Cape Verde bird checklist - Avibase - Bird Checklists of the World

Avibase - Bird Checklists of the World

Cape Verde

This checklist includes all bird species found in Cape Verde , based on the best information available at this time. It is based on a wide variety of sources that I collated over many years. I am pleased to offer these checklists as a service to birdwatchers. If you find any error, please do not hesitate to .

The taxonomic order and nomenclature follows IOC World Bird Names, version 15.1. If you prefer to view the list based on a different authority, click on one of the list available below. Globally threatened species (status in red) were identified by Birdlife International in Birdlife Data Zone (species).

Bird Checklists of the World is part of Avibase and Bird links to the World, which are designed and maintained by Denis Lepage, and hosted by Birds Canada, which is a co-partner of Birdlife International.

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Country or region: Cape Verde [map]

Other names: Republic of Cabo Verde

Number of species: 309
Number of endemics: 6
Number of breeding endemics: 3
Number of globally threatened species: 20
Number of introduced species: 6
Date last reviewed: 2020-08-23
Last modified: 2025-10-12
See also: https://www.africanbirdclub.org/countries/checklists/download

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ANSERIFORMES: Anatidae
White-faced Whistling Duck	Dendrocygna viduata	Rare/Accidental
Fulvous Whistling Duck	Dendrocygna bicolor
Garganey	Spatula querquedula	Rare/Accidental
Blue-winged Teal	Spatula discors	Rare/Accidental
Northern Shoveler	Spatula clypeata	Rare/Accidental
Gadwall	Mareca strepera	Rare/Accidental
Eurasian Wigeon	Mareca penelope	Rare/Accidental
American Wigeon	Mareca americana	Rare/Accidental
Northern Pintail	Anas acuta	Rare/Accidental
Eurasian Teal	Anas crecca	Rare/Accidental
Green-winged Teal	Anas carolinensis	Rare/Accidental
Marbled Duck	Marmaronetta angustirostris	Near-threatened
Common Pochard	Aythya ferina	Rare/Accidental Vulnerable
Ferruginous Duck	Aythya nyroca	Rare/Accidental Near-threatened
Ring-necked Duck	Aythya collaris	Rare/Accidental
Tufted Duck	Aythya fuligula	Rare/Accidental
Lesser Scaup	Aythya affinis	Rare/Accidental
Bufflehead	Bucephala albeola	Rare/Accidental
GALLIFORMES: Numididae
Helmeted Guineafowl	Numida meleagris	Introduced species
GALLIFORMES: Phasianidae
Common Quail	Coturnix coturnix
CAPRIMULGIFORMES: Caprimulgidae
European Nightjar	Caprimulgus europaeus	Rare/Accidental
APODIFORMES: Apodidae
Alpine Swift	Tachymarptis melba	Rare/Accidental
Cape Verde Swift	Apus alexandri	Endemic
Common Swift	Apus apus
Plain Swift	Apus unicolor	Rare/Accidental
Pallid Swift	Apus pallidus	Rare/Accidental
African Black Swift	Apus barbatus	Rare/Accidental
Little Swift	Apus affinis	Rare/Accidental
CUCULIFORMES: Cuculidae
Great Spotted Cuckoo	Clamator glandarius	Rare/Accidental
Yellow-billed Cuckoo	Coccyzus americanus	Rare/Accidental
Diederik Cuckoo	Chrysococcyx caprius	Rare/Accidental
Common Cuckoo	Cuculus canorus
COLUMBIFORMES: Columbidae
Rock Dove	Columba livia	Introduced species
Common Wood Pigeon	Columba palumbus	Rare/Accidental
European Turtle Dove	Streptopelia turtur	Rare/Accidental Vulnerable
Eurasian Collared Dove	Streptopelia decaocto	Introduced species
Red-eyed Dove	Streptopelia semitorquata
Laughing Dove	Spilopelia senegalensis	Rare/Accidental
Namaqua Dove	Oena capensis	Rare/Accidental
GRUIFORMES: Rallidae
African Crake	Crecopsis egregia	Rare/Accidental
Spotted Crake	Porzana porzana	Rare/Accidental
Lesser Moorhen	Paragallinula angulata	Rare/Accidental
Common Moorhen	Gallinula chloropus
Eurasian Coot	Fulica atra	Rare/Accidental
Allen's Gallinule	Porphyrio alleni	Rare/Accidental
Purple Gallinule	Porphyrio martinica	Rare/Accidental
African Swamphen	Porphyrio madagascariensis	Rare/Accidental
Baillon's Crake	Zapornia pusilla	Rare/Accidental
Little Crake	Zapornia parva
PODICIPEDIFORMES: Podicipedidae
Little Grebe	Tachybaptus ruficollis
PHOENICOPTERIFORMES: Phoenicopteridae
Greater Flamingo	Phoenicopterus roseus	Rare/Accidental
Lesser Flamingo	Phoeniconaias minor	Rare/Accidental Near-threatened
CHARADRIIFORMES: Haematopodidae
Eurasian Oystercatcher	Haematopus ostralegus	Rare/Accidental Near-threatened
CHARADRIIFORMES: Recurvirostridae
Black-winged Stilt	Himantopus himantopus
Pied Avocet	Recurvirostra avosetta
CHARADRIIFORMES: Charadriidae
Grey Plover	Pluvialis squatarola	Vulnerable
European Golden Plover	Pluvialis apricaria	Rare/Accidental
Pacific Golden Plover	Pluvialis fulva	Rare/Accidental
American Golden Plover	Pluvialis dominica	Rare/Accidental
Eurasian Dotterel	Eudromias morinellus	Rare/Accidental
Common Ringed Plover	Charadrius hiaticula
Semipalmated Plover	Charadrius semipalmatus	Rare/Accidental
Little Ringed Plover	Charadrius dubius
Northern Lapwing	Vanellus vanellus	Rare/Accidental Near-threatened
Spur-winged Lapwing	Vanellus spinosus	Rare/Accidental
White-fronted Plover	Anarhynchus marginatus	Rare/Accidental
Kentish Plover	Anarhynchus alexandrinus
CHARADRIIFORMES: Scolopacidae
Upland Sandpiper	Bartramia longicauda	Rare/Accidental
Eurasian Whimbrel	Numenius phaeopus
Hudsonian Whimbrel	Numenius hudsonicus	Rare/Accidental
Eurasian Curlew	Numenius arquata	Rare/Accidental Near-threatened
Bar-tailed Godwit	Limosa lapponica	Near-threatened
Black-tailed Godwit	Limosa limosa	Near-threatened
Short-billed Dowitcher	Limnodromus griseus	Rare/Accidental Vulnerable
Jack Snipe	Lymnocryptes minimus	Rare/Accidental
Eurasian Woodcock	Scolopax rusticola
Great Snipe	Gallinago media	Rare/Accidental Near-threatened
Common Snipe	Gallinago gallinago	Rare/Accidental
Wilson's Snipe	Gallinago delicata	Rare/Accidental
Red Phalarope	Phalaropus fulicarius
Red-necked Phalarope	Phalaropus lobatus	Rare/Accidental
Common Sandpiper	Actitis hypoleucos
Spotted Sandpiper	Actitis macularius	Rare/Accidental
Green Sandpiper	Tringa ochropus
Solitary Sandpiper	Tringa solitaria	Rare/Accidental
Marsh Sandpiper	Tringa stagnatilis	Rare/Accidental
Wood Sandpiper	Tringa glareola
Common Redshank	Tringa totanus
Lesser Yellowlegs	Tringa flavipes	Rare/Accidental Vulnerable
Willet	Tringa semipalmata	Rare/Accidental
Spotted Redshank	Tringa erythropus
Common Greenshank	Tringa nebularia
Greater Yellowlegs	Tringa melanoleuca	Rare/Accidental Near-threatened
Ruddy Turnstone	Arenaria interpres	Near-threatened
Red Knot	Calidris canutus	Near-threatened
Ruff	Calidris pugnax
Stilt Sandpiper	Calidris himantopus	Rare/Accidental Near-threatened
Curlew Sandpiper	Calidris ferruginea	Vulnerable
Temminck's Stint	Calidris temminckii	Rare/Accidental
Buff-breasted Sandpiper	Calidris subruficollis	Rare/Accidental Vulnerable
Sanderling	Calidris alba
Dunlin	Calidris alpina	Near-threatened
Purple Sandpiper	Calidris maritima	Rare/Accidental
Baird's Sandpiper	Calidris bairdii	Rare/Accidental
Little Stint	Calidris minuta
Least Sandpiper	Calidris minutilla	Rare/Accidental Near-threatened
White-rumped Sandpiper	Calidris fuscicollis	Rare/Accidental Vulnerable
Pectoral Sandpiper	Calidris melanotos	Rare/Accidental
Semipalmated Sandpiper	Calidris pusilla	Rare/Accidental Near-threatened
CHARADRIIFORMES: Glareolidae
Cream-colored Courser	Cursorius cursor
Black-winged Pratincole	Glareola nordmanni	Rare/Accidental Near-threatened
Collared Pratincole	Glareola pratincola	Rare/Accidental
CHARADRIIFORMES: Laridae
Sooty Tern	Onychoprion fuscatus	Rare/Accidental
Bridled Tern	Onychoprion anaethetus	Rare/Accidental
Little Tern	Sternula albifrons	Rare/Accidental
Gull-billed Tern	Gelochelidon nilotica	Rare/Accidental
Caspian Tern	Hydroprogne caspia
Whiskered Tern	Chlidonias hybrida	Rare/Accidental
Black Tern	Chlidonias niger	Rare/Accidental
White-winged Tern	Chlidonias leucopterus	Rare/Accidental
Arctic Tern	Sterna paradisaea
Common Tern	Sterna hirundo
Roseate Tern	Sterna dougallii	Rare/Accidental
Sandwich Tern	Thalasseus sandvicensis
West African Crested Tern	Thalasseus albididorsalis	Rare/Accidental
Black-legged Kittiwake	Rissa tridactyla	Rare/Accidental Vulnerable
Sabine's Gull	Xema sabini	Rare/Accidental
Slender-billed Gull	Chroicocephalus genei	Rare/Accidental
Black-headed Gull	Chroicocephalus ridibundus
Grey-headed Gull	Chroicocephalus cirrocephalus	Rare/Accidental
Laughing Gull	Leucophaeus atricilla	Rare/Accidental
Audouin's Gull	Ichthyaetus audouinii	Rare/Accidental Vulnerable
Mediterranean Gull	Ichthyaetus melanocephalus	Rare/Accidental
Ring-billed Gull	Larus delawarensis	Rare/Accidental
Caspian Gull	Larus cachinnans
Yellow-legged Gull	Larus michahellis
Lesser Black-backed Gull	Larus fuscus
CHARADRIIFORMES: Stercorariidae
Long-tailed Jaeger	Stercorarius longicaudus	Rare/Accidental
Parasitic Jaeger	Stercorarius parasiticus
Pomarine Jaeger	Stercorarius pomarinus
Great Skua	Stercorarius skua	Rare/Accidental
CHARADRIIFORMES: Alcidae
Common Murre	Uria aalge
PHAETHONTIFORMES: Phaethontidae
Red-billed Tropicbird	Phaethon aethereus
White-tailed Tropicbird	Phaethon lepturus	Rare/Accidental
PROCELLARIIFORMES: Oceanitidae
Wilson's Storm Petrel	Oceanites oceanicus
White-faced Storm Petrel	Pelagodroma marina
White-bellied Storm Petrel	Fregetta grallaria	Rare/Accidental
PROCELLARIIFORMES: Hydrobatidae
European Storm Petrel	Hydrobates pelagicus
Swinhoe's Storm Petrel	Hydrobates monorhis	Rare/Accidental Near-threatened
Leach's Storm Petrel	Hydrobates leucorhous	Vulnerable
Band-rumped Storm Petrel	Hydrobates castro
Cape Verde Storm Petrel	Hydrobates jabejabe	Endemic
PROCELLARIIFORMES: Procellariidae
Atlantic Petrel	Pterodroma incerta	Rare/Accidental Endangered
Fea's Petrel	Pterodroma feae	Breeding endemic Near-threatened
Black-capped Petrel	Pterodroma hasitata	Rare/Accidental Endangered
Trindade Petrel	Pterodroma arminjoniana	Rare/Accidental Vulnerable
Cory's Shearwater	Calonectris borealis
Scopoli's Shearwater	Calonectris diomedea
Cape Verde Shearwater	Calonectris edwardsii	Breeding endemic Near-threatened
Sooty Shearwater	Ardenna grisea	Rare/Accidental Near-threatened
Great Shearwater	Ardenna gravis
Manx Shearwater	Puffinus puffinus
Balearic Shearwater	Puffinus mauretanicus	Critically endangered
Tropical Shearwater	Puffinus bailloni
Boyd's Shearwater	Puffinus boydi	Breeding endemic
Bulwer's Petrel	Bulweria bulwerii
CICONIIFORMES: Ciconiidae
Black Stork	Ciconia nigra	Rare/Accidental
White Stork	Ciconia ciconia	Rare/Accidental
SULIFORMES: Fregatidae
Ascension Frigatebird	Fregata aquila	Rare/Accidental Vulnerable
Magnificent Frigatebird	Fregata magnificens	Rare/Accidental
SULIFORMES: Sulidae
Northern Gannet	Morus bassanus	Rare/Accidental
Red-footed Booby	Sula sula	Rare/Accidental
Brown Booby	Sula leucogaster
Masked Booby	Sula dactylatra	Rare/Accidental
SULIFORMES: Phalacrocoracidae
Reed Cormorant	Microcarbo africanus	Rare/Accidental
Great Cormorant	Phalacrocorax carbo	Rare/Accidental
PELECANIFORMES: Threskiornithidae
Northern Bald Ibis	Geronticus eremita	Rare/Accidental Endangered
Glossy Ibis	Plegadis falcinellus	Rare/Accidental
Eurasian Spoonbill	Platalea leucorodia
PELECANIFORMES: Ardeidae
Eurasian Bittern	Botaurus stellaris	Rare/Accidental
Dwarf Bittern	Botaurus sturmii	Rare/Accidental
Little Bittern	Botaurus minutus	Rare/Accidental
Black-crowned Night Heron	Nycticorax nycticorax
Black Heron	Egretta ardesiaca	Rare/Accidental
Snowy Egret	Egretta thula	Rare/Accidental
Little Egret	Egretta garzetta
Western Reef Heron	Egretta gularis
Little Heron	Butorides atricapilla	Rare/Accidental
Squacco Heron	Ardeola ralloides
Great Egret	Ardea alba	Rare/Accidental
Yellow-billed Egret	Ardea brachyrhyncha
Western Cattle Egret	Ardea ibis
Grey Heron	Ardea cinerea
Great Blue Heron	Ardea herodias	Rare/Accidental
Purple Heron	Ardea purpurea
Black-headed Heron	Ardea melanocephala	Rare/Accidental
PELECANIFORMES: Pelecanidae
Great White Pelican	Pelecanus onocrotalus	Rare/Accidental
ACCIPITRIFORMES: Pandionidae
Osprey	Pandion haliaetus
ACCIPITRIFORMES: Accipitridae
Egyptian Vulture	Neophron percnopterus	Endangered
European Honey Buzzard	Pernis apivorus	Rare/Accidental
Booted Eagle	Hieraaetus pennatus	Rare/Accidental
Eurasian Sparrowhawk	Accipiter nisus	Rare/Accidental
Pallid Harrier	Circus macrourus	Rare/Accidental Near-threatened
Hen Harrier	Circus cyaneus	Rare/Accidental
Montagu's Harrier	Circus pygargus
Western Marsh Harrier	Circus aeruginosus
Red Kite	Milvus milvus
Black Kite	Milvus migrans
Yellow-billed Kite	Milvus aegyptius
Common Buzzard	Buteo buteo
Cape Verde Buzzard	Buteo bannermani	Endemic
Long-legged Buzzard	Buteo rufinus	Rare/Accidental
STRIGIFORMES: Tytonidae
Western Barn Owl	Tyto alba
STRIGIFORMES: Strigidae
Short-eared Owl	Asio flammeus
BUCEROTIFORMES: Upupidae
Eurasian Hoopoe	Upupa epops	Rare/Accidental
CORACIIFORMES: Coraciidae
Abyssinian Roller	Coracias abyssinicus	Rare/Accidental
European Roller	Coracias garrulus	Rare/Accidental
Broad-billed Roller	Eurystomus glaucurus	Rare/Accidental
CORACIIFORMES: Alcedinidae
Grey-headed Kingfisher	Halcyon leucocephala
Pied Kingfisher	Ceryle rudis	Rare/Accidental
CORACIIFORMES: Meropidae
Blue-cheeked Bee-eater	Merops persicus	Rare/Accidental
European Bee-eater	Merops apiaster	Rare/Accidental
PICIFORMES: Picidae
Eurasian Wryneck	Jynx torquilla	Rare/Accidental
FALCONIFORMES: Falconidae
Lesser Kestrel	Falco naumanni	Rare/Accidental
Common Kestrel	Falco tinnunculus
Amur Falcon	Falco amurensis	Rare/Accidental
Eleonora's Falcon	Falco eleonorae	Rare/Accidental
Eurasian Hobby	Falco subbuteo	Rare/Accidental
Lanner Falcon	Falco biarmicus	Rare/Accidental
Peregrine Falcon	Falco peregrinus
PSITTACIFORMES: Psittaculidae
Rose-ringed Parakeet	Psittacula krameri	Introduced species
PASSERIFORMES: Oriolidae
Eurasian Golden Oriole	Oriolus oriolus	Rare/Accidental
PASSERIFORMES: Laniidae
Great Grey Shrike	Lanius excubitor	Rare/Accidental
Woodchat Shrike	Lanius senator	Rare/Accidental Near-threatened
Red-backed Shrike	Lanius collurio	Rare/Accidental
PASSERIFORMES: Corvidae
Brown-necked Raven	Corvus ruficollis
PASSERIFORMES: Alaudidae
Greater Hoopoe-Lark	Alaemon alaudipes
Thick-billed Lark	Ramphocoris clotbey	Rare/Accidental
Bar-tailed Lark	Ammomanes cinctura
Black-crowned Sparrow-Lark	Eremopterix nigriceps
Raso Lark	Alauda razae	Endemic Critically endangered
Eurasian Skylark	Alauda arvensis	Rare/Accidental
Greater Short-toed Lark	Calandrella brachydactyla	Rare/Accidental
PASSERIFORMES: Hirundinidae
Brown-throated Martin	Riparia paludicola	Rare/Accidental
Sand Martin	Riparia riparia
Eurasian Crag Martin	Ptyonoprogne rupestris	Rare/Accidental
Pale Crag Martin	Ptyonoprogne obsoleta	Rare/Accidental
Barn Swallow	Hirundo rustica
Western House Martin	Delichon urbicum	Rare/Accidental
European Red-rumped Swallow	Cecropis rufula
Preuss's Cliff Swallow	Petrochelidon preussi	Rare/Accidental
PASSERIFORMES: Phylloscopidae
Western Bonelli's Warbler	Phylloscopus bonelli	Rare/Accidental
Yellow-browed Warbler	Phylloscopus inornatus	Rare/Accidental
Willow Warbler	Phylloscopus trochilus	Rare/Accidental
Common Chiffchaff	Phylloscopus collybita	Rare/Accidental
Iberian Chiffchaff	Phylloscopus ibericus	Rare/Accidental
PASSERIFORMES: Acrocephalidae
Cape Verde Warbler	Acrocephalus brevipennis	Endemic Vulnerable
Sedge Warbler	Acrocephalus schoenobaenus	Rare/Accidental
Common Reed Warbler	Acrocephalus scirpaceus	Rare/Accidental
Eastern Olivaceous Warbler	Iduna pallida	Rare/Accidental
Western Olivaceous Warbler	Iduna opaca	Rare/Accidental
Melodious Warbler	Hippolais polyglotta	Rare/Accidental
Icterine Warbler	Hippolais icterina	Rare/Accidental
PASSERIFORMES: Locustellidae
Savi's Warbler	Locustella luscinioides	Rare/Accidental
Common Grasshopper Warbler	Locustella naevia	Rare/Accidental
PASSERIFORMES: Sylviidae
Eurasian Blackcap	Sylvia atricapilla
Garden Warbler	Sylvia borin	Rare/Accidental
Lesser Whitethroat	Curruca curruca	Rare/Accidental
African Desert Warbler	Curruca deserti	Rare/Accidental
Sardinian Warbler	Curruca melanocephala	Rare/Accidental
Western Subalpine Warbler	Curruca iberiae	Rare/Accidental
Common Whitethroat	Curruca communis	Rare/Accidental
Spectacled Warbler	Curruca conspicillata
PASSERIFORMES: Sturnidae
Rosy Starling	Pastor roseus	Rare/Accidental
Common Starling	Sturnus vulgaris	Rare/Accidental
PASSERIFORMES: Turdidae
Song Thrush	Turdus philomelos	Rare/Accidental
Redwing	Turdus iliacus	Rare/Accidental
PASSERIFORMES: Muscicapidae
Spotted Flycatcher	Muscicapa striata	Rare/Accidental
European Robin	Erithacus rubecula	Rare/Accidental
Common Nightingale	Luscinia megarhynchos	Rare/Accidental
Bluethroat	Luscinia svecica	Rare/Accidental
European Pied Flycatcher	Ficedula hypoleuca	Rare/Accidental
Black Redstart	Phoenicurus ochruros	Rare/Accidental
Common Redstart	Phoenicurus phoenicurus	Rare/Accidental
Whinchat	Saxicola rubetra	Rare/Accidental
Northern Wheatear	Oenanthe oenanthe	Rare/Accidental
Isabelline Wheatear	Oenanthe isabellina	Rare/Accidental
Desert Wheatear	Oenanthe deserti	Rare/Accidental
White-crowned Wheatear	Oenanthe leucopyga	Rare/Accidental
PASSERIFORMES: Passeridae
Spanish Sparrow	Passer hispaniolensis
House Sparrow	Passer domesticus	Introduced species
Iago Sparrow	Passer iagoensis	Endemic
Sudan Golden Sparrow	Passer luteus	Rare/Accidental
PASSERIFORMES: Ploceidae
Red-billed Quelea	Quelea quelea	Uncertain origin
Yellow-crowned Bishop	Euplectes afer	Uncertain origin
PASSERIFORMES: Estrildidae
Common Waxbill	Estrilda astrild	Introduced species
Red-billed Firefinch	Lagonosticta senegala
PASSERIFORMES: Motacillidae
Western Yellow Wagtail	Motacilla flava	Rare/Accidental
Citrine Wagtail	Motacilla citreola	Rare/Accidental
Grey Wagtail	Motacilla cinerea	Rare/Accidental
White Wagtail	Motacilla alba
Tawny Pipit	Anthus campestris	Rare/Accidental
Meadow Pipit	Anthus pratensis	Rare/Accidental
Tree Pipit	Anthus trivialis
Olive-backed Pipit	Anthus hodgsoni	Rare/Accidental
Red-throated Pipit	Anthus cervinus	Rare/Accidental
PASSERIFORMES: Fringillidae
Trumpeter Finch	Bucanetes githagineus	Rare/Accidental
European Goldfinch	Carduelis carduelis
PASSERIFORMES: Emberizidae
Striolated Bunting	Emberiza striolata	Rare/Accidental

References (partial list)