Niger bird checklist

430 bird species in 85 families have been recorded in Niger, according to eBird; about 296 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 13 Oct 2026 · How these lists are made

Common birds in Niger

The top 20, and how they are ranked

Niger bird checklist

430 species · loading the checklist tools…

Ostriches

Common Ostrich

Ducks, Geese, and Waterfowl

White-faced Whistling-Duck
Knob-billed Duck
Egyptian Goose
Spur-winged Goose
African Pygmy-Goose
Garganey
Northern Shoveler
Gadwall
Northern Pintail
Green-winged Teal
Common Pochard
Ferruginous Duck
Tufted Duck

Guineafowl

Helmeted Guineafowl

New World Quail

Stone Partridge

Pheasants, Grouse, and Allies

Coqui Francolin
Common Quail
Double-spurred Spurfowl
Clapperton's Spurfowl

Pigeons and Doves

Rock Pigeon
Speckled Pigeon
European Turtle-Dove
African Collared-Dove
Mourning Collared-Dove
Red-eyed Dove
Vinaceous Dove
Laughing Dove
Black-billed Wood-Dove
Blue-spotted Wood-Dove
Namaqua Dove
Bruce's Green-Pigeon
African Green-Pigeon

Sandgrouse

Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse
Spotted Sandgrouse
Crowned Sandgrouse
Lichtenstein's Sandgrouse
Four-banded Sandgrouse

Bustards

Arabian Bustard
Denham's Bustard
Nubian Bustard
White-bellied Bustard
Savile's Bustard
Black-bellied Bustard

Turacos

Western Plantain-eater
Violet Turaco

Cuckoos

Senegal Coucal
Great Spotted Cuckoo
Levaillant's Cuckoo
Pied Cuckoo
Dideric Cuckoo
African Cuckoo
Common Cuckoo

Nightjars and Allies

Standard-winged Nightjar
Plain Nightjar
Long-tailed Nightjar

Swifts

Mottled Spinetail
Common Swift
Pallid Swift
Little Swift
White-rumped Swift
African Palm Swift

Rails, Gallinules, and Coots

Spotted Crake
Lesser Moorhen
Eurasian Moorhen
Eurasian Coot
Allen's Gallinule
African Swamphen
Black Crake

Finfoots

African Finfoot

Cranes

Black Crowned-Crane

Thick-knees

Spotted Thick-knee
Water Thick-knee
Senegal Thick-knee

Egyptian Plover

Egyptian Plover

Stilts and Avocets

Black-winged Stilt
Pied Avocet

Plovers and Lapwings

Black-bellied Plover
Common Ringed Plover
Little Ringed Plover
Spur-winged Lapwing
Black-headed Lapwing
White-crowned Lapwing
Wattled Lapwing
Kittlitz's Plover
Kentish Plover

Painted-Snipes

Greater Painted-Snipe

Jacanas

Lesser Jacana
African Jacana

Sandpipers and Allies

Eurasian Curlew
Black-tailed Godwit
Great Snipe
Common Snipe
Red-necked Phalarope
Common Sandpiper
Green Sandpiper
Marsh Sandpiper
Wood Sandpiper
Common Redshank
Spotted Redshank
Common Greenshank
Ruff
Curlew Sandpiper
Temminck's Stint
Little Stint

Buttonquail

Small Buttonquail
Quail-plover

Pratincoles and Coursers

Bronze-winged Courser
Temminck's Courser
Cream-colored Courser
Rock Pratincole
Gray Pratincole
Collared Pratincole

Gulls, Terns, and Skimmers

Black-headed Gull
Gray-hooded Gull
Lesser Black-backed Gull
African Skimmer
Little Tern
Gull-billed Tern
Caspian Tern
Whiskered Tern
White-winged Tern
Common Tern

Grebes

Little Grebe

Storks

African Openbill
Black Stork
Abdim's Stork
African Woolly-necked Stork
White Stork
Saddle-billed Stork
Marabou Stork
Yellow-billed Stork

Anhingas

African Darter

Cormorants and Shags

Reed Cormorant

Ibises and Spoonbills

Glossy Ibis
African Sacred Ibis
Hadada Ibis
Eurasian Spoonbill
African Spoonbill

Herons, Egrets, and Bitterns

Eurasian Bittern
Dwarf Bittern
Little Bittern
Black-crowned Night Heron
Black Heron
Little Egret
Little Heron
Squacco Heron
Western Cattle-Egret
Great Egret
Yellow-billed Egret
Gray Heron
Purple Heron
Black-headed Heron
Goliath Heron

Hamerkop

Hamerkop

Pelicans

Pink-backed Pelican

Secretarybird

Secretarybird

Osprey

Osprey

Hawks, Eagles, and Kites

Scissor-tailed Kite
Black-winged Kite
African Harrier-Hawk
Egyptian Vulture
White-headed Vulture
Lappet-faced Vulture
Hooded Vulture
White-backed Vulture
Rüppell's Griffon
Eurasian Griffon
Bateleur
Western Banded Snake-Eagle
Beaudouin's Snake-Eagle
Short-toed Snake-Eagle
Brown Snake-Eagle
Martial Eagle
Long-crested Eagle
Wahlberg's Eagle
Booted Eagle
Steppe Eagle
Tawny Eagle
African Hawk-Eagle
Gabar Goshawk
Dark Chanting-Goshawk
Lizard Buzzard
Shikra
Western Marsh Harrier
Pallid Harrier
Montagu's Harrier
Black Kite
African Fish-Eagle
Grasshopper Buzzard
Red-necked Buzzard
Long-legged Buzzard

Barn-Owls

Western Barn Owl

Owls

African Scops-Owl
Northern White-faced Owl
Grayish Eagle-Owl
Pharaoh Eagle-Owl
Verreaux's Eagle-Owl
Pel's Fishing-Owl
Pearl-spotted Owlet
Little Owl

Mousebirds

Blue-naped Mousebird

Hoopoes

Common Hoopoe

Woodhoopoes and Scimitarbills

Green Woodhoopoe
Black Scimitarbill

Hornbills

Abyssinian Ground-Hornbill
African Gray Hornbill
Northern Red-billed Hornbill

Bee-eaters

Red-throated Bee-eater
Little Bee-eater
White-throated Bee-eater
African Green Bee-eater
European Bee-eater
Northern Carmine Bee-eater

Kingfishers

Malachite Kingfisher
African Pygmy Kingfisher
Gray-headed Kingfisher
Woodland Kingfisher
Blue-breasted Kingfisher
Striped Kingfisher
Giant Kingfisher
Pied Kingfisher

Rollers

Abyssinian Roller
Purple Roller
Blue-bellied Roller
Broad-billed Roller

African Barbets

Yellow-breasted Barbet
Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird
Vieillot's Barbet
Bearded Barbet

Honeyguides

Lesser Honeyguide
Greater Honeyguide

Woodpeckers

Eurasian Wryneck
Little Gray Woodpecker
Brown-backed Woodpecker
African Gray Woodpecker
Fine-spotted Woodpecker

Falcons and Caracaras

Lesser Kestrel
Eurasian Kestrel
Fox Kestrel
Gray Kestrel
Red-necked Falcon
Eurasian Hobby
African Hobby
Lanner Falcon
Peregrine Falcon

Old World Parrots

Rose-ringed Parakeet

New World and African Parrots

Senegal Parrot

Cuckooshrikes

Red-shouldered Cuckooshrike

Old World Orioles

Eurasian Golden Oriole
African Golden Oriole

Wattle-eyes and Batises

Brown-throated Wattle-eye
Senegal Batis

Vangas, Helmetshrikes, and Allies

White-crested Helmetshrike

Bushshrikes and Allies

Brubru
Northern Puffback
Black-crowned Tchagra
Yellow-crowned Gonolek
Sulphur-breasted Bushshrike
Gray-headed Bushshrike

Drongos

Fork-tailed Drongo

Monarch Flycatchers

African Paradise-Flycatcher

Shrikes

Yellow-billed Shrike
Great Gray Shrike
Northern Fiscal
Woodchat Shrike

Crows, Jays, and Magpies

Piapiac
Pied Crow
Brown-necked Raven
Fan-tailed Raven

Fairy Flycatchers

African Blue Flycatcher

Tits, Chickadees, and Titmice

White-shouldered Black-Tit

Penduline-Tits

Sennar Penduline-Tit
Yellow Penduline-Tit

Larks

Greater Hoopoe-Lark
Rufous-rumped Lark
Bar-tailed Lark
Desert Lark
Chestnut-backed Sparrow-Lark
Black-crowned Sparrow-Lark
Singing Bushlark
Flappet Lark
Sun Lark
Crested Lark
Greater Short-toed Lark
Dunn's Lark

African Warblers

Northern Crombec

Cisticolas and Allies

Yellow-bellied Eremomela
Senegal Eremomela
Green-backed Camaroptera
Cricket Longtail
Tawny-flanked Prinia
River Prinia
Oriole Warbler
Singing Cisticola
Rock-loving Cisticola
Red-pate Cisticola
Siffling Cisticola
Zitting Cisticola
Desert Cisticola

Reed Warblers and Allies

Eastern Olivaceous Warbler
Western Olivaceous Warbler
Melodious Warbler
Icterine Warbler
Sedge Warbler
Common Reed Warbler
Greater Swamp Warbler
Great Reed Warbler

Swallows

Plain Martin
Bank Swallow
Pale Crag-Martin
Pied-winged Swallow
Barn Swallow
Red-chested Swallow
Ethiopian Swallow
Wire-tailed Swallow
Western House-Martin
Lesser Striped Swallow
Rufous-chested Swallow
Mosque Swallow
Preuss's Swallow

Bulbuls

Common Bulbul

Leaf Warblers

Wood Warbler
Western Bonelli's Warbler
Willow Warbler
Common Chiffchaff

Sylviid Warblers and Allies

Eurasian Blackcap
Garden Warbler
Lesser Whitethroat
Western Orphean Warbler
Sardinian Warbler
Eastern Subalpine Warbler
Greater Whitethroat
Spectacled Warbler

White-eyes, Yuhinas, and Allies

Northern Yellow White-eye

Laughingthrushes and Allies

Fulvous Chatterer
Brown Babbler

Oxpeckers

Yellow-billed Oxpecker

Starlings

Violet-backed Starling
Neumann's Starling
Long-tailed Glossy Starling
Splendid Starling
Chestnut-bellied Starling
Lesser Blue-eared Starling
Greater Blue-eared Starling
Purple Starling
Bronze-tailed Starling

Thrushes and Allies

African Thrush

Old World Flycatchers

Spotted Flycatcher
Gambaga Flycatcher
Swamp Flycatcher
Pale Flycatcher
Northern Black-Flycatcher
Black Scrub-Robin
Rufous-tailed Scrub-Robin
Snowy-crowned Robin-Chat
White-crowned Robin-Chat
Common Nightingale
Bluethroat
European Pied Flycatcher
Common Redstart
Blue Rock-Thrush
Mocking Cliff-Chat
Northern Anteater-Chat
Northern Wheatear
Isabelline Wheatear
Heuglin's Wheatear
Desert Wheatear
Western Black-eared Wheatear
White-fronted Black-Chat
Blackstart
Familiar Chat
Black Wheatear
White-crowned Wheatear

Sunbirds and Spiderhunters

Pygmy Sunbird
Scarlet-chested Sunbird
Beautiful Sunbird
Splendid Sunbird
Copper Sunbird

Weavers and Allies

White-billed Buffalo-Weaver
Speckle-fronted Weaver
Chestnut-crowned Sparrow-Weaver
Little Weaver
Olive-naped Weaver
Vitelline Masked-Weaver
Heuglin's Masked-Weaver
Village Weaver
Black-headed Weaver
Red-headed Quelea
Red-billed Quelea
Northern Red Bishop
Yellow-crowned Bishop
Fan-tailed Widowbird

Waxbills and Allies

African Silverbill
Lavender Waxbill
Orange-cheeked Waxbill
Black-rumped Waxbill
Quailfinch
Cut-throat
Red-cheeked Cordonbleu
Green-winged Pytilia
Red-winged Pytilia
Red-billed Firefinch
Black-faced Firefinch

Whydahs and Indigobirds

Pin-tailed Whydah
Sahel Paradise-Whydah
Exclamatory Paradise-Whydah
Village Indigobird

Old World Sparrows

House Sparrow
Northern Gray-headed Sparrow
Desert Sparrow
Sudan Golden Sparrow
Yellow-spotted Bush Sparrow
Sahel Bush Sparrow

Wagtails and Pipits

Western Yellow Wagtail
African Pied Wagtail
White Wagtail
Long-billed Pipit
Tawny Pipit
Tree Pipit
Red-throated Pipit
Yellow-throated Longclaw

Finches, Euphonias, and Allies

Trumpeter Finch
White-rumped Seedeater
Yellow-fronted Canary
West African Seedeater

Old World Buntings

Brown-rumped Bunting
Golden-breasted Bunting
Gosling's Bunting
House Bunting

Most common birds in Niger

Niger’s regular birds, ranked by how widespread they are. Recent sightings for Niger aren’t in our data yet.

Western Cattle-EgretArdea ibis
RuffCalidris pugnax
Black-crowned Night HeronNycticorax nycticorax
Little EgretEgretta garzetta
Black KiteMilvus migrans
Little SwiftApus affinis
Gray HeronArdea cinerea
White-faced Whistling-DuckDendrocygna viduata
Western Yellow WagtailMotacilla flava
African JacanaActophilornis africanus
Great EgretArdea alba
Vinaceous DoveStreptopelia vinacea
Red-billed QueleaQuelea quelea
GarganeySpatula querquedula
Barn SwallowHirundo rustica
Black-winged StiltHimantopus himantopus
Yellow-billed EgretArdea brachyrhyncha
African Palm SwiftCypsiurus parvus
Laughing DoveSpilopelia senegalensis
Red-billed FirefinchLagonosticta senegala

Largest bird families in Niger

Among its regular birds.

Hawks, Eagles, and Kites25
Herons, Egrets, and Bitterns13
Sandpipers and Allies12
Pigeons and Doves12
Swallows11
Weavers and Allies10
Gulls, Terns, and Skimmers9
Old World Flycatchers9

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