kids encyclopedia robot

List of birds of Spain facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

This is a list of the bird species recorded in Spain. The area covered by this list is mainland Spain, the Balearic Islands, the Canary Islands, and three small Spanish enclaves on the North African shore. The avifauna of Spain included a total of 664 species recorded in the wild by 2022 according to Sociedad Española de Ornitología (SEO/BirdLife) with supplemental additions from Avibase. 24 have been introduced by humans, six of which also have possibly wild-origin records. Three species have not been recorded since 1950, 8 are endemic to Spanish islands, and one of the endemic species is extinct. This list's taxonomic treatment (designation and sequence of orders, families and species) and nomenclature (English and scientific names) are those of The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World, 2022 edition. The Spanish names in parentheses are from the SEO/BirdLife list.

The following tags have been used to highlight some categories of occurrence.

  • (A) Accidental – a species that rarely or accidentally occurs anywhere in Spain
  • (A) Accidental in limited area – a species found regularly in mainland Spain but accidentally in the Canary Islands or the North African enclaves.
  • (E) Endemic – a species found only in Spain, with the location appended
  • (Ex) Extirpated - a species that no longer occurs in Spain although populations exist elsewhere
  • (I) Introduced – a species introduced to Spain as a consequence, direct or indirect, of human actions and that has an established population
  • (B) Category B - species which have not been recorded in Spain since 1950
  • (D) Category D – species for which there are reasonable doubts as to their wild origin
  • (I/D) species with individuals of possible wild origin in addition to the introduced population

An additional note such as (Canary Islands only) means that the species has been recorded solely in that locality. Species without a note of that type have been recorded at a minimum in mainland Spain. The notes of population status such as "endangered" apply to the world population and are from Bird Checklists of the World.


Contents

Ducks, geese, and waterfowl

Order: Anseriformes   Family: 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.

Pheasants, grouse, and allies

Order: Galliformes   Family: 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.

Flamingos

Order: Phoenicopteriformes   Family: Phoenicopteridae

Flamingos are gregarious wading birds, usually 3 to 5 feet (0.9 to 1.5 m) tall, found in both the Western and eastern Hemispheres. Flamingos filter-feed on shellfish 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.

Grebes

Order: Podicipediformes   Family: 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.

Pigeons and doves

Order: Columbiformes   Family: Columbidae

Pigeons and doves are stout-bodied birds with short necks and short slender bills with a fleshy cere.

  • Rock pigeon (paloma bravía), Columba livia (I)
  • Stock dove (paloma zurita), Columba oenas
  • Common wood-pigeon (paloma torcaz), Columba palumbus
  • Bolle's pigeon (paloma turqué), Columba bollii (E – Canary Islands)
  • Laurel pigeon (paloma rabiche), Columba junoniae (E – Canary Islands) near-threatened
  • European turtle-dove (tórtola europea), Streptopelia turtur vulnerable
  • Oriental turtle-dove (tórtola oriental), Streptopelia orientalis (A)
  • Eurasian collared-dove (tórtola turca), Streptopelia decaocto
  • African collared-dove (tórtola rosigrís), Streptopelia roseogrisea (I)
  • Laughing dove (tórtola senegalesa), Streptopelia senegalensis (A)
  • Namaqua dove (tórtola rabilarga), Oena capensis (A, D)
  • Mourning dove (zenaida huilota), Zenaida macroura (A, D)

Sandgrouse

Order: Pterocliformes   Family: Pteroclidae

Sandgrouse have small, pigeon like heads and necks, but sturdy compact bodies. They have long pointed wings and sometimes tails and a fast direct flight. Flocks fly to watering holes at dawn and dusk. Their legs are feathered down to the toes.

Bustards

Order: Otidiformes   Family: 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.

  • Great bustard (avutarda euroasiática), Otis tarda vulnerable
  • Houbara bustard (avutarda hubara africana), Chlamydotis undulata (Canary Islands only) vulnerable
  • Little bustard (sisón común), Tetrax tetrax near-threatened

Cuckoos

Order: Cuculiformes   Family: 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.

Nightjars and allies

Order: Caprimulgiformes   Family: 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.

  • Common nighthawk (añapero yanqui), Chordeiles minor (A)
  • Red-necked nightjar (chotacabras cuellirrojo), Caprimulgus ruficollis
  • Eurasian nightjar (chotacabras europeo), Caprimulgus europaeus
  • Egyptian nightjar (chotacabras egipcio), Caprimulgus aegyptius (A – Canary Islands only)

Swifts

Order: Caprimulgiformes   Family: 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.

Rails, gallinules, and coots

Order: Gruiformes   Family: 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.

  • Water rail (rascón europeo), Rallus aquaticus
  • Corn crake (guión de codornices), Crex crex (A)
  • African crake (guión africano), Crex egregia (A)
  • Sora (polluela sora), Porzana carolina (A)
  • Spotted crake (polluela pintoja), Porzana porzana
  • Lesser moorhen (gallineta chica), Gallinula angulata (A)
  • Eurasian moorhen (gallineta común), Gallinula chloropus
  • Eurasian coot (focha común), Fulica atra
  • Red-knobbed coot (focha moruna), Fulica cristata
  • American coot (focha americana), Fulica americana (A)
  • Allen's gallinule (calamoncillo africano), Porphyrio alleni (A)
  • Purple gallinule (calamoncillo americano), Porphyrio martinicus (A)
  • Western swamphen (calamón común), Porphyrio porphyrio
  • African swamphen (calamón africano), Porphyrio madagascariensis (A)
  • Striped crake (polluela culirroja), Amaurornis marginalis (A)
  • Little crake (polluela bastarda), Zapornia parva (A – Canary Islands)
  • Baillon's crake (polluela chica), Zapornia pusilla (A – Canary Islands and African enclaves)

Cranes

Order: Gruiformes   Family: 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".

  • Demoiselle crane (grulla damisela), Virgo anthropoids (A)
  • Sandhill crane (grulla canadiense), Antigone canadensis (A)
  • Common crane (grulla común), Grus grus (A – Canary Islands)

Sheathbills

Order: Charadriiformes   Family: Chionididae

The sheathbills are scavengers of the Antarctic regions. They have white plumage and look plump and dove-like but are believed to be similar to the ancestors of the modern gulls and terns.

Thick-knees

Order: Charadriiformes   Family: Burhinidae

The thick-knees are a group of largely tropical waders in the family Burhinidae. They are 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 thick-knee (alcaraván común), Burhinus oedicnemus

Egyptian plover

Order: Charadriiformes   Family: Pluvianidae

The Egyptian plover is found across equatorial Africa and along the Nile River.

Stilts and avocets

Order: Charadriiformes   Family: 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.

Oystercatchers

Order: Charadriiformes   Family: Haematopodidae

The oystercatchers are large and noisy plover-like birds, with strong bills used for smashing or prising open molluscs.

  • Eurasian oystercatcher (ostrero euroasiático), Haematopus ostralegus
  • American oystercatcher (ostrero común americano), Haematopus palliatus (A)
  • Canarian oystercatcher (ostrero negro canario), Haematopus meadewaldoi (E – Canary Islands) extinct

Plovers and lapwings

Order: Charadriiformes   Family: 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.

Sandpipers and allies

Order: Charadriiformes   Family: 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.

Buttonquail

Order: Charadriiformes   Family: Turnicidae

The buttonquail 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 (torillo andaluz), Turnix sylvaticus (A)

Pratincoles and coursers

Order: Charadriiformes   Family: 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.

Skuas and jaegers

Order: Charadriiformes   Family: 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.

Auks, murres, and puffins

Order: Charadriiformes   Family: Alcidae

Auks are superficially similar to penguins due to their black-and-white colors, their upright posture and some of their habits; however, they are not related to the penguins and differ in being able to fly. Auks live on the open sea, only deliberately coming ashore to nest.

Gulls, terns, and skimmers

Order: Charadriiformes   Family: 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.

Tropicbirds

Order: Phaethontiformes   Family: Phaethontidae

Tropicbirds are slender white birds of tropical oceans with exceptionally long central tail feathers. Their long wings have black markings, as does the head.

Loons

Order: Gaviiformes   Family: Gaviidae

Loons, known as divers in Europe, are a group of aquatic birds found in many parts of North America and northern Europe. They are the size of a large duck or small goose, which they somewhat resemble when swimming, but to which they are completely unrelated.

  • Red-throated loon (colimbo chico), Gavia stellata
  • Arctic loon (colimbo ártico), Gavia arctica (A – Canary Islands)
  • Pacific loon (colimbo del Pacífico), Gavia pacifica (A)
  • Common loon (colimbo grande), Gavia immer (A – Canary Islands and African enclaves)

Albatrosses

Order: Procellariiformes   Family: Diomedeidae

The albatrosses are among the largest flying birds, with long, narrow wings for gliding. The majority are found in the Southern Hemisphere with only vagrants occurring in the North Atlantic.

Southern storm-petrels

Order: Procellariiformes   Family: Oceanitidae

Southern storm petrels, are seabirds in the family Oceanitidae, part of the order Procellariiformes. These smallest of seabirds feed on planktonic crustaceans and small fish picked from the surface, typically while hovering. Their flight is fluttering and sometimes bat-like.

  • Wilson's storm-petrel (paíño de Wilson), Oceanites oceanicus
  • White-faced storm-petrel (paíño pechialbo), Pelagodroma marina (A)
  • Black-bellied storm-petrel (paíño ventrinegro), Fregetta tropica (A – Canary Islands only)

Northern storm-petrels

Order: Procellariiformes   Family: 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.

  • European storm-petrel (paíño europeo), Hydrobates pelagicus
  • Leach's storm-petrel (paíño boreal), Hydrobates leucorheus vulnerable
  • Swinhoe's storm-petrel (paíño de Swinhoe), Hydrobates monorhis (A) near-threatened
  • Band-rumped storm-petrel (paíño de Madeira), Hydrobates castro (A)

Shearwaters and petrels

Order: Procellariiformes   Family: 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.

  • Northern fulmar (fulmar boreal), Fulmarus glacialis (A – Canary Islands)
  • Cape petrel (petrel damero), Daption capense (A)
  • Great-winged petrel (pardela de alas grandes), Pterodroma macroptera (A)
  • Zino's petrel (petrel freira), Pterodroma madeira (A) endangered
  • Fea's petrel (petrel gongón), Pterodroma feae (A)
  • Black-capped petrel (petrel antillano), Pterodroma hasitata (A)
  • Bulwer's petrel (petrel de Bulwer), Bulweria bulwerii (A)
  • Cory's shearwater (pardela cenicienta), Calonectris diomedea
  • Cape Verde shearwater (pardela cenicienta caboverdiana), Calonectris edwardsii (A – Canary Islands only) near-threatened
  • Great shearwater (pardela capirotada), Ardenna gravis
  • Sooty shearwater (pardela sombría), Ardenna griseus (A – Canary Islands) near-threatened
  • Short-tailed shearwater (pardela de Tasmania), Ardenna tenuirostris (A)
  • Manx shearwater (pardela pichoneta), Puffinus puffinus
  • Yelkouan shearwater (pardela mediterránea), Puffinus yelkouan vulnerable
  • Balearic shearwater (pardela balear), Puffinus mauretanicus (A – Canary Islands) critically endangered
  • Barolo shearwater (pardela chica), Puffinus baroli (A)
  • Boyd's shearwater (pardela chica de Cabo Verde), Puffinus boydi (A – Canary Islands only)

Storks

Order: Ciconiiformes   Family: Ciconiidae

Storks are large, long-legged, long-necked, wading birds with long, stout bills. Storks are mute, but bill-clattering is an important mode of communication at the nest. Their nests can be large and may be reused for many years. Many species are migratory.

Frigatebirds

Order: Suliformes   Family: Fregatidae

Frigatebirds are large seabirds usually found over tropical oceans. They are large, black, or black-and-white, with long wings and deeply forked tails. The males have colored 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.

Boobies and gannets

Order: Suliformes   Family: Sulidae

The sulids comprise the gannets and boobies. Both groups are medium to large coastal seabirds that plunge-dive for fish.

  • Masked booby (piquero enmascarado), Sula dactylatra (A)
  • Brown booby (piquero pardo), Sula leucogaster (A)
  • Red-footed booby (piquero patirrojo), Sula sula (A)
  • Northern gannet (alcatraz atlántico), Morus bassanus
  • Cape gannet (alcatraz de El Cabo), Morus capensis (A)

Cormorants and shags

Order: Suliformes   Family: Phalacrocoracidae

Phalacrocoracidae is a family of medium to large coastal, fish-eating seabirds that includes cormorants and shags. Plumage colouration varies, with the majority having mainly dark plumage, some species being black-and-white and a few being colourful.

  • Long-tailed cormorant (cormorán africano), Microcarbo africanus (A, D)
  • Pygmy cormorant (cormorán pigmeo), Microcarbo pygmeus (A) near-threatened
  • Great cormorant (cormorán grande), Phalacrocorax carbo
  • European shag (cormorán moñudo), Gulosus aristotelis
  • Double-crested cormorant (cormorán orejudo), Nannopterum auritum (A – Canary Islands only)

Pelicans

Order: Pelecaniformes   Family: Pelecanidae

Pelicans are large water birds with a distinctive pouch under their beak. As with other members of the order Pelecaniformes, they have webbed feet with four toes.

Heron, egrets, and bitterns

Order: Pelecaniformes   Family: Ardeidae

The family Ardeidae contains the bitterns, herons and egrets. Herons and egrets are medium to large wading birds with long necks and legs. Bitterns tend to be shorter necked and more wary. Members of Ardeidae fly with their necks retracted, unlike other long-necked birds such as storks, ibises and spoonbills.

Ibises and spoonbills

Order: Pelecaniformes   Family: Threskiornithidae

Threskiornithidae is a family of large terrestrial and wading birds which includes the ibises and spoonbills. They have long, broad wings with 11 primary and about 20 secondary feathers. They are strong fliers and despite their size and weight, very capable soarers.

Osprey

Order: Accipitriformes   Family: Pandionidae

The family Pandionidae contains only one species, the osprey. The osprey is a medium-large raptor which is a specialist fish-eater with a worldwide distribution.

  • Osprey (águila pescadora), Pandion haliaetus

Hawks, eagles, and kites

Order: Accipitriformes   Family: Accipitridae

Accipitridae is a family of birds of prey, which includes hawks, eagles, kites, harriers and Old World vultures. These birds have powerful hooked beaks for tearing flesh from their prey, strong legs, powerful talons and keen eyesight.

  • Black-winged kite (elanio común), Elanus caeruleus
  • Bearded vulture (quebrantahuesos), Gypaetus barbatus near-threatened
  • Egyptian vulture (alimoche común), Neophron percnopterus endangered
  • European honey-buzzard (abejero europeo), Pernis apivorus (A – Canary Islands)
  • Swallow-tailed kite (elanio tijereta), Elanoides forficatus (A – Canary Islands only)
  • Cinereous vulture (buitre negro), Aegypius monachus near-threatened
  • Lappet-faced vulture (buitre orejudo), Torgos tracheliotos (A)
  • Hooded vulture (alimoche sombrío), Necrosyrtes monachus (A, D)
  • White-backed vulture (buitre dorsiblanco africano), Gyps africanus (A) critically endangered
  • Rüppell's griffon (buitre moteado), Gyps rueppelli (A) critically endangered
  • Eurasian griffon (buitre leonado), Gyps fulvus
  • Bateleur (águila volatinera), Terathopius ecaudatus (A) near-threatened
  • Short-toed snake-eagle (culebrera europea), Circaetus gallicus (A – Canary Islands)
  • Lesser spotted eagle (águila pomerana), Clanga pomarina (A)
  • Greater spotted eagle (águila moteada), Clanga clanga (A) vulnerable
  • Booted eagle (águila calzada), Hieraaetus pennatus
  • Steppe eagle (águila esteparia), Aquila nipalensis (A) endangered
  • Spanish eagle (águila imperial ibérica), Aquila adalberti vulnerable
  • Imperial eagle (águila imperial oriental), Aquila heliaca (A) vulnerable
  • Golden eagle (águila real), Aquila chrysaetos
  • Bonelli's eagle (águila perdicera), Aquila fasciata
  • Eurasian marsh-harrier (aguilucho lagunero occidental), Circus aeruginosus
  • Hen harrier (aguilucho pálido), Circus cyaneus
  • Pallid harrier (aguilucho papialbo), Circus macrourus
  • Montagu's harrier (aguilucho cenizo), Circus pygargus
  • Eurasian sparrowhawk (gavilán común), Accipiter nisus
  • Northern goshawk (azor común), Accipiter gentilis
  • Red kite (milano real), Milvus milvus
  • Black kite (milano negro), Milvus migrans
  • White-tailed eagle (pigargo europeo), Haliaeetus albicilla (A)
  • Rough-legged hawk (busardo calzado), Buteo lagopus (A)
  • Common buzzard (busardo ratonero), Buteo buteo
  • Long-legged buzzard (busardo moro), Buteo rufinus (A)

Barn-owls

Order: Strigiformes   Family: Tytonidae

Barn owls are medium to large owls with large heads and characteristic heart-shaped faces. They have long strong legs with powerful talons.

Owls

Order: Strigiformes   Family: Strigidae

The typical owls are small to large solitary nocturnal birds of prey. They have large forward-facing eyes and ears, a hawk-like beak and a conspicuous circle of feathers around each eye called a facial disk.

  • Eurasian scops-owl (autillo europeo), Otus scops (A – Canary Islands)
  • Eurasian eagle-owl (búho real), Bubo bubo
  • Pharaoh eagle-owl (búho del desierto), Bubo ascalaphus (A)
  • Snowy owl (búho nival), Bubo scandiacus (A, D – Canary Islands only)
  • Northern hawk owl (cárabo gavilán), Surnia ulula (B – Canary Islands)
  • Eurasian pygmy-owl (mochuelo alpino), Glaucidium passerinum (A)
  • Little owl (mochuelo europeo), Athene noctua
  • Tawny owl (cárabo común), Strix aluco
  • Maghreb owl (cárabo del Magreb), Strix mauritanica
  • Long-eared owl (búho chico), Asio otus
  • Short-eared owl (búho campestre), Asio flammeus
  • Marsh owl (búho moro), Asio capensis (A)
  • Boreal owl (mochuelo boreal), Aegolius funereus

Hoopoes

Order: Bucerotiformes   Family: Upupidae

Hoopoes have black, white and orangey-pink coloring with a large erectile crest on their head.

  • Eurasian hoopoe (abubilla común), Upupa epops

Kingfishers

Order: Coraciiformes   Family: Alcedinidae

Kingfishers are medium-sized birds with large heads, long, pointed bills, short legs and stubby tails.

Bee-eaters

Order: Coraciiformes   Family: Meropidae

The bee-eaters are a group of near passerine birds in the family Meropidae. Most species are found in Africa but others occur in southern Europe, Madagascar, Australia and New Guinea. They are characterised by richly colored plumage, slender bodies and usually elongated central tail feathers. All are colourful and have long downturned bills and pointed wings, which give them a swallow-like appearance when seen from afar.

Rollers

Order: Coraciiformes   Family: Coraciidae

Rollers resemble crows in size and build, but are more closely related to the kingfishers and bee-eaters. They share the colourful appearance of those groups with blues and browns predominating. The two inner front toes are connected, but the outer toe is not.

  • European roller (carraca europea), Coracias garrulus
  • Abyssinian roller (carraca abisinia), Coracias abyssinicus (A – Canary Islands only)

Woodpeckers

Order: Piciformes   Family: Picidae

Woodpeckers are small to medium-sized birds with chisel-like beaks, short legs, stiff tails and long tongues used for capturing insects. Some species have feet with two toes pointing forward and two backward, while several species have only three toes. Many woodpeckers have the habit of tapping noisily on tree trunks with their beaks.

Falcons and caracaras

Order: Falconiformes   Family: Falconidae

Falconidae is a family of diurnal birds of prey. They differ from hawks, eagles and kites in that they kill with their beaks instead of their talons.

Old World parrots

Order: Psittaciformes   Family: Psittaculidae

Characteristic features of parrots include a strong curved bill, an upright stance, strong legs, and clawed zygodactyl feet. Many parrots are vividly colored, and some are multi-colored. In size they range from 8 cm (3.1 in) to 1 m (3.3 ft) in length. Old World parrots are found from Africa east across south and southeast Asia and Oceania to Australia and New Zealand.

African and New World parrots

Order: Psittaciformes   Family: Psittacidae

Characteristic features of parrots include a strong curved bill, an upright stance, strong legs, and clawed zygodactyl feet. Many parrots are vividly colored, and some are multi-colored. In size they range from 8 cm (3.1 in) to 1 m (3.3 ft) in length. Most of the more than 150 species in the family are found in the New World.

Tyrant flycatchers

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Tyrannidae

Tyrant flycatchers are Passerine birds which occur throughout North and South America. They superficially resemble the Old World flycatchers, but are more robust and have stronger bills. They do not have the sophisticated vocal capabilities of the songbirds. Most, but not all, are rather plain. As the name implies, most are insectivorous.

Vireos, shrike-babblers, and erpornis

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Vireonidae

The vireos are a group of small to medium-sized passerine birds restricted to the New World and Southeast Asia.

Old World orioles

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Oriolidae

The Old World orioles are colourful passerine birds. They are not related to the New World orioles.

Bushshrikes and allies

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Malaconotidae

Bushshrikes are similar in habits to shrikes, hunting insects and other small prey from a perch on a bush. Although similar in build to the shrikes, these tend to be either colourful species or largely black; some species are quite secretive.

Shrikes

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Laniidae

Shrikes are passerine birds known for their habit of catching other birds and small animals and impaling the uneaten portions of their bodies on thorns. A shrike's beak is hooked, like that of a typical bird of prey.

  • Red-backed shrike (alcaudón dorsirrojo), Lanius collurio
  • Red-tailed shrike (alcaudón colirrojo), Lanius phoenicuroides (A)
  • Isabelline shrike (alcaudón isabel), Lanius isabellinus (A)
  • Brown shrike (alcaudón pardo), Lanius cristatus (A)
  • Long-tailed shrike (alcaudón schach), Lanius schach (A)
  • Iberian gray shrike (alcaudón real), Lanius meridionalis vulnerable
  • Great gray shrike (alcaudón norteño), Lanius excubitor (A)
  • Lesser gray shrike (alcaudón chico), Lanius minor
  • Masked shrike (alcaudón núbico), Lanius nubicus (A)
  • Woodchat shrike (alcaudón común), Lanius senator

Crows, jays, and magpies

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Corvidae

The family Corvidae includes crows, ravens, jays, choughs, magpies, treepies, nutcrackers and ground jays. Corvids are above average in size among the Passeriformes, and some of the larger species show high levels of intelligence.

  • Eurasian jay (arrendajo euroasiático), Garrulus glandarius
  • Iberian magpie (rabilargo ibérico), Cyanopica cooki
  • Maghreb magpie (urraca magrebí), Pica mauritanica
  • Eurasian magpie (urraca común), Pica pica
  • Eurasian nutcracker (cascanueces norteño), Nucifraga caryocatactes (A)
  • Red-billed chough (chova piquirroja), Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax
  • Yellow-billed chough (chova piquigualda), Pyrrhocorax graculus
  • Eurasian jackdaw (grajilla occidental), Corvus monedula
  • Rook (graja), Corvus frugilegus
  • Carrion crow (corneja negra), Corvus corone
  • Hooded crow (corneja cenicienta), Corvus cornix (A)
  • Pied crow (cuervo pío), Corvus albus (A, D)
  • Brown-necked raven (cuervo desertícola), Corvus ruficollis (A)
  • Common raven (cuervo grande), Corvus corax

Tits, chickadees, and titmice

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Paridae

The Paridae are mainly small stocky woodland species with short stout bills. Some have crests. They are adaptable birds, with a mixed diet including seeds and insects.

Penduline-tits

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Remizidae

The penduline-tits are a group of small passerine birds related to the true tits. They are insectivores.

Larks

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Alaudidae

Larks are small terrestrial birds with often extravagant songs and display flights. Most larks are fairly dull in appearance. Their food is insects and seeds.

  • Greater hoopoe-lark (alondra ibis), Alaemon alaudipes (A – Canary Islands and African enclaves only)
  • Thick-billed lark (alondra picocorda), Ramphocoris clotbey (A)
  • Bar-tailed lark (terrera colinegra), Ammomanes cinctura (A)
  • Horned lark (alondra cornuda), Eremophila alpestris (A)
  • Greater short-toed lark (terrera común), Calandrella brachydactyla
  • Bimaculated lark (calandria bimaculada), Melanocorypha bimaculata (A)
  • Calandra lark (calandria común), Melanocorypha calandra
  • Black lark (calandria negra), Melanocorypha yeltoniensis (A)
  • Dupont's lark (alondra ricotí), Chersophilus duponti near-threatened
  • Lesser short-toed lark (terrera marismeña), Alaudala rufescens
  • Wood lark (alondra totovía), Lullula arborea
  • White-winged lark (calandria aliblanca), Alauda leucoptera (A)
  • Eurasian skylark (alondra común), Alauda arvensis
  • Thekla's lark (cogujada montesina), Galerida theklae
  • Crested lark (cogujada común), Galerida cristata

Bearded reedling

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Panuridae

This species, the only one in its family, is found in reed beds throughout temperate Europe and Asia.

Cisticolas and allies

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Cisticolidae

The Cisticolidae are warblers found mainly in warmer southern regions of the Old World. They are generally very small birds of drab brown or grey appearance found in open country such as grassland or scrub

Reed warblers and allies

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Acrocephalidae

The members of this family are usually rather large for "warblers". Most are rather plain olivaceous brown above with much yellow to beige below. They are usually found in open woodland, reedbeds, or tall grass. The family occurs mostly in southern to western Eurasia and surroundings, but it also ranges far into the Pacific, with some species in Africa.

Grassbirds and allies

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Locustellidae

Locustellidae are a family of small insectivorous songbirds found mainly in Eurasia, Africa, and the Australian region. They are smallish birds with tails that are usually long and pointed, and tend to be drab brownish or buffy all over.

  • River warbler (buscarla fluvial), Locustella fluviatilis (A)
  • Savi's warbler (buscarla unicolor), Locustella luscinioides
  • Common grasshopper-warbler (buscarla pintoja), Locustella naevia

Swallows

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Hirundinidae

The family Hirundinidae is adapted to aerial feeding. They have a slender streamlined body, long pointed wings and a short bill with a wide gape. The feet are adapted to perching rather than walking, and the front toes are partially joined at the base.

  • Tree swallow (golondrina bicolor), Tachycineta bicolor (A)
  • Plain martin (avión paludícola), Riparia paludicola (A)
  • Bank swallow (avión zapador), Riparia riparia
  • Eurasian crag-martin (avión roquero), Ptyonoprogne rupestris
  • Barn swallow (golondrina común), Hirundo rustica
  • Red-rumped swallow (golondrina dáurica), Hirundo daurica
  • Cliff swallow (golondrina risquera), Petrochelidon pyrrhonota (A – Canary Islands)
  • Common house-martin (avión común occidental), Delichon urbicum

Bulbuls

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Pycnonotidae

Bulbuls are medium-sized songbirds. Some are colourful with yellow, red or orange vents, cheeks, throats or supercilia, but most are drab, with uniform olive-brown to black plumage. Some species have distinct crests.

Leaf warblers

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Phylloscopidae

Leaf warblers are a family of small insectivorous birds found mostly in Eurasia and ranging into Wallacea and Africa. The species are of various sizes, often green-plumaged above and yellow below, or more subdued with greyish-green to greyish-brown colors.

  • Wood warbler (mosquitero silbador), Phylloscopus sibilatrix
  • Western Bonelli's warbler (mosquitero papialbo), Phylloscopus bonelli
  • Eastern Bonelli's warbler (mosquitero oriental), Phylloscopus orientalis (A)
  • Yellow-browed warbler (mosquitero bilistado), Phylloscopus inornatus (A – African enclaves)
  • Hume's warbler (mosquitero de Hume), Phylloscopus humei (A)
  • Pallas's leaf warbler (mosquitero de Pallas), Phylloscopus proregulus (A)
  • Radde's warbler (mosquitero de Schwarz), Phylloscopus schwarzi (A)
  • Dusky warbler (mosquitero sombrío), Phylloscopus fuscatus (A)
  • Willow warbler (mosquitero musical), Phylloscopus trochilus
  • Mountain chiffchaff (mosquitero montano), Phylloscopus sindianus (A)
  • Canary Islands chiffchaff (mosquitero canario), Phylloscopus canariensis (E – Canary Islands)
  • Common chiffchaff (mosquitero común), Phylloscopus collybita
  • Iberian chiffchaff (mosquitero ibérico), Phylloscopus brehmii
  • Green warbler (mosquitero del Cáucaso), Phylloscopus nitidus (A)
  • Greenish warbler (mosquitero verdoso), Phylloscopus trochiloides (A)
  • Two-barred warbler (mosquitero patigrís), Phylloscopus plumbeitarsus (A)
  • Arctic warbler (mosquitero boreal), Phylloscopus borealis (A)

Bush warblers and allies

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Scotocercidae

The members of this family are found throughout Africa, Asia, and Polynesia. Their taxonomy is in flux, and some authorities place some genera in other families.

Long-tailed tits

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Aegithalidae

Long-tailed tits are a group of small passerine birds with medium to long tails. They make woven bag nests in trees. Most eat a mixed diet which includes insects.

  • Long-tailed tit (mito común), Aegithalos longicaudus

Sylviid warblers, parrotbills, and allies

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Sylviidae

The family Sylviidae is a group of small insectivorous passerine birds. They mainly occur as breeding species, as the common name implies, in Europe, Asia and, to a lesser extent, Africa. Most are of generally undistinguished appearance, but many have distinctive songs.

Laughingthrushes and allies

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Leiothrichidae

The laughingthrushes are somewhat diverse in size and colouration, but are characterised by soft fluffy plumage.

Kinglets

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Regulidae

The kinglets, also called crests, are a small group of birds often included in the Old World warblers, but frequently given family status because they also resemble the titmice.

Wallcreeper

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Tichodromidae

The wallcreeper is a small bird related to the nuthatch family, which has stunning crimson, grey and black plumage.

Nuthatches

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Sittidae

Nuthatches are small woodland birds. They have the unusual ability to climb down trees head first, unlike other birds which can only go upwards. Nuthatches have big heads, short tails and powerful bills and feet.

  • Eurasian nuthatch (trepador azul), Sitta europaea

Treecreepers

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Certhiidae

Treecreepers are small woodland birds, brown above and white below. They have thin pointed down-curved bills, which they use to extricate insects from bark. They have stiff tail feathers, like woodpeckers, which they use to support themselves on vertical trees.

Wrens

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Troglodytidae

The wrens are mainly small and inconspicuous except for their loud songs. These birds have short wings and thin down-turned bills. Several species often hold their tails upright. All are insectivorous.

Dippers

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Cinclidae

Dippers are a group of perching birds whose habitat includes aquatic environments in the Americas, Europe and Asia. They are named for their bobbing or dipping movements.

Starlings

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Sturnidae

Starlings are small to medium-sized passerine birds. Their flight is strong and direct and they are very gregarious. Their preferred habitat is fairly open country. They eat insects and fruit. Plumage is typically dark with a metallic sheen.

Mockingbirds and thrashers

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Mimidae

The mimids are a family of passerine birds which includes thrashers, mockingbirds, tremblers, and the New World catbirds. These birds are notable for their vocalization, especially their remarkable ability to mimic a wide variety of birds and other sounds heard outdoors. The species tend towards dull grays and browns in their appearance.

  • Gray catbird (pájaro gato gris), Dumetella carolinensis (A – Canary Islands only)

Thrushes and allies

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Turdidae

The thrushes are a group of passerine birds that occur mainly in the Old World. They are plump, soft plumaged, small to medium-sized insectivores or sometimes omnivores, often feeding on the ground. Many have attractive songs.

  • White's thrush (zorzal dorado de Siberia), Zoothera aurea (B)
  • Scaly thrush (zorzal dorado del Himalaya), Zoothera dauma (A)
  • Gray-cheeked thrush (zorzalito carigrís), Catharus minimus (A – Canary Islands)
  • Mistle thrush (zorzal charlo), Turdus viscivorus (A – Canary Islands)
  • Song thrush (zorzal común), Turdus philomelos
  • Redwing (zorzal alirrojo), Turdus iliacus near-threatened
  • Eurasian blackbird (mirlo común), Turdus merula
  • American robin (zorzal robín), Turdus migratorius (A)
  • Eyebrowed thrush (zorzal rojigrís), Turdus obscurus (A)
  • Fieldfare (zorzal real), Turdus pilaris (A – Canary Islands)
  • Ring ouzel (mirlo capiblanco), Turdus torquatus
  • Black-throated thrush (zorzal papinegro), Turdus atrogularis (A)
  • Red-throated thrush (zorzal papirrojo), Turdus ruficollis (A)
  • Dusky thrush (zorzal eunomo), Turdus eunomus (A)
  • Naumann's thrush (zorzal de Naumann), Turdus naumanni (A)

Old World flycatchers

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Muscicapidae

Old World flycatchers are a large group of small passerine birds native to the Old World. They are mainly small arboreal insectivores. The appearance of these birds is highly varied, but they mostly have weak songs and harsh calls.

Waxwings

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Bombycillidae

The waxwings are a group of birds with soft silky plumage and unique red tips to some of the wing feathers. In the Bohemian and cedar waxwings, these tips look like sealing wax and give the group its name. These are arboreal birds of northern forests. They live on insects in summer and berries in winter.

Weavers and allies

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Ploceidae

The weavers are small passerine birds related to the finches. They are seed-eating birds with rounded conical bills. The males of many species are brightly colored, usually in red or yellow and black, some species show variation in color only in the breeding season.

Waxbills and allies

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Estrildidae

The estrildid finches are small passerine birds of the Old World tropics and Australasia. They are gregarious and often colonial seed eaters with short thick but pointed bills. They are all similar in structure and habits, but have wide variation in plumage colors and patterns.

Accentors

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Prunellidae

The accentors are in the only bird family, Prunellidae, which is completely endemic to the Palearctic. They are small, fairly drab species superficially similar to sparrows.

Old World sparrows

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Passeridae

Old World sparrows are small passerine birds. In general, sparrows tend to be small, plump, brown or grey birds with short tails and short powerful beaks. Sparrows are seed eaters, but they also consume small insects.

Wagtails and pipits

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Motacillidae

Motacillidae is a family of small passerine birds with medium to long tails. They include the wagtails, longclaws and pipits. They are slender, ground feeding insectivores of open country.

Finches, euphonias, and allies

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Fringillidae

Finches are seed-eating passerine birds, that are small to moderately large and have a strong beak, usually conical and in some species very large. All have twelve tail feathers and nine primaries. These birds have a bouncing flight with alternating bouts of flapping and gliding on closed wings, and most sing well.

  • Common chaffinch (pinzón vulgar), Fringilla coelebs
  • Tenerife blue chaffinch (pinzón azul de Tenerife), Fringilla teydea (E – Canary Islands)
  • Gran Canaria blue chaffinch (pinzón azul de Gran Canaria), Fringilla polatzeki (E – Canary Islands)
  • Brambling (pinzón real), Fringilla montifringilla (A – Canary Islands)
  • Hawfinch (picogordo común), Coccothraustes coccothraustes (A – Canary Islands)
  • Common rosefinch (camachuelo carminoso), Carpodacus erythrinus (A)
  • Eurasian bullfinch (camachuelo común), Pyrrhula pyrrhula (A – African enclaves)
  • Trumpeter finch (camachuelo trompetero), Rhodopechys githaginea (A – African enclaves)
  • Desert finch (camachuelo desertícola), Rhodospiza obsoleta (A, D)
  • European greenfinch (verderón común), Chloris chloris
  • Twite (pardillo piquigualdo), Linaria flavirostris (A)
  • Eurasian linnet (pardillo común), Linaria cannabina
  • Common redpoll (pardillo norteño), Acanthis flammea (A)
  • Lesser redpoll (pardillo alpino), Acanthis cabaret (A)
  • Red crossbill (piquituerto común), Loxia curvirostra (A – Canary Islands)
  • European goldfinch (jilguero europeo), Carduelis carduelis
  • Citril finch (verderón serrano), Carduelis citrinella (A – African enclaves)
  • European serin (serín verdecillo), Serinus serinus
  • Island canary (serín canario), Serinus canaria (Canary Islands only)
  • Eurasian siskin (jilguero lúgano), Spinus spinus

Longspurs and snow buntings

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Calcariidae

The Calcariidae are a group of passerine birds which had been traditionally grouped with the New World sparrows, but differ in a number of respects and are usually found in open grassy areas.

Old World buntings

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Emberizidae

The emberizids are a large family of passerine birds. They are seed-eating birds with distinctively shaped bills. Many emberizid species have distinctive head patterns.

  • Black-headed bunting (escribano cabecinegro), Emberiza melanocephala (A)
  • Red-headed bunting (escribano carirrojo), Emberiza bruniceps (A)
  • Corn bunting (escribano triguero), Miliaria calandra
  • Rock bunting (escribano montesino), Emberiza cia
  • Meadow bunting (escribano de Brandt), Emberiza cioides (A, D)
  • Cirl bunting (escribano soteño), Emberiza cirlus
  • Yellowhammer (escribano cerillo), Emberiza citrinella (A – African enclaves)
  • Pine bunting (escribano cabeciblanco), Emberiza leucocephalos (A)
  • Ortolan bunting (escribano hortelano), Emberiza hortulana
  • Cretzschmar's bunting (escribano ceniciento), Emberiza caesia (A)
  • House bunting (escribano sahariano), Emberiza sahari (A)
  • Reed bunting (escribano palustre), Emberiza schoeniclus (A – Canary Islands)
  • Yellow-breasted bunting (escribano aureolado), Emberiza aureola (A) critically endangered
  • Little bunting (escribano pigmeo), Emberiza pusilla (A)
  • Rustic bunting (escribano rústico), Emberiza rustica (A) vulnerable
  • Black-faced bunting (escribano enmascarado), Emberiza spodocephala (A)
  • Yellow-browed bunting (escribano cejigualdo), Emberiza chrysophrys (A)

New World sparrows

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Passerellidae

The New World sparrows (or American sparrows) are a large family of seed-eating passerine birds with distinctively finch-like bills.

Troupials and allies

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Icteridae

Icterids make up a family of small- to medium-sized, often colorful, New-World passerine birds. Most species have black as a predominant plumage color, often enlivened by yellow, orange or red. The species in the family vary widely in size, shape, behavior and coloration.

  • Bobolink (tordo charlatán), Dolichonyx oryzivorus (A – Canary Islands only)
  • Baltimore oriole (oropéndola de Baltimore), Icterus galbula (A)

New World warblers

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Parulidae

The New World warblers are a group of small often colorful passerine birds restricted to the New World. Most are arboreal, but some are more terrestrial. Most members of this family are insectivores.

Cardinals and allies

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Cardinalidae

The cardinals are a family of robust, seed-eating birds with strong bills. They are typically associated with open woodland. The sexes usually have distinct plumages.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Anexo:Aves de España para niños

  • List of birds
  • Lists of birds by region
kids search engine
All content from Kiddle encyclopedia articles (including the article images and facts) can be freely used under Attribution-ShareAlike license, unless stated otherwise. Cite this article:
List of birds of Spain Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.