# List of birds of Cuba

This is a list of birds species recorded in the archipelago of Cuba, which consists of the main island of Cuba and over 1000 smaller cays and islands. The confirmed avifauna of Cuba included a total of 407 species as of May 2023 according to the Annotated Checklist of the Birds of Cuba. Of them, 25 are endemic, 15 have been introduced by humans, and 151 are noted as rare. Thirty-two endemic subspecies of more widespread species are noted. Two species are known to be extinct and two others possibly are. An additional 13 species are classed as hypothetical. Fifteen species are globally threatened.
This list is presented in the taxonomic sequence of the Check-list of North and Middle American Birds, 7th edition through the 63rd Supplement, published by the American Ornithological Society (AOS). Common and scientific names are also those of the Check-list, except that the common names of families are from the Clements taxonomy because the AOS list does not include them. Additional accidental species have been added from different sources.
The following tags have been used to highlight several categories of occurrence.
* (R) Rare - A species that has occurred fewer than twice per year according to Navarro; includes Navarro's "Rare", "Very Rare", and "Exceptionally Rare" categories.
* (E) Endemic - a species endemic to the archipelago of Cuba.
* (I) Introduced - a species introduced to the archipelago of Cuba as a consequence, direct or indirect, of human actions

## Ducks, geese, and waterfowl

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.
| Common name | Binomial | Status |
| White-faced whistling-duck | Dendrocygna viduata | (R) |
| Black-bellied whistling-duck | Dendrocygna autumnalis | (R) |
| West Indian whistling-duck | Dendrocygna arborea | vulnerable |
| Fulvous whistling-duck | Dendrocygna bicolor | |
| Snow goose | Anser caerulescens | (R) |
| Greater white-fronted goose | Anser albifrons | (R) |
| Brant | Branta bernicla | (R) |
| Canada goose | Branta canadensis | (R) |
| Tundra swan | Cygnus columbianus | (R) |
| Muscovy duck | Cairina moschata | (I) |
| Wood duck | Aix sponsa | |
| Blue-winged teal | Spatula discors | |
| Cinnamon teal | Spatula cyanoptera | (R) |
| Northern shoveler | Spatula clypeata | |
| Gadwall | Mareca strepera | (R) |
| Eurasian wigeon | Mareca penelope | (R) |
| American wigeon | Mareca americana | |
| Mallard | Anas platyrhynchos | (R) |
| American black duck | Anas rubripes | (H) |
| White-cheeked pintail | Anas bahamensis | |
| Northern pintail | Anas acuta | |
| Green-winged teal | Anas crecca | |
| Canvasback | Aythya valisineria | (R) |
| Redhead | Aythya americana | (R) |
| Ring-necked duck | Aythya collaris | |
| Greater scaup | Aythya marila | (H) |
| Lesser scaup | Aythya affinis | |
| Surf scoter | Melanitta perspicillata | (R) |
| White-winged scoter | Melanitta deglandi | (R) |
| Bufflehead | Bucephala albeola | (R) |
| Common goldeneye | Bucephala clangula | (H) |
| Hooded merganser | Lophodytes cucullatus | (R) |
| Common merganser | Mergus merganser | (R) |
| Red-breasted merganser | Mergus serrator | |
| Masked duck | Nomonyx dominicus | |
| Ruddy duck | Oxyura jamaicensis | |

## Guineafowl

Order: Galliformes Family: Numididae
Guineafowls are a group of African, seed-eating, ground-nesting birds that resemble partridges, but with featherless heads and spangled gray plumage.
| Common name | Binomial | Status |
| Helmeted guineafowl | Numida meleagris | (I) |

## New World quail

Order: Galliformes Family: Odontophoridae
The New World quails are small, plump terrestrial birds only distantly related to the quails of the Old World, but named for their similar appearance and habits.
| Common name | Binomial | Status |
| Northern bobwhite | Colinus virginianus cubanensis | (Es) near-threatened |

## Pheasants, grouse, and allies

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.
| Common name | Binomial | Status |
| Ring-necked pheasant | Phasianus colchicus | (I) |

## Flamingos

Order: Phoenicopteriformes Family: Phoenicopteridae
Flamingos are gregarious wading birds, usually 3 to 5 feet (0.9 to 1.5 m) tall, 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.
| Common name | Binomial | Status |
| American flamingo | Phoenicopterus ruber | |

## Grebes

Order: Podicipediformes Family: Podicipedidae
Grebes are small to medium-large freshwater diving birds. They have lobed toes and are excellent swimmers and divers. However, they have their feet placed far back on the body, making them quite ungainly on land.
| Common name | Binomial | Status |
| Least grebe | Tachybaptus dominicus | |
| Pied-billed grebe | Podilymbus podiceps | |

## 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.
| Common name | Binomial | Status |
| Rock pigeon | Columba livia | (I) |
| Scaly-naped pigeon | Patagioenas squamosa | |
| White-crowned pigeon | Patagioenas leucocephala | near-threatened |
| Plain pigeon | Patagioenas inornata | near-threatened |
| Eurasian collared-dove | Streptopelia decaocto | (I) |
| Passenger pigeon | Ectopistes migratorius | extinct |
| Common ground dove | Columbina passerina | |
| Blue-headed quail-dove | Starnoenas cyanocephala | (E) endangered |
| Ruddy quail-dove | Geotrygon montana | |
| Gray-fronted quail-dove | Geotrygon caniceps | (E) vulnerable |
| Key West quail-dove | Geotrygon chrysia | |
| White-winged dove | Zenaida asiatica | |
| Zenaida dove | Zenaida aurita | |
| Mourning dove | Zenaida macroura | |

## Cuckoos

Order: Cuculiformes Family: Cuculidae
The family Cuculidae includes cuckoos, roadrunners, and anis. These birds are of variable size with slender bodies, long tails, and strong legs. The Old World cuckoos are brood parasites.
| Common name | Binomial | Status |
| Smooth-billed ani | Crotophaga ani | |
| Yellow-billed cuckoo | Coccyzus americanus | |
| Mangrove cuckoo | Coccyzus minor | |
| Black-billed cuckoo | Coccyzus erythropthalmus | (R) |
| Great lizard-cuckoo | Coccyzus merlini | |

## Nightjars and allies

Order: Caprimulgiformes Family: Caprimulgidae
Nightjars are medium-sized nocturnal birds that usually nest on the ground. They have long wings, short legs, and very short bills. Most have small feet, of little use for walking, and long pointed wings. Their soft plumage is camouflaged to resemble bark or leaves.
| Common name | Binomial | Status |
| Common nighthawk | Chordeiles minor | |
| Antillean nighthawk | Chordeiles gundlachii | |
| Chuck-will's-widow | Antrostomus carolinensis | |
| Greater Antillean nightjar | Antrostomus cubanensis | The two subspecies in Cuba are considered a separate species, Cuban nightjar, by Navarro |
| Eastern whip-poor-will | Antrostomus vociferus | (R) |

## Potoos

Order: Nyctibiiformes Family: Nyctibiidae
The potoos (sometimes called poor-me-ones) are large near passerine birds related to the nightjars and frogmouths. They are nocturnal insectivores which lack the bristles around the mouth found in the true nightjars.
| Common name | Binomial | Status |
| Northern potoo | Nyctibius jamaicensis | (R) |

## 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.
| Common name | Binomial | Status |
| Black swift | Cypseloides niger | |
| White-collared swift | Streptoprocne zonaris | |
| Chimney swift | Chaetura pelagica | (R) near-threatened |
| Antillean palm-swift | Tachornis phoenicobia iradii | (Es) |

## Hummingbirds

Order: Apodiformes Family: Trochilidae
Hummingbirds are small birds capable of hovering in mid-air due to the rapid flapping of their wings. They are the only birds that can fly backwards.
| Common name | Binomial | Status |
| Ruby-throated hummingbird | Archilochus colubris | (R) |
| Bee hummingbird | Mellisuga helenae | (E) near-threatened |
| Bahama woodstar | Nesophlox evelynae | (R) |
| Cuban emerald | Riccordia ricordii ricordii | (Es) |

## Rails, 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.
| Common name | Binomial | Status |
| Zapata rail | Cyanolimnas cerverai | (E) Critically endangered |
| Spotted rail | Pardirallus maculatus | |
| King rail | Rallus elegans ramsdeni | (Es) Near-threatened |
| Clapper rail | Rallus crepitans | |
| Virginia rail | Rallus limicola | (R) |
| Sora | Porzana carolina | |
| Common gallinule | Gallinula galeata | |
| American coot | Fulica americana | |
| Purple gallinule | Porphyrio martinica | |
| Yellow-breasted crake | Haplocrex flaviventer | |
| Black rail | Laterallus jamaicensis | (R) Near-threatened |

## Limpkin

Order: Gruiformes Family: Aramidae
The limpkin resembles a large rail. It has drab-brown plumage and a grayer head and neck.
| Common name | Binomial | Status |
| Limpkin | Aramus guarauna | |

## Cranes

Order: Gruiformes Family: Gruidae
Cranes are large, long-legged, and long-necked birds. Unlike the similar-looking but unrelated herons, cranes fly with necks outstretched rather than retracted.
| Common name | Binomial | Status |
| Sandhill crane | Antigone canadensis nesiotes | (Es) |

## Stilts and avocets

Order: Charadriiformes Family: Recurvirostridae
Recurvirostridae is a family of large wading birds which includes the avocets and stilts. The avocets have long legs and long up-curved bills. The stilts have extremely long legs and long, thin, straight bills.
| Common name | Binomial | Status |
| Black-necked stilt | Himantopus mexicanus | |
| American avocet | Recurvirostra americana | |

## Oystercatchers

Order: Charadriiformes Family: Haematopodidae
The oystercatchers are large and noisy plover-like birds, with strong bills used for smashing or prising open molluscs.
| Common name | Binomial | Status |
| American oystercatcher | Haematopus palliatus | |

## 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.
| Common name | Binomial | Status |
| Black-bellied plover | Pluvialis squatarola | |
| American golden-plover | Pluvialis dominica | (R) |
| Killdeer | Charadrius vociferus | |
| Semipalmated plover | Charadrius semipalmatus | |
| Piping plover | Charadrius melodus | near-threatened |
| Wilson's plover | Charadrius wilsonia | |
| Snowy plover | Charadrius nivosus | near-threatened |

## Jacanas

Order: Charadriiformes Family: Jacanidae
The jacanas are a group of waders which are found throughout the tropics. They are identifiable by their huge feet and claws which enable them to walk on floating vegetation in the shallow lakes that are their preferred habitat.
| Common name | Binomial | Status |
| Northern jacana | Jacana spinosa | |

## 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.
| Common name | Binomial | Status |
| Upland sandpiper | Bartramia longicauda | (R) |
| Whimbrel | Numenius phaeopus | |
| Long-billed curlew | Numenius americanus | (R) |
| Hudsonian godwit | Limosa haemastica | (R) |
| Marbled godwit | Limosa fedoa | (R) |
| Ruddy turnstone | Arenaria interpres | |
| Red knot | Calidris canutus | near-threatened |
| Ruff | Calidris pugnax | (R) |
| Stilt sandpiper | Calidris himantopus | |
| Curlew sandpiper | Calidris ferruginea | (H) |
| Sanderling | Calidris alba | |
| Dunlin | Calidris alpina | (R) |
| Least sandpiper | Calidris minutilla | |
| White-rumped sandpiper | Calidris fuscicollis | |
| Buff-breasted sandpiper | Calidris subruficollis | (R) near-threatened |
| Pectoral sandpiper | Calidris melanotos | |
| Semipalmated sandpiper | Calidris pusilla | near-threatened |
| Western sandpiper | Calidris mauri | |
| Short-billed dowitcher | Limnodromus griseus | |
| Long-billed dowitcher | Limnodromus scolopaceus | |
| Wilson's snipe | Gallinago delicata | |
| Spotted sandpiper | Actitis macularius | |
| Solitary sandpiper | Tringa solitaria | |
| Lesser yellowlegs | Tringa flavipes | |
| Willet | Tringa semipalmata | |
| Greater yellowlegs | Tringa melanoleuca | |
| Wilson's phalarope | Phalaropus tricolor | (R) |
| Red-necked phalarope | Phalaropus lobatus | (R) |
| Red phalarope | Phalaropus fulicarius | (R) |

## Skuas and jaegers

Order: Charadriiformes Family: Stercorariidae
The family Stercorariidae are, in general, medium to large birds, typically with gray 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.
| Common name | Binomial | Status |
| South polar skua | Stercorarius maccormicki | (R) |
| Pomarine jaeger | Stercorarius pomarinus | (R) |
| Parasitic jaeger | Stercorarius parasiticus | (R) |
| Long-tailed jaeger | Stercorarius longicaudus | (R) |

## Auks, murres, and puffins

Order: Charadriiformes Family: Alcidae
Auks are superficially similar to penguins due to their black-and-white colors, their upright posture, and some of their habits.
| Common name | Binomial | Status |
| Dovekie | Alle alle | (R) |

## Gulls, terns, and skimmers

Order: Charadriiformes Family: Laridae
Laridae is a family of medium to large seabirds and includes gulls, kittiwakes, terns and skimmers. They are typically gray or white, often with black markings on the head or wings. They have longish bills and webbed feet. Terns are a group of generally medium to large seabirds typically with gray 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. Skimmers are a small family of tropical tern-like birds. They have an elongated lower mandible which they use to feed by flying low over the water surface and skimming the water for small fish.
| Common name | Binomial | Status |
| Black-legged kittiwake | Rissa tridactyla | (R) |
| Sabine's gull | Xema sabini | (R) |
| Bonaparte's gull | Chroicocephalus philadelphia | (R) |
| Black-headed gull | Chroicocephalus ridibundus | (R) |
| Laughing gull | Leucophaeus atricilla | |
| Franklin's gull | Leucophaeus pipixcan | (R) |
| Ring-billed gull | Larus delawarensis | |
| Herring gull | Larus argentatus | |
| Lesser black-backed gull | Larus fuscus | (R) |
| Great black-backed gull | Larus marinus | (R) |
| Brown noddy | Anous stolidus | |
| Sooty tern | Onychoprion fuscata | |
| Bridled tern | Onychoprion anaethetus | |
| Least tern | Sternula antillarum | |
| Large-billed tern | Phaetusa simplex | (R) |
| Gull-billed tern | Gelochelidon nilotica | |
| Caspian tern | Hydroprogne caspia | |
| Black tern | Chlidonias niger | (R) |
| Roseate tern | Sterna dougallii | (R) |
| Common tern | Sterna hirundo | |
| Arctic tern | Sterna paradisaea | (R) |
| Forster's tern | Sterna forsteri | |
| Royal tern | Thalasseus maxima | |
| Sandwich tern | Thalasseus sandvicensis | |
| Black skimmer | Rynchops niger | |

## Tropicbirds

Order: Phaethontiformes Family: Phaethontidae
Tropicbirds are slender white birds of tropical oceans with exceptionally long central tail feathers. Their heads and long wings have black markings.
| Common name | Binomial | Status |
| White-tailed tropicbird | Phaethon lepturus | (R) |
| Red-billed tropicbird | Phaethon aethereus | (R) |

## Loons

Order: Gaviiformes Family: Gaviidae
Loons, known as divers in Europe, are a group of aquatic birds found in many parts of North America and northern Europe. It is the size of a large duck or small goose, which it somewhat resemble when swimming, but is completely unrelated to these waterfowl.
| Common name | Binomial | Status |
| Common loon | Gavia immer | (R) |

## Southern storm-petrels

Order: Procellariiformes Family: Oceanitidae
The storm-petrels are the smallest seabirds, relatives of the petrels, feeding on planktonic crustaceans and small fish picked from the surface, typically while hovering. The flight is fluttering and sometimes bat-like. Until 2018, this family's species were included with the other storm-petrels in family Hydrobatidae.
| Common name | Binomial | Status |
| Wilson's storm-petrel | Oceanites oceanicus | (R) |

## Northern storm-petrels

Order: Procellariiformes Family: Hydrobatidae
Though the members of this family are similar in many respects to the southern storm-petrels, including their general appearance and habits, there are enough genetic differences to warrant their placement in a separate family.
| Common name | Binomial | Status |
| Leach's storm-petrel | Hydrobates leucorhous | (R) |
| Band-rumped storm-petrel | Hydrobates castro | (R) |

## 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.
| Common name | Binomial | Status |
| Black-capped petrel | Pterodroma hasitata | (R) |
| Cory's shearwater | Calonectris diomedea | (R) |
| Sooty shearwater | Ardenna griseus | (R) near-threatened |
| Great shearwater | Ardenna gravis | (R) |
| Audubon's shearwater | Puffinus lherminieri | (R) |

## Storks

Order: Ciconiiformes Family: Ciconiidae
Storks are large, long-legged, long-necked, wading birds with long, stout bills. Storks are mute, but bill-clattering is an important mode of communication at the nest. Their nests can be large and may be reused for many years. Many species are migratory.
| Common name | Binomial | Status |
| Wood stork | Mycteria americana | (R) |

## Frigatebirds

Order: Suliformes 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 colored 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.
| Common name | Binomial | Status |
| Magnificent frigatebird | Fregata magnificens | |

## Boobies and gannets

Order: Suliformes Family: Sulidae
The sulids comprise the gannets and boobies. Both groups are medium to large coastal seabirds that plunge-dive for fish.
| Common name | Binomial | Status |
| Masked booby | Sula dactylatra | (R) |
| Brown booby | Sula leucogaster | |
| Red-footed booby | Sula sula | (R) |
| Northern gannet | Morus bassanus | (R) |

## Anhingas

Order: Suliformes Family: Anhingidae
Anhingas are often called "snake-birds" because of their long thin neck, which gives a snake-like appearance when they swim with their bodies submerged. The males have black and dark-brown plumage, an erectile crest on the nape, and a larger bill than the female. The females have much paler plumage especially on the neck and underparts. The darters have completely webbed feet and their legs are short and set far back on the body. Their plumage is somewhat permeable, like that of cormorants, and they spread their wings to dry after diving.
| Common name | Binomial | Status |
| Anhinga | Anhinga anhinga | |

## Cormorants and shags

Order: Suliformes Family: Phalacrocoracidae
Phalacrocoracidae is a family of medium to large coastal, fish-eating seabirds that includes cormorants and shags. Plumage coloration varies, with the majority having mainly dark plumage, some species being black-and-white, and a few being colorful.
| Common name | Binomial | Status |
| Double-crested cormorant | Nannopterum auritum | |
| Neotropic cormorant | Nannopterum brasilianum | |

## Pelicans

Order: Pelecaniformes Family: Pelecanidae
Pelicans are large water birds with a distinctive pouch under their beak. As with other members of the order Pelecaniformes, they have webbed feet with four toes.
| Common name | Binomial | Status |
| American white pelican | Pelecanus erythrorhynchos | |
| Brown pelican | Pelecanus occidentalis | |

## Herons, egrets, and bitterns

Order: Pelecaniformes 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.
| Common name | Binomial | Status |
| American bittern | Botaurus lentiginosus | |
| Least bittern | Ixobrychus exilis | |
| Great blue heron | Ardea herodias | |
| Great egret | Ardea alba | |
| Snowy egret | Egretta thula | |
| Little blue heron | Egretta caerulea | |
| Tricolored heron | Egretta tricolor | |
| Reddish egret | Egretta rufescens | Near-threatened |
| Cattle egret | Bubulcus ibis | |
| Green heron | Butorides virescens | |
| Black-crowned night-heron | Nycticorax nycticorax | |
| Yellow-crowned night-heron | Nyctanassa violacea | |
* Great blue heron (dark form)
* Great blue heron (white form)
* Reddish egret (dark form)
* Tricolored heron
* Little blue heron, immature

## Ibises and spoonbills

Order: Pelecaniformes Family: Threskiornithidae
Threskiornithidae is a family of large terrestrial and wading birds which includes the ibises and spoonbills. They have long, broad wings with 11 primary and about 20 secondary feathers. They are strong fliers and despite their size and weight, very capable soarers.
| Common name | Binomial | Status |
| White ibis | Eudocimus albus | |
| Scarlet ibis | Eudocimus ruber | (R) |
| Glossy ibis | Plegadis falcinellus | |
| White-faced ibis | Plegadis chihi | (R) |
| Roseate spoonbill | Platalea ajaja | |

## New World vultures

Order: Cathartiformes Family: Cathartidae The New World vultures are not closely related to Old World vultures, but superficially resemble them because of convergent evolution. Like the Old World vultures, they are scavengers. However, unlike Old World vultures, which find carcasses by sight, New World vultures have a good sense of smell with which they locate carrion.
| Common name | Binomial | Status |
| Black vulture | Coragyps atratus | (R) |
| Turkey vulture | Cathartes aura | |

## Osprey

Order: Accipitriformes Family: Pandionidae
The family Pandionidae contains only one species, the osprey. The osprey is a medium-large raptor which is a specialist fish-eater with a worldwide distribution.
| Common name | Binomial | Status |
| Osprey | Pandion haliaetus | |

## Hawks, eagles, and kites

Order: Accipitriformes 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.
| Common name | Binomial | Status |
| Cuban kite | Chondrohierax wilsonii | (E) |
| Swallow-tailed kite | Elanoides forficatus | |
| Northern harrier | Circus hudsonius | |
| Sharp-shinned hawk | Accipiter striatus fringilloides | (Es) |
| Cooper's hawk | Accipiter cooperii | (R) |
| Gundlach's hawk | Accipiter gundlachi | (E) endangered |
| Bald eagle | Haliaeetus leucocephalus | (R) |
| Mississippi kite | Ictinia mississippiensis | |
| Snail kite | Rostrhamus sociabilis | |
| Cuban black hawk | Buteogallus gundlachii | (E) Near-threatened |
| Broad-winged hawk | Buteo platypterus cubanensis | (Es) |
| Short-tailed hawk | Buteo brachyurus | (R) |
| Swainson's hawk | Buteo swainsoni | (R) |
| Red-tailed hawk | Buteo jamaicensis | |

## Barn-owls

Order: Strigiformes Family: Tytonidae
Barn-owls are medium to large owls with large heads and characteristic heart-shaped faces. They have long strong legs with powerful talons.
| Common name | Binomial | Status |
| Barn owl | Tyto alba | |

## Owls

Order: Strigiformes Family: Strigidae
The typical owls are small to large solitary nocturnal birds of prey. They have large forward-facing eyes and ears, a hawk-like beak, and a conspicuous circle of feathers around each eye called a facial disk.
| Common name | Binomial | Status |
| Bare-legged owl | Margarobyas lawrencii | (E) |
| Cuban pygmy-owl | Glaucidium siju | (E) |
| Burrowing owl | Athene cunicularia | |
| Long-eared owl | Asio otus | (R) |
| Stygian owl | Asio stygius suguapa | (Es) |
| Short-eared owl | Asio flammeus | |

## Trogons

Order: Trogoniformes Family: Trogonidae
The family Trogonidae includes trogons and quetzals. Found in tropical woodlands worldwide, they feed on insects and fruit, and their broad bills and weak legs reflect their diet and arboreal habits. Although their flight is fast, they are reluctant to fly any distance. Trogons have soft, often colorful, feathers with distinctive male and female plumage.
| Common name | Binomial | Status |
| Cuban trogon | Priotelus temnurus | (E) |

## Todies

Order: Coraciiformes Family: Todidae
Todies are a group of small near passerine forest species endemic to the Caribbean. These birds have colorful plumage and resemble small kingfishers, but have flattened bills with serrated edges. They eat small prey such as insects and lizards.
| Common name | Binomial | Status |
| Cuban tody | Todus multicolor | (E) |

## Kingfishers

Order: Coraciiformes Family: Alcedinidae
Water kingfishers are medium-sized birds with large heads, long, pointed bills, short legs, and stubby tails.
| Common name | Binomial | Status |
| Belted kingfisher | Megaceryle alcyon | |

## Woodpeckers

Order: Piciformes Family: Picidae
Woodpeckers are small to medium-sized birds with chisel-like beaks, short legs, stiff tails, and long tongues used for capturing insects. Some species have feet with two toes pointing forward and two backward, while several species have only three toes. Many woodpeckers have the habit of tapping noisily on tree trunks with their beaks.
| Common name | Binomial | Status |
| West Indian woodpecker | Melanerpes superciliaris | |
| Yellow-bellied sapsucker | Sphyrapicus varius | |
| Cuban green woodpecker | Xiphidiopicus percussus | (E) |
| Northern flicker | Colaptes auratus chrysocaulosus | (Es) |
| Fernandina's flicker | Colaptes fernandinae | (E) vulnerable |
| Ivory-billed woodpecker | Campephilus principalis bairdii | (Es) (R) critically endangered (possibly extinct) |
| Pileated woodpecker | Dryocopus pileatus | (LC) (A) |

## Falcons and caracaras

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.
| Common name | Binomial | Status |
| Crested caracara | Caracara plancus | |
| American kestrel | Falco sparverius sparveroides | (Es) |
| Merlin | Falco columbarius | |
| Peregrine falcon | Falco peregrinus | |

## New World and African parrots

Order: Psittaciformes Family: Psittacidae
Parrots are small to large birds with a characteristic curved beak. Their upper mandibles have slight mobility in the joint with the skull and they have a generally erect stance. All parrots are zygodactyl, having the four toes on each foot placed two at the front and two to the back.
| Common name | Binomial | Status |
| Cuban macaw | Ara tricolor | extinct |
| Red-and-green macaw | Ara chloropterus | (I) |
| Blue-and-yellow macaw | Ara ararauna | (I) |
| Cuban parakeet | Psittacara euops | (E) vulnerable |
| Cuban parrot | Amazona leucocephala | near-threatened |

## Tyrant flycatchers

Order: Passeriformes Family: Tyrannidae
Tyrant flycatchers are passerine birds which occur throughout North and South America. They superficially resemble the Old World flycatchers, but are more robust and have stronger bills. They do not have the sophisticated vocal capabilities of the songbirds. Most, but not all, have plain coloring. As the name implies, most are insectivorous.
| Common name | Binomial | Status |
| Great crested flycatcher | Myiarchus crinitus | (R) |
| La Sagra's flycatcher | Myiarchus sagrae | |
| Tropical kingbird | Tyrannus melancholicus | (R) |
| Cassin's kingbird | Tyrannus vociferans | (R) |
| Western kingbird | Tyrannus verticalis | (R) |
| Eastern kingbird | Tyrannus tyrannus | |
| Gray kingbird | Tyrannus dominicensis | |
| Loggerhead kingbird | Tyrannus caudifasciatus caudifasciatus | (Es) |
| Giant kingbird | Tyrannus cubensis | (E) endangered |
| Scissor-tailed flycatcher | Tyrannus forficatus | (R) |
| Fork-tailed flycatcher | Tyrannus savana | (R) |
| Western wood-pewee | Contopus sordidulus | (R) |
| Eastern wood-pewee | Contopus virens | |
| Cuban pewee | Contopus caribaeus | |
| Yellow-bellied flycatcher | Empidonax flaviventris | (R) |
| Acadian flycatcher | Empidonax virescens | |
| Alder flycatcher | Empidonax alnorum | (R) |
| Willow flycatcher | Empidonax traillii | |
| Least flycatcher | Empidonax minimus | (R) |
| Eastern phoebe | Sayornis phoebe | (R) |
| Vermilion flycatcher | Pyrocephalus rubinus | (R) |

## Vireos, shrike-babblers, and erpornis

Order: Passeriformes Family: Vireonidae
The vireos are a group of small to medium-sized passerine birds. They are typically greenish in color and resemble New World warblers apart from their heavier bills.
| Common name | Binomial | Status |
| White-eyed vireo | Vireo griseus | |
| Thick-billed vireo | Vireo crassirostris | vulnerable |
| Cuban vireo | Vireo gundlachii | (E) |
| Yellow-throated vireo | Vireo flavifrons | |
| Blue-headed vireo | Vireo solitarius | (R) |
| Philadelphia vireo | Vireo philadelphicus | (R) |
| Warbling vireo | Vireo gilvus | (R) |
| Red-eyed vireo | Vireo olivaceus | |
| Black-whiskered vireo | Vireo altiloquus | |

## Crows, jays, 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.
| Common name | Binomial | Status |
| House crow | Corvus splendens | (R) |
| Cuban palm crow | Corvus minutus | |
| Cuban crow | Corvus nasicus | |

## Swallows

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.
| Common name | Binomial | Status |
| Bank swallow | Riparia riparia | |
| Tree swallow | Tachycineta bicolor | |
| Bahama swallow | Tachycineta cyaneoviridis | (R) |
| Northern rough-winged swallow | Stelgidopteryx serripennis | |
| Purple martin | Progne subis | |
| Cuban martin | Progne cryptoleuca | |
| Caribbean martin | Progne dominicensis | (R) |
| Barn swallow | Hirundo rustica | |
| Cliff swallow | Petrochelidon pyrrhonota | |
| Cave swallow | Petrochelidon fulva cavicola | (Es) |

## Kinglets

Order: Passeriformes Family: Regulidae
The kinglets, also called crests, are a small group of birds often included in the Old World warblers, but frequently given family status because they also resemble the titmice.
| Common name | Binomial | Status |
| Ruby-crowned kinglet | Corthylio calendula | (R) |

## Waxwings

Order: Passeriformes Family: Bombycillidae
The waxwings are a group of passerine birds with soft silky plumage and unique red tips to some of the wing feathers. In the Bohemian and cedar waxwings, these tips look like sealing wax and give the group its name. These are arboreal birds of northern forests. They live on insects in summer and berries in winter.
| Common name | Binomial | Status |
| Cedar waxwing | Bombycilla cedrorum | |

## Gnatcatchers

Order: Passeriformes Family: Polioptilidae
These dainty birds resemble Old World warblers in their build and habits, moving restlessly through the foliage seeking insects. The gnatcatchers and gnatwrens are mainly soft bluish gray in color and have the typical insectivore's long sharp bill. They are birds of fairly open woodland or scrub, which nest in bushes or trees.
| Common name | Binomial | Status |
| Cuban gnatcatcher | Polioptila lembeyei | (E) |
| Blue-gray gnatcatcher | Polioptila caerulea | |

## Wrens

Order: Passeriformes Family: Troglodytidae
The wrens are mainly small and inconspicuous except for their loud songs. These birds have short wings and thin down-turned bills. Several species often hold their tails upright. All are insectivorous.
| Common name | Binomial | Status |
| Zapata wren | Ferminia cerverai | (E) endangered |
| House wren | Troglodytes aedon | (R) |
| Marsh wren | Cistothorus palustris | (H) |

## Mockingbirds and thrashers

Order: Passeriformes Family: Mimidae
The mimids are a family of passerine birds that includes thrashers, mockingbirds, tremblers, and the New World catbirds. These birds are notable for their vocalizations, especially their ability to mimic a wide variety of birds and other sounds heard outdoors. Their coloring tends towards dull-grays and browns.
| Common name | Binomial | Status |
| Gray catbird | Dumetella carolinensis | |
| Brown thrasher | Toxostoma rufum | (R) |
| Bahama mockingbird | Mimus gundlachii | (R) |
| Northern mockingbird | Mimus polyglottos | |

## 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.
| Common name | Binomial | Status |
| European starling | Sturnus vulgaris | (I) (R) |
| Common myna | Acridotheres tristis | (I) (R) |

## Thrushes and allies

Order: Passeriformes Family: Turdidae
The thrushes are a group of passerine birds that occur mainly in the Old World. They are plump, soft-plumaged, small to medium-sized insectivores or sometimes omnivores, often feeding on the ground. Many have attractive songs.
| Common name | Binomial | Status |
| Eastern bluebird | Sialia sialis | (R) |
| Cuban solitaire | Myadestes elisabeth | (E) near-threatened |
| Veery | Catharus fuscescens | (R) |
| Gray-cheeked thrush | Catharus minimus | |
| Bicknell's thrush | Catharus bicknelli | vulnerable |
| Swainson's thrush | Catharus ustulatus | |
| Hermit thrush | Catharus guttatus | (R) |
| Wood thrush | Hylocichla mustelina | (R) |
| American robin | Turdus migratorius | (R) |
| Red-legged thrush | Turdus plumbeus | |

## Old World flycatchers

Order: Passeriformes Family: Muscicapidae
Old World flycatchers are a large group of small passerine birds native to the Old World. They are mainly small arboreal insectivores. The appearance of these birds is highly varied, but they mostly have weak songs and harsh calls.
| Common name | Binomial | Status |
| Northern wheatear | Oenanthe oenanthe | (R) |

## 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 build and habits, but have wide variation in plumage colors and patterns.
| Common name | Binomial | Status |
| Scaly-breasted munia | Lonchura punctulata | (I) |
| Tricolored munia | Lonchura malacca | (I) |
| Chestnut munia | Lonchura atricapilla | (I) (R) |

## Old World sparrows

Order: Passeriformes Family: Passeridae
Sparrows are small passerine birds. In general, sparrows tend to be small, plump, brown or gray birds with short tails and short powerful beaks. Sparrows are seed eaters, but they also consume small insects.
| Common name | Binomial | Status |
| House sparrow | Passer domesticus | (I) |

## Wagtails and pipits

Order: Passeriformes Family: Motacillidae
Motacillidae is a family of small passerine birds with medium to long tails. They include the wagtails, longclaws, and pipits. They are slender ground-feeding insectivores of open country.
| Common name | Binomial | Status |
| White wagtail | Motacilla alba | (R) |
| American pipit | Anthus rubescens | (R) |

## Finches, euphonias, 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.
| Common name | Binomial | Status |
| House finch | Haemorhous mexicanus | (I) (VR) |
| American goldfinch | Spinus tristis | (R) |

## Longspurs and snow buntings

Order: Passeriformes Family: Calcariidae
The Calcariidae are a group of passerine birds that had been traditionally grouped with the New World sparrows, but differ in a number of respects and are usually found in open grassy areas.
| Common name | Binomial | Status |
| Lapland longspur | Calcarius lapponicus | (R) |

## New World sparrows

Order: Passeriformes Family: Passerellidae
Until 2017, these species were considered part of the family Emberizidae. Most of the species are known as sparrows, but these birds are not closely related to the Old World sparrows which are in the family Passeridae. Many of these have distinctive head patterns.
| Common name | Binomial | Status |
| Grasshopper sparrow | Ammodramus savannarum | |
| Lark sparrow | Chondestes grammacus | (R) |
| Chipping sparrow | Spizella passerina | (R) |
| Clay-colored sparrow | Spizella pallida | (R) |
| Dark-eyed junco | Junco hyemalis | (R) |
| White-crowned sparrow | Zonotrichia leucophrys | |
| Harris's sparrow | Zonotrichia querula | (R) |
| White-throated sparrow | Zonotrichia albicollis | (R) |
| Savannah sparrow | Passerculus sandwichensis | |
| Song sparrow | Melospiza melodia | (R) |
| Lincoln's sparrow | Melospiza lincolnii | (R) |
| Zapata sparrow | Torreornis inexpectata | (E) endangered |
| Green-tailed towhee | Pipilo chlorurus | (R) |

## Spindalises

Order: Passeriformes Family: Spindalidae
The members of this small family are native to the Greater Antilles. They were formerly classified as tanagers (family Thraupidae) but were placed in their own family in 2017.
| Common name | Binomial | Status |
| Western spindalis | Spindalis zena pretrei | (Es) |

## Cuban warblers

Order: Passeriformes Family: Teretistridae
These two species were formerly placed in the New World warblers (Parulidae) but were moved to their own family in 2017.
| Common name | Binomial | Status |
| Yellow-headed warbler | Teretistris fernandinae | (E) |
| Oriente warbler | Teretistris fornsi | (E) |

## Yellow-breasted chat

Order: Passeriformes Family: Icteriidae
This species was historically placed in the New World warblers, but nonetheless most authorities were unsure if it belonged there. It was moved to its own family in 2017.
| Common name | Binomial | Status |
| Yellow-breasted chat | Icteria virens | (R) |

## Troupials and allies

Order: Passeriformes Family: Icteridae
The icterids are a group of small to medium-sized, often colorful, passerine birds restricted to the New World and include the grackles, New World blackbirds, and New World orioles. Most species have black as the predominant plumage color, often enlivened by yellow, orange, or red.
| Common name | Binomial | Status |
| Yellow-headed blackbird | Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus | (R) |
| Bobolink | Dolichonyx oryzivorus | |
| Eastern meadowlark | Sturnella magna hippocrepis | (Es) |
| Cuban oriole | Icterus melanopsis | (E) |
| Orchard oriole | Icterus spurius | |
| Hooded oriole | Icterus cucullatus | (R) |
| Yellow-tailed oriole | Icterus mesomelas | (H) |
| Altamira oriole | Icterus gularis | (R) |
| Baltimore oriole | Icterus galbula | |
| Red winged blackbird | Agealaius phoeniceus | |
| Red-shouldered blackbird | Agelaius assimilis | (E) |
| Tawny-shouldered blackbird | Agelaius humeralis | |
| Shiny cowbird | Molothrus bonariensis | |
| Brown-headed cowbird | Molothrus ater | (R) |
| Cuban blackbird | Ptiloxena atroviolacea | (E) |
| Rusty blackbird | Euphagus carolinus | (H) |
| Boat-tailed grackle | Quiscalus major | (R) |
| Great-tailed grackle | Quiscalus mexicanus | (R) |
| Greater Antillean grackle | Quiscalus niger | |

## New World warblers

Order: Passeriformes Family: Parulidae
The New World warblers are a group of small, often colorful, passerine birds restricted to the New World. Most are arboreal, but some are terrestrial. Most members of this family are insectivores.
| Common name | Binomial | Status |
| Ovenbird | Seiurus aurocapilla | |
| Worm-eating warbler | Helmitheros vermivorum | |
| Louisiana waterthrush | Parkesia motacilla | |
| Northern waterthrush | Parkesia noveboracensis | |
| Bachman's warbler | Vermivora bachmanii | critically endangered (possibly extinct) |
| Golden-winged warbler | Vermivora chrysoptera | (R) Near-threatened |
| Blue-winged warbler | Vermivora cyanoptera | (R) |
| Black-and-white warbler | Mniotilta varia | |
| Prothonotary warbler | Protonotaria citrea | |
| Swainson's warbler | Limnothlypis swainsonii | |
| Tennessee warbler | Leiothlypis peregrina | |
| Orange-crowned warbler | Leiothlypis celata | (R) |
| Nashville warbler | Leiothlypis ruficapilla | (R) |
| Virginia's warbler | Leiothlypis virginiae | (R) |
| Connecticut warbler | Oporornis agilis | (R) |
| Mourning warbler | Geothlypis philadelphia | (R) |
| Kentucky warbler | Geothlypis formosa | (R) |
| Common yellowthroat | Geothlypis trichas | |
| Hooded warbler | Setophaga citrina | |
| American redstart | Setophaga ruticilla | |
| Kirtland's warbler | Setophaga kirtlandii | (R) near-threatened |
| Cape May warbler | Setophaga tigrina | |
| Cerulean warbler | Setophaga cerulea | (R) Vulnerable |
| Northern parula | Setophaga americana | |
| Magnolia warbler | Setophaga magnolia | |
| Bay-breasted warbler | Setophaga castanea | (R) |
| Blackburnian warbler | Setophaga fusca | (R) |
| Yellow warbler | Setophaga petechia | |
| Chestnut-sided warbler | Setophaga pensylvanica | |
| Blackpoll warbler | Setophaga striata | |
| Black-throated blue warbler | Setophaga caerulescens | |
| Palm warbler | Setophaga palmarum | |
| Olive-capped warbler | Setophaga pityophila | |
| Pine warbler | Setophaga pinus | (R) |
| Yellow-rumped warbler | Setophaga coronata | |
| Yellow-throated warbler | Setophaga dominica | |
| Prairie warbler | Setophaga discolor | |
| Black-throated gray warbler | Setophaga nigrescens | (R) |
| Townsend's warbler | Setophaga townsendi | (R) |
| Black-throated green warbler | Setophaga virens | |
| Canada warbler | Cardellina canadensis | |
| Wilson's warbler | Cardellina pusilla | (R) |

## Cardinals and allies

Order: Passeriformes Family: Cardinalidae
The cardinals are a family of robust, seed-eating birds with strong bills. They are typically associated with open woodland. The sexes usually have distinct plumages.
| Common name | Binomial | Status |
| Summer tanager | Piranga rubra | |
| Scarlet tanager | Piranga olivacea | |
| Western tanager | Piranga ludoviciana | (R) |
| Black-headed grosbeak | Pheucticus ludovicianus | |
| Rose-breasted grosbeak | Pheucticus melanocephalus | (R) |
| Blue grosbeak | Passerina caerulea | |
| Lazuli bunting | Passerina amoena | (R) |
| Indigo bunting | Passerina cyanea | |
| Painted bunting | Passerina ciris | near-threatened |
| Dickcissel | Spiza americana | (R) |

## Tanagers and allies

Order: Passeriformes Family: Thraupidae
The tanagers are a large group of small to medium-sized passerine birds restricted to the New World, mainly in the tropics. Many species are brightly colored. As a family they are omnivorous, but individual species specialize in eating fruits, seeds, insects, or other types of food. Most have short, rounded wings.
| Common name | Binomial | Status |
| Saffron finch | Sicalis flaveola | (R) |
| Blue-black grassquit | Volatinia jacarina | (R) |
| Red-legged honeycreeper | Cyanerpes cyaneus | |
| Bananaquit | Coereba flaveola | (R) |
| Yellow-faced grassquit | Tiaris olivaceus | |
| Cuban bullfinch | Melopyrrha nigra | (Es) |
| Cuban grassquit | Phonipara canora | (E) |
| Black-faced grassquit | Melanospiza bicolor | (R) |