This is a list of birds species recorded in the archipelago of Cuba, which consists of the main island of Cuba and over 1000 smaller cays and islands. The confirmed avifauna of Cuba included a total of 407 species as of May 2023 according to the Annotated Checklist of the Birds of Cuba. Of them, 25 are endemic, 15 have been introduced by humans, and 151 are noted as rare. Thirty-two endemic subspecies of more widespread species are noted. Two species are known to be extinct and two others possibly are. An additional 13 species are classed as hypothetical. Fifteen species are globally threatened.
This list is presented in the taxonomic sequence of the Check-list of North and Middle American Birds, 7th edition through the 63rd Supplement, published by the American Ornithological Society (AOS). Common and scientific names are also those of the Check-list, except that the common names of families are from the Clements taxonomy because the AOS list does not include them. Additional accidental species have been added from different sources.
The following tags have been used to highlight several categories of occurrence.
(R) Rare - A species that has occurred fewer than twice per year according to Navarro; includes Navarro's "Rare", "Very Rare", and "Exceptionally Rare" categories. (E) Endemic - a species endemic to the archipelago of Cuba. (I) Introduced - a species introduced to the archipelago of Cuba as a consequence, direct or indirect, of human actions
Ducks, geese, and waterfowl Order: AnseriformesFamily: 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. Common name Binomial Status White-faced whistling-duck Dendrocygna viduata (R) Black-bellied whistling-duck Dendrocygna autumnalis West Indian whistling-duck Dendrocygna arborea vulnerable Fulvous whistling-duck Dendrocygna bicolor Snow goose Anser caerulescens Greater white-fronted goose Anser albifrons (R) Brant Branta bernicla (R) Canada goose Branta canadensis Tundra swan Cygnus columbianus (R) Muscovy duck Cairina moschata (I) Wood duck Aix sponsa Blue-winged teal Spatula discors Cinnamon teal Spatula cyanoptera (R) Northern shoveler Spatula clypeata Gadwall Mareca strepera Eurasian wigeon Mareca penelope (R) American wigeon Mareca americana Mallard Anas platyrhynchos American black duck Anas rubripes (H) White-cheeked pintail Anas bahamensis Northern pintail Anas acuta Green-winged teal Anas crecca Canvasback Aythya valisineria Redhead Aythya americana Ring-necked duck Aythya collaris Greater scaup Aythya marila (H) Lesser scaup Aythya affinis Surf scoter Melanitta perspicillata (R) White-winged scoter Melanitta deglandi (R) Bufflehead Bucephala albeola (R) Common goldeneye Bucephala clangula (H) Hooded merganser Lophodytes cucullatus (R) Common merganser Mergus merganser (R) Red-breasted merganser Mergus serrator Masked duck Nomonyx dominicus Ruddy duck Oxyura jamaicensis
Guineafowl Order: GalliformesFamily: Numididae
Guineafowls are a group of African, seed-eating, ground-nesting birds that resemble partridges, but with featherless heads and spangled gray plumage. Common name Binomial Status Helmeted guineafowl Numida meleagris (I)
New World quail Order: GalliformesFamily: Odontophoridae
The New World quails are small, plump terrestrial birds only distantly related to the quails of the Old World, but named for their similar appearance and habits. Common name Binomial Status Northern bobwhite Colinus virginianus cubanensis (Es) near-threatened
Pheasants, grouse, and allies Order: GalliformesFamily: 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. Common name Binomial Status Ring-necked pheasant Phasianus colchicus (I)
Flamingos
Order: PhoenicopteriformesFamily: Phoenicopteridae
Flamingos are gregarious wading birds, usually tall, found in both the Western and Eastern Hemispheres. Flamingos filter-feed on shellfish and algae. Their oddly shaped beaks are specially adapted to separate mud and silt from the food they consume and, uniquely, are used upside down. Common name Binomial Status American flamingo Phoenicopterus ruber
Grebes Order: PodicipediformesFamily: Podicipedidae
Grebes are small to medium-large freshwater diving birds. They have lobed toes and are excellent swimmers and divers. However, they have their feet placed far back on the body, making them quite ungainly on land. Common name Binomial Status Least grebe Tachybaptus dominicus Pied-billed grebe Podilymbus podiceps
Pigeons and doves
Order: ColumbiformesFamily: Columbidae
Pigeons and doves are stout-bodied birds with short necks and short slender bills with a fleshy cere. Common name Binomial Status Rock pigeon Columba livia (I) Scaly-naped pigeon Patagioenas squamosa White-crowned pigeon Patagioenas leucocephala near-threatened Plain pigeon Patagioenas inornata near-threatened Eurasian collared-dove Streptopelia decaocto (I) Passenger pigeon Ectopistes migratorius extinct Common ground dove Columbina passerina Blue-headed quail-dove Starnoenas cyanocephala (E) endangered Ruddy quail-dove Geotrygon montana Gray-fronted quail-dove Geotrygon caniceps (E) vulnerable Key West quail-dove Geotrygon chrysia White-winged dove Zenaida asiatica Zenaida dove Zenaida aurita Mourning dove Zenaida macroura
Cuckoos
Order: CuculiformesFamily: Cuculidae
The family Cuculidae includes cuckoos, roadrunners, and anis. These birds are of variable size with slender bodies, long tails, and strong legs. The Old World cuckoos are brood parasites. Common name Binomial Status Smooth-billed ani Crotophaga ani Yellow-billed cuckoo Coccyzus americanus Mangrove cuckoo Coccyzus minor Black-billed cuckoo Coccyzus erythropthalmus (R) Great lizard-cuckoo Coccyzus merlini
Nightjars and allies Order: CaprimulgiformesFamily: Caprimulgidae
Nightjars are medium-sized nocturnal birds that usually nest on the ground. They have long wings, short legs, and very short bills. Most have small feet, of little use for walking, and long pointed wings. Their soft plumage is camouflaged to resemble bark or leaves. Common name Binomial Status Common nighthawk Chordeiles minor Antillean nighthawk Chordeiles gundlachii Chuck-will's-widow Antrostomus carolinensis Greater Antillean nightjar Antrostomus cubanensis The two subspecies in Cuba are considered a separate species, Cuban nightjar, by Navarro Eastern whip-poor-will Antrostomus vociferus (R)
Potoos Order: NyctibiiformesFamily: Nyctibiidae
The potoos (sometimes called poor-me-ones) are large near passerine birds related to the nightjars and frogmouths. They are nocturnal insectivores which lack the bristles around the mouth found in the true nightjars. Common name Binomial Status Northern potoo Nyctibius jamaicensis
Swifts Order: ApodiformesFamily: 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. Common name Binomial Status Black swift Cypseloides niger White-collared swift Streptoprocne zonaris Chimney swift Chaetura pelagica (R) near-threatened Antillean palm-swift Tachornis phoenicobia iradii (Es)
Hummingbirds
Order: ApodiformesFamily: Trochilidae
Hummingbirds are small birds capable of hovering in mid-air due to the rapid flapping of their wings. They are the only birds that can fly backwards. Common name Binomial Status Ruby-throated hummingbird Archilochus colubris Bee hummingbird Mellisuga helenae (E) near-threatened Bahama woodstar Nesophlox evelynae (R) Cuban emerald Riccordia ricordii ricordii (Es)
Rails, gallinules, and coots Order: GruiformesFamily: 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. Common name Binomial Status Zapata rail Cyanolimnas cerverai (E) Critically endangered Spotted rail Pardirallus maculatus King rail Rallus elegans ramsdeni (Es) Near-threatened Clapper rail Rallus crepitans Virginia rail Rallus limicola (R) Sora Porzana carolina Common gallinule Gallinula galeata American coot Fulica americana Purple gallinule Porphyrio martinica Yellow-breasted crake Haplocrex flaviventer Black rail Laterallus jamaicensis (R) Near-threatened
Limpkin
Order: GruiformesFamily: Aramidae
The limpkin resembles a large rail. It has drab-brown plumage and a grayer head and neck. Common name Binomial Status Limpkin Aramus guarauna
Cranes Order: GruiformesFamily: Gruidae
Cranes are large, long-legged, and long-necked birds. Unlike the similar-looking but unrelated herons, cranes fly with necks outstretched rather than retracted. Common name Binomial Status Sandhill crane Antigone canadensis nesiotes (Es)
Stilts and avocets
Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Recurvirostridae
Recurvirostridae is a family of large wading birds which includes the avocets and stilts. The avocets have long legs and long up-curved bills. The stilts have extremely long legs and long, thin, straight bills. Common name Binomial Status Black-necked stilt Himantopus mexicanus American avocet Recurvirostra americana
Oystercatchers Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Haematopodidae
The oystercatchers are large and noisy plover-like birds, with strong bills used for smashing or prising open molluscs. Common name Binomial Status American oystercatcher Haematopus palliatus
Plovers and lapwings
Order: CharadriiformesFamily: 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. Common name Binomial Status Black-bellied plover Pluvialis squatarola American golden-plover Pluvialis dominica Killdeer Charadrius vociferus Semipalmated plover Charadrius semipalmatus Piping plover Charadrius melodus near-threatened Wilson's plover Charadrius wilsonia Snowy plover Charadrius nivosus near-threatened
Jacanas Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Jacanidae
The jacanas are a group of waders which are found throughout the tropics. They are identifiable by their huge feet and claws which enable them to walk on floating vegetation in the shallow lakes that are their preferred habitat. Common name Binomial Status Northern jacana Jacana spinosa
Sandpipers and allies
Order: CharadriiformesFamily: 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.