Cook Islands bird checklist - Avibase - Bird Checklists of the World

Avibase - Bird Checklists of the World

Cook Islands

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 Clements, version 2022. 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: Cook Islands [map]

Number of species: 90
Number of endemics: 7
Number of globally threatened species: 14
Number of extinct species: 1
Number of introduced species: 3
Date last reviewed: 2017-12-26
Last modified: 2022-09-22
See also: http://cookislands.bishopmuseum.org

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ANSERIFORMES: Anatidae
Pacific Black Duck	Anas superciliosa
Eastern Spot-billed Duck	Anas zonorhyncha
Mallard	Anas platyrhynchos	Rare/Accidental
Northern Pintail	Anas acuta	Rare/Accidental
GALLIFORMES: Numididae
Helmeted Guineafowl	Numida meleagris	Extirpated
GALLIFORMES: Phasianidae
Wild Turkey	Meleagris gallopavo	Extirpated
Red Junglefowl	Gallus gallus	Introduced species
COLUMBIFORMES: Columbidae
Rock Pigeon	Columba livia
Polynesian Ground Dove	Alopecoenas erythropterus	Extirpated Critically endangered
Cook Islands Fruit-Dove	Ptilinopus rarotongensis	Endemic Near-threatened
Pacific Imperial-Pigeon	Ducula pacifica
Marquesas Imperial-Pigeon	Ducula galeata	Extirpated Endangered
CUCULIFORMES: Cuculidae
Long-tailed Koel	Urodynamis taitensis
CAPRIMULGIFORMES: Apodidae
Atiu Swiftlet	Aerodramus sawtelli	Endemic Vulnerable
GRUIFORMES: Rallidae
Spotless Crake	Zapornia tabuensis	Rare/Accidental
CHARADRIIFORMES: Charadriidae
Black-bellied Plover	Pluvialis squatarola
Pacific Golden-Plover	Pluvialis fulva
Masked Lapwing	Vanellus miles	Rare/Accidental
CHARADRIIFORMES: Scolopacidae
Bristle-thighed Curlew	Numenius tahitiensis	Near-threatened
Whimbrel	Numenius phaeopus	Rare/Accidental
Bar-tailed Godwit	Limosa lapponica	Rare/Accidental Near-threatened
Ruddy Turnstone	Arenaria interpres
Sanderling	Calidris alba
Pectoral Sandpiper	Calidris melanotos	Rare/Accidental
Common Sandpiper	Actitis hypoleucos	Rare/Accidental
Spotted Sandpiper	Actitis macularius	Rare/Accidental
Gray-tailed Tattler	Tringa brevipes	Near-threatened
Wandering Tattler	Tringa incana
CHARADRIIFORMES: Stercorariidae
Parasitic Jaeger	Stercorarius parasiticus	Rare/Accidental
CHARADRIIFORMES: Laridae
Laughing Gull	Leucophaeus atricilla	Rare/Accidental
Brown Noddy	Anous stolidus
Black Noddy	Anous minutus	Rare/Accidental
Gray Noddy	Anous albivitta
Blue-gray Noddy	Anous ceruleus
White Tern	Gygis alba
Sooty Tern	Onychoprion fuscatus
Gray-backed Tern	Onychoprion lunatus
Black-naped Tern	Sterna sumatrana
Common Tern	Sterna hirundo
Great Crested Tern	Thalasseus bergii	Rare/Accidental
PHAETHONTIFORMES: Phaethontidae
White-tailed Tropicbird	Phaethon lepturus
Red-tailed Tropicbird	Phaethon rubricauda
PROCELLARIIFORMES: Diomedeidae
Black-browed Albatross	Thalassarche melanophris	Rare/Accidental
Royal Albatross	Diomedea epomophora
Wandering Albatross	Diomedea exulans	Rare/Accidental
PROCELLARIIFORMES: Oceanitidae
Wilson's Storm-Petrel	Oceanites oceanicus	Rare/Accidental
White-faced Storm-Petrel	Pelagodroma marina	Rare/Accidental
White-bellied Storm-Petrel	Fregetta grallaria
Polynesian Storm-Petrel	Nesofregetta fuliginosa	Endangered
PROCELLARIIFORMES: Hydrobatidae
Leach's Storm-Petrel	Hydrobates leucorhous	Rare/Accidental Vulnerable
PROCELLARIIFORMES: Procellariidae
Southern Giant-Petrel	Macronectes giganteus	Rare/Accidental
Northern Giant-Petrel	Macronectes halli	Rare/Accidental
Cape Petrel	Daption capense
Kermadec Petrel	Pterodroma neglecta	Rare/Accidental
Herald Petrel	Pterodroma heraldica
Murphy's Petrel	Pterodroma ultima
Mottled Petrel	Pterodroma inexpectata	Near-threatened
White-necked Petrel	Pterodroma cervicalis	Rare/Accidental
Black-winged Petrel	Pterodroma nigripennis
Cook's Petrel	Pterodroma cookii	Rare/Accidental Vulnerable
Gould's Petrel	Pterodroma leucoptera	Vulnerable
Collared Petrel	Pterodroma brevipes	Vulnerable
Phoenix Petrel	Pterodroma alba	Rare/Accidental Vulnerable
Bulwer's Petrel	Bulweria bulwerii
Tahiti Petrel	Pseudobulweria rostrata	Near-threatened
Wedge-tailed Shearwater	Ardenna pacifica	Rare/Accidental
Buller's Shearwater	Ardenna bulleri	Vulnerable
Sooty Shearwater	Ardenna grisea	Near-threatened
Short-tailed Shearwater	Ardenna tenuirostris
Christmas Shearwater	Puffinus nativitatis
Tropical Shearwater	Puffinus bailloni
SULIFORMES: Fregatidae
Lesser Frigatebird	Fregata ariel
Great Frigatebird	Fregata minor
SULIFORMES: Sulidae
Masked Booby	Sula dactylatra
Brown Booby	Sula leucogaster
Red-footed Booby	Sula sula
PELECANIFORMES: Ardeidae
Pacific Reef-Heron	Egretta sacra
Striated Heron	Butorides striata	Rare/Accidental
ACCIPITRIFORMES: Accipitridae
Eastern Marsh-Harrier	Circus spilonotus	Rare/Accidental
CORACIIFORMES: Alcedinidae
Mewing Kingfisher	Todiramphus ruficollaris	Endemic
Chattering Kingfisher	Todiramphus tutus	Near-threatened
PSITTACIFORMES: Psittaculidae
Kuhl's Lorikeet	Vini kuhlii	Introduced species Endangered
Blue Lorikeet	Vini peruviana	Vulnerable
PASSERIFORMES: Monarchidae
Rarotonga Monarch	Pomarea dimidiata	Endemic Vulnerable
PASSERIFORMES: Acrocephalidae
Cook Islands Reed Warbler	Acrocephalus kerearako	Endemic Near-threatened
PASSERIFORMES: Sturnidae
Rarotonga Starling	Aplonis cinerascens	Endemic Vulnerable
Mysterious Starling	Aplonis mavornata	Endemic Extinct
Common Myna	Acridotheres tristis	Introduced species
Jungle Myna	Acridotheres fuscus	Rare/Accidental
PASSERIFORMES: Estrildidae
Chestnut-breasted Munia	Lonchura castaneothorax

References (partial list)