Greenland bird checklist - Avibase - Bird Checklists of the World

Avibase - Bird Checklists of the World

Greenland

This checklist includes all bird species found in Greenland , 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.

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Country or region: Greenland [map]

Number of species: 256
Number of globally threatened species: 17
Number of extinct species: 1
Number of introduced species: 1
Date last reviewed: 2017-09-03
Last modified: 2026-01-03
See also: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/258838869_A_annotated_checklist_to_the_birds_of_Greenland

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ANSERIFORMES: Anatidae
Emperor Goose	Anser canagicus	Rare/Accidental
Snow Goose	Anser caerulescens
Graylag Goose	Anser anser	Rare/Accidental
Greater White-fronted Goose	Anser albifrons
Pink-footed Goose	Anser brachyrhynchus
Brant	Branta bernicla
Barnacle Goose	Branta leucopsis
Cackling Goose	Branta hutchinsii
Canada Goose	Branta canadensis
Tundra Swan	Cygnus columbianus	Rare/Accidental
Whooper Swan	Cygnus cygnus	Rare/Accidental
Ruddy Shelduck	Tadorna ferruginea	Rare/Accidental
Common Shelduck	Tadorna tadorna	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
Mallard	Anas platyrhynchos
American Black Duck	Anas rubripes	Rare/Accidental
Northern Pintail	Anas acuta
Green-winged Teal	Anas crecca
Redhead	Aythya americana	Rare/Accidental
Ring-necked Duck	Aythya collaris	Rare/Accidental
Tufted Duck	Aythya fuligula	Rare/Accidental
Greater Scaup	Aythya marila	Rare/Accidental
Lesser Scaup	Aythya affinis	Rare/Accidental
Steller's Eider	Polysticta stelleri	Rare/Accidental Vulnerable
King Eider	Somateria spectabilis
Common Eider	Somateria mollissima	Near-threatened
Harlequin Duck	Histrionicus histrionicus
Surf Scoter	Melanitta perspicillata	Rare/Accidental
Velvet Scoter	Melanitta fusca	Rare/Accidental Vulnerable
Common Scoter	Melanitta nigra	Rare/Accidental
Long-tailed Duck	Clangula hyemalis	Vulnerable
Bufflehead	Bucephala albeola	Rare/Accidental
Common Goldeneye	Bucephala clangula	Rare/Accidental
Barrow's Goldeneye	Bucephala islandica
Common Merganser	Mergus merganser	Rare/Accidental
Red-breasted Merganser	Mergus serrator
GALLIFORMES: Phasianidae
Willow Ptarmigan	Lagopus lagopus
Rock Ptarmigan	Lagopus muta
COLUMBIFORMES: Columbidae
Rock Pigeon	Columba livia	Introduced species
Mourning Dove	Zenaida macroura	Rare/Accidental
CUCULIFORMES: Cuculidae
Yellow-billed Cuckoo	Coccyzus americanus	Rare/Accidental
Black-billed Cuckoo	Coccyzus erythropthalmus	Rare/Accidental
Common Cuckoo	Cuculus canorus	Rare/Accidental
CAPRIMULGIFORMES: Caprimulgidae
Common Nighthawk	Chordeiles minor	Rare/Accidental
APODIFORMES: Apodidae
Chimney Swift	Chaetura pelagica	Rare/Accidental Vulnerable
Common Swift	Apus apus	Rare/Accidental
GRUIFORMES: Rallidae
Virginia Rail	Rallus limicola	Rare/Accidental
Water Rail	Rallus aquaticus	Rare/Accidental
Corn Crake	Crex crex	Rare/Accidental
Sora	Porzana carolina	Rare/Accidental
Spotted Crake	Porzana porzana	Rare/Accidental
Common Gallinule	Gallinula galeata	Rare/Accidental
Eurasian Coot	Fulica atra	Rare/Accidental
American Coot	Fulica americana	Rare/Accidental
Purple Gallinule	Porphyrio martinica	Rare/Accidental
GRUIFORMES: Gruidae
Sandhill Crane	Antigone canadensis	Rare/Accidental
Common Crane	Grus grus	Rare/Accidental
CHARADRIIFORMES: Recurvirostridae
American Avocet	Recurvirostra americana	Rare/Accidental
CHARADRIIFORMES: Haematopodidae
Eurasian Oystercatcher	Haematopus ostralegus	Rare/Accidental Near-threatened
CHARADRIIFORMES: Charadriidae
Black-bellied Plover	Pluvialis squatarola	Vulnerable
European Golden-Plover	Pluvialis apricaria
American Golden-Plover	Pluvialis dominica	Rare/Accidental
Pacific Golden-Plover	Pluvialis fulva	Rare/Accidental
Killdeer	Charadrius vociferus	Rare/Accidental Near-threatened
Common Ringed Plover	Charadrius hiaticula
Semipalmated Plover	Charadrius semipalmatus	Rare/Accidental
Northern Lapwing	Vanellus vanellus	Rare/Accidental Near-threatened
Oriental Plover	Anarhynchus veredus	Rare/Accidental
CHARADRIIFORMES: Scolopacidae
Upland Sandpiper	Bartramia longicauda	Rare/Accidental
Hudsonian Whimbrel	Numenius hudsonicus	Rare/Accidental
Eurasian Whimbrel	Numenius phaeopus
Eskimo Curlew	Numenius borealis	Rare/Accidental Critically endangered (possibly extinct)
Eurasian Curlew	Numenius arquata	Rare/Accidental Near-threatened
Black-tailed Godwit	Limosa limosa	Rare/Accidental Near-threatened
Long-billed Dowitcher	Limnodromus scolopaceus	Rare/Accidental Near-threatened
Eurasian Woodcock	Scolopax rusticola	Rare/Accidental
Common Snipe	Gallinago gallinago	Rare/Accidental
Wilson's Snipe	Gallinago delicata	Rare/Accidental
Red Phalarope	Phalaropus fulicarius
Red-necked Phalarope	Phalaropus lobatus
Spotted Sandpiper	Actitis macularius	Rare/Accidental
Solitary Sandpiper	Tringa solitaria	Rare/Accidental
Wood Sandpiper	Tringa glareola	Rare/Accidental
Common Redshank	Tringa totanus	Rare/Accidental
Lesser Yellowlegs	Tringa flavipes	Rare/Accidental Vulnerable
Common Greenshank	Tringa nebularia	Rare/Accidental
Greater Yellowlegs	Tringa melanoleuca	Rare/Accidental Near-threatened
Ruddy Turnstone	Arenaria interpres	Near-threatened
Red Knot	Calidris canutus	Near-threatened
Ruff	Calidris pugnax	Rare/Accidental
Curlew Sandpiper	Calidris ferruginea	Rare/Accidental Vulnerable
Temminck's Stint	Calidris temminckii	Rare/Accidental
Buff-breasted Sandpiper	Calidris subruficollis	Rare/Accidental Vulnerable
Sanderling	Calidris alba
Dunlin	Calidris alpina	Near-threatened
Purple Sandpiper	Calidris maritima
Baird's Sandpiper	Calidris bairdii
Little Stint	Calidris minuta	Rare/Accidental
White-rumped Sandpiper	Calidris fuscicollis	Rare/Accidental Vulnerable
Least Sandpiper	Calidris minutilla	Rare/Accidental Near-threatened
Pectoral Sandpiper	Calidris melanotos	Rare/Accidental
Semipalmated Sandpiper	Calidris pusilla	Rare/Accidental Near-threatened
CHARADRIIFORMES: Stercorariidae
Long-tailed Jaeger	Stercorarius longicaudus
Parasitic Jaeger	Stercorarius parasiticus
Pomarine Jaeger	Stercorarius pomarinus
Great Skua	Stercorarius skua
South Polar Skua	Stercorarius maccormicki	Rare/Accidental
CHARADRIIFORMES: Alcidae
Tufted Puffin	Fratercula cirrhata	Rare/Accidental
Atlantic Puffin	Fratercula arctica	Vulnerable
Horned Puffin	Fratercula corniculata	Rare/Accidental
Crested Auklet	Aethia cristatella	Rare/Accidental
Black Guillemot	Cepphus grylle
Razorbill	Alca torda
Great Auk	Pinguinus impennis	Rare/Accidental Extinct
Dovekie	Alle alle
Thick-billed Murre	Uria lomvia
Common Murre	Uria aalge
CHARADRIIFORMES: Laridae
Little Gull	Hydrocoloeus minutus	Rare/Accidental
Ross's Gull	Rhodostethia rosea
Black-legged Kittiwake	Rissa tridactyla	Vulnerable
Ivory Gull	Pagophila eburnea	Near-threatened
Sabine's Gull	Xema sabini
Bonaparte's Gull	Chroicocephalus philadelphia	Rare/Accidental
Black-headed Gull	Chroicocephalus ridibundus
Laughing Gull	Leucophaeus atricilla	Rare/Accidental
Franklin's Gull	Leucophaeus pipixcan	Rare/Accidental
Common Gull	Larus canus	Rare/Accidental
Ring-billed Gull	Larus delawarensis	Rare/Accidental
American Herring Gull	Larus smithsonianus	Rare/Accidental
European Herring Gull	Larus argentatus	Rare/Accidental
Yellow-legged Gull	Larus michahellis	Rare/Accidental
Great Black-backed Gull	Larus marinus
Glaucous Gull	Larus hyperboreus
Lesser Black-backed Gull	Larus fuscus	Rare/Accidental
Iceland Gull	Larus glaucoides
Black Tern	Chlidonias niger	Rare/Accidental
Arctic Tern	Sterna paradisaea
Common Tern	Sterna hirundo	Rare/Accidental
PODICIPEDIFORMES: Podicipedidae
Horned Grebe	Podiceps auritus	Rare/Accidental Vulnerable
Red-necked Grebe	Podiceps grisegena	Rare/Accidental
Eared Grebe	Podiceps nigricollis	Rare/Accidental
GAVIIFORMES: Gaviidae
Red-throated Loon	Gavia stellata
Pacific Loon	Gavia pacifica	Rare/Accidental
Common Loon	Gavia immer
Yellow-billed Loon	Gavia adamsii	Rare/Accidental Near-threatened
PROCELLARIIFORMES: Diomedeidae
Atlantic Yellow-nosed Albatross	Thalassarche chlororhynchos	Rare/Accidental Endangered
Black-browed Albatross	Thalassarche melanophris	Rare/Accidental
PROCELLARIIFORMES: Oceanitidae
Wilson's Storm-Petrel	Oceanites oceanicus	Rare/Accidental
PROCELLARIIFORMES: Hydrobatidae
Leach's Storm-Petrel	Hydrobates leucorhous	Rare/Accidental Vulnerable
PROCELLARIIFORMES: Procellariidae
Northern Fulmar	Fulmarus glacialis
Great Shearwater	Ardenna gravis
Sooty Shearwater	Ardenna grisea	Rare/Accidental Near-threatened
Manx Shearwater	Puffinus puffinus	Rare/Accidental
SULIFORMES: Sulidae
Northern Gannet	Morus bassanus	Rare/Accidental
SULIFORMES: Phalacrocoracidae
Great Cormorant	Phalacrocorax carbo
PELECANIFORMES: Threskiornithidae
Glossy Ibis	Plegadis falcinellus	Rare/Accidental
Eurasian Spoonbill	Platalea leucorodia	Rare/Accidental
PELECANIFORMES: Ardeidae
American Bittern	Botaurus lentiginosus	Rare/Accidental
Black-crowned Night Heron	Nycticorax nycticorax	Rare/Accidental
Little Blue Heron	Egretta caerulea	Rare/Accidental
Green Heron	Butorides virescens	Rare/Accidental
Western Cattle-Egret	Ardea ibis	Rare/Accidental
Gray Heron	Ardea cinerea	Rare/Accidental
Great Blue Heron	Ardea herodias	Rare/Accidental
ACCIPITRIFORMES: Pandionidae
Osprey	Pandion haliaetus	Rare/Accidental
ACCIPITRIFORMES: Accipitridae
White-tailed Eagle	Haliaeetus albicilla
Rough-legged Hawk	Buteo lagopus	Rare/Accidental
STRIGIFORMES: Strigidae
Snowy Owl	Bubo scandiacus	Vulnerable
Short-eared Owl	Asio flammeus	Rare/Accidental
CORACIIFORMES: Alcedinidae
Belted Kingfisher	Megaceryle alcyon	Rare/Accidental
PICIFORMES: Picidae
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker	Sphyrapicus varius	Rare/Accidental
FALCONIFORMES: Falconidae
Eurasian Kestrel	Falco tinnunculus	Rare/Accidental
Merlin	Falco columbarius	Rare/Accidental
Gyrfalcon	Falco rusticolus
Peregrine Falcon	Falco peregrinus
PASSERIFORMES: Tyrannidae
Olive-sided Flycatcher	Contopus cooperi	Rare/Accidental
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher	Empidonax flaviventris	Rare/Accidental
Willow Flycatcher	Empidonax traillii	Rare/Accidental
Eastern Kingbird	Tyrannus tyrannus	Rare/Accidental
PASSERIFORMES: Vireonidae
Blue-headed Vireo	Vireo solitarius	Rare/Accidental
Red-eyed Vireo	Vireo olivaceus	Rare/Accidental
PASSERIFORMES: Corvidae
Eurasian Jackdaw	Coloeus monedula	Rare/Accidental
Rook	Corvus frugilegus	Rare/Accidental
Hooded Crow	Corvus cornix	Rare/Accidental
Common Raven	Corvus corax
PASSERIFORMES: Alaudidae
Horned Lark	Eremophila alpestris	Rare/Accidental
PASSERIFORMES: Hirundinidae
Tree Swallow	Tachycineta bicolor	Rare/Accidental
Barn Swallow	Hirundo rustica	Rare/Accidental
Western House-Martin	Delichon urbicum	Rare/Accidental
Cliff Swallow	Petrochelidon pyrrhonota	Rare/Accidental
PASSERIFORMES: Phylloscopidae
Willow Warbler	Phylloscopus trochilus	Rare/Accidental
PASSERIFORMES: Sylviidae
Eurasian Blackcap	Sylvia atricapilla	Rare/Accidental
PASSERIFORMES: Regulidae
Ruby-crowned Kinglet	Corthylio calendula	Rare/Accidental
PASSERIFORMES: Troglodytidae
Marsh Wren	Cistothorus palustris	Rare/Accidental
PASSERIFORMES: Sturnidae
European Starling	Sturnus vulgaris	Rare/Accidental
PASSERIFORMES: Turdidae
White's Thrush	Zoothera aurea	Rare/Accidental
Gray-cheeked Thrush	Catharus minimus	Rare/Accidental
Hermit Thrush	Catharus guttatus	Rare/Accidental
Song Thrush	Turdus philomelos	Rare/Accidental
Redwing	Turdus iliacus
Eurasian Blackbird	Turdus merula	Rare/Accidental
Fieldfare	Turdus pilaris
American Robin	Turdus migratorius	Rare/Accidental
PASSERIFORMES: Muscicapidae
Northern Wheatear	Oenanthe oenanthe
PASSERIFORMES: Bombycillidae
Bohemian Waxwing	Bombycilla garrulus	Rare/Accidental
PASSERIFORMES: Passeridae
House Sparrow	Passer domesticus	Extirpated
PASSERIFORMES: Motacillidae
White Wagtail	Motacilla alba
Meadow Pipit	Anthus pratensis
American Pipit	Anthus rubescens
PASSERIFORMES: Fringillidae
Common Chaffinch	Fringilla coelebs	Rare/Accidental
Pine Grosbeak	Pinicola enucleator	Rare/Accidental
Redpoll	Acanthis flammea
Red Crossbill	Loxia curvirostra	Rare/Accidental
White-winged Crossbill	Loxia leucoptera	Rare/Accidental
Pine Siskin	Spinus pinus	Rare/Accidental
PASSERIFORMES: Calcariidae
Lapland Longspur	Calcarius lapponicus
Snow Bunting	Plectrophenax nivalis
PASSERIFORMES: Passerellidae
Fox Sparrow	Passerella iliaca	Rare/Accidental
Dark-eyed Junco	Junco hyemalis	Rare/Accidental
White-crowned Sparrow	Zonotrichia leucophrys	Rare/Accidental
White-throated Sparrow	Zonotrichia albicollis	Rare/Accidental
Savannah Sparrow	Passerculus sandwichensis	Rare/Accidental
Lincoln's Sparrow	Melospiza lincolnii	Rare/Accidental
PASSERIFORMES: Icteriidae
Yellow-breasted Chat	Icteria virens	Rare/Accidental
PASSERIFORMES: Icteridae
Yellow-headed Blackbird	Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus	Rare/Accidental
Bobolink	Dolichonyx oryzivorus	Rare/Accidental Near-threatened
Baltimore Oriole	Icterus galbula	Rare/Accidental
Rusty Blackbird	Euphagus carolinus	Rare/Accidental Vulnerable
PASSERIFORMES: Parulidae
Ovenbird	Seiurus aurocapilla	Rare/Accidental
Louisiana Waterthrush	Parkesia motacilla	Rare/Accidental
Northern Waterthrush	Parkesia noveboracensis	Rare/Accidental
Golden-winged Warbler	Vermivora chrysoptera	Rare/Accidental Near-threatened
Tennessee Warbler	Leiothlypis peregrina	Rare/Accidental
Orange-crowned Warbler	Leiothlypis celata	Rare/Accidental
Nashville Warbler	Leiothlypis ruficapilla	Rare/Accidental
Mourning Warbler	Geothlypis philadelphia	Rare/Accidental
Common Yellowthroat	Geothlypis trichas	Rare/Accidental
American Redstart	Setophaga ruticilla	Rare/Accidental
Northern Parula	Setophaga americana	Rare/Accidental
Magnolia Warbler	Setophaga magnolia	Rare/Accidental
Bay-breasted Warbler	Setophaga castanea	Rare/Accidental
Blackburnian Warbler	Setophaga fusca	Rare/Accidental
Northern Yellow Warbler	Setophaga aestiva	Rare/Accidental
Chestnut-sided Warbler	Setophaga pensylvanica	Rare/Accidental
Blackpoll Warbler	Setophaga striata	Rare/Accidental Near-threatened
Black-throated Blue Warbler	Setophaga caerulescens	Rare/Accidental
Pine Warbler	Setophaga pinus	Rare/Accidental
Yellow-rumped Warbler	Setophaga coronata	Rare/Accidental
Black-throated Green Warbler	Setophaga virens	Rare/Accidental
Canada Warbler	Cardellina canadensis	Rare/Accidental
Wilson's Warbler	Cardellina pusilla	Rare/Accidental
PASSERIFORMES: Cardinalidae
Rose-breasted Grosbeak	Pheucticus ludovicianus	Rare/Accidental

References (partial list)