This is a list of the bird species recorded in Monaco. The avifauna of Monaco include a total of 199 species.
This list's taxonomic treatment (designation and sequence of orders, families and species) and nomenclature (common and scientific names) follow the conventions of the IOC World Bird List, version 14.2. The family accounts at the beginning of each heading reflect this taxonomy, as do the species counts found in each family account.
The following tags have been used to highlight some categories of occurrence.
(A) Accidental - a species that rarely or accidentally occurs in Monaco (I) Introduced - a species introduced to Monaco as a consequence, direct or indirect, of human actions, and has become established
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.
Mute swan, Cygnus olor Common shelduck, Tadorna tadorna Northern shoveler, Spatula clypeata Mallard, Anas platyrhynchos Eurasian teal, Anas crecca Common pochard, Aythya ferina Ferruginous duck, Aythya nyroca Common eider, Somateria mollissima
Pheasants, grouse, and allies Order: GalliformesFamily: Phasianidae
The Phasianidae are a family of terrestrial birds. In general, they are plump (although they vary in size) and have broad, relatively short wings.
Rock ptarmigan, Lagopus muta Common pheasant, Phasianus colchicus (I) Common quail, Coturnix coturnix Red-legged partridge, Alectoris rufa Rock partridge, Alectoris graeca
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.
Eurasian nightjar, Caprimulgus europaeus
Swifts Order: CaprimulgiformesFamily: 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.
Alpine swift, Apus melba Common swift, Apus apus Pallid swift, Apus pallidus
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.
Great spotted cuckoo, Clamator glandarius Common cuckoo, Cuculus canorus
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 dove, Columba livia Common wood pigeon, Columba palumbus European turtle dove, Streptopelia turtur Eurasian collared dove, Streptopelia decaocto
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 moorhen, Gallinula chloropus Eurasian coot, Fulica atra
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, not pulled back. Most have elaborate and noisy courting displays or "dances".
Common crane, Grus grus
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.
Little grebe, Tachybaptus ruficollis Red-necked grebe, Podiceps grisegena Great crested grebe, Podiceps cristatus
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.
Black-winged stilt, Himantopus himantopus
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.
Little ringed plover, Charadrius dubius
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.
Eurasian curlew, Numenius arquata Black-tailed godwit, Limosa limosa Eurasian woodcock, Scolopax rusticola Common sandpiper, Actitis hypoleucos Green sandpiper, Tringa ochropus Wood sandpiper, Tringa glareola Common redshank, Tringa totanus Common greenshank, Tringa nebularia Ruff, Calidris pugnax Curlew sandpiper, Calidris ferruginea Temminck's stint, Calidris temminckii
Gulls, terns, and skimmers Order: CharadriiformesFamily: 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.
Little tern, Sternula albifrons Gull-billed tern, Gelochelidon nilotica Whiskered tern, Chlidonias hybrida Common tern, Sterna hirundo Sandwich tern, Thalasseus sandvicensis Little gull, Hydrocoloeus minutus Black-legged kittiwake, Rissa tridactyla Black-headed gull, Chroicocephalus ridibundus Audouin's gull, Chroicocephalus audouinii Mediterranean gull, Ichthyaetus melanocephalus Common gull, Chroicocephalus canus Caspian gull, Larus cachinnans Yellow-legged gull, Larus michahellis Lesser black-backed gull, Larus fuscus (A)
Auks, murres, and puffins Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Alcidae
Alcidae are a family of seabirds which are superficially similar to penguins with their black-and-white colours, their upright posture, and some of their habits, but which are able to fly.
Atlantic puffin, Fratercula arctica Common guillemot, Uria aalge (A)
Divers Order: GaviiformesFamily: Gaviidae
Divers or loons are a group of aquatic birds found in the arctic to cool temperate northern hemisphere. They are the size of a large duck or small goose, which they somewhat resemble in shape when swimming, but to which they are completely unrelated. In particular, their legs are set very far back which assists swimming underwater but makes walking on land extremely difficult.
Red-throated diver, Gavia stellata Black-throated diver, Gavia arctica
Northern storm petrels Order: ProcellariiformesFamily: Hydrobatidae
Though the members of this family are similar in many respects to the southern storm-petrels, including their general appearance and habits, there are enough genetic differences to warrant their placement in a separate family.
European storm petrel, Hydrobates pelagicus
Shearwaters and petrels Order: ProcellariiformesFamily: Procellariidae
The procellariids are the main group of medium-sized petrels, characterised by united nostrils with medium septum and a long, functional outer primary.
Scopoli's shearwater, Calonectris diomedea Yelkouan shearwater, Puffinus yelkouan Balearic shearwater, Puffinus mauretanicus
Boobies and gannets Order: SuliformesFamily: Sulidae
The sulids comprise the gannets and boobies. Both groups are medium to large coastal seabirds that plunge-dive for fish.
Northern gannet, Morus bassanus
Cormorants and shags Order: SuliformesFamily: Phalacrocoracidae
Phalacrocoracidae is a family of medium to large coastal, fish-eating seabirds that includes cormorants and shags. Plumage colouration varies, with the majority having mainly dark plumage, some species being black-and-white and a few being colourful.
Great cormorant, Phalacrocorax carbo European shag, Gulosus aristotelis
Herons, egrets, and bitterns Order: PelecaniformesFamily: 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.
Eurasian bittern, Botaurus stellaris Little bittern, Botaurus minutus Black-crowned night heron, Nycticorax nycticorax (A) Little egret, Egretta garzetta Grey heron, Ardea cinerea
Osprey Order: AccipitriformesFamily: Pandionidae
The family Pandionidae contains only one species, the osprey. The osprey is a medium-large raptor which is a specialist fish-eater with a worldwide distribution.
Osprey, Pandion haliaetus
Hawks, eagles, and kites Order: AccipitriformesFamily: 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.
European honey buzzard, Pernis apivorus Booted eagle, Hieraaetus pennatus Golden eagle, Aquila chrysaetos Eurasian sparrowhawk, Accipiter nisus Eurasian goshawk, Astur gentilis Hen harrier, Circus cyaneus Montagu's harrier, Circus pygargus Black kite, Milvus migrans Common buzzard, Buteo buteo
Barn owls Order: StrigiformesFamily: Tytonidae
Barn owls are medium to large owls with large heads and characteristic heart-shaped faces. They have long strong legs with powerful talons.
Western barn owl, Tyto alba
Owls Order: StrigiformesFamily: 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.
Little owl, Athene noctua Eurasian scops owl, Otus scops (A) Long-eared owl, Asio otus Eurasian eagle-owl, Bubo bubo Tawny owl, Strix aluco
Hoopoes Order: BucerotiformesFamily: Upupidae
Hoopoes have black, white and orangey-pink colouring with a large erectile crest on their head.
Eurasian hoopoe, Upupa epops
Rollers Order: CoraciiformesFamily: Coraciidae
Rollers resemble crows in size and build, but are more closely related to the kingfishers and bee-eaters. They share the colourful appearance of those groups with blues and browns predominating. The two inner front toes are connected, but the outer toe is not.
European roller, Coracias garrulus
Kingfishers Order: CoraciiformesFamily: Alcedinidae
Kingfishers are medium-sized birds with large heads, long, pointed bills, short legs and stubby tails.
Common kingfisher, Alcedo atthis
Bee-eaters Order: CoraciiformesFamily: Meropidae