Welcome Guest
Hosted by Birds Canada - Oiseaux Canada

Avibase - Bird Checklists of the World

Cook Islands

Birdlife Logo

This checklist includes all bird species found in Cook Islands , 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 Howard and Moore 4th edition (incl. corrigenda vol.1-2). 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.

© Denis Lepage 2025

Go back to Bird Checklists of the World
Go back to Bird Links to the World

Change display options:

See more checklists for Cook Islands

You must be logged in to view your sighting details. To register to myAvibase click here.

Listen to random bird songs from Xeno-Canto for this region:

Recordings not starting automatically? Try enabling autoplay in your browser, or click the play button below.

Country or region: Cook Islands [map]

Number of species: 91
Number of endemics: 5
Number of globally threatened species: 13
Number of extinct species: 1
Number of introduced species: 5
Date last reviewed: 2017-12-26
Last modified: 2024-11-27
See also: http://cookislands.bishopmuseum.org
Text only
Photos & sounds
PDF (wide)
PDF (compact)
Recent additions
Hypotheticals

 
ANSERIFORMES: Anatidae

Australian ShelduckTadorna tadornoidesRare/Accidental
Pacific Black DuckAnas superciliosa
Chinese Spot-billed DuckAnas zonorhyncha
MallardAnas platyrhynchosRare/Accidental
Northern PintailAnas acutaRare/Accidental

 
GALLIFORMES: Numididae

Helmeted GuineafowlNumida meleagrisExtirpated

 
GALLIFORMES: Phasianidae

Red JunglefowlGallus gallusIntroduced species
Wild TurkeyMeleagris gallopavoExtirpated

 
COLUMBIFORMES: Columbidae

Rock DoveColumba liviaIntroduced species
Polynesian Ground DoveAlopecoenas erythropterusExtirpated Critically endangered
Pacific Imperial PigeonDucula pacifica
Nuku Hiva Imperial PigeonDucula galeataExtirpated Endangered
Cook Islands Fruit DovePtilinopus rarotongensisEndemic Near-threatened

 
PHAETHONTIFORMES: Phaethontidae

Red-tailed TropicbirdPhaethon rubricauda
White-tailed TropicbirdPhaethon lepturus

 
CAPRIMULGIFORMES: Apodidae

Polynesian SwiftletAerodramus leucophaeus

 
CUCULIFORMES: Cuculidae

Long-tailed KoelUrodynamis taitensis

 
GRUIFORMES: Rallidae

Spotless CrakeZapornia tabuensisRare/Accidental

 
PROCELLARIIFORMES: Oceanitidae

Wilson's Storm-petrelOceanites oceanicusRare/Accidental
White-faced Storm-petrelPelagodroma marinaRare/Accidental
White-bellied Storm-petrelFregetta grallaria
Polynesian Storm-petrelNesofregetta fuliginosaEndangered

 
PROCELLARIIFORMES: Diomedeidae

Royal AlbatrossDiomedea epomophora
Wandering AlbatrossDiomedea exulansRare/Accidental
Black-browed AlbatrossThalassarche melanophrisRare/Accidental

 
PROCELLARIIFORMES: Hydrobatidae

Leach's Storm-petrelHydrobates leucorhousRare/Accidental

 
PROCELLARIIFORMES: Procellariidae

Northern Giant PetrelMacronectes halliRare/Accidental
Southern Giant PetrelMacronectes giganteusRare/Accidental
Cape PetrelDaption capense
Gould's PetrelPterodroma leucopteraVulnerable
Collared PetrelPterodroma brevipesVulnerable
Cook's PetrelPterodroma cookiiRare/Accidental Vulnerable
Black-winged PetrelPterodroma nigripennis
Murphy's PetrelPterodroma ultima
Kermadec PetrelPterodroma neglectaRare/Accidental
Herald PetrelPterodroma arminjoniana
Phoenix PetrelPterodroma albaRare/Accidental Vulnerable
Mottled PetrelPterodroma inexpectataNear-threatened
White-necked PetrelPterodroma cervicalisRare/Accidental Vulnerable
Wedge-tailed ShearwaterArdenna pacificaRare/Accidental
Buller's ShearwaterArdenna bulleriVulnerable
Short-tailed ShearwaterArdenna tenuirostris
Sooty ShearwaterArdenna griseaNear-threatened
Christmas ShearwaterPuffinus nativitatis
Tropical ShearwaterPuffinus bailloni
Tahiti PetrelPseudobulweria rostrataNear-threatened
Bulwer's PetrelBulweria bulwerii

 
PELECANIFORMES: Ardeidae

Striated HeronButorides striataRare/Accidental
Pacific Reef EgretEgretta sacra

 
PELECANIFORMES: Fregatidae

Lesser FrigatebirdFregata ariel
Great FrigatebirdFregata minor

 
PELECANIFORMES: Sulidae

Red-footed BoobySula sula
Brown BoobySula leucogaster
Masked BoobySula dactylatra

 
CHARADRIIFORMES: Charadriidae

Grey PloverPluvialis squatarolaVulnerable
Pacific Golden PloverPluvialis fulva
Semipalmated PloverCharadrius semipalmatusRare/Accidental
Masked LapwingVanellus milesRare/Accidental

 
CHARADRIIFORMES: Scolopacidae

Bristle-thighed CurlewNumenius tahitiensisNear-threatened
WhimbrelNumenius phaeopusRare/Accidental
Bar-tailed GodwitLimosa lapponicaRare/Accidental Near-threatened
Ruddy TurnstoneArenaria interpresNear-threatened
SanderlingCalidris alba
Pectoral SandpiperCalidris melanotosRare/Accidental
Common SandpiperActitis hypoleucosRare/Accidental
Spotted SandpiperActitis maculariusRare/Accidental
Grey-tailed TattlerTringa brevipes
Wandering TattlerTringa incana

 
CHARADRIIFORMES: Stercorariidae

Arctic SkuaStercorarius parasiticusRare/Accidental

 
CHARADRIIFORMES: Laridae

Brown NoddyAnous stolidus
Black NoddyAnous minutusRare/Accidental
Blue NoddyProcelsterna cerulea
Grey NoddyProcelsterna albivitta
Atoll TernGygis alba
Laughing GullLeucophaeus atricillaRare/Accidental
Sooty TernOnychoprion fuscatus
Grey-backed TernOnychoprion lunatus
Black-naped TernSterna sumatrana
Common TernSterna hirundo
Greater Crested TernThalasseus bergiiRare/Accidental

 
ACCIPITRIFORMES: Accipitridae

Eastern Marsh HarrierCircus spilonotusRare/Accidental

 
CORACIIFORMES: Alcedinidae

Chattering KingfisherTodiramphus tutus

 
PSITTACIFORMES: Psittaculidae

Rimatara LorikeetVini kuhliiIntroduced species Endangered
Blue LorikeetVini peruvianaIntroduced species Vulnerable

 
PASSERIFORMES: Monarchidae

Rarotonga MonarchPomarea dimidiataEndemic Vulnerable

 
PASSERIFORMES: Estrildidae

Chestnut-breasted MannikinLonchura castaneothorax

 
PASSERIFORMES: Acrocephalidae

Cook Islands WarblerAcrocephalus kerearakoEndemic

 
PASSERIFORMES: Sturnidae

Common MynaAcridotheres tristisIntroduced species
Jungle MynaAcridotheres fuscusRare/Accidental
Rarotonga StarlingAplonis cinerascensEndemic Near-threatened
Mysterious StarlingAplonis mavornataEndemic Extinct

 

References (partial list)

Avibase has been visited 412,207,859 times since 24 June 2003. © Denis Lepage | Privacy policy