List of birds of Tuvalu

There are 37 species of birds that have been recorded on Tuvalu, of which one has been introduced by humans. Surveys have established thirteen breeding species, including nine species of seabirds. The migrant species that have been confirmed in Tuvalu include nine species of seabirds, such as the black noddy (Anous minutes) or taketake (Tuvaluan); and eight species of shorebirds, including the globally threatened bristle-thighed curlew (Numenius tahitiensis).^[1]

This list's taxonomic treatment (designation and sequence of orders, families and species) and nomenclature (common and scientific names) follow the conventions of The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World, 2021 edition. The family accounts at the beginning of each heading reflect this taxonomy, as do the species counts found in each family account. Introduced and accidental species are included in the total counts for Tuvalu.

The following codes have been used to show several categories. Species without any tags are commonly occurring native species.

• Accidental (A) – a species that rarely or accidentally occurs in Tuvalu
• Introduced (I) – a species introduced to Tuvalu as a consequence, direct or indirect, of human actions
  

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.

• Pacific black duck, Anas superciliosa
• Mallard, Anas platyrhynchos (A)

Pheasants, grouse, and allies[]

Order: Galliformes   Family: Phasianidae

The Phasianidae are a family of terrestrial birds which consists of quails, partridges, snowcocks, francolins, spurfowls, tragopans, monals, pheasants, peafowls and jungle fowls. In general, they are plump (although they vary in size) and have broad, relatively short wings.

• Red junglefowl, Gallus gallus (I)

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.

• Pacific imperial-pigeon, Ducula pacifica

Cuckoos[]

Order: Cuculiformes   Family: Cuculidae

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

• Long-tailed koel, Eudynamys taitensis

Rails, gallinules, 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. Typically they inhabit 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.

• Buff-banded rail, Gallirallus philippensis

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.

• Pacific golden-plover, Pluvialis fulva
• Common ringed plover, Charadrius hiaticula (A)
• Semipalmated plover, Charadrius semipalmatus (A)

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.

• Bristle-thighed curlew, Numenius tahitiensis
• Whimbrel, Numenius phaeopus (A)
• Bar-tailed godwit, Limosa lapponica
• Ruddy turnstone, Arenaria interpres
• Sanderling, Calidris alba
• Gray-tailed tattler, Tringa brevipes
• Wandering tattler, Tringa incana

Gulls, terns, and skimmers[]

Order: Charadriiformes   Family: Laridae

Laridae is a family of medium to large seabirds, the gulls, terns, and skimmers. Gulls are typically grey or white, often with black markings on the head or wings. They have stout, longish bills and webbed feet. Terns are a group of generally medium to large seabirds typically with grey or white plumage, often with black markings on the head. Most terns hunt fish by diving but some pick insects off the surface of fresh water. Terns are generally long-lived birds, with several species known to live in excess of 30 years.

• Brown noddy, Anous stolidus
• Black noddy, Anous minutus
• Blue-gray noddy, Anous cerulea (A)
• White tern, Gygis alba
• Sooty tern, Onychoprion fuscatus
• Gray-backed tern, Onychoprion lunatus (A)
• Bridled tern, Onychoprion anaethetus
• Black-naped tern, Sterna sumatrana
• Great crested tern, Thalasseus bergii

Tropicbirds[]

Order: Phaethontiformes   Family: Phaethontidae

Tropicbirds are slender white birds of tropical oceans, with exceptionally long central tail feathers. Their heads and long wings have black markings.

• White-tailed tropicbird, Phaethon lepturus
• Red-tailed tropicbird, Phaethon rubricauda (A)

Shearwaters and petrels[]

Order: Procellariiformes   Family: Procellariidae

The procellariids are the main group of medium-sized "true petrels", characterised by united nostrils with medium septum and a long outer functional primary.

• Phoenix petrel, Pterodroma alba (A)
• Wedge-tailed shearwater, Ardenna pacificus (A)
• Christmas shearwater, Puffinus nativitatis (A)
• Tropical shearwater, Puffinus bailloni (A)

Frigatebirds[]

Order: Suliformes   Family: Fregatidae

Frigatebirds are large seabirds usually found over tropical oceans. They are large, black and white or completely black, with long wings and deeply forked tails. The males have coloured inflatable throat pouches. They do not swim or walk and cannot take off from a flat surface. Having the largest wingspan-to-body-weight ratio of any bird, they are essentially aerial, able to stay aloft for more than a week.

• Lesser frigatebird, Fregata ariel
• Great frigatebird, Fregata minor

Boobies and gannets[]

Order: Suliformes   Family: Sulidae

The sulids comprise the gannets and boobies. Both groups are medium to large coastal seabirds that plunge-dive for fish.

• Masked booby, Sula dactylatra (A)
• Brown booby, Sula leucogaster
• Red-footed booby, Sula sula

Herons, egrets, and bitterns[]

Order: Pelecaniformes   Family: Ardeidae

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

• Pacific reef-heron, Egretta sacra

See also[]

• List of birds
• Lists of birds by region
• Funafuti Conservation Area

References[]

• Lepage, Denis. "Checklist of birds of Tuvalu". Bird Checklists of the World. Avibase. Retrieved 30 August 2021.
• Clements, James F. (2000). Birds of the World: a Checklist. Cornell University Press. p. 880. ISBN 0-934797-16-1.

• Watling, Dick, A Guide to the Birds of Fiji and Western Polynesia: Including American Samoa, Niue, Samoa, Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu and Wallis and Futuna, Environmental Consultants (Fiji) Ltd; 2nd edition (2003)