Tamil Nadu bird checklist

566 bird species in 95 families have been recorded in Tamil Nadu, according to eBird; about 440 of them are seen regularly, and the rest are rarities, vagrants and escaped or introduced birds. Download the full list as a PDF, or tick birds off on your phone, with counts and notes, even without signal.

Download the PDF (566 species)

Species data: eBird.org, updated 13 Oct 2026 · How these lists are made

The most common birds in Tamil Nadu right now

The top 20, and how they are ranked

Tamil Nadu bird checklist

566 species · loading the checklist tools…

Ducks, Geese, and Waterfowl

Fulvous Whistling-Duck
Lesser Whistling-Duck
Bar-headed Goose
Graylag Goose
Swan Goose
Knob-billed Duck
Ruddy Shelduck
Muscovy Duck
Cotton Pygmy-Goose
Garganey
Northern Shoveler
Gadwall
Falcated Duck
Eurasian Wigeon
Indian Spot-billed Duck
Mallard
Northern Pintail
Green-winged Teal
Red-crested Pochard
Common Pochard
Ferruginous Duck
Tufted Duck

Guineafowl

Helmeted Guineafowl

Pheasants, Grouse, and Allies

Indian Peafowl
Red Spurfowl
Painted Spurfowl
Gray Junglefowl
Gray Francolin
Common Quail
Rain Quail
Jungle Bush-Quail
Rock Bush-Quail
Painted Bush-Quail

Pigeons and Doves

Rock Pigeon
Nilgiri Wood-Pigeon
Oriental Turtle-Dove
Eurasian Collared-Dove
Red Collared-Dove
Spotted Dove
Laughing Dove
Asian Emerald Dove
Orange-breasted Green-Pigeon
Gray-fronted Green-Pigeon
Yellow-footed Green-Pigeon
Green Imperial-Pigeon
Malabar Imperial-Pigeon

Sandgrouse

Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse
Painted Sandgrouse

Bustards

Great Indian Bustard
Lesser Florican

Cuckoos

Greater Coucal
Lesser Coucal
Sirkeer Malkoha
Blue-faced Malkoha
Chestnut-winged Cuckoo
Pied Cuckoo
Asian Koel
Banded Bay Cuckoo
Plaintive Cuckoo
Gray-bellied Cuckoo
Fork-tailed Drongo-Cuckoo
Large Hawk-Cuckoo
Common Hawk-Cuckoo
Lesser Cuckoo
Indian Cuckoo
Common Cuckoo

Nightjars and Allies

Great Eared-Nightjar
Jungle Nightjar
Jerdon's Nightjar
Indian Nightjar
Savanna Nightjar

Frogmouths

Sri Lanka Frogmouth

Swifts

White-rumped Spinetail
White-throated Needletail
Brown-backed Needletail
Indian Swiftlet
Alpine Swift
Common Swift
Blyth's Swift
Little Swift
Asian Palm Swift

Treeswifts

Crested Treeswift

Rails, Gallinules, and Coots

Slaty-breasted Rail
Spotted Crake
Eurasian Moorhen
Eurasian Coot
Gray-headed Swamphen
Watercock
White-breasted Waterhen
Slaty-legged Crake
Ruddy-breasted Crake
Baillon's Crake

Cranes

Demoiselle Crane

Thick-knees

Great Thick-knee
Indian Thick-knee

Stilts and Avocets

Black-winged Stilt
Pied Avocet

Oystercatchers

Eurasian Oystercatcher

Plovers and Lapwings

Black-bellied Plover
Pacific Golden-Plover
Common Ringed Plover
Little Ringed Plover
Yellow-wattled Lapwing
Gray-headed Lapwing
Red-wattled Lapwing
Caspian Plover
Tibetan Sand-Plover
Greater Sand-Plover
Kentish Plover

Painted-Snipes

Greater Painted-Snipe

Jacanas

Pheasant-tailed Jacana
Bronze-winged Jacana

Sandpipers and Allies

Eurasian Whimbrel
Eurasian Curlew
Bar-tailed Godwit
Black-tailed Godwit
Asian Dowitcher
Long-billed Dowitcher
Jack Snipe
Eurasian Woodcock
Wood Snipe
Great Snipe
Swinhoe's Snipe
Pin-tailed Snipe
Common Snipe
Red-necked Phalarope
Terek Sandpiper
Common Sandpiper
Green Sandpiper
Gray-tailed Tattler
Marsh Sandpiper
Wood Sandpiper
Common Redshank
Spotted Redshank
Common Greenshank
Ruddy Turnstone
Great Knot
Red Knot
Ruff
Broad-billed Sandpiper
Curlew Sandpiper
Temminck's Stint
Long-toed Stint
Red-necked Stint
Spoon-billed Sandpiper
Sanderling
Dunlin
Little Stint
Pectoral Sandpiper

Buttonquail

Yellow-legged Buttonquail
Barred Buttonquail
Small Buttonquail

Crab-Plover

Crab-Plover

Pratincoles and Coursers

Indian Courser
Small Pratincole
Collared Pratincole
Oriental Pratincole

Skuas and Jaegers

Long-tailed Jaeger
Parasitic Jaeger
Pomarine Jaeger
Brown Skua
South Polar Skua

Gulls, Terns, and Skimmers

Slender-billed Gull
Black-headed Gull
Brown-headed Gull
Pallas's Gull
Sooty Gull
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Indian Skimmer
Brown Noddy
Lesser Noddy
Sooty Tern
Bridled Tern
Little Tern
Saunders's Tern
Gull-billed Tern
Caspian Tern
Whiskered Tern
White-winged Tern
River Tern
Arctic Tern
Common Tern
White-cheeked Tern
Black-naped Tern
Roseate Tern
Black-bellied Tern
Sandwich Tern
Lesser Crested Tern
Great Crested Tern

Flamingos

Greater Flamingo
Lesser Flamingo

Grebes

Little Grebe
Great Crested Grebe

Tropicbirds

White-tailed Tropicbird
Red-billed Tropicbird

Albatrosses

Light-mantled Albatross

Southern Storm-Petrels

Wilson's Storm-Petrel

Northern Storm-Petrels

Swinhoe's Storm-Petrel

Shearwaters and Petrels

Pintado Petrel
Streaked Shearwater
Flesh-footed Shearwater
Wedge-tailed Shearwater
Persian Shearwater

Storks

Asian Openbill
Black Stork
Asian Woolly-necked Stork
White Stork
Lesser Adjutant
Painted Stork

Frigatebirds

Lesser Frigatebird
Great Frigatebird
Christmas Island Frigatebird

Boobies and Gannets

Masked Booby

Anhingas

Oriental Darter

Cormorants and Shags

Little Cormorant
Great Cormorant
Indian Cormorant

Ibises and Spoonbills

Glossy Ibis
Black-headed Ibis
Red-naped Ibis
Eurasian Spoonbill

Herons, Egrets, and Bitterns

Black Bittern
Cinnamon Bittern
Yellow Bittern
Black-crowned Night Heron
Malayan Night Heron
Little Egret
Western Reef-Heron
Little Heron
Indian Pond-Heron
Chinese Pond-Heron
Eastern Cattle-Egret
Great Egret
Medium Egret
Gray Heron
Purple Heron

Pelicans

Great White Pelican
Spot-billed Pelican

Osprey

Osprey

Hawks, Eagles, and Kites

Black-winged Kite
Egyptian Vulture
Jerdon's Baza
Black Baza
European Honey-buzzard
Oriental Honey-buzzard
Red-headed Vulture
Cinereous Vulture
Himalayan Griffon
White-rumped Vulture
Indian Vulture
Eurasian Griffon
Crested Serpent-Eagle
Short-toed Snake-Eagle
Legge's Hawk-Eagle
Changeable Hawk-Eagle
Rufous-bellied Eagle
Black Eagle
Indian Spotted Eagle
Greater Spotted Eagle
Booted Eagle
Steppe Eagle
Imperial Eagle
Tawny Eagle
Bonelli's Eagle
Crested Goshawk
Besra
Japanese Sparrowhawk
Shikra
Eurasian Sparrowhawk
Western Marsh Harrier
Eastern Marsh Harrier
Pallid Harrier
Pied Harrier
Montagu's Harrier
Black Kite
Brahminy Kite
White-bellied Sea-Eagle
Lesser Fish-Eagle
Gray-headed Fish-Eagle
White-eyed Buzzard
Common Buzzard
Long-legged Buzzard
Himalayan Buzzard

Barn-Owls

Eastern Barn Owl
Sri Lanka Bay-Owl

Owls

Indian Scops-Owl
Pallid Scops-Owl
Oriental Scops-Owl
Rock Eagle-Owl
Brown Fish-Owl
Spot-bellied Eagle-Owl
Jungle Owlet
Spotted Owlet
Mottled Wood-Owl
Brown Wood-Owl
Short-eared Owl
Brown Boobook

Trogons

Malabar Trogon

Hoopoes

Common Hoopoe

Hornbills

Great Hornbill
Indian Gray Hornbill
Malabar Gray Hornbill
Malabar Pied-Hornbill

Bee-eaters

Blue-bearded Bee-eater
Asian Green Bee-eater
Blue-cheeked Bee-eater
Blue-tailed Bee-eater
European Bee-eater
Chestnut-headed Bee-eater

Kingfishers

Common Kingfisher
Blue-eared Kingfisher
Black-backed Dwarf-Kingfisher
Stork-billed Kingfisher
White-throated Kingfisher
Black-capped Kingfisher
Pied Kingfisher

Rollers

European Roller
Indian Roller
Dollarbird

Asian Barbets

Malabar Barbet
Coppersmith Barbet
Brown-headed Barbet
White-cheeked Barbet

Woodpeckers

Eurasian Wryneck
Speckled Piculet
Heart-spotted Woodpecker
Brown-capped Pygmy Woodpecker
Yellow-crowned Woodpecker
Malabar Flameback
White-naped Woodpecker
Rufous Woodpecker
Common Flameback
Black-rumped Flameback
Lesser Yellownape
Streak-throated Woodpecker
White-bellied Woodpecker

Falcons and Caracaras

Lesser Kestrel
Eurasian Kestrel
Red-necked Falcon
Amur Falcon
Eurasian Hobby
Laggar Falcon
Peregrine Falcon

Cockatoos

Cockatiel

Old World Parrots

Alexandrine Parakeet
Rose-ringed Parakeet
Plum-headed Parakeet
Malabar Parakeet
Budgerigar
Rainbow Lorikeet
Vernal Hanging-Parrot

Pittas

Indian Pitta

Cuckooshrikes

White-bellied Minivet
Small Minivet
Orange Minivet
Ashy Minivet
Brown-rumped Minivet
Indian Cuckooshrike
Black-winged Cuckooshrike
Black-headed Cuckooshrike

Old World Orioles

Indian Golden Oriole
Black-naped Oriole
Black-hooded Oriole

Woodswallows, Bellmagpies, and Allies

Ashy Woodswallow

Vangas, Helmetshrikes, and Allies

Malabar Woodshrike
Common Woodshrike
Bar-winged Flycatcher-shrike

Ioras

Common Iora
White-tailed Iora

Fantails

Spot-breasted Fantail
White-browed Fantail

Drongos

Black Drongo
Ashy Drongo
White-bellied Drongo
Bronzed Drongo
Hair-crested Drongo
Greater Racket-tailed Drongo

Monarch Flycatchers

Black-naped Monarch
Indian Paradise-Flycatcher

Shrikes

Red-backed Shrike
Isabelline Shrike
Brown Shrike
Bay-backed Shrike
Long-tailed Shrike
Great Gray Shrike

Crows, Jays, and Magpies

Rufous Treepie
White-bellied Treepie
House Crow
Large-billed Crow

Fairy Flycatchers

Gray-headed Canary-Flycatcher

Tits, Chickadees, and Titmice

Asian Tit
White-naped Tit
Indian Yellow Tit

Larks

Rufous-tailed Lark
Ashy-crowned Sparrow-Lark
Jerdon's Bushlark
Indian Bushlark
Singing Bushlark
Eurasian Skylark
Oriental Skylark
Tawny Lark
Malabar Lark
Mongolian Short-toed Lark

Cisticolas and Allies

Common Tailorbird
Gray-breasted Prinia
Jungle Prinia
Ashy Prinia
Plain Prinia
Zitting Cisticola

Reed Warblers and Allies

Thick-billed Warbler
Booted Warbler
Sykes's Warbler
Paddyfield Warbler
Blyth's Reed Warbler
Clamorous Reed Warbler

Grassbirds and Allies

Pallas's Grasshopper Warbler
Common Grasshopper Warbler
Broad-tailed Grassbird
Bristled Grassbird

Swallows

Gray-throated Martin
Bank Swallow
Dusky Crag-Martin
Hill Swallow
Barn Swallow
Wire-tailed Swallow
Western House-Martin
Asian House-Martin
Eastern Red-rumped Swallow
Streak-throated Swallow

Bulbuls

Yellow-browed Bulbul
Square-tailed Bulbul
Gray-headed Bulbul
Flame-throated Bulbul
White-browed Bulbul
Yellow-throated Bulbul
Red-whiskered Bulbul
Red-vented Bulbul

Leaf Warblers

Yellow-browed Warbler
Hume's Warbler
Tytler's Leaf Warbler
Sulphur-bellied Warbler
Tickell's Leaf Warbler
Dusky Warbler
Willow Warbler
Green Warbler
Greenish Warbler
Large-billed Leaf Warbler
Western Crowned Warbler

Sylviid Warblers and Allies

Lesser Whitethroat
Eastern Orphean Warbler

Parrotbills

Yellow-eyed Babbler

White-eyes, Yuhinas, and Allies

Indian White-eye

Tree-Babblers, Scimitar-Babblers, and Allies

Tawny-bellied Babbler
Dark-fronted Babbler
Pin-striped Tit-Babbler
Indian Scimitar-Babbler

Ground Babblers and Allies

Puff-throated Babbler

Laughingthrushes and Allies

Brown-cheeked Fulvetta
Nilgiri Laughingthrush
Palani Laughingthrush
Ashambu Laughingthrush
Large Gray Babbler
Rufous Babbler
Jungle Babbler
Yellow-billed Babbler
Common Babbler
Wayanad Laughingthrush

Nuthatches

Velvet-fronted Nuthatch
Indian Nuthatch

Starlings

Southern Hill Myna
Rosy Starling
Daurian Starling
Indian Pied Starling
Brahminy Starling
Chestnut-tailed Starling
Malabar Starling
Common Myna
Jungle Myna

Thrushes and Allies

Nilgiri Thrush
Pied Thrush
Orange-headed Thrush
Indian Blackbird
Tickell's Thrush
Eyebrowed Thrush

Old World Flycatchers

Dark-sided Flycatcher
Asian Brown Flycatcher
Brown-breasted Flycatcher
Spotted Flycatcher
Indian Robin
Oriental Magpie-Robin
White-rumped Shama
Nilgiri Sholakili
White-bellied Sholakili
Blue-and-white Flycatcher
Nilgiri Flycatcher
Verditer Flycatcher
White-bellied Blue Flycatcher
Blue-throated Flycatcher
Tickell's Blue Flycatcher
Indian Blue Robin
Bluethroat
Malabar Whistling-Thrush
Siberian Rubythroat
Yellow-rumped Flycatcher
Black-and-orange Flycatcher
Ultramarine Flycatcher
Rusty-tailed Flycatcher
Taiga Flycatcher
Kashmir Flycatcher
Red-breasted Flycatcher
Black Redstart
Blue-capped Rock-Thrush
Rufous-tailed Rock-Thrush
Blue Rock-Thrush
Whinchat
Siberian Stonechat
Pied Bushchat
Northern Wheatear
Isabelline Wheatear
Desert Wheatear

Flowerpeckers

Thick-billed Flowerpecker
Pale-billed Flowerpecker
Nilgiri Flowerpecker

Sunbirds and Spiderhunters

Purple-rumped Sunbird
Crimson-backed Sunbird
Purple Sunbird
Loten's Sunbird
Little Spiderhunter

Fairy-bluebirds

Asian Fairy-bluebird

Leafbirds

Jerdon's Leafbird
Golden-fronted Leafbird

Weavers and Allies

Streaked Weaver
Baya Weaver
Black-breasted Weaver

Waxbills and Allies

Zebra Finch
Indian Silverbill
Java Sparrow
Scaly-breasted Munia
Black-throated Munia
White-rumped Munia
Tricolored Munia
Red Avadavat

Old World Sparrows

House Sparrow
Yellow-throated Sparrow

Wagtails and Pipits

Forest Wagtail
Gray Wagtail
Western Yellow Wagtail
Eastern Yellow Wagtail
Citrine Wagtail
White-browed Wagtail
White Wagtail
Richard's Pipit
Paddyfield Pipit
Long-billed Pipit
Blyth's Pipit
Tawny Pipit
Nilgiri Pipit
Tree Pipit
Olive-backed Pipit
Red-throated Pipit

Finches, Euphonias, and Allies

Common Rosefinch

Old World Buntings

Black-headed Bunting
Red-headed Bunting
Gray-necked Bunting
Yellow-breasted Bunting
Little Bunting

Most common birds in Tamil Nadu

Ranked by how recently and how widely each was reported to eBird in the 30 days to 2026-10-13, and whether it is one of Tamil Nadu’s regular birds. The list follows the seasons: migrants rise in spring and autumn.

House SparrowPasser domesticus
Barn SwallowHirundo rustica
Rock PigeonColumba livia
Black KiteMilvus migrans
Common MynaAcridotheres tristis
House CrowCorvus splendens
Rose-ringed ParakeetPsittacula krameri
Red-wattled LapwingVanellus indicus
Black-winged StiltHimantopus himantopus
Little EgretEgretta garzetta
Red-vented BulbulPycnonotus cafer
Large-billed CrowCorvus macrorhynchos
Black DrongoDicrurus macrocercus
Great EgretArdea alba
Indian Pond-HeronArdeola grayii
Gray HeronArdea cinerea
Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo
Little CormorantMicrocarbo niger
Glossy IbisPlegadis falcinellus
Black-crowned Night HeronNycticorax nycticorax

Largest bird families in Tamil Nadu

Among its regular birds.

Hawks, Eagles, and Kites33
Sandpipers and Allies27
Gulls, Terns, and Skimmers22
Old World Flycatchers20
Ducks, Geese, and Waterfowl19
Wagtails and Pipits14
Herons, Egrets, and Bitterns13
Woodpeckers13

Reported in the last 30 days

389 species reported to eBird in Tamil Nadu in the 30 days to 2026-10-13. The 40 most recently reported:

Red-wattled Lapwing, Indian Nightjar, Indian Thick-knee, Asian Palm Swift, Asian Koel, House Crow, Shikra, Black Kite, Barn Swallow, Rose-ringed Parakeet, Ashy Prinia, Black-winged Stilt, House Sparrow, White-throated Kingfisher, Black-headed Ibis, Pale-billed Flowerpecker, Yellow-billed Babbler, Oriental Magpie-Robin, Common Tailorbird, Large-billed Crow, Red-vented Bulbul, Purple-rumped Sunbird, Common Myna, Blue-throated Flycatcher, Common Iora, Ashy Drongo, Black-rumped Flameback, Black Drongo, Indian Pitta, Chestnut-headed Bee-eater, Indian Swiftlet, Plum-headed Parakeet, Ashy Woodswallow, Indian Peafowl, Greater Coucal, Indian Gray Hornbill, Glossy Ibis, Painted Stork, Gray Heron, Asian Openbill, …