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.
© Denis Lepage 2023
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Country or region: Cook Islands [map]
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Pacific Black Duck | Anas superciliosa | |
Eastern Spot-billed Duck | Anas zonorhyncha | |
Mallard | Anas platyrhynchos | Rare/Accidental |
Northern Pintail | Anas acuta | Rare/Accidental |
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Helmeted Guineafowl | Numida meleagris | Extirpated |
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Wild Turkey | Meleagris gallopavo | Extirpated |
Red Junglefowl | Gallus gallus | Introduced species |
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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 |
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Long-tailed Koel | Urodynamis taitensis | |
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Atiu Swiftlet | Aerodramus sawtelli | Endemic Vulnerable |
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Spotless Crake | Zapornia tabuensis | Rare/Accidental |
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Black-bellied Plover | Pluvialis squatarola | |
Pacific Golden-Plover | Pluvialis fulva | |
Masked Lapwing | Vanellus miles | Rare/Accidental |
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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 | |
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Parasitic Jaeger | Stercorarius parasiticus | Rare/Accidental |
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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 |
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White-tailed Tropicbird | Phaethon lepturus | |
Red-tailed Tropicbird | Phaethon rubricauda | |
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Black-browed Albatross | Thalassarche melanophris | Rare/Accidental |
Royal Albatross | Diomedea epomophora | |
Wandering Albatross | Diomedea exulans | Rare/Accidental |
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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 |
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Leach's Storm-Petrel | Hydrobates leucorhous | Rare/Accidental Vulnerable |
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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 | |
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Lesser Frigatebird | Fregata ariel | |
Great Frigatebird | Fregata minor | |
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Masked Booby | Sula dactylatra | |
Brown Booby | Sula leucogaster | |
Red-footed Booby | Sula sula | |
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Pacific Reef-Heron | Egretta sacra | |
Striated Heron | Butorides striata | Rare/Accidental |
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Eastern Marsh-Harrier | Circus spilonotus | Rare/Accidental |
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Mewing Kingfisher | Todiramphus ruficollaris | Endemic |
Chattering Kingfisher | Todiramphus tutus | Near-threatened |
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Kuhl's Lorikeet | Vini kuhlii | Introduced species Endangered |
Blue Lorikeet | Vini peruviana | Vulnerable |
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Rarotonga Monarch | Pomarea dimidiata | Endemic Vulnerable |
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Cook Islands Reed Warbler | Acrocephalus kerearako | Endemic Near-threatened |
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Rarotonga Starling | Aplonis cinerascens | Endemic Vulnerable |
Mysterious Starling | Aplonis mavornata | Endemic Extinct |
Common Myna | Acridotheres tristis | Introduced species |
Jungle Myna | Acridotheres fuscus | Rare/Accidental |
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Chestnut-breasted Munia | Lonchura castaneothorax |
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