List of birds of Rivers State

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The following is a list of the bird species recorded in Rivers State, Nigeria.[1][2][3]

Hawks, eagles, and kites[]

Order: Accipitriformes   Family: Accipitridae

Accipitridae is a family of birds of prey which includes hawks, eagles, kites, harriers, and Old World vultures. These birds have powerful hooked beaks for tearing flesh from their prey, strong legs, powerful talons, and keen eyesight.

Ducks, geese, and waterfowl[]

Order: Anseriformes   Family: Anatidae

Anatidae includes the ducks and most duck-like waterfowl, such as geese and swans. These birds are adapted to an aquatic existence with webbed feet, flattened bills, and feathers that are excellent at shedding water due to an oily coating.

  • Hartlaub's duck, Pteronetta hartlaubii
  • White-faced whistling duck, Dendrocygna viduata

Swifts[]

Order: Apodiformes   Family: Apodidae

Swifts are small birds which spend the majority of their lives flying. These birds have very short legs and never settle voluntarily on the ground, perching instead only on vertical surfaces. Many swifts have long swept-back wings which resemble a crescent or boomerang.

Hornbills[]

Order: Bucerotiformes   Family: Bucerotidae

Hornbills are a group of birds whose bill is shaped like a cow's horn, but without a twist, sometimes with a casque on the upper mandible. Frequently, the bill is brightly colored.

Thick-knees[]

Order: Charadriiformes   Family: Burhinidae

The thick-knees and stone-curlews are a group of largely tropical waders in the family Burhinidae. They are medium to large waders with strong black or yellow-black bills, large yellow eyes, and cryptic plumage. Despite being classed as waders, most species have a preference for arid or semi-arid habitats.

Plovers and lapwings[]

Order: Charadriiformes   Family: Charadriidae

The family Charadriidae includes the plovers, dotterels and lapwings. They are small to medium-sized birds with compact bodies, short, thick necks and long, usually pointed, wings. They are found in open country worldwide, mostly in habitats near water.

  • Black-bellied plover, Pluvialis squatarola
  • Spur-winged lapwing, Vanellus spinosus
  • White-headed lapwing, Vanellus albiceps
  • Brown-chested lapwing, Vanellus superciliosus
  • Kittlitz's plover, Charadrius pecuarius
  • Common ringed plover, Charadrius hiaticula
  • Little ringed plover, Charadrius dubius
  • Forbes's plover, Charadrius forbesi
  • White-fronted plover, Charadrius marginatus

Sandpipers and allies[]

Order: Charadriiformes   Family: Scolopacidae

Scolopacidae is a large diverse family of small to medium-sized shorebirds including the sandpipers, curlews, godwits, shanks, tattlers, woodcocks, snipes, dowitchers, and phalaropes. The majority of these species eat small invertebrates picked out of the mud or soil. Variation in length of legs and bills enables multiple species to feed in the same habitat, particularly on the coast, without direct competition for food.

  • Little curlew, Numenius minutus

Pigeons and doves[]

Order: Columbiformes   Family: Columbidae

Pigeons and doves are stout-bodied birds with short necks and short slender bills with a fleshy cere.

Kingfishers[]

Order: Coraciiformes   Family: Alcedinidae

Kingfishers are medium-sized birds with large heads, long, pointed bills, short legs, and stubby tails.

Cuckoos and anis[]

Order: Cuculiformes   Family: Cuculidae

The family Cuculidae includes cuckoos, roadrunners, coucals and anis. These birds are of variable size with slender bodies, long tails, and strong legs.

Turacos[]

Order: Musophagiformes   Family: Musophagidae

The turacos, plantain eaters and go-away-birds make up the bird family Musophagidae. They are medium-sized arboreal birds. The turacos and plantain eaters are brightly coloured, usually in blue, green or purple. The go-away birds are mostly grey and white.

  • Guinea turaco, Tauraco persa
  • Yellow-billed turaco, Tauraco macrorhynchus

Pheasants[]

Order: Galliformes   Family: Phasianidae

Phasianidae consists of the pheasants and their allies. These are terrestrial species, variable in size but generally plump, with broad, relatively short wings. Many species are gamebirds or have been domesticated as a food source for humans.

  • Blue peafowl, Pavo cristatus

Rails, crakes and coots[]

Order: Gruiformes   Family: Rallidae

Rallidae is a large family of small to medium-sized birds which includes the rails, crakes, coots and gallinules. The most typical family members occupy dense vegetation in damp environments near lakes, swamps or rivers. In general they are shy and secretive birds, making them difficult to observe. Most species have strong legs and long toes which are well adapted to soft uneven surfaces. They tend to have short, rounded wings and to be weak fliers.

Flufftails[]

Order: Gruiformes   Family: Sarothruridae

Reed-warblers and allies[]

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Acrocephalidae

The reed-warblers or acrocephalid warblers are a family of oscine passerine birds, in the superfamily Sylvioidea. The species in this family are usually rather large " warblers". Most are rather plain olivaceous brown above with much yellow to beige below. They are usually found in open woodland, reedbeds, or tall grass.

Cuckooshrikes[]

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Campephagidae

The cuckooshrikes are small to medium-sized passerine birds. They are predominantly greyish with white and black, although some species are brightly colored.

  • Blue Cuckoo-shrike, Coracina azurea

Bush warblers and allies[]

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Scotocercidae

The members of this family are found throughout Africa, Asia, and Polynesia. Their taxonomy is in flux, and some authorities place genus Erythrocerus in another family.[4]

Cettid warblers[]

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Cettiidae

Cisticolas and allies[]

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Cisticolidae

The Cisticolidae are warblers found mainly in warmer southern regions of the Old World. They are generally very small birds of drab brown or grey appearance found in open country such as grassland or scrub.

Jays, crows, magpies, and ravens[]

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Corvidae

The family Corvidae includes crows, ravens, jays, choughs, magpies, treepies, nutcrackers, and ground jays. Corvids are above average in size among the Passeriformes, and some of the larger species show high levels of intelligence.

  • Pied crow, Corvus albus

Drongos[]

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Dicruridae

The drongos are mostly black or dark grey in colour, sometimes with metallic tints. They have long forked tails, and some species have elaborate tail decorations. They have short legs and sit very upright when perched, like a shrike. They flycatch or take prey from the ground.

Waxbills and allies[]

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Estrildidae

The estrildid finches can be classified as the family Estrildidae (waxbills, munias, and allies), or as a subfamily within the family Passeridae, which strictly defined comprises the Old World sparrows. They are gregarious and often colonial seed eaters with short thick but pointed bills. They are all similar in structure and habits, but have wide variation in plumage colors and patterns.

Swallows[]

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Hirundinidae

The family Hirundinidae is adapted to aerial feeding. They have a slender streamlined body, long pointed wings and a short bill with a wide gape. The feet are adapted to perching rather than walking, and the front toes are partially joined at the base.

  • Bank swallow, Riparia riparia
  • Plain martin, Riparia paludicola
  • Banded martin, Riparia cincta
  • Barn swallow, Hirundo rustica
  • Ethiopian swallow, Hirundo aethiopica
  • White-throated blue swallow, Hirundo nigrita
  • Wire-tailed swallow, Hirundo smithii
  • Lesser striped swallow, Cecropis abyssinica
  • Rufous-chested swallow, Cecropis semirufa
  • Preuss's swallow, Petrochelidon preussi
  • Common house-martin, Delichon urbicum
  • Square-tailed sawwing, Psalidoprocne nitens
  • Black sawwing, Psalidoprocne pristoptera
  • Fanti sawwing, Psalidoprocne obscura

Shrikes[]

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Laniidae

Shrikes are passerine birds known for their habit of catching other birds and small animals and impaling the uneaten portions of their bodies on thorns. A shrike's beak is hooked, like that of a typical bird of prey.

  • Southern fiscal, Lanius collaris

Bushshrikes and allies[]

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Malaconotidae

Bushshrikes are similar in habits to shrikes, hunting insects and other small prey from a perch on a bush. Although similar in build to the shrikes, these tend to be either colourful species or largely black; some species are quite secretive.

African warblers[]

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Macrosphenidae

Monarch flycatchers[]

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Monarchidae

The monarch flycatchers are small to medium-sized insectivorous passerines which hunt by flycatching.

Old World flycatchers[]

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Muscicapidae

Old World flycatchers are a large group of small passerine birds native to the Old World. They are mainly small arboreal insectivores. The appearance of these birds is highly varied, but they mostly have weak songs and harsh calls.

Sunbirds and spiderhunters[]

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Nectariniidae

The sunbirds and spiderhunters are very small passerine birds which feed largely on nectar, although they will also take insects, especially when feeding young. Flight is fast and direct on their short wings. Most species can take nectar by hovering like a hummingbird, but usually perch to feed.

Nicators[]

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Nicatoridae

Old World orioles[]

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Oriolidae

The Old World orioles are colourful passerine birds. They are not related to the New World orioles.

Ground babblers[]

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Pellorneidae

Wattle-eyes[]

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Platysteiridae

The wattle-eyes, or puffback flycatchers, are small stout passerine birds of the African tropics. They get their name from the brightly coloured fleshy eye decorations found in most species in this group.

Weavers and allies[]

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Ploceidae

Weavers are a group of small passerine birds related to the finches. These are seed-eating birds with rounded conical bills, most of which breed in sub-Saharan Africa, with fewer species in tropical Asia. Weavers get their name from the large woven nests many species make. They are gregarious birds which often breed colonially.

Vangas, helmetshrikes, and allies[]

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Vangidae

The helmetshrikes are similar in build to the shrikes, but tend to be colourful species with distinctive crests or other head ornaments, such as wattles, from which they get their name.

Bulbuls[]

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Pycnonotidae

Bulbuls are medium-sized songbirds. Some are colourful with yellow, red or orange vents, cheeks, throats or supercilia, but most are drab, with uniform olive-brown to black plumage. Some species have distinct crests.

Fairy flycatchers[]

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Stenostiridae

Starlings[]

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Sturnidae

Starlings are small to medium-sized passerine birds. They are medium-sized passerines with strong feet. Their flight is strong and direct and they are very gregarious. Their preferred habitat is fairly open country, and they eat insects and fruit. Plumage is typically dark with a metallic sheen.

Thrushes[]

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Turdidae

The thrushes are a group of passerine birds that occur mainly but not exclusively in the Old World. They are plump, soft plumaged, small to medium-sized insectivores or sometimes omnivores, often feeding on the ground. Many have attractive songs.

  • Rufous flycatcher-thrush, Neocossyphus fraseri
  • White-tailed ant-thrush, Neocossyphus poensis
  • African thrush, Turdus pelios

Indigobirds[]

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Viduidae

The indigobirds are finch-like species which usually have black or indigo predominating in their plumage. All are brood parasites, which lay their eggs in the nests of estrildid finches.

  • Exclamatory paradise whydah, Vidua interjecta

Herons, egrets, and bitterns[]

Order: Pelecaniformes   Family: Ardeidae

The family Ardeidae contains the herons, egrets, and bitterns. Herons and egrets are medium to large wading birds with long necks and legs. Bitterns tend to be shorter necked and more secretive. Members of Ardeidae fly with their necks retracted, unlike other long-necked birds such as storks, ibises, and spoonbills.

  • Black-crowned night-heron, Nycticorax nycticorax
  • White-backed night-heron, Gorsachius leuconotus
  • Cattle egret, Bubulcus ibis
  • Great egret, Ardea alba
  • Intermediate egret, Ardea intermedia
  • Gray heron, Ardea cinerea
  • Black-headed heron, Ardea melanocephala
  • Goliath heron, Ardea goliath
  • Purple heron, Ardea purpurea
  • Little egret, Egretta garzetta
  • Western reef-heron, Egretta gularis
  • Squacco heron, Ardeola ralloides
  • Striated heron, Butorides striata
  • Little bittern, Ixobrychus minutus
  • Dwarf bittern, Ixobrychus sturmii
  • White-crested bittern, Tigriornis leucolopha

Honeyguides[]

Order: Piciformes   Family: Indicatoridae

Honeyguides are among the few birds that feed on wax. They are named for the greater honeyguide which leads traditional honey-hunters to bees' nests and, after the hunters have harvested the honey, feeds on the remaining contents of the hive.

Barbets[]

Order: Piciformes   Family: Lybiidae

The barbets are plump birds, with short necks and large heads. They get their name from the bristles which fringe their heavy bills. Most species are brightly coloured.

Woodpeckers[]

Order: Piciformes   Family: Picidae

Woodpeckers are small to medium-sized birds with chisel-like beaks, short legs, stiff tails, and long tongues used for capturing insects. Some species have feet with two toes pointing forward and two backward, while several species have only three toes. Many woodpeckers have the habit of tapping noisily on tree trunks with their beaks.

Wagtails and pipits[]

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Motacillidae

Motacillidae is a family of small passerine birds with medium to long tails. They include the wagtails, longclaws and pipits. They are slender, ground feeding insectivores of open country.

New World and African parrots[]

Order: Psittaciformes   Family: Psittacidae

Parrots are small to large birds with a characteristic curved beak. Their upper mandibles have slight mobility in the joint with the skull and they have a generally erect stance. All parrots are zygodactyl, having the four toes on each foot placed two at the front and two to the back.

  • Grey parrot, Psittacus erithacus

Typical owls[]

Order: Strigiformes   Family: Strigidae

The typical owls are small to large solitary nocturnal birds of prey. They have large forward-facing eyes and ears, a hawk-like beak and a conspicuous circle of feathers around each eye called a facial disk.

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ "Checklist of Urban Wildlife Species In Rivers State" (PDF). Caribbean Journal of Science and Technology. 2: 603–610. 2004. Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 August 2017. Retrieved 17 July 2017.
  2. ^ "Fauna". Finima Nature Park. Retrieved 17 July 2017.
  3. ^ "Biseni forest". BirdLife International. Retrieved 14 July 2017.
  4. ^ Gill, F. and D. Donsker (Eds). 2019. IOC World Bird List (v 9.2). Doi 10.14344/IOC.ML.9.2. http://www.worldbirdnames.org/ retrieved June 22, 2019
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