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Sao Tome and Principe

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This checklist includes all bird species found in Sao Tome and Principe , 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 Clements, version 2024. 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

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Country or region: Sao Tome and Principe [map]

Other names: São Tomé and Príncipe

Number of species: 182
Number of endemics: 26
Number of globally threatened species: 19
Number of introduced species: 15
Date last reviewed: 2013-02-21
Last modified: 2024-11-27
See also: https://www.africanbirdclub.org/countries/checklists/download
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ANSERIFORMES: Anatidae

Fulvous Whistling-DuckDendrocygna bicolor
Knob-billed DuckSarkidiornis melanotos
African Pygmy-GooseNettapus auritusRare/Accidental

 
GALLIFORMES: Numididae

Helmeted GuineafowlNumida meleagrisIntroduced species

 
GALLIFORMES: Phasianidae

Harlequin QuailCoturnix delegorguei
Scaly SpurfowlPternistis squamatus
Red-necked SpurfowlPternistis aferIntroduced species

 
COLUMBIFORMES: Columbidae

Rock PigeonColumba livia
Rameron PigeonColumba arquatrix
Maroon PigeonColumba thomensisEndemic Endangered
Sao Tome PigeonColumba malherbiiEndemic (country/region) Near-threatened
Lemon DoveAplopelia larvata
Laughing DoveSpilopelia senegalensisIntroduced species
Sao Tome Green-PigeonTreron sanctithomaeEndemic Endangered
African Green-PigeonTreron calvus

 
CUCULIFORMES: Cuculidae

Great Spotted CuckooClamator glandarius
Pied CuckooClamator jacobinus
Klaas's CuckooChrysococcyx klaas
African Emerald CuckooChrysococcyx cupreus
Common CuckooCuculus canorus

 
APODIFORMES: Apodidae

Sao Tome SpinetailZoonavena thomensisEndemic
Common SwiftApus apusRare/Accidental
Pallid SwiftApus pallidusRare/Accidental
Little SwiftApus affinis
African Palm SwiftCypsiurus parvus

 
GRUIFORMES: Rallidae

African RailRallus caerulescens
African CrakeCrecopsis egregia
Lesser MoorhenParagallinula angulata
Eurasian MoorhenGallinula chloropus
Allen's GallinulePorphyrio alleniRare/Accidental

 
CHARADRIIFORMES: Burhinidae

Eurasian Thick-kneeBurhinus oedicnemusRare/Accidental

 
CHARADRIIFORMES: Charadriidae

Black-bellied PloverPluvialis squatarolaVulnerable
European Golden-PloverPluvialis apricaria
American Golden-PloverPluvialis dominica
Common Ringed PloverCharadrius hiaticulaRare/Accidental
Little Ringed PloverThinornis dubius
Spur-winged LapwingVanellus spinosusRare/Accidental
Greater Sand-PloverAnarhynchus leschenaultiiRare/Accidental
White-fronted PloverAnarhynchus marginatus

 
CHARADRIIFORMES: Scolopacidae

WhimbrelNumenius phaeopus
Eurasian CurlewNumenius arquataNear-threatened
Bar-tailed GodwitLimosa lapponicaNear-threatened
Common SandpiperActitis hypoleucos
Green SandpiperTringa ochropus
Marsh SandpiperTringa stagnatilis
Wood SandpiperTringa glareola
Common GreenshankTringa nebularia
Ruddy TurnstoneArenaria interpresNear-threatened
Red KnotCalidris canutusRare/Accidental Near-threatened
RuffCalidris pugnaxRare/Accidental
Curlew SandpiperCalidris ferrugineaVulnerable
SanderlingCalidris albaRare/Accidental
Little StintCalidris minuta
Pectoral SandpiperCalidris melanotos

 
CHARADRIIFORMES: Glareolidae

Black-winged PratincoleGlareola nordmanniNear-threatened

 
CHARADRIIFORMES: Stercorariidae

Parasitic JaegerStercorarius parasiticusRare/Accidental
Pomarine JaegerStercorarius pomarinus

 
CHARADRIIFORMES: Laridae

Sabine's GullXema sabiniRare/Accidental
Franklin's GullLeucophaeus pipixcanRare/Accidental
African SkimmerRynchops flavirostrisRare/Accidental
Brown NoddyAnous stolidus
Black NoddyAnous minutus
Sooty TernOnychoprion fuscatus
Bridled TernOnychoprion anaethetus
Black TernChlidonias nigerRare/Accidental
White-winged TernChlidonias leucopterus
Arctic TernSterna paradisaeaRare/Accidental
Sandwich TernThalasseus sandvicensis
West African Crested TernThalasseus albididorsalisRare/Accidental

 
PHOENICOPTERIFORMES: Phoenicopteridae

Greater FlamingoPhoenicopterus roseus
Lesser FlamingoPhoeniconaias minorNear-threatened

 
PHAETHONTIFORMES: Phaethontidae

White-tailed TropicbirdPhaethon lepturus
Red-billed TropicbirdPhaethon aethereusRare/Accidental

 
PROCELLARIIFORMES: Oceanitidae

Wilson's Storm-PetrelOceanites oceanicus

 
PROCELLARIIFORMES: Hydrobatidae

European Storm-PetrelHydrobates pelagicus
Band-rumped Storm-PetrelHydrobates castro

 
PROCELLARIIFORMES: Procellariidae

Great ShearwaterArdenna gravis
Sooty ShearwaterArdenna griseaNear-threatened

 
CICONIIFORMES: Ciconiidae

White StorkCiconia ciconia
Yellow-billed StorkMycteria ibisRare/Accidental

 
SULIFORMES: Fregatidae

Ascension FrigatebirdFregata aquilaRare/Accidental Vulnerable
Magnificent FrigatebirdFregata magnificensRare/Accidental

 
SULIFORMES: Sulidae

Cape GannetMorus capensisEndangered
Red-footed BoobySula sulaRare/Accidental
Brown BoobySula leucogaster
Masked BoobySula dactylatra

 
SULIFORMES: Phalacrocoracidae

Reed CormorantMicrocarbo africanus

 
PELECANIFORMES: Threskiornithidae

Olive IbisBostrychia olivacea
Sao Tome IbisBostrychia bocageiEndemic Critically endangered

 
PELECANIFORMES: Ardeidae

Little BitternBotaurus minutus
Black HeronEgretta ardesiaca
Little EgretEgretta garzetta
Western Reef-HeronEgretta gularis
Striated HeronButorides striata
Squacco HeronArdeola ralloidesRare/Accidental
Western Cattle-EgretArdea ibis
Great EgretArdea albaRare/Accidental
Yellow-billed EgretArdea brachyrhynchaRare/Accidental
Gray HeronArdea cinerea
Purple HeronArdea purpurea
Black-headed HeronArdea melanocephalaRare/Accidental

 
ACCIPITRIFORMES: Pandionidae

OspreyPandion haliaetusRare/Accidental

 
ACCIPITRIFORMES: Accipitridae

Palm-nut VultureGypohierax angolensis
White-backed VultureGyps africanusRare/Accidental Critically endangered
Black KiteMilvus migrans

 
STRIGIFORMES: Tytonidae

Western Barn OwlTyto alba

 
STRIGIFORMES: Strigidae

Principe Scops-OwlOtus bikegilaEndemic Critically endangered
Sao Tome Scops-OwlOtus hartlaubiEndemic Vulnerable
African Scops-OwlOtus senegalensis

 
CORACIIFORMES: Alcedinidae

Malachite KingfisherCorythornis cristatus
White-bellied KingfisherCorythornis leucogaster
Blue-breasted KingfisherHalcyon malimbica
Pied KingfisherCeryle rudis

 
CORACIIFORMES: Coraciidae

European RollerCoracias garrulus
Broad-billed RollerEurystomus glaucurusRare/Accidental

 
FALCONIFORMES: Falconidae

Red-footed FalconFalco vespertinusVulnerable
Eurasian HobbyFalco subbuteoRare/Accidental
Lanner FalconFalco biarmicusRare/Accidental
Peregrine FalconFalco peregrinus

 
PSITTACIFORMES: Psittaculidae

Red-headed LovebirdAgapornis pullariusIntroduced species

 
PSITTACIFORMES: Psittacidae

Gray ParrotPsittacus erithacusEndangered

 
PASSERIFORMES: Oriolidae

Eurasian Golden OrioleOriolus oriolusRare/Accidental
Sao Tome OrioleOriolus crassirostrisEndemic Vulnerable

 
PASSERIFORMES: Dicruridae

Fork-tailed DrongoDicrurus adsimilis
Velvet-mantled DrongoDicrurus modestus

 
PASSERIFORMES: Monarchidae

Sao Tome Paradise-FlycatcherTerpsiphone atrochalybeiaEndemic
Black-headed Paradise-FlycatcherTerpsiphone rufiventer

 
PASSERIFORMES: Laniidae

Lesser Gray ShrikeLanius minor
Newton's FiscalLanius newtoniEndemic Critically endangered

 
PASSERIFORMES: Cisticolidae

Sao Tome PriniaPrinia molleriEndemic

 
PASSERIFORMES: Acrocephalidae

Sedge WarblerAcrocephalus schoenobaenusRare/Accidental
Great Reed WarblerAcrocephalus arundinaceusRare/Accidental

 
PASSERIFORMES: Hirundinidae

Gray-rumped SwallowPseudhirundo griseopygaRare/Accidental
Banded MartinNeophedina cincta
Bank SwallowRiparia ripariaRare/Accidental
Barn SwallowHirundo rustica
Western House-MartinDelichon urbicum

 
PASSERIFORMES: Phylloscopidae

Willow WarblerPhylloscopus trochilusRare/Accidental

 
PASSERIFORMES: Sylviidae

Garden WarblerSylvia borinRare/Accidental
Dohrn's Thrush-BabblerSylvia dohrni

 
PASSERIFORMES: Zosteropidae

Principe White-eyeZosterops ficedulinusEndemic Endangered
Sao Tome White-eyeZosterops feaeEndemic Near-threatened
Black-capped SpeiropsZosterops lugubrisEndemic
Principe SpeiropsZosterops leucophaeusEndemic

 
PASSERIFORMES: Sturnidae

Chestnut-winged StarlingOnychognathus fulgidus
Splendid StarlingLamprotornis splendidus
Principe StarlingLamprotornis ornatusEndemic

 
PASSERIFORMES: Turdidae

Principe ThrushTurdus xanthorhynchusEndemic Critically endangered
Sao Tome ThrushTurdus olivaceofuscusEndemic

 
PASSERIFORMES: Muscicapidae

Spotted FlycatcherMuscicapa striata
Common NightingaleLuscinia megarhynchosRare/Accidental
Collared FlycatcherFicedula albicollisRare/Accidental
WhinchatSaxicola rubetraRare/Accidental

 
PASSERIFORMES: Nectariniidae

Principe SunbirdAnabathmis hartlaubiiEndemic
Newton's SunbirdAnabathmis newtoniiEndemic
Sao Tome SunbirdDreptes thomensisEndemic Vulnerable
Olive SunbirdCyanomitra olivacea

 
PASSERIFORMES: Ploceidae

Principe Golden-WeaverPloceus princepsEndemic
Southern Masked-WeaverPloceus velatusIntroduced species
Village WeaverPloceus cucullatusIntroduced species
Giant WeaverPloceus grandisEndemic Near-threatened
Black-headed WeaverPloceus melanocephalus
Sao Tome WeaverPloceus sanctithomaeEndemic
Red-headed QueleaQuelea erythrops
Black-winged BishopEuplectes hordeaceusIntroduced species
Golden-backed BishopEuplectes aureusIntroduced species
White-winged WidowbirdEuplectes albonotatusIntroduced species

 
PASSERIFORMES: Estrildidae

Bronze MannikinSpermestes cucullataIntroduced species
Chestnut-breasted NigritaNigrita bicolor
Common WaxbillEstrilda astrildIntroduced species
Southern CordonbleuUraeginthus angolensisIntroduced species

 
PASSERIFORMES: Viduidae

Pin-tailed WhydahVidua macrouraIntroduced species
Eastern Paradise-WhydahVidua paradisaeaIntroduced species

 
PASSERIFORMES: Passeridae

House SparrowPasser domesticusRare/Accidental

 
PASSERIFORMES: Motacillidae

Sao Tome Short-tailMotacilla bocagiiEndemic Vulnerable
Western Yellow WagtailMotacilla flavaRare/Accidental
African Pied WagtailMotacilla aguimp
White WagtailMotacilla albaRare/Accidental
Plain-backed PipitAnthus leucophrysRare/Accidental
Tree PipitAnthus trivialisRare/Accidental

 
PASSERIFORMES: Fringillidae

Yellow-fronted CanaryCrithagra mozambicaIntroduced species
Principe SeedeaterCrithagra rufobrunneaEndemic
Sao Tome GrosbeakCrithagra concolorEndemic Critically endangered

 

References (partial list)

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