The birds of Honduras included a total of 798 species as of June 2023, according to La Asociación Hondureña de Ornitología (ASHO). Between that date and August 2021, an additional 30 species have been added from Bird Checklists of the World and one as a result of a split.

Of the 797 species listed here, one of them, the Honduran emerald, is endemic. Fifty-four are rare or accidental and five have been introduced by humans. Five species are hypothetical (see below) and a few have insufficient information to classify. Some of the "hypothetical" species have more recent eBird records with photographs. Two species have possibly been extirpated. Sixteen species are globally vulnerable or endangered.The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2019-2. http://www.iucnredlist.org. Downloaded on August 4, 2019.

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.

Unless otherwise noted, the species on this list are considered to occur regularly in Honduras as permanent residents, summer or winter visitors, or migrants. The following tags are used by ASHO to highlight several categories of occurrence.

(A) Accidental - a species that rarely or accidentally occurs in Honduras (E) Endemic - a species endemic to Honduras (I) Introduced - a species introduced to Honduras as a consequence, direct or indirect, of human actions (H) Hypothetical - a species recorded but with no tangible evidence such as a photograph, according to the ASHO (?) Insufficient information - appended to a tag or note because of uncertainty

Tinamous Order: TinamiformesFamily: Tinamidae

The tinamous are one of the most ancient groups of bird. Although they look similar to other ground-dwelling birds like quail and grouse, they are not related to these birds as they are palaeognaths, and are classified as a single family, Tinamidae, within their own order, the Tinamiformes. They are related to the ratites, such as rheas, emu, and kiwi.

Great tinamou, Tinamus major (near-threatened) Little tinamou, Crypturellus soui Thicket tinamou, Crypturellus cinnamomeus Slaty-breasted tinamou, Crypturellus boucardi

Ducks, geese, and waterfowl

Order: AnseriformesFamily: Anatidae

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

Black-bellied whistling-duck, Dendrocygna autumnalis Fulvous whistling-duck, Dendrocygna bicolor Snow goose, Anser caerulescens (A) Brant, Branta bernicla (A) Canada goose, Branta canadensis (A?) (H?) Muscovy duck, Cairina moschata Blue-winged teal, Spatula discors Cinnamon teal, Spatula cyanoptera Northern shoveler, Spatula clypeata Gadwall, Mareca strepera (A) American wigeon, Mareca americana Mallard, Anas platyrhynchos (A) White-cheeked pintail, Anas bahamensis (A) Northern pintail, Anas acuta Green-winged teal, Anas crecca Canvasback, Aythya valisineria Redhead, Aythya americana (A) Ring-necked duck, Aythya collaris Lesser scaup, Aythya affinis Red-breasted merganser, Mergus serrator (A) Masked duck, Nomonyx dominicus Ruddy duck, Oxyura jamaicensis

Guans, chachalacas, and curassows

Order: GalliformesFamily: Cracidae

The Cracidae are large birds, similar in general appearance to turkeys. The guans and curassows live in trees, but the smaller chachalacas are found in more open scrubby habitats. They are generally dull-plumaged, but the curassows and some guans have colorful facial ornaments.

Plain chachalaca, Ortalis vetula Gray-headed chachalaca, Ortalis cinereiceps White-bellied chachalaca, Ortalis leucogastra Crested guan, Penelope purpurascens Highland guan, Penelopina nigra (vulnerable) Great curassow, Crax rubra (vulnerable)

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.

Tawny-faced quail, Rhynchortyx cinctus Buffy-crowned wood-partridge, Dendrortyx leucophrys Black-throated bobwhite, Colinus nigrogularis Crested bobwhite, Colinus cristatus Ocellated quail, Cyrtonyx ocellatus (vulnerable) Singing quail, Dactylortyx thoracicus Black-eared wood-quail, Odontophorus melanotis Spotted wood-quail, Odontophorus guttatus

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.

American flamingo, Phoenicopterus ruber (A?) (H?)

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.

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.

Rock pigeon, Columba livia (I) Pale-vented pigeon, Patagioenas cayennensis Scaled pigeon, Patagioenas speciosa White-crowned pigeon, Patagioenas leucocephala (near-threatened) Red-billed pigeon, Patagioenas flavirostris Band-tailed pigeon, Patagioenas fasciata Short-billed pigeon, Patagioenas nigrirostris Eurasian collared-dove, Streptopelia decaocto (I) Inca dove, Columbina inca Common ground dove, Columbina passerina Plain-breasted ground dove, Columbina minuta Ruddy ground dove, Columbina talpacoti Blue ground dove, Claravis pretiosa Maroon-chested ground dove, Paraclaravis mondetoura Ruddy quail-dove, Geotrygon montana White-tipped dove, Leptotila verreauxi Caribbean dove, Leptotila jamaicensis Gray-chested dove, Leptotila cassinii Gray-headed dove, Leptotila plumbeiceps White-faced quail-dove, Zentrygon albifacies White-winged dove, Zenaida asiatica 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.

Smooth-billed ani, Crotophaga ani Groove-billed ani, Crotophaga sulcirostris Striped cuckoo, Tapera naevia Pheasant cuckoo, Dromococcyx phasianellus Lesser ground-cuckoo, Morococcyx erythropygus Lesser roadrunner, Geococcyx velox Rufous-vented ground-cuckoo, Neomorphus geoffroyi Squirrel cuckoo, Piaya cayana Yellow-billed cuckoo, Coccyzus americanus Mangrove cuckoo, Coccyzus minor Black-billed cuckoo, Coccyzus erythropthalmus

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.

Short-tailed nighthawk, Lurocalis semitorquatus Lesser nighthawk, Chordeiles acutipennis Common nighthawk, Chordeiles minor Antillean nighthawk, Chordeiles gundlachii (A) Common pauraque, Nyctidromus albicollis Ocellated poorwill, Nyctiphrynus ocellatus Chuck-will's-widow, Antrostomus carolinensis (near-threatened) Yucatan nightjar, Antrostmus badius Buff-collared nightjar, Antrostomus ridgwayi Eastern whip-poor-will, Antrostomus vociferus (near-threatened) Mexican whip-poor-will, Antrostomus arizonae Spot-tailed nightjar, Hydropsalis maculicaudus

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.

Great potoo, Nyctibius grandis 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.

Black swift, Cypseloides niger (vulnerable) White-chinned swift, Cypseloides cryptus Chestnut-collared swift, Streptoprocne rutila White-collared swift, Streptoprocne zonaris Gray-rumped swift, Chaetura cinereiventris Chimney swift, Chaetura pelagica (vulnerable) Vaux's swift, Chaetura vauxi White-throated swift, Aeronautes saxatalis Lesser swallow-tailed swift, Panyptila cayennensis Great swallow-tailed swift, Panyptila sanctihieronymi

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.

White-necked jacobin, Florisuga mellivora Bronzy hermit, Glaucis aenea Band-tailed barbthroat, Threnetes ruckeri Long-billed hermit, Phaethornis longirostris Stripe-throated hermit, Phaethornis striigularis Brown violetear, Colibri delphinae Mexican violetear, Colibri thalassinus (the ASHO retains the pre-split name of green violetear) Purple-crowned fairy, Heliothryx barroti Green-breasted mango, Anthracothorax prevostii Black-crested coquette, Lophornis helenae Rivoli's hummingbird, Eugenes fulgens Long-billed starthroat, Heliomaster longirostris Plain-capped starthroat, Heliomaster constantii Green-throated mountain-gem, Lampornis viridipallens Green-breasted mountain-gem, Lampornis sybillae Amethyst-throated mountain-gem, Lampornis amethystinus Garnet-throated hummingbird, Lamprolaima rhami Slender sheartail, Doricha enicura Sparkling-tailed hummingbird, Tilmatura dupontii Ruby-throated hummingbird, Archilochus colubris Wine-throated hummingbird, Selasphorus ellioti Canivet's emerald, Cynanthus canivetii White-eared hummingbird, Basilinna leucotis Wedge-tailed sabrewing, Pampa curvipennis Emerald-chinned hummingbird, Abeillia abeillei Violet-headed hummingbird, Klais guimeti Violet sabrewing, Campylopterus hemileucurus Bronze-tailed plumeleteer, Chalybura urochrysia Crowned woodnymph, Thalurania colombica Snowcap, Microchera albocoronata Stripe-tailed hummingbird, Eupherusa eximia Scaly-breasted hummingbird, Phaeochroa cuvierii Green-fronted hummingbird, Leucolia viridifrons (A) Azure-crowned hummingbird, Saucerottia cyanocephala Blue-vented hummingbird, Saucerottia hoffmanni Berylline hummingbird, Saucerottia beryllina Blue-tailed hummingbird, Saucerottia cyanura Cinnamon hummingbird, Amazilia rutila Buff-bellied hummingbird, Amazilia yucatanensis (A) Rufous-tailed hummingbird, Amazilia tzacatl Honduran emerald, Polyerata luciae or Amazilia luciae (E) (endangered) Blue-chested hummingbird, Polyerata amabilis White-bellied emerald, Chlorestes candida Blue-throated goldentail, Chlorestes eliciae

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.

Spotted rail, Pardirallus maculatus Uniform crake, Amaurolimnas concolor Rufous-necked wood-rail, Aramides axillaris Russet-naped wood-rail, Aramides albiventris