List of birds of Kosovo

This is a list of the bird species recorded in Kosovo. The avifauna of Kosovo includes a total of 282 species, one of which was introduced, documented from field records and historical accounts. Introduced and accidental species are included in the total counts for Kosovo.

The list's taxonomic treatment (designation and sequence of orders, families and species) and nomenclature (common and scientific names) follow the conventions of the BirdLife International Checklist of the Birds of the World, 2022 edition. 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 several categories, but not all species fall into one of these categories. Those that do not are commonly occurring native species.

(A) Accidental – a species that rarely or accidentally occurs in Kosovo (I) Introduced – a species introduced to Kosovo as a consequence, direct or indirect, of human actions (Ex) Extirpated – a species that no longer occurs in Kosovo although populations exist elsewhere

= least concern = near threatened = vulnerable = endangered = critically endangered = extinct in the wild = extinct

Ducks, geese, and waterfowl Order: Anseriformes — Family: Anatidae

Greylag goose, Anser anser Greater white-fronted goose, Anser albifrons Lesser white-fronted goose, Anser erythropus (A) Taiga bean goose, Anser fabalis Mute swan, Cygnus olor Common shelduck, Tadorna tadorna Garganey, Spatula querquedula Northern shoveler, Spatula clypeata Gadwall, Mareca strepera Eurasian wigeon, Mareca penelope Mallard, Anas platyrhynchos Northern pintail, Anas acuta Common teal, Anas crecca Red-crested pochard, Netta rufina (A) Common pochard, Aythya ferina (A) Ferruginous duck, Aythya nyroca Tufted duck, Aythya fuligula Common goldeneye, Bucephala clangula Smew, Mergellus albellus Goosander, Mergus merganser Red-breasted merganser, Mergus serrator

Pheasants, grouse, and allies Order: Galliformes — Family: Phasianidae

Common quail, Coturnix coturnix Rock partridge, Alectoris graeca (A) Common pheasant, Phasianus colchicus (I) Grey partridge, Perdix perdix Hazel grouse, Tetrastes bonasia Western capercaillie, Tetrao urogallus Black grouse, Lyrurus tetrix (Ex)

Pigeons and doves Order: Columbiformes — Family: Columbidae

Rock pigeon, Columba livia Stock dove, Columba oenas Common wood pigeon, Columba palumbus European turtle dove, Streptopelia turtur (A) Eurasian collared dove, Streptopelia decaocto

Bustards Order: Otidiformes — Family: Otididae

Great bustard, Otis tarda (Ex) Little bustard, Tetrax tetrax (Ex)

Cuckoos Order: Cuculiformes — Family: Cuculidae

Common cuckoo, Cuculus canorus

Nightjars Order: Caprimulgiformes — Family: Caprimulgidae

Eurasian nightjar, Caprimulgus europaeus

Swifts Order: Apodiformes — Family: Apodidae

Alpine swift, Tachymarptis melba Common swift, Apus apus Pallid swift, Apus pallidus

Rails, gallinules, and coots Order: Gruiformes — Family: Rallidae

Water rail, Rallus aquaticus Corn crake, Crex crex Spotted crake, Porzana porzana Eurasian moorhen, Gallinula chloropus Eurasian coot, Fulica atra Little crake, Zapornia parva

Cranes Order: Gruiformes — Family: Gruidae

Common crane, Grus grus

Thick-knees Order: Charadriiformes — Family: Burhinidae

Eurasian thick-knee, Burhinus oedicnemus

Avocets and stilts Order: Charadriiformes — Family: Recurvirostridae

Black-winged stilt, Himantopus himantopus Pied avocet, Recurvirostra avosetta

Oystercatchers Order: Charadriiformes — Family: Haematopodidae

Eurasian oystercatcher, Haematopus ostralegus

Plovers and lapwings Order: Charadriiformes — Family: Charadriidae

European golden plover, Pluvialis apricaria Common ringed plover, Charadrius hiaticula Little ringed plover, Charadrius dubius Northern lapwing, Vanellus vanellus

Sandpipers and allies Order: Charadriiformes — Family: Scolopacidae

Eurasian whimbrel, Numenius phaeopus Eurasian curlew, Numenius arquata Black-tailed godwit, Limosa limosa Jack snipe, Lymnocryptes minimus Eurasian woodcock, Scolopax rusticola Great snipe, Gallinago media Common snipe, Gallinago gallinago Red-necked phalarope, Phalaropus lobatus Common sandpiper, Actitis hypoleucos Green sandpiper, Tringa ochropus Marsh sandpiper, Tringa stagnatilis Wood sandpiper, Tringa glareola Common redshank, Tringa totanus Spotted redshank, Tringa erythropus Common greenshank, Tringa nebularia Ruff, Calidris pugnax Curlew sandpiper, Calidris ferruginea Sanderling, Calidris alba Dunlin, Calidris alpina Little stint, Calidris minuta

Pratincoles Order: Charadriiformes — Family: Glareolidae

Collared pratincole, Glareola pratincola

Gulls and terns Order: Charadriiformes — Family: Laridae

Little gull, Hydrocoloeus minutus Slender-billed gull, Chroicocephalus genei Black-headed gull, Chroicocephalus ridibundus Common gull, Larus canus Caspian gull, Larus cachinnans Yellow-legged gull, Larus michahellis Gull-billed tern, Gelochelidon nilotica Caspian tern, Hydroprogne caspia Whiskered tern, Chlidonias hybrida Black tern, Chlidonias niger White-winged tern, Chlidonias leucopterus Common tern, Sterna hirundo

Grebes Order: Podicipediformes — Family: Podicipedidae

Little grebe, Tachybaptus ruficollis Great crested grebe, Podiceps cristatus Eared grebe, Podiceps nigricollis

Storks Order: Ciconiiformes — Family: Ciconiidae

Black stork, Ciconia nigra White stork, Ciconia ciconia

Cormorants Order: Suliformes — Family: Phalacrocoracidae

Pygmy cormorant, Microcarbo pygmeus Great cormorant, Phalacrocorax carbo

Ibises and spoonbills Order: Pelecaniformes — Family: Threskiornithidae

Eurasian spoonbill, Platalea leucorodia

Herons, egrets, and bitterns Order: Pelecaniformes — Family: Ardeidae

Eurasian bittern, Botaurus stellaris Little bittern, Botaurus minutus Black-crowned night heron, Nycticorax nycticorax Little egret, Egretta garzetta Squacco heron, Ardeola ralloides Western cattle egret, Ardea ibis (A) Great egret, Ardea alba Grey heron, Ardea cinerea Purple heron, Ardea purpurea

Osprey Order: Accipitriformes — Family: Pandionidae

Osprey, Pandion haliaetus

Hawks, eagles, and kites Order: Accipitriformes — Family: Accipitridae

Egyptian vulture, Neophron percnopterus European honey buzzard, Pernis apivorus Cinereous vulture, Aegypius monachus (A) Eurasian griffon, Gyps fulvus Short-toed snake eagle, Circaetus gallicus Lesser spotted eagle, Clanga pomarina Greater spotted eagle, Clanga clanga Booted eagle, Hieraaetus pennatus Imperial eagle, Aquila heliaca Golden eagle, Aquila chrysaetos Bonelli's eagle, Aquila fasciata Levant sparrowhawk, Accipiter brevipes Eurasian sparrowhawk, Accipiter nisus Northern goshawk, Accipiter gentilis Western marsh harrier, Circus aeruginosus Hen harrier, Circus cyaneus Pallid harrier, Circus macrourus Montagu's harrier, Circus pygargus Red kite, Milvus milvus Black kite, Milvus migrans Rough-legged buzzard, Buteo lagopus Common buzzard, Buteo buteo Long-legged buzzard, Buteo rufinus

Owls Order: Strigiformes — Families: Tytonidae, Strigidae

Western barn owl, Tyto alba Eurasian scops owl, Otus scops Eurasian eagle-owl, Bubo bubo Eurasian pygmy owl, Glaucidium passerinum (A) Little owl, Athene noctua Tawny owl, Strix aluco Ural owl, Strix uralensis Long-eared owl, Asio otus Boreal owl, Aegolius funereus

Hoopoes Order: Bucerotiformes — Family: Upupidae

Eurasian hoopoe, Upupa epops

Bee-eaters Order: Coraciiformes — Family: Meropidae

European bee-eater, Merops apiaster

Kingfishers Order: Coraciiformes — Family: Alcedinidae

Common kingfisher, Alcedo atthis

Rollers Order: Coraciiformes — Family: Coraciidae

European roller, Coracias garrulus

Woodpeckers Order: Piciformes — Family: Picidae

Eurasian wryneck, Jynx torquilla Eurasian three-toed woodpecker, Picoides tridactylus Middle spotted woodpecker, Dendrocoptes medius White-backed woodpecker, Dendrocopos leucotos Great spotted woodpecker, Dendrocopos major Syrian woodpecker, Dendrocopos syriacus Lesser spotted woodpecker, Dryobates minor Grey-headed woodpecker, Picus canus Eurasian green woodpecker, Picus viridis Black woodpecker, Dryocopus martius

Falcons Order: Falconiformes — Family: Falconidae

Lesser kestrel, Falco naumanni Eurasian kestrel, Falco tinnunculus Red-footed falcon, Falco vespertinus Merlin, Falco columbarius Eurasian hobby, Falco subbuteo Lanner falcon, Falco biarmicus Saker falcon, Falco cherrug Peregrine falcon, Falco peregrinus

Passerines (Representative families and species)

Oriolidae Eurasian golden oriole, Oriolus oriolus

Laniidae Red-backed shrike, Lanius collurio Great grey shrike, Lanius excubitor Lesser grey shrike, Lanius minor Woodchat shrike, Lanius senator

Corvidae Eurasian jay, Garrulus glandarius Eurasian magpie, Pica pica Northern nutcracker, Nucifraga caryocatactes Red-billed chough, Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax Yellow-billed chough, Pyrrhocorax graculus Western jackdaw, Coloeus monedula Rook, Corvus frugilegus Hooded crow, Corvus cornix Common raven, Corvus corax

Paridae Coal tit, Periparus ater Crested tit, Lophophanes cristatus Sombre tit, Poecile lugubris Marsh tit, Poecile palustris Willow tit, Poecile montanus Eurasian blue tit, Cyanistes caeruleus Great tit, Parus major

Remizidae Eurasian penduline tit, Remiz pendulinus

Alaudidae Wood lark, Lullula arborea Eurasian skylark, Alauda arvensis Crested lark, Galerida cristata Horned lark, Eremophila alpestris Greater short-toed lark, Calandrella brachydactyla Calandra lark, Melanocorypha calandra

Panuridae Bearded reedling, Panurus biarmicus

Acrocephalidae Eastern olivaceous warbler, Iduna pallida Icterine warbler, Hippolais icterina Aquatic warbler, Acrocephalus paludicola Moustached warbler, Acrocephalus melanopogon Sedge warbler, Acrocephalus schoenobaenus Marsh warbler, Acrocephalus palustris Common reed warbler, Acrocephalus scirpaceus Great reed warbler, Acrocephalus arundinaceus

Locustellidae River warbler, Locustella fluviatilis Savi's warbler, Locustella luscinioides

Hirundinidae Bank swallow, Riparia riparia Eurasian crag martin, Ptyonoprogne rupestris Barn swallow, Hirundo rustica Western house martin, Delichon urbicum European red-rumped swallow, Cecropis rufula

Phylloscopidae Wood warbler, Phylloscopus sibilatrix Eastern Bonelli's warbler, Phylloscopus orientalis Willow warbler, Phylloscopus trochilus Common chiffchaff, Phylloscopus collybita

Cettiidae Cetti's warbler, Cettia cetti

Aegithalidae Long-tailed tit, Aegithalos caudatus

Sylviidae Eurasian blackcap, Sylvia atricapilla Garden warbler, Sylvia borin Barred warbler, Curruca nisoria Lesser whitethroat, Curruca curruca Western Orphean warbler, Curruca hortensis Eastern orphean warbler, Curruca crassirostris Sardinian warbler, Curruca melanocephala (A) Eastern subalpine warbler, Curruca cantillans Greater whitethroat, Curruca communis

Regulidae Goldcrest, Regulus regulus Common firecrest, Regulus ignicapilla

Tichodromidae Wallcreeper, Tichodroma muraria

Sittidae Eurasian nuthatch, Sitta europaea

Certhiidae Eurasian treecreeper, Certhia familiaris Short-toed treecreeper, Certhia brachydactyla

Troglodytidae Eurasian wren, Troglodytes troglodytes

Cinclidae White-throated dipper, Cinclus cinclus

Sturnidae European starling, Sturnus vulgaris Rosy starling, Pastor roseus

Turdidae Mistle thrush, Turdus viscivorus Song thrush, Turdus philomelos Redwing, Turdus iliacus Eurasian blackbird, Turdus merula Fieldfare, Turdus pilaris Ring ouzel, Turdus torquatus

Muscicapidae Spotted flycatcher, Muscicapa striata European robin, Erithacus rubecula Common nightingale, Luscinia megarhynchos Red-breasted flycatcher, Ficedula parva European pied flycatcher, Ficedula hypoleuca