This is a list of the bird species recorded in Guadeloupe. Guadeloupe is an overseas department of France located in the Leeward Islands, part of the Lesser Antilles in the Caribbean. The avifauna of Guadeloupe included a total of 299 species according to Bird Checklists of the World as of October 2024. Of them, one is endemic, 11 have been introduced by humans, and 163 are rare or accidental. Two species have been extirpated and another possibly has been.
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. French names in parentheses are also from the Check-list.
The following tags have been used to highlight several categories. The tags and notes on population status are also from Bird Checklists of the World.
(A) Accidental - a species that rarely or accidentally occurs in Guadeloupe (I) Introduced - a species introduced directly to Guadeloupe or elsewhere in the New World (EXT) Extinct - a species which no longer exists (EXP) Extirpated - a species that no longer occurs in Guadeloupe although populations exist elsewhere
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.
White-faced whistling-duck (), Dendrocygna viduata (A) Black-bellied whistling-duck (), Dendrocygna autumnalis (A) West Indian whistling-duck (), Dendrocygna arborea (A) (Vulnerable) Fulvous whistling-duck (), Dendrocygna bicolor (A) Snow goose (), Anser caerulescens (A) Wood duck (), Aix sponsa (A) Garganey (), Spatula querquedula (A) Blue-winged teal (), Anas discors Northern shoveler (), Anas clypeata (A) Gadwall (), Mareca strepera (A) Eurasian wigeon (), Mareca penelope (A) American wigeon (), Mareca americana (A) Mallard (), Anas platyrhynchos (A) American black duck (), Anas rubripes (A) White-cheeked pintail (), Anas bahamensis (A) Northern pintail (), Anas acuta (A) Green-winged teal (), Anas crecca (A) Ring-necked duck (), Aythya collaris Tufted duck (), Aythya fuligula (A) Greater scaup (), Aythya marila (A) Lesser scaup (), Aythya affinis Hooded merganser (), Lophodytes cucullatus (A) Masked duck (), Nomonyx dominicus Ruddy duck (), Oxyura jamaicensis
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.
Red junglefowl (), Gallus gallus (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.
American flamingo (), Phoenicopterus ruber (A)
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.
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) Scaly-naped pigeon (), Patagioenas squamosa White-crowned pigeon (), Patagioenas leucocephala (Near-threatened) Eurasian collared-dove (), Streptopelia decaocto (I) Common ground dove (), Columbina passerina Ruddy quail-dove (), Geotrygon montana Bridled quail-dove (), Geotrygon mystacea White-winged dove (), Zenaida asiatica Zenaida dove (), Zenaida aurita Eared dove (), Zenaida auriculata (A) Mourning dove (), Zenaida macroura (A)
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.
Smooth-billed ani (), Crotophaga ani Common cuckoo (), Cuculus canorus (A) Yellow-billed cuckoo (), Coccyzus americanus Mangrove cuckoo (), Coccyzus minor Black-billed cuckoo (), Coccyzus erythropthalmus (A)
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 nighthawk (), Chordeiles minor (A) Antillean nighthawk (), Chordeiles gundlachii (A) Chuck-will's-widow (), Antrostomus carolinensis (A)
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 White-collared swift (), Streptoprocne zonaris (A) Lesser Antillean swift (), Chaetura martinica Chimney swift (), Chaetura pelagica (A)(Near-threatened) Short-tailed swift (), Chaetura brachyura (A) Alpine swift (), Apus melba (A)
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.
Purple-throated carib (), Eulampis jugularis Green-throated carib (), Eulampis holosericeus Antillean crested hummingbird (), Orthorhyncus cristatus
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.
Clapper rail (), Rallus crepitans Corn crake (), Crex crex (A) Sora (), Porzana carolina Spotted crake (), Porzana porzana (A) Common gallinule (), Gallinula galeata American coot (), Fulica americana Purple gallinule (), Porphyrio martinica Azure gallinule (), Porphyrio flavirostris (A)
Limpkin Order: GruiformesFamily: Aramidae
The limpkin resembles a large rail. It has drab-brown plumage and a grayer head and neck.
Limpkin (), Aramus guarauna (A)
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 (A) Black-necked stilt (), Himantopus mexicanus (A)
Oystercatchers Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Haematopodidae
The oystercatchers are large and noisy plover-like birds, with strong bills used for smashing or prising open molluscs.
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.
Black-bellied plover (), Pluvialis squatarola American golden-plover (), Pluvialis dominica Pacific golden-plover (), Pluvialis fulva (A) Killdeer (), Charadrius vociferus (A) Common ringed plover (), Charadrius hiaticula (A) Semipalmated plover (), Charadrius semipalmatus Piping plover (), Charadrius melodus (A) (Near-threatened) Little ringed plover, Charadrius dubius (A) Wilson's plover (), Charadrius wilsonia Collared plover (), Charadrius collaris (A) Snowy plover (), Charadrius nivosus (A) (Near-threatened)
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.
Upland sandpiper (), Bartramia longicauda Whimbrel (), Numenius phaeopus (A) Eskimo curlew (), Numenius borealis (A) (Critically endangered, possibly extinct) Long-billed curlew (), Numenius americanus (A) Hudsonian godwit (), Limosa haemastica (A) Marbled godwit (), Limosa fedoa (A) Ruddy turnstone (), Arenaria interpres Red knot (), Calidris canutus (Near-threatened) Ruff (), Calidris pugnax (A) Stilt sandpiper (), Calidris himantopus Curlew sandpiper (), Calidris ferruginea (A)(Near-threatened) Sanderling (), Calidris alba Dunlin (), Calidris alpina (A) Baird's sandpiper (), Calidris bairdii (A) Least sandpiper (), Calidris minutilla White-rumped sandpiper (), Calidris fuscicollis Buff-breasted sandpiper (), Calidris subruficollis (A)(Near-threatened) Pectoral sandpiper (), Calidris melanotos Semipalmated sandpiper (), Calidris pusilla (Near-threatened) Western sandpiper (), Calidris mauri Short-billed dowitcher (), Limnodromus griseus Long-billed dowitcher (), Limnodromus scolopaceus (A) Wilson's snipe (), Gallinago delicata Spotted sandpiper (), Actitis macularia Green sandpiper (), Tringa ochropus (A) Solitary sandpiper (), Tringa solitaria Lesser yellowlegs (), Tringa flavipes Willet (), Tringa semipalmata Spotted redshank (), Tringa erythropus (A) Greater yellowlegs (), Tringa melanoleuca Common redshank (), Tringa totanus (A) Wood sandpiper (), Tringa glareola (A) Wilson's phalarope (), Phalaropus tricolor (A) Red-necked phalarope (), Phalaropus lobatus (A) Red phalarope (), Phalaropus fulicarius (A)
Pratincoles Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Glareolidae
Glareolidae is a family of wading birds comprising the pratincoles, which have short legs, long pointed wings and long forked tails, and the coursers, which have long legs, short wings and long, pointed bills which curve downwards.
Collared pratincole (), Glareola pratincola (A)
Skuas and jaegers Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Stercorariidae
The family Stercorariidae are, in general, medium to large birds, typically with gray or brown plumage, often with white markings on the wings. They nest on the ground in temperate and arctic regions and are long-distance migrants.
Great skua (), Stercorarius skua (A) South polar skua (), Stercorarius maccormicki (A) Pomarine jaeger (), Stercorarius pomarinus Parasitic jaeger (), Stercorarius parasiticus Long-tailed jaeger (), Stercorarius longicaudus (A)
Gulls, terns, and skimmers Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Laridae