix galericulata Wood duck, Aix sponsa Salvadori's teal, Salvadorina waigiuensis Baikal teal, Sibirionetta formosa Garganey, Spatula querquedula Blue-winged teal, Spatula discors (A) Northern shoveler, Spatula clypeata Australian shoveler, Spatula rhynchotis Blue-billed teal, Spatula hottentota Silver teal, Spatula versicolor Cinnamon teal, Spatula cyanoptera Cape shoveler, Spatula smithii Red shoveler, Spatula platalea Gadwall, Mareca strepera Falcated duck, Mareca falcata Eurasian wigeon, Mareca penelope American wigeon, Mareca americana (A) Chiloe wigeon, Mareca sibilatrix Pacific black duck, Anas superciliosa Philippine duck, Anas luzonica Indian spot-billed duck, Anas poecilorhyncha Eastern spot-billed duck, Anas zonorhyncha Mallard, Anas platyrhynchos American black duck, Anas rubripes (A) Northern pintail, Anas acuta Green-winged teal, Anas crecca Andaman teal, Anas albogularis Sunda teal, Anas gibberifrons Gray teal, Anas gracilis White-cheeked pintail, Anas bahamensis Chestnut teal, Anas castanea Cape teal, Anas capensis (A) Red-billed duck, Anas erythrorhyncha Yellow-billed duck, Anas undulata Yellow-billed pintail, Anas georgica Yellow-billed teal, Anas flavirostris Hawaiian duck, Anas wyvilliana Laysan duck, Anas laysanensis Marbled teal, Marmaronetta angustirostris Pink-headed duck, Rhodonessa caryophyllacea White-winged duck, Asarcornis scutulata Red-crested pochard, Netta rufina Southern pochard, Netta erythrophthalma Rosy-billed pochard, Netta peposaca Canvasback, Aythya valisineria Redhead, Aythya americana Common pochard, Aythya ferina Ring-necked duck, Aythya collaris (A) Ferruginous duck, Aythya nyroca Baer's pochard, Aythya baeri Hardhead, Aythya australis Tufted duck, Aythya fuligula Greater scaup, Aythya marila Lesser scaup, Aythya affinis New Zealand scaup, Aythya novaeseelandiae Steller's eider, Polysticta stelleri Spectacled eider, Somateria fischeri King eider, Somateria spectabilis Common eider, Somateria mollissima Harlequin duck, Histrionicus histrionicus Surf scoter, Melanitta perspicillata Velvet scoter, Melanitta fusca White-winged scoter, Melanitta deglandi (A) Stejneger's scoter, Melanitta stejnegeri Common scoter, Melanitta nigra Black scoter, Melanitta americana Long-tailed duck, Clangula hyemalis Bufflehead, Bucephala albeola Common goldeneye, Bucephala clangula Barrow's goldeneye, Bucephala islandica Smew, Mergellus albellus Hooded merganser, Lophodytes cucullatus (A) Common merganser, Mergus merganser Red-breasted merganser, Mergus serrator Scaly-sided merganser, Mergus squamatus Ruddy duck, Oxyura jamaicensis (I) White-headed duck, Oxyura leucocephala Blue-billed duck, Oxyura australis Maccoa duck, Oxyura maccoa Lake duck, Oxyura vittata Maned duck, Chenonetta jubata Spur-winged goose, Plectropterus gambensis
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.
Wattled brushturkey, Aepypodius arfakianus Waigeo brushturkey, Aepypodius bruijnii Red-billed brushturkey, Talegalla cuvieri Yellow-legged brushturkey, Talegalla fuscirostris Red-legged brushturkey, Talegalla jobiensis Maleo, Macrocephalon maleo Moluccan scrubfowl, Eulipoa wallacei Nicobar scrubfowl, Megapodius nicobariensis Tabon scrubfowl, Megapodius cumingii Sula scrubfowl, Megapodius bernsteinii Tanimbar scrubfowl, Megapodius tenimberensis Dusky scrubfowl, Megapodius freycinet Biak scrubfowl, Megapodius geelvinkianus Forsten's scrubfowl, Megapodius forsteni New Guinea scrubfowl, Megapodius decollatus Orange-footed scrubfowl, Megapodius reinwardt Melanesian scrubfowl, Megapodius eremita Vanuatu scrubfowl, Megapodius layardi Tongan megapode, Megapodius pritchardii Micronesian scrubfowl, Megapodius laperouse Malleefowl, Leipoa ocellata
Guineafowl Order: GalliformesFamily: Numididae
The guineafowl are a family of birds native to Africa. They typically eat insects and seeds, are ground-nesting, and resemble partridges, except with featherless heads.
Helmeted guineafowl, Numida meleagris (I) Vulturine guineafowl, Acryllium vulturinum
New World quail Northern bobwhite, Colinus virginianus (I)
Pheasants, grouse, and allies Order: GalliformesFamily: Phasianidae
The Phasianidae are a family of terrestrial birds. In general, they are plump (although they vary in size) and have broad, relatively short wings.
Ferruginous partridge, Caloperdix oculeus Crested partridge, Rollulus rouloul Black partridge, Melanoperdix niger Hill partridge, Arborophila torqueola Sichuan partridge, Arborophila rufipectus Chestnut-breasted partridge, Arborophila mandellii White-necklaced partridge, Arborophila gingica Rufous-throated partridge, Arborophila rufogularis White-cheeked partridge, Arborophila atrogularis Taiwan partridge, Arborophila crudigularis Hainan partridge, Arborophila ardens Chestnut-bellied partridge, Arborophila javanica Malayan partridge, Arborophila campbelli Roll's partridge, Arborophila rolli Sumatran partridge, Arborophila sumatrana Gray-breasted partridge, Arborophila orientalis Bar-backed partridge, Arborophila brunneopectus Orange-necked partridge, Arborophila davidi Chestnut-headed partridge, Arborophila cambodiana Red-breasted partridge, Arborophila hyperythra Red-billed partridge, Arborophila rubrirostris Scaly-breasted partridge, Tropicoperdix chloropus Chestnut-necklaced partridge, Tropicoperdix charltonii Sabah partridge, Tropicoperdix graydoni Long-billed partridge, Rhizothera longirostris Dulit Partridge, Rhizothera dulitensis Vietnamese crested argus, Rheinardia ocellata Malayan crested argus, Rheinardia nigrescens Great argus, Argusianus argus Indian peafowl, Pavo cristatus Green peafowl, Pavo muticus (A) Crimson-headed partridge, Haematortyx sanguiniceps Red spurfowl, Galloperdix spadicea Painted spurfowl, Galloperdix lunulata Sri Lanka spurfowl, Galloperdix bicalcarata Palawan peacock-pheasant, Polyplectron napoleonis Malayan peacock-pheasant, Polyplectron malacense Bornean peacock-pheasant, Polyplectron schleiermacheri Germain's peacock-pheasant, Polyplectron germaini Hainan peacock-pheasant, Polyplectron katsumatae Mountain peacock-pheasant, Polyplectron inopinatum Bronze-tailed peacock-pheasant, Polyplectron chalcurum Gray peacock-pheasant, Polyplectron bicalcaratum See-see partridge, Ammoperdix griseogularis Sand partridge, Ammoperdix heyi Brown quail, Synoicus ypsilophorus Blue-breasted quail, Synoicus chinensis Blue quail, Synoicus adansonii Snow Mountain quail, Synoicus monorthonyx Japanese quail, Coturnix japonica Common quail, Coturnix coturnix Harlequin quail, Coturnix delegorguei Rain quail, Coturnix coromandelica Stubble quail, Coturnix pectoralis Rock partridge, Alectoris graeca Chukar, Alectoris chukar Philby's partridge, Alectoris philbyi Przevalski's partridge, Alectoris magna Arabian partridge, Alectoris melanocephala Barbary partridge, Alectoris barbara Red-legged partridge, Alectoris rufa Caucasian snowcock, Tetraogallus caucasicus Caspian snowcock, Tetraogallus caspius Altai snowcock, Tetraogallus altaicus Tibetan snowcock, Tetraogallus tibetanus Himalayan snowcock, Tetraogallus himalayensis Jungle bush-quail, Perdicula asiatica Rock bush-quail, Perdicula argoondah Painted bush-quail, Perdicula erythrorhyncha Manipur bush-quail, Perdicula manipurensis Himalayan quail, Ophrysia superciliosa Black francolin, Francolinus francolinus Painted francolin, Francolinus pictus Chinese francolin, Francolinus pintadeanus Mountain bamboo-partridge, Bambusicola fytchii Chinese bamboo-partridge, Bambusicola thoracicus Taiwan bamboo-partridge, Bambusicola sonorivox Red junglefowl, Gallus gallus Gray junglefowl, Gallus sonneratii Sri Lanka junglefowl, Gallus lafayettii