Iran bird checklist
522 bird species in 85 families have been recorded in Iran, according to eBird; about 370 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.
Species data: eBird.org, updated · How these lists are made
The most common birds in Iran right now
1Green-winged Teal
2Great Cormorant
3White Wagtail
4European Starling
5Glossy Ibis
6Whiskered Tern
7Rook
8Blue-cheeked Bee-eater
9Great Egret
10Bar-tailed Godwit
Iran bird checklist
522 species · loading the checklist tools…
Ducks, Geese, and Waterfowl
- Graylag Goose
- Greater White-fronted Goose
- Lesser White-fronted Goose
- Taiga Bean-Goose
- Red-breasted Goose
- Mute Swan
- Tundra Swan
- Whooper Swan
- Ruddy Shelduck
- Common Shelduck
- Muscovy Duck
- Cotton Pygmy-Goose
- Mandarin Duck
- Garganey
- Northern Shoveler
- Gadwall
- Eurasian Wigeon
- Eastern Spot-billed Duck
- Mallard
- Northern Pintail
- Green-winged Teal
- Marbled Duck
- Red-crested Pochard
- Common Pochard
- Ferruginous Duck
- Tufted Duck
- Greater Scaup
- Long-tailed Duck
- Common Goldeneye
- Smew
- Common Merganser
- Red-breasted Merganser
- White-headed Duck
Pheasants, Grouse, and Allies
- Gray Partridge
- Ring-necked Pheasant
- Gray Francolin
- Black Francolin
- Caspian Snowcock
- See-see Partridge
- Common Quail
- Chukar
Pigeons and Doves
- Rock Pigeon
- Stock Dove
- Yellow-eyed Pigeon
- Common Wood-Pigeon
- European Turtle-Dove
- Oriental Turtle-Dove
- Eurasian Collared-Dove
- Laughing Dove
- Namaqua Dove
Sandgrouse
- Pallas's Sandgrouse
- Pin-tailed Sandgrouse
- Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse
- Spotted Sandgrouse
- Black-bellied Sandgrouse
- Crowned Sandgrouse
- Lichtenstein's Sandgrouse
Bustards
- Great Bustard
- Asian Houbara
- Little Bustard
Cuckoos
- Great Spotted Cuckoo
- Pied Cuckoo
- Asian Koel
- Gray-bellied Cuckoo
- Common Hawk-Cuckoo
- Common Cuckoo
Nightjars and Allies
- Eurasian Nightjar
- Egyptian Nightjar
Swifts
- Alpine Swift
- Common Swift
- Pallid Swift
- Little Swift
Rails, Gallinules, and Coots
- Water Rail
- Corn Crake
- Spotted Crake
- Eurasian Moorhen
- Eurasian Coot
- Gray-headed Swamphen
- White-breasted Waterhen
- Little Crake
- Baillon's Crake
Cranes
- Siberian Crane
- Demoiselle Crane
- Common Crane
Thick-knees
- Great Thick-knee
- Eurasian Thick-knee
Stilts and Avocets
- Black-winged Stilt
- Pied Avocet
Oystercatchers
- Eurasian Oystercatcher
Plovers and Lapwings
- Black-bellied Plover
- European Golden-Plover
- Pacific Golden-Plover
- Common Ringed Plover
- Little Ringed Plover
- Northern Lapwing
- Spur-winged Lapwing
- Wattled Lapwing
- Red-wattled Lapwing
- Sociable Lapwing
- White-tailed Lapwing
- Caspian Plover
- Tibetan Sand-Plover
- Greater Sand-Plover
- Kentish Plover
Jacanas
- Pheasant-tailed Jacana
Sandpipers and Allies
- Eurasian Whimbrel
- Eurasian Curlew
- Bar-tailed Godwit
- Black-tailed Godwit
- Long-billed Dowitcher
- Jack Snipe
- Eurasian Woodcock
- Great Snipe
- Common Snipe
- Red-necked Phalarope
- Terek Sandpiper
- Common Sandpiper
- Green Sandpiper
- 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
- Red-necked Stint
- Sanderling
- Dunlin
- Little Stint
- Pectoral Sandpiper
Crab-Plover
- Crab-Plover
Pratincoles and Coursers
- Cream-colored Courser
- Collared Pratincole
- Black-winged Pratincole
Skuas and Jaegers
- Parasitic Jaeger
- Pomarine Jaeger
Gulls, Terns, and Skimmers
- Little Gull
- Black-legged Kittiwake
- Slender-billed Gull
- Black-headed Gull
- Pallas's Gull
- Mediterranean Gull
- Sooty Gull
- Common Gull
- Caspian Gull
- Armenian Gull
- Glaucous Gull
- Lesser Black-backed Gull
- Brown Noddy
- Bridled Tern
- Little Tern
- Saunders's Tern
- Gull-billed Tern
- Caspian Tern
- Whiskered Tern
- Black Tern
- White-winged Tern
- River Tern
- Common Tern
- White-cheeked Tern
- Sandwich Tern
- Lesser Crested Tern
- Great Crested Tern
Flamingos
- Greater Flamingo
- Lesser Flamingo
Grebes
- Little Grebe
- Horned Grebe
- Red-necked Grebe
- Great Crested Grebe
- Eared Grebe
Loons
- Red-throated Loon
- Arctic Loon
Southern Storm-Petrels
- Wilson's Storm-Petrel
Shearwaters and Petrels
- Sooty Shearwater
- Short-tailed Shearwater
- Persian Shearwater
Storks
- Black Stork
- White Stork
Frigatebirds
- Lesser Frigatebird
Boobies and Gannets
- Red-footed Booby
- Masked Booby
Anhingas
- African Darter
Cormorants and Shags
- Pygmy Cormorant
- Great Cormorant
- Socotra Cormorant
Ibises and Spoonbills
- Glossy Ibis
- African Sacred Ibis
- Eurasian Spoonbill
Herons, Egrets, and Bitterns
- Eurasian Bittern
- Little Bittern
- Black-crowned Night Heron
- Little Egret
- Western Reef-Heron
- Little Heron
- Squacco Heron
- Indian Pond-Heron
- Western Cattle-Egret
- Eastern Cattle-Egret
- Great Egret
- Gray Heron
- Purple Heron
- Goliath Heron
Pelicans
- Great White Pelican
- Dalmatian Pelican
Osprey
- Osprey
Hawks, Eagles, and Kites
- Black-winged Kite
- Bearded Vulture
- Egyptian Vulture
- European Honey-buzzard
- Oriental Honey-buzzard
- Cinereous Vulture
- Himalayan Griffon
- Eurasian Griffon
- Short-toed Snake-Eagle
- Lesser Spotted Eagle
- Greater Spotted Eagle
- Booted Eagle
- Steppe Eagle
- Imperial Eagle
- Tawny Eagle
- Golden Eagle
- Bonelli's Eagle
- Shikra
- Levant Sparrowhawk
- Eurasian Sparrowhawk
- Eurasian Goshawk
- Western Marsh Harrier
- Hen Harrier
- Pallid Harrier
- Montagu's Harrier
- Black Kite
- Brahminy Kite
- White-tailed Eagle
- Pallas's Fish-Eagle
- White-eyed Buzzard
- Rough-legged Hawk
- Common Buzzard
- Long-legged Buzzard
- Upland Buzzard
Barn-Owls
- Western Barn Owl
Owls
- Eurasian Scops-Owl
- Pallid Scops-Owl
- Oriental Scops-Owl
- Eurasian Eagle-Owl
- Brown Fish-Owl
- Spotted Owlet
- Little Owl
- Tawny Owl
- Omani Owl
- Long-eared Owl
- Short-eared Owl
Hoopoes
- Common Hoopoe
Bee-eaters
- Asian Green Bee-eater
- Blue-cheeked Bee-eater
- European Bee-eater
Kingfishers
- Common Kingfisher
- White-throated Kingfisher
- Gray-headed Kingfisher
- Pied Kingfisher
Rollers
- European Roller
- Indian Roller
Woodpeckers
- Eurasian Wryneck
- Middle Spotted Woodpecker
- Great Spotted Woodpecker
- Syrian Woodpecker
- Sind Woodpecker
- Lesser Spotted Woodpecker
- Eurasian Green Woodpecker
- Black Woodpecker
Falcons and Caracaras
- Lesser Kestrel
- Eurasian Kestrel
- Red-footed Falcon
- Sooty Falcon
- Merlin
- Eurasian Hobby
- Lanner Falcon
- Saker Falcon
- Peregrine Falcon
Cockatoos
- Cockatiel
Old World Parrots
- Alexandrine Parakeet
- Rose-ringed Parakeet
- Budgerigar
- Rosy-faced Lovebird
New World and African Parrots
- Senegal Parrot
Cuckooshrikes
- Black-headed Cuckooshrike
Old World Orioles
- Eurasian Golden Oriole
- Indian Golden Oriole
- Black-naped Oriole
Drongos
- Black Drongo
- Ashy Drongo
Monarch Flycatchers
- Black-naped Monarch
- Indian Paradise-Flycatcher
Shrikes
- Red-backed Shrike
- Red-tailed Shrike
- Isabelline Shrike
- Brown Shrike
- Bay-backed Shrike
- Long-tailed Shrike
- Great Gray Shrike
- Lesser Gray Shrike
- Masked Shrike
- Woodchat Shrike
Crows, Jays, and Magpies
- Eurasian Jay
- Eurasian Magpie
- Iranian Ground-Jay
- Red-billed Chough
- Yellow-billed Chough
- Eurasian Jackdaw
- House Crow
- Rook
- Hooded Crow
- Pied Crow
- Brown-necked Raven
- Common Raven
Tits, Chickadees, and Titmice
- Coal Tit
- Sombre Tit
- Caspian Tit
- Eurasian Blue Tit
- Great Tit
Penduline-Tits
- Eurasian Penduline-Tit
- Black-headed Penduline-Tit
- White-crowned Penduline-Tit
Larks
- Greater Hoopoe-Lark
- Bar-tailed Lark
- Desert Lark
- Black-crowned Sparrow-Lark
- Wood Lark
- White-winged Lark
- Eurasian Skylark
- Oriental Skylark
- Crested Lark
- Horned Lark
- Greater Short-toed Lark
- Bimaculated Lark
- Calandra Lark
- Turkestan Short-toed Lark
- Sand Lark
Bearded Reedling
- Bearded Reedling
Cisticolas and Allies
- Delicate Prinia
- Zitting Cisticola
Reed Warblers and Allies
- Booted Warbler
- Sykes's Warbler
- Eastern Olivaceous Warbler
- Upcher's Warbler
- Icterine Warbler
- Moustached Warbler
- Sedge Warbler
- Paddyfield Warbler
- Blyth's Reed Warbler
- Marsh Warbler
- Common Reed Warbler
- Basra Reed Warbler
- Great Reed Warbler
- Clamorous Reed Warbler
Grassbirds and Allies
- Savi's Warbler
- Common Grasshopper Warbler
Swallows
- Gray-throated Martin
- Bank Swallow
- Pale Martin
- Eurasian Crag-Martin
- Pale Crag-Martin
- Barn Swallow
- Wire-tailed Swallow
- Western House-Martin
- European Red-rumped Swallow
- Eastern Red-rumped Swallow
- Streak-throated Swallow
Bulbuls
- Red-vented Bulbul
- White-eared Bulbul
Leaf Warblers
- Wood Warbler
- Eastern Bonelli's Warbler
- Yellow-browed Warbler
- Hume's Warbler
- Pallas's Leaf Warbler
- Dusky Warbler
- Plain Leaf Warbler
- Willow Warbler
- Mountain Chiffchaff
- Common Chiffchaff
- Green Warbler
Bush Warblers and Allies
- Scrub Warbler
- Cetti's Warbler
Long-tailed Tits
- Long-tailed Tit
Sylviid Warblers and Allies
- Eurasian Blackcap
- Garden Warbler
- Barred Warbler
- Lesser Whitethroat
- Eastern Orphean Warbler
- Asian Desert Warbler
- Menetries's Warbler
- Greater Whitethroat
White-eyes, Yuhinas, and Allies
- Indian White-eye
Laughingthrushes and Allies
- Iraq Babbler
- Afghan Babbler
Kinglets
- Goldcrest
Wallcreeper
- Wallcreeper
Nuthatches
- Western Rock Nuthatch
- Eastern Rock Nuthatch
- Eurasian Nuthatch
Treecreepers
- Eurasian Treecreeper
Wrens
- Eurasian Wren
Dippers
- White-throated Dipper
Starlings
- European Starling
- Rosy Starling
- Brahminy Starling
- Chestnut-tailed Starling
- Common Myna
- Bank Myna
- Somali Starling
Thrushes and Allies
- Mistle Thrush
- Song Thrush
- Redwing
- Eurasian Blackbird
- Fieldfare
- Ring Ouzel
- Black-throated Thrush
Old World Flycatchers
- Asian Brown Flycatcher
- Spotted Flycatcher
- Rufous-tailed Scrub-Robin
- European Robin
- White-throated Robin
- Thrush Nightingale
- Common Nightingale
- Bluethroat
- Red-flanked Bluetail
- Ultramarine Flycatcher
- Taiga Flycatcher
- Red-breasted Flycatcher
- Semicollared Flycatcher
- Rufous-backed Redstart
- Common Redstart
- Black Redstart
- Rufous-tailed Rock-Thrush
- Blue Rock-Thrush
- Whinchat
- European Stonechat
- Siberian Stonechat
- Pied Bushchat
- Northern Wheatear
- Isabelline Wheatear
- Hooded Wheatear
- Desert Wheatear
- Eastern Black-eared Wheatear
- Pied Wheatear
- Variable Wheatear
- Hume's Wheatear
- White-crowned Wheatear
- Finsch's Wheatear
- Mourning Wheatear
- Kurdish Wheatear
- Persian Wheatear
Waxwings
- Bohemian Waxwing
Hypocolius
- Hypocolius
Sunbirds and Spiderhunters
- Purple Sunbird
Waxbills and Allies
- Zebra Finch
- Indian Silverbill
- Scaly-breasted Munia
- Red Avadavat
Accentors
- Alpine Accentor
- Radde's Accentor
- Black-throated Accentor
- Dunnock
Old World Sparrows
- House Sparrow
- Spanish Sparrow
- Dead Sea Sparrow
- Eurasian Tree Sparrow
- Yellow-throated Sparrow
- Rock Sparrow
- Pale Rockfinch
- White-winged Snowfinch
Wagtails and Pipits
- Forest Wagtail
- Gray Wagtail
- Western Yellow Wagtail
- Citrine Wagtail
- White Wagtail
- Richard's Pipit
- Long-billed Pipit
- Blyth's Pipit
- Tawny Pipit
- Meadow Pipit
- Tree Pipit
- Olive-backed Pipit
- Red-throated Pipit
- Water Pipit
- Siberian Pipit
Finches, Euphonias, and Allies
- Common Chaffinch
- Brambling
- White-winged Grosbeak
- Hawfinch
- Common Rosefinch
- Eurasian Bullfinch
- Crimson-winged Finch
- Trumpeter Finch
- Mongolian Finch
- Desert Finch
- European Greenfinch
- Twite
- Eurasian Linnet
- Red Crossbill
- European Goldfinch
- Gray-crowned Goldfinch
- European Serin
- Fire-fronted Serin
- Eurasian Siskin
Old World Buntings
- Black-headed Bunting
- Red-headed Bunting
- Corn Bunting
- Rock Bunting
- Yellowhammer
- Pine Bunting
- Gray-necked Bunting
- Cinereous Bunting
- Ortolan Bunting
- Striolated Bunting
- Reed Bunting
- Little Bunting
- Black-faced Bunting
Most common birds in Iran
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 Iran’s regular birds. The list follows the seasons: migrants rise in spring and autumn.
- Green-winged TealAnas crecca
- Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo
- White WagtailMotacilla alba
- European StarlingSturnus vulgaris
- Glossy IbisPlegadis falcinellus
- Whiskered TernChlidonias hybrida
- RookCorvus frugilegus
- Blue-cheeked Bee-eaterMerops persicus
- Great EgretArdea alba
- Bar-tailed GodwitLimosa lapponica
- Black-winged StiltHimantopus himantopus
- Western Cattle-EgretArdea ibis
- Gray HeronArdea cinerea
- MallardAnas platyrhynchos
- Black-tailed GodwitLimosa limosa
- Barn SwallowHirundo rustica
- Eurasian CootFulica atra
- Laughing DoveSpilopelia senegalensis
- Greater FlamingoPhoenicopterus roseus
- Rock PigeonColumba livia
Largest bird families in Iran
Among its regular birds.
- Old World Flycatchers27
- Hawks, Eagles, and Kites26
- Sandpipers and Allies24
- Ducks, Geese, and Waterfowl23
- Gulls, Terns, and Skimmers22
- Finches, Euphonias, and Allies17
- Plovers and Lapwings14
- Herons, Egrets, and Bitterns12
Reported in the last 30 days
298 species reported to eBird in Iran in the 30 days to 2026-10-13. The 40 most recently reported:
Blue-cheeked Bee-eater, White Wagtail, Western Cattle-Egret, Rook, European Robin, Laughing Dove, Bar-tailed Godwit, Great Cormorant, Gray Heron, Green-winged Teal, Glossy Ibis, Common Reed Warbler, Whiskered Tern, Black-tailed Godwit, Black-winged Stilt, European Starling, White-headed Duck, Great Egret, Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Western Marsh Harrier, Eurasian Magpie, Greater Flamingo, Little Ringed Plover, Barn Swallow, Little Grebe, Spur-winged Lapwing, Eurasian Coot, Little Stint, Caspian Gull, Spotted Crake, Long-legged Buzzard, Eurasian Penduline-Tit, Mallard, Siberian Stonechat, Marsh Sandpiper, Moustached Warbler, Ruff, Wood Sandpiper, Northern Lapwing, Common Chiffchaff, …
Get to know some of them
Black-winged Stilt
Western Cattle-Egret
Gray Heron
Mallard
Black-tailed Godwit
Barn Swallow
Eurasian Coot
Laughing Dove
Rock Pigeon
Ruff
Little Stint
European Robin
Northern Lapwing
Little Grebe
Dunlin