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 avifauna of Cuba included a total of 398 species as of August 2017. Since that date through August 2019, four species have been added through eBird. Of the 402 species, 25 are endemic, 13 have been introduced by humans and another possibly was, and 104 are noted as casual or accidental. Two species are known to be extinct and two others possibly are. Fifteen species are globally threatened.
This list's taxonomic treatment and nomenclature are those of The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World, 2019 edition.
The following tags have been used to highlight several categories of occurrence.
Order: AnseriformesFamily: 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 nameBinomialStatus
White-faced whistling-duckDendrocygna viduata
Black-bellied whistling-duckDendrocygna autumnalis
West Indian whistling-duckDendrocygna arboreavulnerable
Fulvous whistling-duckDendrocygna bicolor
Snow gooseAnser caerulescens
Greater white-fronted gooseAnser albifrons
Canada gooseBranta canadensis
Tundra swanCygnus columbianus
Muscovy duckCairina moschata
Wood duckAix sponsa
Blue-winged tealSpatula discors
Cinnamon tealSpatula cyanoptera
Northern shovelerSpatula clypeata
GadwallMareca strepera
Eurasian wigeonMareca penelope
American wigeonMareca americana
MallardAnas platyrhynchos
American black duckAnas rubripes
White-cheeked pintailAnas bahamensis
Northern pintailAnas acuta
Green-winged tealAnas crecca
CanvasbackAythya valisineria
RedheadAythya americana
Ring-necked duckAythya collaris
Greater scaupAythya marila
Lesser scaupAythya affinis
Surf scoterMelanitta perspicillata
White-winged scoterMelanitta deglandi
BuffleheadBucephala albeola
Hooded merganserLophodytes cucullatus
Common merganserMergus merganser
Red-breasted merganserMergus serrator
Masked duckNomonyx dominicus
Ruddy duckOxyura jamaicensis

Guineafowl

Order: GalliformesFamily: Numididae
Guineafowls are a group of African, seed-eating, ground-nesting birds that resemble partridges, but with featherless heads and spangled gray plumage.
Common nameBinomialStatus
Helmeted guineafowlNumida meleagris

New World quail

Order: GalliformesFamily: 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 nameBinomialStatus
Northern bobwhiteColinus virginianus cubanensis near-threatened

Pheasants, grouse, and allies

Order: GalliformesFamily: 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 and have broad, relatively short wings.
Common nameBinomialStatus
Ring-necked pheasantPhasianus colchicus

Flamingos

Order: PhoenicopteriformesFamily: Phoenicopteridae
Flamingos are gregarious wading birds, usually 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 nameBinomialStatus
American flamingoPhoenicopterus ruber

Grebes

Order: PodicipediformesFamily: 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 nameBinomialStatus
Least grebeTachybaptus dominicus
Pied-billed grebePodilymbus podiceps

Pigeons and doves

Order: ColumbiformesFamily: Columbidae
Pigeons and doves are stout-bodied birds with short necks and short slender bills with a fleshy cere.
Common nameBinomialStatus
Rock pigeonColumba livia
Scaly-naped pigeonColumba squamosa
White-crowned pigeonColumba leucocephalanear-threatened
Plain pigeonColumba inornatanear-threatened
Passenger pigeonEctopistes migratoriusextinct
Eurasian collared-doveStreptopelia decaocto
Common ground doveColumbina passerina
Blue-headed quail-doveStarnoenas cyanocephala endangered
Ruddy quail-doveGeotrygon montana
Gray-fronted quail-doveGeotrygon caniceps vulnerable
Key West quail-doveGeotrygon chrysia
White-winged doveZenaida asiatica
Zenaida doveZenaida aurita
Mourning doveZenaida macroura

Cuckoos

Order: CuculiformesFamily: 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 nameBinomialStatus
Smooth-billed aniCrotophaga ani
Yellow-billed cuckooCoccyzus americanus
Mangrove cuckooCoccyzus minor
Black-billed cuckooCoccyzus erythropthalmus
Great lizard-cuckooCoccyzus merlini santamariae Santa Maria, Coco, Paredon Grande, and Romano Cays
Great lizard-cuckooCoccyzus merlini merlini main island, Cayo Conuco, Caibarien
Great lizard-cuckooCoccyzus merlini decolor Isla de Pinos

Nightjars and allies

Order: CaprimulgiformesFamily: 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 nameBinomialStatus
Common nighthawkChordeiles minor
Antillean nighthawkChordeiles gundlachii
Chuck-will's-widowAntrostomus carolinensis
Greater Antillean nightjarAntrostomus cubanensis
Eastern whip-poor-willAntrostomus vociferus

Swifts

Order: CaprimulgiformesFamily: 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 nameBinomialStatus
Black swiftCypseloides niger
White-collared swiftStreptoprocne zonaris
Chimney swiftChaetura pelagica near-threatened
Antillean palm-swiftTachornis phoenicobia iradii

Hummingbirds

Order: CaprimulgiformesFamily: 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 nameBinomialStatus
Ruby-throated hummingbirdArchilochus colubris
Bahama woodstarNesophlox evelynae
Bee hummingbirdMellisuga helenae near-threatened
Cuban emeraldChlorostilbon ricordii ricordii

Rails, gallinules, and coots

Order: GruiformesFamily: 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 nameBinomialStatus
Zapata railCyanolimnas cerverai Critically endangered
Spotted railPardirallus maculatus
Yellow-breasted crakeHaplocrex flaviventer
King railRallus elegans ramsdeni Near-threatened
Clapper railRallus crepitans
Virginia railRallus limicola
SoraPorzana carolina
Common gallinuleGallinula galeata
American cootFulica americana
Purple gallinulePorphyrio martinica
Black railLaterallus jamaicensisNear-threatened

Limpkin

Order: GruiformesFamily: Aramidae
The limpkin resembles a large rail. It has drab-brown plumage and a grayer head and neck.
Common nameBinomialStatus
LimpkinAramus guarauna

Cranes

Order: GruiformesFamily: 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 nameBinomialStatus
Sandhill craneAntigone canadensis nesiotes

Stilts and avocets

Order: CharadriiformesFamily: 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 nameBinomialStatus
Black-necked stiltHimantopus mexicanus
American avocetRecurvirostra americana

Oystercatchers

Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Haematopodidae
The oystercatchers are large and noisy plover-like birds, with strong bills used for smashing or prising open molluscs.
Common nameBinomialStatus
American oystercatcherHaematopus palliatus

Plovers and lapwings

Order: CharadriiformesFamily: 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 nameBinomialStatus
Black-bellied ploverPluvialis squatarola
American golden-ploverPluvialis dominica
Snowy ploverCharadrius nivosusnear-threatened
Wilson's ploverCharadrius wilsonia
Semipalmated ploverCharadrius semipalmatus
Piping ploverCharadrius melodusnear-threatened
KilldeerCharadrius vociferus

Jacanas

Order: CharadriiformesFamily: 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 nameBinomialStatus
Northern jacanaJacana spinosa

Sandpipers and allies

Order: CharadriiformesFamily: 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 nameBinomialStatus
Upland sandpiperBartramia longicauda
WhimbrelNumenius phaeopus
Long-billed curlewNumenius americanus
Hudsonian godwitLimosa haemastica
Marbled godwitLimosa fedoa
Ruddy turnstoneArenaria interpres
Red knotCalidris canutusnear-threatened
RuffCalidris pugnax
Stilt sandpiperCalidris himantopus
SanderlingCalidris alba
DunlinCalidris alpina
Least sandpiperCalidris minutilla
White-rumped sandpiperCalidris fuscicollis
Buff-breasted sandpiperCalidris subruficollis near-threatened
Pectoral sandpiperCalidris melanotos
Semipalmated sandpiperCalidris pusillanear-threatened
Western sandpiperCalidris mauri
Short-billed dowitcherLimnodromus griseus
Long-billed dowitcherLimnodromus scolopaceus
Wilson's snipeGallinago delicata
Wilson's phalaropePhalaropus tricolor
Red-necked phalaropePhalaropus lobatus
Red phalaropePhalaropus fulicarius
Spotted sandpiperActitis macularius
Solitary sandpiperTringa solitaria
Greater yellowlegsTringa melanoleuca
WilletTringa semipalmata
Lesser yellowlegsTringa flavipes

Skuas and jaegers

Order: CharadriiformesFamily: 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 nameBinomialStatus
South polar skuaStercorarius maccormicki
Pomarine jaegerStercorarius pomarinus
Parasitic jaegerStercorarius parasiticus
Long-tailed jaegerStercorarius longicaudus

Auks, murres, and puffins

Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Alcidae
Auks are superficially similar to penguins due to their black-and-white colors, their upright posture, and some of their habits.
Common nameBinomialStatus
DovekieAlle alle

Gulls, terns, and skimmers

Order: CharadriiformesFamily: 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 nameBinomialStatus
Black-legged kittiwakeRissa tridactyla
Sabine's gullXema sabini
Bonaparte's gullChroicocephalus philadelphia
Black-headed gullChroicocephalus ridibundus
Laughing gullLeucophaeus atricilla
Franklin's gullLeucophaeus pipixcan
Ring-billed gullLarus delawarensis
Herring gullLarus argentatus
Lesser black-backed gullLarus fuscus
Great black-backed gullLarus marinus
Brown noddyAnous stolidus
Sooty ternOnychoprion fuscata
Bridled ternOnychoprion anaethetus
Least ternSternula antillarum
Large-billed ternPhaetusa simplex
Gull-billed ternGelochelidon nilotica
Caspian ternHydroprogne caspia
Black ternChlidonias niger
Roseate ternSterna dougallii
Common ternSterna hirundo
Arctic ternSterna paradisaea
Forster's ternSterna forsteri
Royal ternThalasseus maxima
Sandwich ternThalasseus sandvicensis
Black skimmerRynchops niger

Tropicbirds

Order: PhaethontiformesFamily: Phaethontidae
Tropicbirds are slender white birds of tropical oceans with exceptionally long central tail feathers. Their heads and long wings have black markings.
Common nameBinomialStatus
White-tailed tropicbirdPhaethon lepturus
Red-billed tropicbirdPhaethon aethereus

Loons

Order: GaviiformesFamily: 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 nameBinomialStatus
Common loonGavia immer

Southern storm-petrels

Order: ProcellariiformesFamily: 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 nameBinomialStatus
Wilson's storm-petrelOceanites oceanicus

Northern storm-petrels

Order: ProcellariiformesFamily: 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 nameBinomialStatus
Leach's storm-petrelOceanodroma leucorhoa
Band-rumped storm-petrelOceanodroma castro

Shearwaters and petrels

Order: ProcellariiformesFamily: 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 nameBinomialStatus
Black-capped petrelPterodroma hasitata
Cory's shearwaterCalonectris diomedea
Great shearwaterArdenna gravis
Sooty shearwaterArdenna griseus near-threatened
Audubon's shearwaterPuffinus lherminieri

Storks

Order: CiconiiformesFamily: 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 nameBinomialStatus
Wood storkMycteria americana

Frigatebirds

Order: SuliformesFamily: 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 nameBinomialStatus
Magnificent frigatebirdFregata magnificens

Boobies and gannets

Order: SuliformesFamily: Sulidae
The sulids comprise the gannets and boobies. Both groups are medium to large coastal seabirds that plunge-dive for fish.
Common nameBinomialStatus
Masked boobySula dactylatra
Brown boobySula leucogaster
Red-footed boobySula sula
Northern gannetMorus bassanus

Anhingas

Order: SuliformesFamily: 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 nameBinomialStatus
AnhingaAnhinga anhinga

Cormorants and shags

Order: SuliformesFamily: 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 nameBinomialStatus
Neotropic cormorantPhalacrocorax brasilianus
Double-crested cormorantPhalacrocorax auritus

Pelicans

Order: PelecaniformesFamily: 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 nameBinomialStatus
American white pelicanPelecanus erythrorhynchos
Brown pelicanPelecanus occidentalis

Herons, egrets, and bitterns

Order: PelecaniformesFamily: 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 nameBinomialStatus
American bitternBotaurus lentiginosus
Least bitternIxobrychus exilis
Great blue heronArdea herodias
Great egretArdea alba
Snowy egretEgretta thula
Little blue heronEgretta caerulea
Tricolored heronEgretta tricolor
Reddish egretEgretta rufescensNear-threatened
Cattle egretBubulcus ibis
Green heronButorides virescens
Black-crowned night-heronNycticorax nycticorax
Yellow-crowned night-heronNyctanassa violacea

Ibises and spoonbills

Order: PelecaniformesFamily: 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 nameBinomialStatus
White ibisEudocimus albus
Scarlet ibisEudocimus ruber
Glossy ibisPlegadis falcinellus
Roseate spoonbillPlatalea ajaja

New World vultures

Order: CathartiformesFamily: 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 nameBinomialStatus
Black vultureCoragyps atratus
Turkey vultureCathartes aura

Osprey

Order: AccipitriformesFamily: 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 nameBinomialStatus
OspreyPandion haliaetus

Hawks, eagles, and kites

Order: AccipitriformesFamily: 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 nameBinomialStatus
Hook-billed kiteChondrohierax uncinatus wilsonii
Swallow-tailed kiteElanoides forficatus
Snail kiteRostrhamus sociabilis
Mississippi kiteIctinia mississippiensis
Northern harrierCircus hudsonius
Sharp-shinned hawkAccipiter striatus fringilloides
Cooper's hawkAccipiter cooperii
Gundlach's hawkAccipiter gundlachi endangered
Bald eagleHaliaeetus leucocephalus
Common black hawkButeogallus anthracinus
Cuban black hawkButeogallus gundlachii Near-threatened
Broad-winged hawkButeo platypterus cubanensis
Short-tailed hawkButeo brachyurus
Swainson's hawkButeo swainsoni
Red-tailed hawkButeo jamaicensis

Barn-owls

Order: StrigiformesFamily: 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 nameBinomialStatus
Barn owlTyto alba

Owls

Order: StrigiformesFamily: 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 nameBinomialStatus
Bare-legged owlMargarobyas lawrencii
Cuban pygmy-owlGlaucidium siju
Burrowing owlAthene cunicularia
Long-eared owlAsio otus
Stygian owlAsio stygius suguapa
Short-eared owlAsio flammeus

Trogons

Order: TrogoniformesFamily: 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 nameBinomialStatus
Cuban trogonPriotelus temnurus

Todies

Order: CoraciiformesFamily: 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 nameBinomialStatus
Cuban todyTodus multicolor

Kingfishers

Order: CoraciiformesFamily: Alcedinidae
Water kingfishers are medium-sized birds with large heads, long, pointed bills, short legs, and stubby tails.
Common nameBinomialStatus
Common kingfisherAlcedo atthis
Belted kingfisherMegaceryle alcyon

Woodpeckers

Order: PiciformesFamily: 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 nameBinomialStatus
Yellow-bellied sapsuckerSphyrapicus varius
Cuban green woodpeckerXiphidiopicus percussus
West Indian woodpeckerMelanerpes superciliaris superciliaris main island and Cayo Cantiles
West Indian woodpeckerMelanerpes superciliaris murceus Isla de Pinos, Cayo Largo, and Cayo Real
Ivory-billed woodpeckerCampephilus principalis bairdii critically endangered
Northern flickerColaptes auratus chrysocaulosus
Fernandina's flickerColaptes fernandinae vulnerable

Falcons and caracaras

Order: FalconiformesFamily: 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 nameBinomialStatus
Crested caracaraCaracara cheriway
American kestrelFalco sparverius sparveroides
MerlinFalco columbarius
Peregrine falconFalco peregrinus

New World and African parrots

Order: PsittaciformesFamily: 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 nameBinomialStatus
Cuban parrotAmazona leucocephala leucocephala near-threatened
Blue-and-yellow macawAra ararauna
Scarlet macawAra macao
Red-and-green macaw Ara chloropterus
Cuban macawAra tricolorextinct
Cuban parakeetPsittacara euops vulnerable

Tyrant flycatchers

Order: PasseriformesFamily: 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 nameBinomialStatus
Western wood-peweeContopus sordidulus
Eastern wood-peweeContopus virens
Cuban peweeContopus caribaeus caribaeus main island, Isla de Pinos, several cays
Cuban peweeContopus caribaeus morenoi Zapata, Los Canarreos
Cuban peweeContopus caribaeus nerlyi Islands off southern Camagüey
Yellow-bellied flycatcherEmpidonax flaviventris
Acadian flycatcherEmpidonax virescens
Alder flycatcherEmpidonax alnorum
Willow flycatcherEmpidonax traillii
Least flycatcherEmpidonax minimus
Eastern phoebeSayornis phoebe
Vermilion flycatcherPyrocephalus rubinus
Great crested flycatcherMyiarchus crinitus
La Sagra's flycatcherMyiarchus sagrae
Tropical kingbirdTyrannus melancholicus
Cassin's kingbirdTyrannus vociferans
Western kingbirdTyrannus verticalis
Eastern kingbirdTyrannus tyrannus
Gray kingbirdTyrannus dominicensis
Loggerhead kingbirdTyrannus caudifasciatus caudifasciatus main island
Loggerhead kingbirdTyrannus caudifasciatus flavescens Isla de Pinos
Giant kingbirdTyrannus cubensis endangered
Scissor-tailed flycatcherTyrannus forficatus
Fork-tailed flycatcherTyrannus savana

Vireos, shrike-babblers, and erpornis

Order: PasseriformesFamily: 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 nameBinomialStatus
White-eyed vireoVireo griseus
Thick-billed vireoVireo crassirostrisvulnerable
Cuban vireoVireo gundlachii
Yellow-throated vireoVireo flavifrons
Blue-headed vireoVireo solitarius
Philadelphia vireoVireo philadelphicus
Warbling vireoVireo gilvus
Red-eyed vireoVireo olivaceus
Black-whiskered vireoVireo altiloquus

Crows, jays, and magpies

Order: PasseriformesFamily: 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 nameBinomialStatus
House crowCorvus splendens
Palm crowCorvus palmarum minutus near-threatened
Cuban crowCorvus nasicus

Swallows

Order: PasseriformesFamily: 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 nameBinomialStatus
Northern rough-winged swallowStelgidopteryx serripennis
Purple martinProgne subis
Cuban martinProgne cryptoleuca
Caribbean martinProgne dominicensis
Tree swallowTachycineta bicolor
Bahama swallowTachycineta cyaneoviridis
Bank swallowRiparia riparia
Barn swallowHirundo rustica
Cliff swallowPetrochelidon pyrrhonota
Cave swallowPetrochelidon fulva cavicola

Sylviid warblers, parrotbills, and allies

Order: PasseriformesFamily: Sylviidae
The family Sylviidae is a group of small insectivorous birds. They mainly occur as breeding species, as another common name implies, in Europe, Asia and, to a lesser extent, Africa. Most are of generally undistinguished appearance, but many have distinctive songs.
Common nameBinomialStatus
Eurasian blackcapSylvia atricapilla

Kinglets

Order: PasseriformesFamily: 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 nameBinomialStatus
Ruby-crowned kingletRegulus calendula

Gnatcatchers

Order: PasseriformesFamily: 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 nameBinomialStatus
Blue-gray gnatcatcherPolioptila caerulea
Cuban gnatcatcherPolioptila lembeyei

Wrens

Order: PasseriformesFamily: 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 nameBinomialStatus
Zapata wrenFerminia cerverai endangered
House wrenTroglodytes aedon
Marsh wrenCistothorus palustris

Starlings

Order: PasseriformesFamily: 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 nameBinomialStatus
European starlingSturnus vulgaris

Mockingbirds and thrashers

Order: PasseriformesFamily: 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 nameBinomialStatus
Gray catbirdDumetella carolinensis
Brown thrasherToxostoma rufum
Bahama mockingbirdMimus gundlachii
Northern mockingbirdMimus polyglottos

Thrushes and allies

Order: PasseriformesFamily: 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 nameBinomialStatus
Eastern bluebirdSialia sialis
Cuban solitaireMyadestes elisabeth near-threatened
VeeryCatharus fuscescens
Gray-cheeked thrushCatharus minimus
Bicknell's thrushCatharus bicknellivulnerable
Swainson's thrushCatharus ustulatus
Hermit thrushCatharus guttatus
Wood thrushHylocichla mustelina
American robinTurdus migratorius
Red-legged thrushTurdus plumbeus schistaceus eastern Cuba
Red-legged thrushTurdus plumbeus rubripes central and western Cuba and Isla de Pinos

Old World flycatchers

Order: PasseriformesFamily: 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 nameBinomialStatus
Northern wheatearOenanthe oenanthe

Waxwings

Order: PasseriformesFamily: 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 nameBinomialStatus
Cedar waxwingBombycilla cedrorum

Waxbills and allies

Order: PasseriformesFamily: 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 nameBinomialStatus
Scaly-breasted muniaLonchura punctulata
Tricolored muniaLonchura malacca
Chestnut muniaLonchura atricapilla

Old World sparrows

Order: PasseriformesFamily: 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 nameBinomialStatus
House sparrowPasser domesticus

Wagtails and pipits

Order: PasseriformesFamily: 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 nameBinomialStatus
American pipitAnthus rubescens

Finches, euphonias, and allies

Order: PasseriformesFamily: 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 nameBinomialStatus
American goldfinchSpinus tristis
House finchHaemorhous mexicanusNative to the southwestern U.S.; introduced in the east; possibly in Cuba though arrival from Florida cannot be discounted

Longspurs and snow buntings

Order: PasseriformesFamily: 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 nameBinomialStatus
Lapland longspurCalcarius lapponicus

New World sparrows

Order: PasseriformesFamily: 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 nameBinomialStatus
Grasshopper sparrowAmmodramus savannarum
Chipping sparrowSpizella passerina
Clay-colored sparrowSpizella pallida
Lark sparrowChondestes grammacus
Dark-eyed juncoJunco hyemalis
White-crowned sparrowZonotrichia leucophrys
Savannah sparrowPasserculus sandwichensis
Lincoln's sparrowMelospiza lincolnii
Zapata sparrowTorreornis inexpectata endangered
Green-tailed towheePipilo chlorurus

Spindalises

Order: PasseriformesFamily: Spindalidae
The members of this small family are native to the Greater Antilles. They were formerly classified as tanagers but were placed in their own family in 2017.
Common nameBinomialStatus
Western spindalisSpindalis zena pretrei

Cuban warblers

Order: PasseriformesFamily: Teretistridae
These two species were formerly placed in the New World warblers but were moved to their own family in 2017.
Common nameBinomialStatus
Yellow-headed warblerTeretistris fernandinae
Oriente warblerTeretistris fornsi

Yellow-breasted chat

Order: PasseriformesFamily: 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 nameBinomialStatus
Yellow-breasted chat Icteria virens

Troupials and allies

Order: PasseriformesFamily: 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 nameBinomialStatus
Yellow-headed blackbirdXanthocephalus xanthocephalus
BobolinkDolichonyx oryzivorus
Eastern meadowlarkSturnella magna hippocrepis
Cuban orioleIcterus melanopsis
Orchard orioleIcterus spurius
Hooded orioleIcterus cucullatus
Yellow-tailed orioleIcterus mesomelas
Altamira orioleIcterus gularis
Baltimore orioleIcterus galbula
Red-shouldered blackbirdAgelaius assimilis
Tawny-shouldered blackbirdAgelaius humeralis scopulus Cayo Cantiles
Tawny-shouldered blackbirdAgelaius humeralis humeralis
Shiny cowbirdMolothrus bonariensis
Brown-headed cowbirdMolothrus ater
Cuban blackbirdDives atroviolacea
Rusty blackbirdEuphagus carolinus
Greater Antillean grackleQuiscalus niger caribaeus western Cuba, Isla de Pinos, and cays east to Cayos de las Doce Leguas
Greater Antillean grackleQuiscalus niger gundlachii central and eastern Cuba and inner cays of Jardines de la Reina

New World warblers

Order: PasseriformesFamily: 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 nameBinomialStatus
OvenbirdSeiurus aurocapilla
Worm-eating warblerHelmitheros vermivorum
Louisiana waterthrush Parkesia motacilla
Northern waterthrush Parkesia noveboracensis
Bachman's warblerVermivora bachmaniicritically endangered
Golden-winged warblerVermivora chrysopteraNear-threatened
Blue-winged warblerVermivora cyanoptera
Black-and-white warblerMniotilta varia
Prothonotary warblerProtonotaria citrea
Swainson's warblerLimnothlypis swainsonii
Tennessee warblerLeiothlypis peregrina
Orange-crowned warblerLeiothlypis celata
Nashville warblerLeiothlypis ruficapilla
Virginia's warblerLeiothlypis virginiae
Connecticut warblerOporornis agilis
Mourning warblerGeothlypis philadelphia
Kentucky warblerGeothlypis formosa
Common yellowthroatGeothlypis trichas
Hooded warblerSetophaga citrina
American redstart Setophaga ruticilla
Kirtland's warblerSetophaga kirtlandii near-threatened
Cape May warblerSetophaga tigrina
Cerulean warblerSetophaga ceruleaVulnerable
Northern parula Setophaga americana
Magnolia warblerSetophaga magnolia
Bay-breasted warblerSetophaga castanea
Blackburnian warblerSetophaga fusca
Yellow warblerSetophaga petechia
Chestnut-sided warblerSetophaga pensylvanica
Blackpoll warblerSetophaga striata
Black-throated blue warblerSetophaga caerulescens
Palm warblerSetophaga palmarum
Olive-capped warblerSetophaga pityophila
Pine warblerSetophaga pinus
Yellow-rumped warblerSetophaga coronata
Yellow-throated warblerSetophaga dominica
Prairie warblerSetophaga discolor
Black-throated gray warblerSetophaga nigrescens
Townsend's warblerSetophaga townsendi
Black-throated green warblerSetophaga virens
Canada warblerCardellina canadensis
Wilson's warblerCardellina pusilla

Cardinals and allies

Order: PasseriformesFamily: 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 nameBinomialStatus
Summer tanagerPiranga rubra
Scarlet tanagerPiranga olivacea
Western tanagerPiranga ludoviciana
Rose-breasted grosbeakPheucticus ludovicianus
Blue grosbeakPasserina caerulea
Lazuli buntingPasserina amoena
Indigo buntingPasserina cyanea
Painted buntingPasserina cirisnear-threatened
DickcisselSpiza americana

Tanagers and allies

Order: PasseriformesFamily: 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 nameBinomialStatus
Red-legged honeycreeperCyanerpes cyaneus
Saffron finchSicalis flaveola
Blue-black grassquitVolatinia jacarina
BananaquitCoereba flaveola2308
Yellow-faced grassquitTiaris olivacea
Cuban bullfinchMelopyrrha nigra nigra
Cuban grassquitPhonipara canora
Black-faced grassquitMelanospiza bicolor