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Avibase - Bird Checklists of the World

Gulf of Guinea Islands

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This checklist includes all bird species found in Gulf of Guinea 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 2025. 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 2026

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Country or region: Gulf of Guinea Islands [map]

Number of species: 363
Number of endemics: 30
Number of globally threatened species: 20
Number of introduced species: 2
Last modified: 2025-10-12
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ANSERIFORMES: Anatidae

Fulvous Whistling-DuckDendrocygna bicolor
Knob-billed DuckSarkidiornis melanotosRare/Accidental
African Pygmy-GooseNettapus auritus

 
GALLIFORMES: Numididae

Helmeted GuineafowlNumida meleagrisIntroduced species

 
GALLIFORMES: Phasianidae

Blue QuailSynoicus adansonii
Harlequin QuailCoturnix delegorguei
Double-spurred SpurfowlPternistis bicalcaratus
Scaly SpurfowlPternistis squamatus
Red-necked SpurfowlPternistis afer

 
COLUMBIFORMES: Columbidae

Rock PigeonColumba livia
Rameron PigeonColumba arquatrix
Cameroon PigeonColumba sjostedti
Maroon PigeonColumba thomensisEndemic Endangered
Sao Tome PigeonColumba malherbiiEndemic Near-threatened
Lemon DoveAplopelia larvata
Red-eyed DoveStreptopelia semitorquata
Laughing DoveSpilopelia senegalensis
Blue-spotted Wood-DoveTurtur afer
Tambourine DoveTurtur tympanistria
Sao Tome Green-PigeonTreron sanctithomaeEndemic Endangered
African Green-PigeonTreron calvus

 
MUSOPHAGIFORMES: Musophagidae

Great Blue TuracoCorythaeola cristata
Yellow-billed TuracoTauraco macrorhynchus

 
CUCULIFORMES: Cuculidae

Blue MalkohaCeuthmochares aereus
Great Spotted CuckooClamator glandariusRare/Accidental
Pied CuckooClamator jacobinusRare/Accidental
Dideric CuckooChrysococcyx caprius
Klaas's CuckooChrysococcyx klaas
African Emerald CuckooChrysococcyx cupreus
Red-chested CuckooCuculus solitarius
Common CuckooCuculus canorusRare/Accidental

 
CAPRIMULGIFORMES: Caprimulgidae

Pennant-winged NightjarCaprimulgus vexillariusRare/Accidental
Eurasian NightjarCaprimulgus europaeusRare/Accidental
Fiery-necked NightjarCaprimulgus pectoralis

 
APODIFORMES: Apodidae

Sao Tome SpinetailZoonavena thomensisEndemic
Mottled SpinetailTelacanthura ussheri
Sabine's SpinetailRhaphidura sabini
Cassin's SpinetailNeafrapus cassini
Scarce SwiftSchoutedenapus myoptilus
Common SwiftApus apusRare/Accidental
Pallid SwiftApus pallidusRare/Accidental
African SwiftApus barbatus
Little SwiftApus affinis
African Palm SwiftCypsiurus parvus

 
GRUIFORMES: Sarothruridae

Buff-spotted FlufftailSarothrura elegans

 
GRUIFORMES: Rallidae

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

 
GRUIFORMES: Heliornithidae

African FinfootPodica senegalensis

 
CHARADRIIFORMES: Burhinidae

Eurasian Thick-kneeBurhinus oedicnemusRare/Accidental

 
CHARADRIIFORMES: Charadriidae

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

 
CHARADRIIFORMES: Rostratulidae

Greater Painted-SnipeRostratula benghalensis

 
CHARADRIIFORMES: Jacanidae

African JacanaActophilornis africanus

 
CHARADRIIFORMES: Scolopacidae

Eurasian WhimbrelNumenius phaeopus
Eurasian CurlewNumenius arquataRare/Accidental Near-threatened
Bar-tailed GodwitLimosa lapponicaNear-threatened
Common SnipeGallinago gallinagoRare/Accidental
Common SandpiperActitis hypoleucos
Green SandpiperTringa ochropusRare/Accidental
Marsh SandpiperTringa stagnatilis
Wood SandpiperTringa glareola
Common RedshankTringa totanus
Common GreenshankTringa nebularia
Ruddy TurnstoneArenaria interpresRare/Accidental Near-threatened
Red KnotCalidris canutusRare/Accidental Near-threatened
RuffCalidris pugnaxRare/Accidental
Curlew SandpiperCalidris ferrugineaVulnerable
SanderlingCalidris alba
Little StintCalidris minuta
Pectoral SandpiperCalidris melanotos

 
CHARADRIIFORMES: Turnicidae

Black-rumped ButtonquailTurnix nanus

 
CHARADRIIFORMES: Glareolidae

Rock PratincoleGlareola nuchalis
Gray PratincoleGlareola cinerea
Black-winged PratincoleGlareola nordmanniRare/Accidental Near-threatened

 
CHARADRIIFORMES: Stercorariidae

Long-tailed JaegerStercorarius longicaudusRare/Accidental
Parasitic JaegerStercorarius parasiticusRare/Accidental
Pomarine JaegerStercorarius pomarinusRare/Accidental

 
CHARADRIIFORMES: Laridae

Sabine's GullXema sabiniRare/Accidental
Gray-hooded GullChroicocephalus cirrocephalus
Franklin's GullLeucophaeus pipixcanRare/Accidental
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus
African SkimmerRynchops flavirostris
Brown NoddyAnous stolidus
Black NoddyAnous minutus
Sooty TernOnychoprion fuscatus
Bridled TernOnychoprion anaethetus
Little TernSternula albifrons
Damara TernSternula balaenarum
Caspian TernHydroprogne caspia
Whiskered TernChlidonias hybrida
Black TernChlidonias niger
White-winged TernChlidonias leucopterus
Arctic TernSterna paradisaeaRare/Accidental
Common TernSterna hirundo
Roseate TernSterna dougallii
Sandwich TernThalasseus sandvicensisRare/Accidental
West African Crested TernThalasseus albididorsalis

 
PHOENICOPTERIFORMES: Phoenicopteridae

Greater FlamingoPhoenicopterus roseus
Lesser FlamingoPhoeniconaias minorRare/Accidental Near-threatened

 
PODICIPEDIFORMES: Podicipedidae

Little GrebeTachybaptus ruficollis

 
PHAETHONTIFORMES: Phaethontidae

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

 
PROCELLARIIFORMES: Oceanitidae

Wilson's Storm-PetrelOceanites oceanicus

 
PROCELLARIIFORMES: Hydrobatidae

European Storm-PetrelHydrobates pelagicus
Leach's Storm-PetrelHydrobates leucorhousRare/Accidental Vulnerable
Band-rumped Storm-PetrelHydrobates castro

 
PROCELLARIIFORMES: Procellariidae

Bulwer's PetrelBulweria bulwerii
Great ShearwaterArdenna gravis
Sooty ShearwaterArdenna griseaNear-threatened

 
CICONIIFORMES: Ciconiidae

White StorkCiconia ciconiaRare/Accidental
Yellow-billed StorkMycteria ibis

 
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: Anhingidae

African DarterAnhinga rufa

 
SULIFORMES: Phalacrocoracidae

Reed CormorantMicrocarbo africanus

 
PELECANIFORMES: Threskiornithidae

African Sacred IbisThreskiornis aethiopicus
Olive IbisBostrychia olivacea
Sao Tome IbisBostrychia bocageiEndemic Critically endangered
Hadada IbisBostrychia hagedash

 
PELECANIFORMES: Ardeidae

Little BitternBotaurus minutus
Black HeronEgretta ardesiacaRare/Accidental
Little EgretEgretta garzetta
Western Reef-HeronEgretta gularis
White-backed Night HeronCalherodius leuconotus
Little HeronButorides atricapilla
Squacco HeronArdeola ralloidesRare/Accidental
Western Cattle-EgretArdea ibis
Great EgretArdea albaRare/Accidental
Yellow-billed EgretArdea brachyrhynchaRare/Accidental
Gray HeronArdea cinereaRare/Accidental
Purple HeronArdea purpureaRare/Accidental
Black-headed HeronArdea melanocephalaRare/Accidental

 
ACCIPITRIFORMES: Pandionidae

OspreyPandion haliaetus

 
ACCIPITRIFORMES: Accipitridae

Palm-nut VultureGypohierax angolensis
European Honey-buzzardPernis apivorusRare/Accidental
White-backed VultureGyps africanusRare/Accidental Critically endangered
Bat HawkMacheiramphus alcinus
African GoshawkAerospiza tachiro
Chestnut-flanked SparrowhawkAerospiza castanilius
Western Marsh HarrierCircus aeruginosus
Black KiteMilvus migrans
African Fish-EagleIcthyophaga vocifer
Common BuzzardButeo buteo

 
STRIGIFORMES: Tytonidae

Western Barn OwlTyto alba

 
STRIGIFORMES: Strigidae

Principe Scops-OwlOtus bikegilaEndemic Critically endangered
Sao Tome Scops-OwlOtus hartlaubiEndemic Vulnerable
African Scops-OwlOtus senegalensis
Fraser's Eagle-OwlKetupa poensis
African Wood-OwlStrix woodfordii

 
COLIIFORMES: Coliidae

Speckled MousebirdColius striatus

 
TROGONIFORMES: Trogonidae

Bar-tailed TrogonApaloderma vittatum

 
BUCEROTIFORMES: Bucerotidae

Black-casqued HornbillCeratogymna atrataNear-threatened

 
CORACIIFORMES: Meropidae

Blue-moustached Bee-eaterMerops mentalisNear-threatened
Blue-headed Bee-eaterMerops muelleri

 
CORACIIFORMES: Alcedinidae

Malachite KingfisherCorythornis cristatus
White-bellied KingfisherCorythornis leucogaster
Chocolate-backed KingfisherHalcyon badia
Woodland KingfisherHalcyon senegalensis
Blue-breasted KingfisherHalcyon malimbica
Giant KingfisherMegaceryle maxima
Pied KingfisherCeryle rudis

 
CORACIIFORMES: Coraciidae

European RollerCoracias garrulusRare/Accidental
Broad-billed RollerEurystomus glaucurus
Blue-throated RollerEurystomus gularis

 
PICIFORMES: Lybiidae

Speckled TinkerbirdPogoniulus scolopaceus
Yellow-throated TinkerbirdPogoniulus subsulphureus
Yellow-rumped TinkerbirdPogoniulus bilineatus

 
PICIFORMES: Indicatoridae

Cassin's HoneybirdProdotiscus insignis
Least HoneyguideIndicator exilis

 
PICIFORMES: Picidae

Elliot's WoodpeckerDendropicos elliotii
African Gray WoodpeckerDendropicos goertae
Buff-spotted WoodpeckerPardipicus nivosus
Tullberg's WoodpeckerCampethera tullbergi

 
FALCONIFORMES: Falconidae

Eurasian KestrelFalco tinnunculus
Red-footed FalconFalco vespertinusRare/Accidental Vulnerable
Eurasian HobbyFalco subbuteoRare/Accidental
Lanner FalconFalco biarmicusRare/Accidental
Peregrine FalconFalco peregrinus

 
PSITTACIFORMES: Psittaculidae

Red-headed LovebirdAgapornis pullarius

 
PSITTACIFORMES: Psittacidae

Gray ParrotPsittacus erithacusEndangered

 
PASSERIFORMES: Calyptomenidae

Gray-headed BroadbillSmithornis sharpei

 
PASSERIFORMES: Campephagidae

Gray CuckooshrikeCeblepyris caesius
Blue CuckooshrikeCyanograucalus azureus

 
PASSERIFORMES: Oriolidae

Eurasian Golden OrioleOriolus oriolus
Sao Tome OrioleOriolus crassirostrisEndemic Vulnerable
Black-winged OrioleOriolus nigripennis

 
PASSERIFORMES: Platysteiridae

Chestnut Wattle-eyeDyaphorophyia castanea
Black-necked Wattle-eyePlatysteira chalybea
Bioko BatisBatis poensis
West African BatisBatis occulta

 
PASSERIFORMES: Vangidae

African Shrike-flycatcherMegabyas flammulatus

 
PASSERIFORMES: Malaconotidae

Lühder's BushshrikeLaniarius luehderiIntroduced species
Western BoubouLaniarius poensis
Fülleborn's BoubouLaniarius fuelleborni

 
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 minorRare/Accidental
Newton's FiscalLanius newtoniEndemic Critically endangered

 
PASSERIFORMES: Corvidae

Pied CrowCorvus albus

 
PASSERIFORMES: Picathartidae

Gray-necked RockfowlPicathartes oreasNear-threatened

 
PASSERIFORMES: Stenostiridae

White-bellied Crested FlycatcherElminia albiventris

 
PASSERIFORMES: Macrosphenidae

Yellow LongbillMacrosphenus flavicans
Gray LongbillMacrosphenus concolor

 
PASSERIFORMES: Cisticolidae

Rufous-crowned EremomelaEremomela badiceps
White-chinned PriniaSchistolais leucopogon
Green LongtailUrolais epichlorus
White-tailed WarblerPoliolais lopezi
Yellow-browed CamaropteraCamaroptera superciliaris
Olive-green CamaropteraCamaroptera chloronota
Black-capped ApalisApalis nigriceps
Masked ApalisApalis binotata
Buff-throated ApalisApalis rufogularis
Gray ApalisApalis cinerea
Sao Tome PriniaPrinia molleriEndemic

 
PASSERIFORMES: Acrocephalidae

Sedge WarblerAcrocephalus schoenobaenusRare/Accidental
Greater Swamp WarblerAcrocephalus rufescens
Great Reed WarblerAcrocephalus arundinaceus

 
PASSERIFORMES: Locustellidae

Evergreen-forest WarblerBradypterus lopezi

 
PASSERIFORMES: Hirundinidae

Mountain SawwingPsalidoprocne fuliginosa
Gray-rumped SwallowPseudhirundo griseopygaRare/Accidental
Banded MartinNeophedina cinctaRare/Accidental
Bank SwallowRiparia ripariaRare/Accidental
Barn SwallowHirundo rustica
Ethiopian SwallowHirundo aethiopica
Western House-MartinDelichon urbicumRare/Accidental
Lesser Striped SwallowCecropis abyssinica
Preuss's SwallowPetrochelidon preussi

 
PASSERIFORMES: Pycnonotidae

Slender-billed GreenbulStelgidillas gracilirostris
Golden GreenbulCalyptocichla serinus
Yellow-lored BristlebillBleda notatus
Cameroon Mountain GreenbulArizelocichla montana
Western Mountain GreenbulArizelocichla tephrolaema
Eastern Bearded-GreenbulCriniger chloronotus
Red-tailed GreenbulCriniger calurus
Little GreenbulEurillas virens
Yellow-whiskered GreenbulEurillas latirostris
Plain GreenbulEurillas curvirostris
Icterine GreenbulPhyllastrephus icterinus
Cameroon Olive-GreenbulPhyllastrephus poensis
Leaf-lovePhyllastrephus scandens

 
PASSERIFORMES: Phylloscopidae

Wood WarblerPhylloscopus sibilatrix
Willow WarblerPhylloscopus trochilus
Common ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybitaRare/Accidental
Black-capped Woodland-WarblerPhylloscopus herberti

 
PASSERIFORMES: Hyliidae

Green HyliaHylia prasina
Tit-hyliaPholidornis rushiae

 
PASSERIFORMES: Sylviidae

Garden WarblerSylvia borin
Dohrn's Thrush-BabblerSylvia dohrniEndemic
African Hill BabblerSylvia abyssinica

 
PASSERIFORMES: Zosteropidae

Forest White-eyeZosterops stenocricotus
Bioko SpeiropsZosterops brunneusEndemic Near-threatened
Principe White-eyeZosterops ficedulinusEndemic Endangered
Annobon White-eyeZosterops griseovirescensEndemic
Sao Tome White-eyeZosterops feaeEndemic Near-threatened
Black-capped SpeiropsZosterops lugubrisEndemic
Principe SpeiropsZosterops leucophaeusEndemic

 
PASSERIFORMES: Pellorneidae

Pale-breasted IlladopsisIlladopsis rufipennis
Blackcap IlladopsisIlladopsis cleaveri

 
PASSERIFORMES: Sturnidae

Chestnut-winged StarlingOnychognathus fulgidus
Waller's StarlingOnychognathus walleri
Narrow-tailed StarlingPoeoptera lugubris
Splendid StarlingLamprotornis splendidus
Principe StarlingLamprotornis ornatusEndemic

 
PASSERIFORMES: Turdidae

Rufous Flycatcher-ThrushStizorhina fraseri
White-tailed Ant-ThrushNeocossyphus poensis
Black-eared Ground-ThrushGeokichla camaronensis
Olive ThrushTurdus olivaceus
Abyssinian ThrushTurdus abyssinicus
Principe ThrushTurdus xanthorhynchusEndemic Critically endangered
Sao Tome ThrushTurdus olivaceofuscusEndemic
African ThrushTurdus pelios

 
PASSERIFORMES: Muscicapidae

African Dusky FlycatcherMuscicapa adusta
Yellow-footed FlycatcherMuscicapa sethsmithi
Spotted FlycatcherMuscicapa striata
African Forest-FlycatcherFraseria ocreata
Fire-crested AletheAlethe castanea
White-bellied Robin-ChatCossyphicula roberti
Brown-chested AletheChamaetylas poliocephala
Orange-breasted Forest RobinStiphrornis erythrothorax
Short-tailed AkalatSheppardia poensis
Common NightingaleLuscinia megarhynchosRare/Accidental
Collared FlycatcherFicedula albicollisRare/Accidental
WhinchatSaxicola rubetraRare/Accidental
African StonechatSaxicola torquatus

 
PASSERIFORMES: Modulatricidae

Gray-chested BabblerKakamega poliothorax

 
PASSERIFORMES: Nectariniidae

Fraser's SunbirdDeleornis fraseri
Little Green SunbirdAnthreptes seimundi
Gray-chinned SunbirdAnthreptes tephrolaemus
Collared SunbirdHedydipna collaris
Principe SunbirdAnabathmis hartlaubiiEndemic
Newton's SunbirdAnabathmis newtoniiEndemic
Sao Tome SunbirdDreptes thomensisEndemic Vulnerable
Blue-throated Brown SunbirdCyanomitra cyanolaema
Cameroon SunbirdCyanomitra oritis
Olive SunbirdCyanomitra olivacea
Carmelite SunbirdChalcomitra fuliginosa
Green-throated SunbirdChalcomitra rubescens
Olive-bellied SunbirdCinnyris chloropygius
Tiny SunbirdCinnyris minullus
Northern Double-collared SunbirdCinnyris reichenowi
Ursula's SunbirdCinnyris ursulae
Bates's SunbirdCinnyris batesi

 
PASSERIFORMES: Ploceidae

Red-crowned MalimbeMalimbus coronatus
Red-headed MalimbeMalimbus rubricollis
Olive-naped WeaverPloceus brachypterus
Black-billed WeaverPloceus melanogaster
Principe Golden-WeaverPloceus princepsEndemic
Southern Masked-WeaverPloceus velatus
Village WeaverPloceus cucullatus
Giant WeaverPloceus grandisEndemic Near-threatened
Black-headed WeaverPloceus melanocephalus
Maxwell's Black WeaverPloceus albinucha
Dark-backed WeaverPloceus bicolor
Brown-capped WeaverPloceus insignis
Sao Tome WeaverPloceus sanctithomaeEndemic
Red-headed QueleaQuelea erythrops
Black-winged BishopEuplectes hordeaceus
Golden-backed BishopEuplectes aureus
Yellow BishopEuplectes capensis
White-winged WidowbirdEuplectes albonotatus

 
PASSERIFORMES: Estrildidae

Bronze MannikinSpermestes cucullata
Black-and-white MannikinSpermestes bicolor
Shelley's OlivebackNesocharis shelleyi
Green-backed TwinspotMandingoa nitidula
Red-faced CrimsonwingCryptospiza reichenovii
White-breasted NigritaNigrita fusconotus
Chestnut-breasted NigritaNigrita bicolor
Gray-headed NigritaNigrita canicapillus
Pale-fronted NigritaNigrita luteifrons
Black-crowned WaxbillEstrilda nonnula
Common WaxbillEstrilda astrild
Southern CordonbleuUraeginthus angolensis

 
PASSERIFORMES: Viduidae

Pin-tailed WhydahVidua macroura

 
PASSERIFORMES: Passeridae

House SparrowPasser domesticusRare/Accidental
Northern Gray-headed SparrowPasser griseus

 
PASSERIFORMES: Motacillidae

Mountain WagtailMotacilla clara
Sao Tome Short-tailMotacilla bocagiiEndemic Vulnerable
Western Yellow WagtailMotacilla flava
African Pied WagtailMotacilla aguimp
White WagtailMotacilla albaRare/Accidental
Plain-backed PipitAnthus leucophrysRare/Accidental
Long-legged PipitAnthus pallidiventris
Tree PipitAnthus trivialis

 
PASSERIFORMES: Fringillidae

Oriole FinchLinurgus olivaceus
Yellow-fronted CanaryCrithagra mozambica
Thick-billed SeedeaterCrithagra burtoni
Principe SeedeaterCrithagra rufobrunneaEndemic
Sao Tome GrosbeakCrithagra concolorEndemic Critically endangered

 

References (partial list)

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