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 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.

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

Change display options:

Select another taxonomy:

Select another second language:

Select another region:

See more checklists for Cape Verde

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: exclude rare species limit to recordings made in this region

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

Country or region: Cape Verde [map]

Other names: Republic of Cabo Verde

Number of species: 289
Number of endemics: 5
Number of breeding endemics: 3
Number of globally threatened species: 14
Number of introduced species: 5
Date last reviewed: 2020-08-23
Last modified: 2022-12-24
See also: https://www.africanbirdclub.org/countries/checklists/download

Text only

Photos & sounds

PDF (wide)

PDF (compact)

Recent additions

Hypotheticals

ANSERIFORMES: Anatidae
White-faced Whistling-Duck	Dendrocygna viduata
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
Green-winged Teal	Anas crecca
Marbled Teal	Marmaronetta angustirostris
Common Pochard	Aythya ferina	Rare/Accidental
Ring-necked Duck	Aythya collaris	Rare/Accidental
Ferruginous Duck	Aythya nyroca	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
PHOENICOPTERIFORMES: Phoenicopteridae
Greater Flamingo	Phoenicopterus roseus	Rare/Accidental
PODICIPEDIFORMES: Podicipedidae
Little Grebe	Tachybaptus ruficollis
COLUMBIFORMES: Columbidae
Rock Pigeon	Columba livia
Common Wood-Pigeon	Columba palumbus	Rare/Accidental
European Turtle-Dove	Streptopelia turtur
Eurasian Collared-Dove	Streptopelia decaocto	Introduced species
Red-eyed Dove	Streptopelia semitorquata
Laughing Dove	Spilopelia senegalensis	Rare/Accidental
Namaqua Dove	Oena capensis	Rare/Accidental
CUCULIFORMES: Cuculidae
Great Spotted Cuckoo	Clamator glandarius	Rare/Accidental
Common Cuckoo	Cuculus canorus
CAPRIMULGIFORMES: Caprimulgidae
Eurasian Nightjar	Caprimulgus europaeus	Rare/Accidental
CAPRIMULGIFORMES: Apodidae
Alpine Swift	Apus melba	Rare/Accidental
Alexander's Swift	Apus alexandri	Endemic
Common Swift	Apus apus
Plain Swift	Apus unicolor	Rare/Accidental
Pallid Swift	Apus pallidus	Rare/Accidental
African Swift	Apus barbatus	Rare/Accidental
Little Swift	Apus affinis	Rare/Accidental
GRUIFORMES: Rallidae
African Crake	Crex egregia	Rare/Accidental
Spotted Crake	Porzana porzana	Rare/Accidental
Lesser Moorhen	Paragallinula angulata	Rare/Accidental
Eurasian Moorhen	Gallinula chloropus
Eurasian Coot	Fulica atra	Rare/Accidental
Allen's Gallinule	Porphyrio alleni	Rare/Accidental
Purple Gallinule	Porphyrio martinica	Rare/Accidental
Little Crake	Zapornia parva
Baillon's Crake	Zapornia pusilla	Rare/Accidental
CHARADRIIFORMES: Recurvirostridae
Black-winged Stilt	Himantopus himantopus
Pied Avocet	Recurvirostra avosetta
CHARADRIIFORMES: Haematopodidae
Eurasian Oystercatcher	Haematopus ostralegus
CHARADRIIFORMES: Charadriidae
Black-bellied Plover	Pluvialis squatarola
European Golden-Plover	Pluvialis apricaria	Rare/Accidental
American Golden-Plover	Pluvialis dominica
Pacific Golden-Plover	Pluvialis fulva	Rare/Accidental
Northern Lapwing	Vanellus vanellus	Rare/Accidental
Spur-winged Lapwing	Vanellus spinosus	Rare/Accidental
Kentish Plover	Charadrius alexandrinus
Common Ringed Plover	Charadrius hiaticula
Semipalmated Plover	Charadrius semipalmatus	Rare/Accidental
Little Ringed Plover	Charadrius dubius
White-fronted Plover	Charadrius marginatus	Rare/Accidental
Eurasian Dotterel	Charadrius morinellus	Rare/Accidental
CHARADRIIFORMES: Scolopacidae
Whimbrel	Numenius phaeopus
Eurasian Curlew	Numenius arquata	Rare/Accidental
Bar-tailed Godwit	Limosa lapponica
Black-tailed Godwit	Limosa limosa
Ruddy Turnstone	Arenaria interpres
Red Knot	Calidris canutus
Ruff	Calidris pugnax
Stilt Sandpiper	Calidris himantopus	Rare/Accidental
Curlew Sandpiper	Calidris ferruginea
Temminck's Stint	Calidris temminckii
Sanderling	Calidris alba
Dunlin	Calidris alpina
Purple Sandpiper	Calidris maritima
Baird's Sandpiper	Calidris bairdii	Rare/Accidental
Little Stint	Calidris minuta
Least Sandpiper	Calidris minutilla	Rare/Accidental
White-rumped Sandpiper	Calidris fuscicollis	Rare/Accidental
Buff-breasted Sandpiper	Calidris subruficollis	Rare/Accidental
Pectoral Sandpiper	Calidris melanotos	Rare/Accidental
Semipalmated Sandpiper	Calidris pusilla	Rare/Accidental
Jack Snipe	Lymnocryptes minimus	Rare/Accidental
Eurasian Woodcock	Scolopax rusticola
Great Snipe	Gallinago media	Rare/Accidental
Common Snipe	Gallinago gallinago
Wilson's Snipe	Gallinago delicata	Rare/Accidental
Red-necked Phalarope	Phalaropus lobatus	Rare/Accidental
Red Phalarope	Phalaropus fulicarius
Common Sandpiper	Actitis hypoleucos
Spotted Sandpiper	Actitis macularius
Green Sandpiper	Tringa ochropus
Solitary Sandpiper	Tringa solitaria	Rare/Accidental
Spotted Redshank	Tringa erythropus
Greater Yellowlegs	Tringa melanoleuca	Rare/Accidental
Common Greenshank	Tringa nebularia
Lesser Yellowlegs	Tringa flavipes
Marsh Sandpiper	Tringa stagnatilis	Rare/Accidental
Wood Sandpiper	Tringa glareola
Common Redshank	Tringa totanus
CHARADRIIFORMES: Glareolidae
Cream-colored Courser	Cursorius cursor
Collared Pratincole	Glareola pratincola
Black-winged Pratincole	Glareola nordmanni	Rare/Accidental
CHARADRIIFORMES: Stercorariidae
Great Skua	Stercorarius skua
Pomarine Jaeger	Stercorarius pomarinus
Parasitic Jaeger	Stercorarius parasiticus
Long-tailed Jaeger	Stercorarius longicaudus	Rare/Accidental
CHARADRIIFORMES: Alcidae
Common Murre	Uria aalge
CHARADRIIFORMES: Laridae
Black-legged Kittiwake	Rissa tridactyla
Sabine's Gull	Xema sabini	Rare/Accidental
Slender-billed Gull	Chroicocephalus genei	Rare/Accidental
Black-headed Gull	Chroicocephalus ridibundus
Laughing Gull	Leucophaeus atricilla	Rare/Accidental
Mediterranean Gull	Ichthyaetus melanocephalus	Rare/Accidental
Audouin's Gull	Ichthyaetus audouinii	Rare/Accidental
Ring-billed Gull	Larus delawarensis	Rare/Accidental
Yellow-legged Gull	Larus michahellis
Caspian Gull	Larus cachinnans
Lesser Black-backed Gull	Larus fuscus
Sooty Tern	Onychoprion fuscatus	Rare/Accidental
Little Tern	Sternula albifrons
Gull-billed Tern	Gelochelidon nilotica
Caspian Tern	Hydroprogne caspia
Black Tern	Chlidonias niger	Rare/Accidental
White-winged Tern	Chlidonias leucopterus	Rare/Accidental
Whiskered Tern	Chlidonias hybrida	Rare/Accidental
Roseate Tern	Sterna dougallii	Rare/Accidental
Common Tern	Sterna hirundo
Arctic Tern	Sterna paradisaea
Sandwich Tern	Thalasseus sandvicensis
West African Crested Tern	Thalasseus albididorsalis	Rare/Accidental
PHAETHONTIFORMES: Phaethontidae
White-tailed Tropicbird	Phaethon lepturus	Rare/Accidental
Red-billed Tropicbird	Phaethon aethereus
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
Leach's Storm-Petrel	Hydrobates leucorhous
Swinhoe's Storm-Petrel	Hydrobates monorhis	Rare/Accidental
Band-rumped Storm-Petrel	Hydrobates castro
Cape Verde Storm-Petrel	Hydrobates jabejabe	Endemic
PROCELLARIIFORMES: Procellariidae
Trindade Petrel	Pterodroma arminjoniana	Rare/Accidental
Fea's Petrel	Pterodroma feae	Breeding endemic
Black-capped Petrel	Pterodroma hasitata	Rare/Accidental
Atlantic Petrel	Pterodroma incerta	Rare/Accidental
Bulwer's Petrel	Bulweria bulwerii
Cory's Shearwater	Calonectris diomedea
Cape Verde Shearwater	Calonectris edwardsii	Breeding endemic
Great Shearwater	Ardenna gravis
Sooty Shearwater	Ardenna grisea	Rare/Accidental
Manx Shearwater	Puffinus puffinus
Balearic Shearwater	Puffinus mauretanicus
Boyd's Shearwater	Puffinus boydi	Breeding endemic
Tropical Shearwater	Puffinus bailloni
CICONIIFORMES: Ciconiidae
Black Stork	Ciconia nigra	Rare/Accidental
White Stork	Ciconia ciconia	Rare/Accidental
SULIFORMES: Fregatidae
Ascension Frigatebird	Fregata aquila	Rare/Accidental
Magnificent Frigatebird	Fregata magnificens
SULIFORMES: Sulidae
Masked Booby	Sula dactylatra	Rare/Accidental
Brown Booby	Sula leucogaster
Red-footed Booby	Sula sula	Rare/Accidental
Northern Gannet	Morus bassanus	Rare/Accidental
SULIFORMES: Phalacrocoracidae
Long-tailed Cormorant	Microcarbo africanus	Rare/Accidental
Great Cormorant	Phalacrocorax carbo	Rare/Accidental
PELECANIFORMES: Pelecanidae
Great White Pelican	Pelecanus onocrotalus	Rare/Accidental
PELECANIFORMES: Ardeidae
Great Bittern	Botaurus stellaris	Rare/Accidental
Little Bittern	Ixobrychus minutus	Rare/Accidental
Dwarf Bittern	Ixobrychus sturmii	Rare/Accidental
Great Blue Heron	Ardea herodias	Rare/Accidental
Gray Heron	Ardea cinerea
Black-headed Heron	Ardea melanocephala	Rare/Accidental
Purple Heron	Ardea purpurea
Great Egret	Ardea alba	Rare/Accidental
Intermediate Egret	Ardea intermedia
Little Egret	Egretta garzetta
Western Reef-Heron	Egretta gularis
Snowy Egret	Egretta thula	Rare/Accidental
Black Heron	Egretta ardesiaca	Rare/Accidental
Cattle Egret	Bubulcus ibis
Squacco Heron	Ardeola ralloides
Striated Heron	Butorides striata	Rare/Accidental
Black-crowned Night-Heron	Nycticorax nycticorax
PELECANIFORMES: Threskiornithidae
Glossy Ibis	Plegadis falcinellus
Northern Bald Ibis	Geronticus eremita	Rare/Accidental
Eurasian Spoonbill	Platalea leucorodia
ACCIPITRIFORMES: Pandionidae
Osprey	Pandion haliaetus
ACCIPITRIFORMES: Accipitridae
Egyptian Vulture	Neophron percnopterus
Booted Eagle	Hieraaetus pennatus	Rare/Accidental
Eurasian Marsh-Harrier	Circus aeruginosus
Hen Harrier	Circus cyaneus	Rare/Accidental
Pallid Harrier	Circus macrourus	Rare/Accidental
Montagu's Harrier	Circus pygargus
Eurasian Sparrowhawk	Accipiter nisus	Rare/Accidental
Red Kite	Milvus milvus
Black Kite	Milvus migrans
Common Buzzard	Buteo buteo
Long-legged Buzzard	Buteo rufinus	Rare/Accidental
STRIGIFORMES: Tytonidae
Barn Owl	Tyto alba
STRIGIFORMES: Strigidae
Short-eared Owl	Asio flammeus
BUCEROTIFORMES: Upupidae
Eurasian Hoopoe	Upupa epops	Rare/Accidental
CORACIIFORMES: Alcedinidae
Gray-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
CORACIIFORMES: Coraciidae
European Roller	Coracias garrulus	Rare/Accidental
Broad-billed Roller	Eurystomus glaucurus	Rare/Accidental
PICIFORMES: Picidae
Eurasian Wryneck	Jynx torquilla	Rare/Accidental
FALCONIFORMES: Falconidae
Lesser Kestrel	Falco naumanni	Rare/Accidental
Eurasian Kestrel	Falco tinnunculus
Amur Falcon	Falco amurensis	Rare/Accidental
Eleonora's Falcon	Falco eleonorae	Rare/Accidental
Lanner Falcon	Falco biarmicus	Rare/Accidental
Peregrine Falcon	Falco peregrinus
PSITTACIFORMES: Psittaculidae
Rose-ringed Parakeet	Psittacula krameri	Rare/Accidental
PASSERIFORMES: Oriolidae
Eurasian Golden Oriole	Oriolus oriolus	Rare/Accidental
PASSERIFORMES: Laniidae
Red-backed Shrike	Lanius collurio	Rare/Accidental
Great Gray Shrike	Lanius excubitor	Rare/Accidental
Woodchat Shrike	Lanius senator	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
Greater Short-toed Lark	Calandrella brachydactyla	Rare/Accidental
Eurasian Skylark	Alauda arvensis	Rare/Accidental
Razo Skylark	Alauda razae	Endemic
PASSERIFORMES: Acrocephalidae
Booted Warbler	Iduna caligata
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
Sedge Warbler	Acrocephalus schoenobaenus	Rare/Accidental
Common Reed Warbler	Acrocephalus scirpaceus	Rare/Accidental
Cape Verde Swamp Warbler	Acrocephalus brevipennis	Endemic
PASSERIFORMES: Locustellidae
Savi's Warbler	Locustella luscinioides	Rare/Accidental
Common Grasshopper Warbler	Locustella naevia	Rare/Accidental
PASSERIFORMES: Hirundinidae
Plain Martin	Riparia paludicola	Rare/Accidental
Bank Swallow	Riparia riparia
Eurasian Crag-Martin	Ptyonoprogne rupestris	Rare/Accidental
Rock Martin	Ptyonoprogne fuligula	Rare/Accidental
Barn Swallow	Hirundo rustica
Red-rumped Swallow	Cecropis daurica	Rare/Accidental
Preuss's Swallow	Petrochelidon preussi	Rare/Accidental
Common House-Martin	Delichon urbicum	Rare/Accidental
PASSERIFORMES: Phylloscopidae
Western Bonelli's Warbler	Phylloscopus bonelli	Rare/Accidental
Yellow-browed Warbler	Phylloscopus inornatus	Rare/Accidental
Willow Warbler	Phylloscopus trochilus
Common Chiffchaff	Phylloscopus collybita	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
Greater Whitethroat	Curruca communis	Rare/Accidental
Spectacled Warbler	Curruca conspicillata
PASSERIFORMES: Sturnidae
European Starling	Sturnus vulgaris	Rare/Accidental
Rosy Starling	Pastor roseus	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
Common Redstart	Phoenicurus phoenicurus	Rare/Accidental
Black Redstart	Phoenicurus ochruros	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: Estrildidae
Common Waxbill	Estrilda astrild	Introduced species
Red-billed Firefinch	Lagonosticta senegala
PASSERIFORMES: Passeridae
House Sparrow	Passer domesticus	Introduced species
Spanish Sparrow	Passer hispaniolensis
Cape Verde Sparrow	Passer iagoensis	Endemic
Sudan Golden Sparrow	Passer luteus	Rare/Accidental
PASSERIFORMES: Motacillidae
Gray Wagtail	Motacilla cinerea	Rare/Accidental
Western Yellow Wagtail	Motacilla flava	Rare/Accidental
Citrine Wagtail	Motacilla citreola	Rare/Accidental
White Wagtail	Motacilla alba
Tawny Pipit	Anthus campestris	Rare/Accidental
Meadow Pipit	Anthus pratensis	Rare/Accidental
Tree Pipit	Anthus trivialis
Red-throated Pipit	Anthus cervinus
PASSERIFORMES: Fringillidae
Trumpeter Finch	Bucanetes githagineus	Rare/Accidental
European Goldfinch	Carduelis carduelis	Introduced species
PASSERIFORMES: Emberizidae
Striolated Bunting	Emberiza striolata	Rare/Accidental

References (partial list)