This list of birds of Ceará includes species documented in the Brazilian state of Ceará. The backbone of this list is provided by Avibase, and all additions that differ from this list have citations. As of November 2024, there are 577 recorded bird species in Ceará.
The following tags note species in each of those categories: (A) Accidental - species not regularly occurring in Ceará (EB) Endemic to Brazil - species that is only found in Brazil (ES) Endemic to Ceará - species that is only found in Ceará (I) Introduced - species that is not native to Ceará
Rheas Order: RheiformesFamily: Rheidae Greater rhea (Rhea americana) (A)
Tinamous
Order: TinamiformesFamily: Tinamidae Yellow-legged tinamou (Crypturellus noctivagus) (EB) Small-billed tinamou (Crypturellus parvirostris) Tataupa tinamou (Crypturellus tataupa) Red-winged tinamou (Rhynchotus rufescens) White-bellied nothura (Nothura boraquira) Spotted nothura (Nothura maculosa)
Screamers Order: AnseriformesFamily: Anhimidae Horned screamer (Anhima cornuta)
Ducks, geese, and waterfowl
Order: AnseriformesFamily: Anatidae Fulvous whistling duck (Dendrocygna bicolor) White-faced whistling duck (Dendrocygna viduata) Black-bellied whistling duck (Dendrocygna autumnalis) Muscovy duck (Cairina moschata) Comb duck (Sarkidiornis sylvicola) Brazilian teal (Amazonetta brasiliensis) Blue-winged teal (Spatula discors) White-cheeked pintail (Anas bahamensis) Southern pochard (Netta erythrophthalma) Masked duck (Nomonyx dominicus)
Chachalacas, guans, and curassows
Order: GalliformesFamily: Cracidae Rusty-margined guan (Penelope superciliaris) White-browed guan (Penelope jacucaca) (EB)
New World quail Order: GalliformesFamily: Odontophoridae Spot-winged wood quail (Odontophorus capueira)
Grebes Order: PodicipediformesFamily: Podicipedidae Pied-billed grebe (Podilymbus podiceps) Least grebe (Tachybaptus dominicus)
Doves and pigeons
Order: ColumbiformesFamily: Columbidae Rock pigeon (Columba livia) (I) Picazuro pigeon (Patagioenas picazuro) White-tipped dove (Leptotila verreauxi) Grey-fronted dove (Leptotila rufaxilla) Eared dove (Zenaida auriculata) Blue ground dove (Claravis pretiosa) Common ground dove (Columbina passerina) Plain-breasted ground dove (Columbina minuta) Ruddy ground dove (Columbina talpacoti) Picui ground dove (Columbina picui) Scaled dove (Columbina squammata)
Potoos Order: NyctibiiformesFamily: Nyctibiidae Common potoo (Nyctibius griseus)
Nightjars
Order: CaprimulgiformesFamily: Caprimulgidae Rufous nightjar (Antrostomus rufus) Short-tailed nighthawk (Lurocalis semitorquatus) Common pauraque (Nyctidromus albicollis) Pygmy nightjar (Nyctipolus hirundinaceus) (EB) Little nightjar (Setopagis parvula) Band-winged nightjar (Systellura longirostris) Scissor-tailed nightjar (Hydropsalis torquata) Least nighthawk (Chordeiles pusillus) Nacunda nighthawk (Chordeiles nacunda) Common nighthawk (Chordeiles minor) (A) Lesser nighthawk (Chordeiles acutipennis)
Swifts
Order: ApodiformesFamily: Apodidae Sooty swift (Cypseloides fumigatus) Biscutate swift (Streptoprocne biscutata) Grey-rumped swift (Chaetura cinereiventris) Band-rumped swift (Chaetura spinicaudus) (A) Sick's swift (Chaetura meridionalis) Fork-tailed palm swift (Tachornis squamata)
Hummingbirds
Order: ApodiformesFamily: Trochilidae Rufous-breasted hermit (Glaucis hirsutus) Broad-tipped hermit (Anopetia gounellei) (EB) Reddish hermit (Phaethornis ruber) Planalto hermit (Phaethornis pretrei) Horned sungem (Heliactin bilophus) (A) White-tailed goldenthroat (Polytmus guainumbi) Ruby-topaz hummingbird (Chrysolampis mosquitus) Black-throated mango (Anthracothorax nigricollis) Stripe-breasted starthroat (Heliomaster squamosus) (EB) Amethyst woodstar (Calliphlox amethystina) Glittering-bellied emerald (Chlorostilbon lucidus) Fork-tailed woodnymph (Thalurania furcata) Swallow-tailed hummingbird (Eupetomena macroura) Versicolored emerald (Chrysuronia versicolor) Plain-bellied emerald (Chrysuronia leucogaster) Glittering-throated emerald (Chionomesa fimbriata) White-chinned sapphire (Chlorestes cyanus) Blue-chinned sapphire (Chlorestes notata)
Cuckoos
Order: CuculiformesFamily: Cuculidae Guira cuckoo (Guira guira) Greater ani (Crotophaga major) Smooth-billed ani (Crotophaga ani) Striped cuckoo (Tapera naevia) Pheasant cuckoo (Dromococcyx phasianellus) Ash-colored cuckoo (Coccycua cinerea) Squirrel cuckoo (Piaya cayana) Dark-billed cuckoo (Coccyzus melacoryphus) Yellow-billed cuckoo (Coccyzus americanus) Pearly-breasted cuckoo (Coccyzus euleri) Mangrove cuckoo (Coccyzus minor)
Limpkins Order: GruiformesFamily: Aramidae Limpkin (Aramus guarauna)
Rails
Order: GruiformesFamily: Rallidae Clapper rail (Rallus longirostris) Purple gallinule (Porphyrio martinica) Spot-flanked gallinule (Porphyriops melanops) Common gallinule (Gallinula galeata) Yellow-breasted crake (Laterallus flaviventer) Rufous-sided crake (Laterallus melanophaius) Grey-breasted crake (Laterallus exilis) Ash-throated crake (Mustelirallus albicollis) Paint-billed crake (Neocrex erythrops) Spotted rail (Pardirallus maculatus) Giant wood rail (Aramides ypecaha) (A) Little wood rail (Aramides mangle) (EB) Grey-necked wood rail (Aramides cajaneus)
Southern storm petrels
Order: ProcellariiformesFamily: Oceanitidae Wilson's storm-petrel (Oceanites oceanicus) Black-bellied storm-petrel (Fregetta tropica) (A)
Northern storm petrels Order: ProcellariiformesFamily: Hydrobatidae Madeiran storm-petrel (Hydrobates castro) (A) Leach's storm-petrel (Hydrobates leucorhous)
Albatrosses Order: ProcellariiformesFamily: Diomedeidae Atlantic yellow-nosed albatross (Thalassarche chlororhynchos) (A)
Petrels and shearwaters
Order: ProcellariiformesFamily: Procellariidae Herald petrel (Pterodroma arminjoniana) (A) Cory's shearwater (Calonectris borealis) Sooty shearwater (Ardenna grisea) Great shearwater (Ardenna gravis) Manx shearwater (Puffinus puffinus)
Storks Order: PelecaniformesFamily: Ciconiidae Maguari stork (Ciconia maguari) Jabiru (Jabiru mycteria) Wood stork (Mycteria americana)
Herons and egrets
Order: PelecaniformesFamily: Ardeidae Rufescent tiger heron (Tigrisoma lineatum) Pinnated bittern (Botaurus pinnatus) Least bittern (Ixobrychus exilis) Black-crowned night heron (Nycticorax nycticorax) Yellow-crowned night heron (Nyctanassa violacea) Striated heron (Butorides striata) Squacco heron (Ardeola ralloides) (A) Western cattle egret (Ardea ibis) Cocoi heron (Ardea cocoi) Great egret (Ardea alba) Capped heron (Pilherodius pileatus) Tricoloured heron (Egretta tricolor) Western reef heron (Egretta gularis) (A) Snowy egret (Egretta thula) Little blue heron (Egretta caerulea)
Ibises and spoonbills
Order: PelecaniformesFamily: Threskiornithidae Roseate spoonbill (Platalea ajaja) Scarlet ibis (Eudocimus ruber) Bare-faced ibis (Phimosus infuscatus) Buff-necked ibis (Theristicus caudatus)
Frigatebirds Order: PelecaniformesFamily: Fregatidae Magnificent frigatebird (Fregata magnificens)
Boobies and gannets
Order: PelecaniformesFamily: Sulidae Northern gannet (Morus bassanus) (A) Masked booby (Sula dactylatra) Red-footed booby (Sula sula) Brown booby (Sula leucogaster)
Cormorants Order: PelecaniformesFamily: Phalacrocoracidae Neotropic cormorant (Phalacrocorax brasilianus)
Anhingas
Order: PelecaniformesFamily: Anhingidae Anhinga (Anhinga anhinga)
Stone curlews and thick-knees Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Burhinidae Double-striped thick-knee (Burhinus bistriatus) (A)
Oystercatchers
Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Haematopodidae American oystercatcher (Haematopus palliatus)
Stilts and avocets Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Recurvirostridae Black-necked stilt (Himantopus mexicanus)
Plovers and lapwings
Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Charadriidae American golden plover (Pluvialis dominica) Black-bellied plover (Pluvialis squatarola) Pied lapwing (Vanellus cayanus) Southern lapwing (Vanellus chilensis) Semipalmated plover (Charadrius semipalmatus) Wilson's plover (Charadrius wilsonia) Collared plover (Charadrius collaris)
Jacanas Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Jacanidae Wattled jacana (Jacana jacana)
Sandpipers
Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Scolopacidae Whimbrel (Numenius phaeopus) Bar-tailed godwit (Limosa lapponica) (A) Marbled godwit (Limosa fedoa) (A) Ruddy turnstone (Arenaria interpres) Red knot (Calidris canutus) Stilt sandpiper (Calidris himantopus) Sanderling (Calidris alba) Least sandpiper (Calidris minutilla) White-rumped sandpiper (Calidris fuscicollis) Pectoral sandpiper (Calidris melanotos) Semipalmated sandpiper (Calidris pusilla) Western sandpiper (Calidris mauri) Short-billed dowitcher (Limnodromus griseus) Pantanal snipe (Gallinago paraguaiae) Spotted sandpiper (Actitis macularius) Solitary sandpiper (Tringa solitaria) Greater yellowlegs (Tringa melanoleuca) Lesser yellowlegs (Tringa flavipes) Willet (Tringa semipalmata)
Pratincoles Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Glareolidae Collared pratincole (Glareola pratincola) (A)
Skuas and jaegers Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Stercorariidae South polar skua (Stercorarius maccormicki) Pomarine jaeger (Stercorarius pomarinus) Parasitic jaeger (Stercorarius parasiticus) Long-tailed jaeger (Stercorarius longicaudus)
Gulls, terns, and skimmers
Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Laridae Grey-hooded gull (Chroicocephalus cirrocephalus) Laughing gull (Leucophaeus atricilla) Kelp gull (Larus dominicanus) Lesser black-backed gull (Larus fuscus) (A) Brown noddy (Anous stolidus) Black noddy (Anous minutus) Black skimmer (Rynchops niger) Least tern (Sternula antillarum) Yellow-billed tern (Sternula superciliaris) Large-billed tern (Phaetusa simplex) Gull-billed tern (Gelochelidon nilotica) Black tern (Chlidonias niger) Common tern (Sterna hirundo) Roseate tern (Sterna dougallii) Arctic tern (Sterna paradisaea) Sandwich tern (Thalasseus sandvicensis) Royal tern (Thalasseus maximus)
New World vultures Order: CathartiformesFamily: Cathartidae Turkey vulture (Cathartes aura) Lesser yellow-headed vulture (Cathartes burrovianus) King vulture (Sarcoramphus papa) Black vulture (Coragyps atratus)
Ospreys Order: AccipitriformesFamily: Pandionidae Osprey (Pandion haliaetus)
Hawks, kites, and eagles
Order: AccipitriformesFamily: Accipitridae White-tailed kite (Elanus leucurus) Pearl kite (Gampsonyx swainsonii) Hook-billed kite (Chondrohierax uncinatus) Grey-headed kite (Leptodon cayanensis) Swallow-tailed kite (Elanoides forficatus) (A) Snail kite (Rostrhamus sociabilis) Rufous-thighed kite (Harpagus diodon) Plumbeous kite (Ictinia plumbea) (A) Sharp-shinned hawk (Accipiter striatus) Bicoloured hawk (Astur bicolor) Crane hawk (Geranospiza caerulescens) Savanna hawk (Buteogallus meridionalis) Great black hawk (Buteogallus urubitinga) Roadside hawk (Rupornis magnirostris) Harris's hawk (Parabuteo unicinctus) White-tailed hawk (Geranoaetus albicaudatus) Black-chested buzzard-eagle (Geranoaetus melanoleucus) Black hawk eagle (Spizaetus tyrannus) Grey-lined hawk (Buteo nitidus) Broad-winged hawk (Buteo platypterus) Short-tailed hawk (Buteo brachyurus) Zone-tailed hawk (Buteo albonotatus)
Barn owls Order: StrigiformesFamily: Tytonidae American barn owl (Tyto furcata)
Owls
Order: StrigiformesFamily: Strigidae Tropical screech owl (Megascops choliba) Spectacled owl (Pulsatrix perspicillata) Ferruginous pygmy owl (Glaucidium brasilianum) Burrowing owl (Athene cunicularia) Buff-fronted owl (Aegolius harrisii) Striped owl (Asio clamator)
Trogons Order: TrogoniformesFamily: Trogonidae Blue-crowned trogon (Trogon curucui)
Jacamars
Order: PiciformesFamily: Galbulidae Rufous-tailed jacamar (Galbula ruficauda)
Puffbirds Order: PiciformesFamily: Bucconidae