List of birds of Mauritius
This is a list of the bird species recorded in Mauritius. The avifauna of Mauritius include a total of 119 species, of which ten are endemic (eight on Mauritius Islands and two on Rodrigues Island), five are native indigenous species, twenty-one have been introduced by humans and thirty are rare or accidental. One species listed is extirpated in Mauritius and is not included in the species count. Sixteen species are globally threatened.
This list's taxonomic treatment (designation and sequence of orders, families and species) and nomenclature (common and scientific names) follow the conventions of The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World, 5th edition. The family accounts at the beginning of each heading reflect this taxonomy, as do the species counts found in each family account. Introduced and accidental species are included in the total counts for Mauritius.
The following tags have been used to highlight several categories.
- (A) Accidental - a species that rarely or accidentally occurs in Mauritius
- (E) Endemic - a species endemic to Mauritius
- (I) Introduced - a species introduced to Mauritius as a consequence, direct or indirect, of human actions
- (Ex) Extirpated - a species that no longer occurs in Mauritius although populations exist elsewhere
- (N) Native - a species that is indigenous to Mauritius and the Mascarenes
Albatrosses
Order: Procellariiformes Family: Diomedeidae
The albatrosses are among the largest of flying birds, and the great albatrosses from the genus Diomedea have the largest wingspans of any extant birds. There are 21 species worldwide and 5 species which occur in Mauritius.
- Wandering albatross, Diomedea exulans
- Black-browed albatross, Thalassarche melanophris
- Indian yellow-nosed albatross, Thalassarche carteri
- Sooty albatross, Phoebetria fusca (A)
- Light-mantled albatross, Phoebetria palpebrata (A)
Shearwaters and petrels
Order: Procellariiformes Family: Procellariidae
The procellariids are the main group of medium-sized "true petrels", characterised by united nostrils with medium septum and a long outer functional primary.
- Antarctic giant petrel, Macronectes giganteus
- Cape petrel, Daption capense
- Mascarene petrel, Pterodroma aterrima (N)
- Herald petrel, Pterodroma heraldica
- Barau's petrel, Pterodroma baraui
- Antarctic prion, Pachyptila desolata (A)
- Slender-billed prion, Pachyptila belcheri (A)
- Fairy prion, Pachyptila turtur (A)
- Bulwer's petrel, Bulweria bulwerii
- Flesh-footed shearwater, Ardenna carneipes
- Wedge-tailed shearwater, Ardenna pacificus
- Tropical shearwater, Puffinus bailloni
Storm petrels
Order: Procellariiformes Family: Hydrobatidae
The storm petrels are relatives of the petrels and are the smallest seabirds. They feed on planktonic crustaceans and small fish picked from the surface, typically while hovering. The flight is fluttering and sometimes bat-like. There are 21 species worldwide and 4 species which occur in Mauritius.
- Wilson's storm petrel, Oceanites oceanicus
- White-faced storm petrel, Pelagodroma marina (A)
- Black-bellied storm petrel, Fregetta tropica
- White-bellied storm petrel, Fregetta grallaria
Tropicbirds
Order: Pelecaniformes Family: Phaethontidae
Tropicbirds are slender white birds of tropical oceans, with exceptionally long central tail feathers. Their heads and long wings have black markings. There are 3 species worldwide and 2 species which occur in Mauritius.
- Red-tailed tropicbird, Phaethon rubricauda
- White-tailed tropicbird, Phaethon lepturus
Boobies and gannets
Order: Pelecaniformes Family: Sulidae
The sulids comprise the gannets and boobies. Both groups are medium to large coastal seabirds that plunge-dive for fish. There are 9 species worldwide and 3 species which occur in Mauritius.
- Abbott's booby, Sula abbotti (Ex)
- Masked booby, Sula dactylatra
- Red-footed booby, Sula sula
Frigatebirds
Order: Pelecaniformes Family: Fregatidae
Frigatebirds are large seabirds usually found over tropical oceans. They are large, black-and-white or completely black, with long wings and deeply forked tails. The males have coloured inflatable throat pouches. They do not swim or walk and cannot take off from a flat surface. Having the largest wingspan-to-body-weight ratio of any bird, they are essentially aerial, able to stay aloft for more than a week. There are 5 species worldwide and 2 species which occur in Mauritius.
- Great frigatebird, Fregata minor (A)
- Lesser frigatebird, Fregata ariel
Bitterns, herons and egrets
Order: Ciconiiformes Family: Ardeidae
The family Ardeidae contains the bitterns, herons and egrets. Herons and egrets are medium to large wading birds with long necks and legs. Bitterns tend to be shorter necked and more wary. Members of Ardeidae fly with their necks retracted, unlike other long-necked birds such as storks, ibises and spoonbills. There are 61 species worldwide and 3 species which occur in Mauritius.
- Squacco heron, Ardeola ralloides (A)
- Cattle egret, Bubulcus ibis (A)
- Striated heron, Butorides striata
Flamingos
Order: Phoenicopteriformes Family: Phoenicopteridae
Flamingos are gregarious wading birds, usually 1–1.5 m (3 ft 3 in – 4 ft 11 in), found in both the Western and Eastern Hemispheres. Flamingos filter-feed on shellfish and algae. Their oddly shaped beaks are specially adapted to separate mud and silt from the food they consume and, uniquely, are used upside-down. There are 6 species worldwide and 2 species which occur in Mauritius.
- Greater flamingo, Phoenicopterus roseus
- Lesser flamingo, Phoenicopterus minor
Ducks, geese and swans
Order: Anseriformes Family: Anatidae
Anatidae includes the ducks and most duck-like waterfowl, such as geese and swans. These birds are adapted to an aquatic existence with webbed feet, flattened bills, and feathers that are excellent at shedding water due to an oily coating. There are 131 species worldwide and 2 species which occur in Mauritius.
- Meller's duck, Anas melleri (I)
- Garganey, Anas querquedula
Hawks, kites and eagles
Order: Falconiformes Family: Accipitridae
Accipitridae is a family of birds of prey, which includes hawks, eagles, kites, harriers and Old World vultures. These birds have powerful hooked beaks for tearing flesh from their prey, strong legs, powerful talons and keen eyesight. There are 233 species worldwide and 2 species which occur in Mauritius.
- Madagascan fish eagle, Haliaeetus vociferoides (A)
- Western marsh harrier, Circus aeruginosus
Caracaras and falcons
Order: Falconiformes Family: Falconidae
Falconidae is a family of diurnal birds of prey. They differ from hawks, eagles and kites in that they kill with their beaks instead of their talons. There are 62 species worldwide and 4 species which occur in Mauritius.
- Mauritius kestrel, Falco punctatus (E)
- Eleonora's falcon, Falco eleonorae
- Sooty falcon, Falco concolor
- Peregrine falcon, Falco peregrinus (A)
Pheasants and partridges
Order: Galliformes Family: Phasianidae
The Phasianidae are a family of terrestrial birds which consists of quails, partridges, snowcocks, francolins, spurfowls, tragopans, monals, pheasants, peafowls and jungle fowls. In general, they are plump (although they vary in size) and have broad, relatively short wings. There are 156 species worldwide and 5 species which occur in Mauritius.
- Chinese francolin, Francolinus pintadeanus (I)
- Grey francolin, Francolinus pondicerianus (I)
- Madagascan partridge, Margaroperdix madagascarensis (I)
- Common quail, Coturnix coturnix
- Jungle bush quail, Perdicula asiatica
Guineafowl
Order: Galliformes Family: Numididae
Guineafowl are a group of African, seed-eating, ground-nesting birds that resemble partridges, but with featherless heads and spangled grey plumage. There are 6 species worldwide and 1 species which occurs in Mauritius.
- Helmeted guineafowl, Numida meleagris (I)
Buttonquails
Order: Gruiformes Family: Turnicidae
The buttonquails are small, drab, running birds which resemble the true quails. The female is the brighter of the sexes and initiates courtship. The male incubates the eggs and tends the young. There are 16 species worldwide and 1 species which occurs in Mauritius.
- Madagascan buttonquail, Turnix nigricollis (I)
Rails, crakes, gallinules and coots
Order: Gruiformes Family: Rallidae
Rallidae is a large family of small to medium-sized birds which includes the rails, crakes, coots and gallinules. Typically they inhabit dense vegetation in damp environments near lakes, swamps or rivers. In general they are shy and secretive birds, making them difficult to observe. Most species have strong legs and long toes which are well adapted to soft uneven surfaces. They tend to have short, rounded wings and to be weak fliers. There are 143 species worldwide and 5 species which occur in Mauritius.
- Buff-banded rail, Gallirallus philippensis (A)
- White-throated rail, Dryolimnas cuvieri
- African swamphen, Porphyrio madagascariensis
- Allen's gallinule, Porphyrio alleni
- Common moorhen, Gallinula chloropus
Pratincoles and coursers
Order: Charadriiformes Family: Glareolidae
Glareolidae is a family of wading birds comprising the pratincoles, which have short legs, long pointed wings and long forked tails, and the coursers, which have long legs, short wings and long, pointed bills which curve downwards. There are 17 species worldwide and 3 species which occur in Mauritius.
- Collared pratincole, Glareola pratincola (A)
- Oriental pratincole, Glareola maldivarum (A)
- Madagascar pratincole, Glareola ocularis (A)
Plovers and lapwings
Order: Charadriiformes Family: Charadriidae
The family Charadriidae includes the plovers, dotterels and lapwings. They are small to medium-sized birds with compact bodies, short, thick necks and long, usually pointed, wings. They are found in open country worldwide, mostly in habitats near water. There are 66 species worldwide and 6 species which occur in Mauritius.
- Pacific golden plover, Pluvialis fulva (A)
- Black-bellied plover, Pluvialis squatarola
- Common ringed plover, Charadrius hiaticula
- Little ringed plover, Charadrius dubius (A)
- Lesser sandplover, Charadrius mongolus (A)
- Greater sandplover, Charadrius leschenaultii
Sandpipers and allies
Order: Charadriiformes Family: Scolopacidae
Scolopacidae is a large diverse family of small to medium-sized shorebirds including the sandpipers, curlews, godwits, shanks, tattlers, woodcocks, snipes, dowitchers and phalaropes. The majority of these species eat small invertebrates picked out of the mud or soil. Variation in length of legs and bills enables multiple species to feed in the same habitat, particularly on the coast, without direct competition for food. There are 89 species worldwide and 16 species which occur in Mauritius.
- Bar-tailed godwit, Limosa lapponica
- Whimbrel, Numenius phaeopus
- Eurasian curlew, Numenius arquata
- Marsh sandpiper, Tringa stagnatilis (A)
- Common greenshank, Tringa nebularia
- Green sandpiper, Tringa ochropus (A)
- Wood sandpiper, Tringa glareola (A)
- Terek sandpiper, Xenus cinereus
- Common sandpiper, Actitis hypoleucos
- Grey-tailed tattler, Heterosceles brevipes (A)
- Ruddy turnstone, Arenaria interpres
- Great knot, Calidris tenuirostris (A)
- Sanderling, Calidris alba
- Little stint, Calidris minuta (A)
- Curlew sandpiper, Calidris ferruginea
- Ruff, Philomachus pugnax (A)
Skuas and jaegers
Order: Charadriiformes Family: Stercorariidae
The family Stercorariidae are, in general, medium to large birds, typically with grey or brown plumage, often with white markings on the wings. They nest on the ground in temperate and arctic regions and are long-distance migrants. There are 7 species worldwide and 2 species which occur in Mauritius.
- South polar skua, Stercorarius maccormicki (A)
- Great skua, Stercorarius skua
Terns
Order: Charadriiformes Family: Sternidae
Terns are a group of generally medium to large seabirds typically with grey or white plumage, often with black markings on the head. Most terns hunt fish by diving but some pick insects off the surface of fresh water. Terns are generally long-lived birds, with several species known to live in excess of 30 years.
- Great crested tern, Thalasseus bergii
- Roseate tern, Sterna dougallii (A)
- Common tern, Sterna hirundo (A)
- Little tern, Sternula albifrons
- Bridled tern, Onychoprion anaethetus
- Sooty tern, Onychoprion fuscatus
- Lesser noddy, Anous tenuirostris
- Brown noddy, Anous stolidus
- White tern, Gygis alba
Pigeons and doves
Order: Columbiformes Family: Columbidae
Pigeons and doves are stout-bodied birds with short necks and short slender bills with a fleshy cere.
- Rock pigeon, Columba livia
- Pink pigeon, Nesoenas mayeri (E)
- Malagasy turtle dove, Streptopelia picturata (I)
- Spotted dove, Spilopelia chinensis (I)
- Zebra dove, Geopelia striata (I)
- Dodo, Raphus cucullatus (Extinct)
Old World parrots
Order: Psittaciformes Family: Psittaculidae
- Rose-ringed parakeet, Psittacula krameri (I)
- Mauritius parakeet, Psittacula echo (E)
- Grey-headed lovebird, Agapornis canus (I)
Swifts
Order: Apodiformes Family: Apodidae
Swifts are small birds which spend the majority of their lives flying. These birds have very short legs and never settle voluntarily on the ground, perching instead only on vertical surfaces. Many swifts have long swept-back wings which resemble a crescent or boomerang. There are 98 species worldwide and 1 species which occurs in Mauritius.
- Mascarene swiftlet, Aerodramus francicus (N)
Typical rollers
Order: Coraciiformes Family: Coraciidae
Rollers resemble crows in size and build, but are more closely related to the kingfishers and bee-eaters. They share the colourful appearance of those groups with blues and browns predominating. The two inner front toes are connected, but the outer toe is not. There are 12 species worldwide and 1 species which occurs in Mauritius.
- Broad-billed roller, Eurystomus glaucurus (A)
Swallows and martins
Order: Passeriformes Family: Hirundinidae
The family Hirundinidae is adapted to aerial feeding. They have a slender streamlined body, long pointed wings and a short bill with a wide gape. The feet are adapted to perching rather than walking, and the front toes are partially joined at the base. There are 75 species worldwide and 1 species which occurs in Mauritius.
- Mascarene martin, Phedina borbonica (N)
Cuckooshrikes
Order: Passeriformes Family: Campephagidae
The cuckooshrikes are small to medium-sized passerine birds. They are predominantly greyish with white and black, although some species are brightly coloured. There are 82 species worldwide and 1 species which occurs in Mauritius.
- Mauritius cuckooshrike, Coracina typica (E)
Bulbuls
Order: Passeriformes Family: Pycnonotidae
Bulbuls are medium-sized songbirds. Some are colourful with yellow, red or orange vents, cheeks, throats or supercilia, but most are drab, with uniform olive-brown to black plumage. Some species have distinct crests. There are 130 species worldwide and 2 species which occur in Mauritius.
- Red-whiskered bulbul, Pycnonotus jocosus (I)
- Mauritius bulbul, Hypsipetes olivaceus (E)
Acrocephalid warblers
Order: Passeriformes Family: Acrocephalidae
- Rodrigues warbler, Acrocephalus rodericanus (E)
Monarch flycatchers
Order: Passeriformes Family: Monarchidae
The monarch flycatchers are small to medium-sized insectivorous passerines which hunt by flycatching. There are 99 species worldwide and 1 species which occurs in Mauritius.
- Mascarene paradise flycatcher, Terpsiphone bourbonnensis (N)
White-eyes
Order: Passeriformes Family: Zosteropidae
The white-eyes are small and mostly undistinguished, their plumage above being generally some dull colour like greenish-olive, but some species have a white or bright yellow throat, breast or lower parts, and several have buff flanks. As their name suggests, many species have a white ring around each eye. There are 96 species worldwide and 2 species which occur in Mauritius.
- Mauritius olive white-eye, Zosterops chloronothos (E)
- Mauritius grey white-eye, Zosterops mauritianus (E)
Crows, jays, ravens and magpies
Order: Passeriformes Family: Corvidae
The family Corvidae includes crows, ravens, jays, choughs, magpies, treepies, nutcrackers and ground jays. Corvids are above average in size among the Passeriformes, and some of the larger species show high levels of intelligence. There are 120 species worldwide and 1 species which occurs in Mauritius.
- House crow, Corvus splendens (I)
Starlings
Order: Passeriformes Family: Sturnidae
Starlings are small to medium-sized passerine birds. Their flight is strong and direct and they are very gregarious. Their preferred habitat is fairly open country. They eat insects and fruit. Plumage is typically dark with a metallic sheen. There are 125 species worldwide and 1 species which occurs in Mauritius.
- Common myna, Acridotheres tristis (I)
Weavers and allies
Order: Passeriformes Family: Ploceidae
The weavers are small passerine birds related to the finches. They are seed-eating birds with rounded conical bills. The males of many species are brightly coloured, usually in red or yellow and black, some species show variation in colour only in the breeding season. There are 116 species worldwide and 5 species which occur in Mauritius.
- Village weaver, Ploceus cucullatus (I)
- Red fody, Foudia madagascariensis (I)
- Mauritius fody, Foudia rubra (E)
- Rodrigues fody, Foudia flavicans (E)
- Black-winged bishop, Euplectes hordeaceus
Waxbills and allies
Order: Passeriformes Family: Estrildidae
The estrildid finches are small passerine birds of the Old World tropics and Australasia. They are gregarious and often colonial seed eaters with short thick but pointed bills. They are all similar in structure and habits, but have wide variation in plumage colours and patterns. There are 141 species worldwide and 3 species which occur in Mauritius.
- Common waxbill, Estrilda astrild (I)
- Nutmeg mannikin, Lonchura punctulata (I)
- Java sparrow, Padda oryzivora (I)
Siskins, crossbills and allies
Order: Passeriformes Family: Fringillidae
Finches are seed-eating passerine birds, that are small to moderately large and have a strong beak, usually conical and in some species very large. All have twelve tail feathers and nine primaries. These birds have a bouncing flight with alternating bouts of flapping and gliding on closed wings, and most sing well. There are 137 species worldwide and 1 species which occurs in Mauritius.
- Yellow-fronted canary, Serinus mozambicus (I)
Sparrows
Order: Passeriformes Family: Passeridae
Sparrows are small passerine birds. In general, sparrows tend to be small, plump, brown or grey birds with short tails and short powerful beaks. Sparrows are seed eaters, but they also consume small insects. There are 35 species worldwide and 1 species which occurs in Mauritius.
- House sparrow, Passer domesticus (I)
See also
References
- Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.