Kyrgyzstan’s mountain ranges, valleys and alpine lakes support a varied bird community shaped by Central Asia’s climates and elevations. Seasonal migrants mix with high‑altitude specialists, so a day of birding can move from wetlands to rocky summits.
There are 60 Birds of Kyrgyzstan, ranging from Alpine Chough to White-winged Snowfinch. Each entry lists Scientific name,Status,Where found to make identification and locality clear — you’ll find below.
How current is this list and what sources were used?
The list draws on recent field guides, national checklists and vetted sightings from local birding groups and museum records; check the Status column for notes on rarity, breeding status or recent range changes.
Where in Kyrgyzstan should I go to see these species?
High alpine slopes are best for species like Alpine Chough and White-winged Snowfinch, while wetlands, lakeshores and river valleys host migrants and waterbirds—use the Where found column for habitat and regional tips, and start with Ala-Archa, Sary-Chelek and the Issyk‑Kul area.
Birds of Kyrgyzstan
| Common name | Scientific name | Status | Where found |
|---|---|---|---|
| Common Kestrel | Falco tinnunculus | Resident | Lowlands, foothills, towns |
| Saker Falcon | Falco cherrug | Breeder | Open steppe and foothills |
| Peregrine Falcon | Falco peregrinus | Migrant and resident | Cliffs, mountains, river valleys |
| Golden Eagle | Aquila chrysaetos | Resident | High mountains, Tien Shan |
| Steppe Eagle | Aquila nipalensis | Breeder and migrant | Open steppe, low hills |
| Lammergeier (Bearded Vulture) | Gypaetus barbatus | Resident | High crags, alpine zones |
| Griffon Vulture | Gyps fulvus | Resident | Cliffs, canyons, mountains |
| Eurasian Sparrowhawk | Accipiter nisus | Migrant and occasional breeder | Woodland edges, valleys |
| Common Buzzard | Buteo buteo | Resident | Wooded hills, valleys |
| Long-legged Buzzard | Buteo rufinus | Resident | Open hills, steppe, rocky slopes |
| Common Crane | Grus grus | Migrant | Wetlands, floodplain meadows |
| Demoiselle Crane | Anthropoides virgo | Breeder and migrant | Steppe grasslands, wetlands |
| Bar-headed Goose | Anser indicus | Breeder and migrant | High-altitude lakes, wetlands |
| Greylag Goose | Anser anser | Migrant and breeder | Lowland lakes, rivers |
| Ruddy Shelduck | Tadorna ferruginea | Resident | Lakes, rivers, wetlands |
| Mallard | Anas platyrhynchos | Resident | Rivers, lakes, wetlands |
| Northern Shoveler | Spatula clypeata | Migrant and breeder | Shallow lakes, marshes |
| Common Pochard | Aythya ferina | Winter visitor | Deep lakes, reservoirs |
| Ferruginous Duck | Aythya nyroca | Breeder and uncommon | Lowland lakes, reedbeds |
| Great Crested Grebe | Podiceps cristatus | Breeder | Lakes with vegetation |
| Black-necked Grebe | Podiceps nigricollis | Breeder and migrant | Steppe lakes, saline basins |
| Little Grebe | Tachybaptus ruficollis | Resident | Small ponds, slow streams |
| Great Cormorant | Phalacrocorax carbo | Resident | Lakes, rivers, reservoirs |
| Grey Heron | Ardea cinerea | Resident | Wetlands, rivers, floodplains |
| Common Coot | Fulica atra | Resident | Lakes, marshes, reservoirs |
| Black-winged Stilt | Himantopus himantopus | Breeder | Shallow lakes, marshes |
| Little Ringed Plover | Charadrius dubius | Breeder | Riverbanks, lake shores |
| Kentish Plover | Charadrius alexandrinus | Breeder | Sandy lakeshores, saline flats |
| Common Snipe | Gallinago gallinago | Migrant and winter visitor | Wet meadows, marshes |
| Common Sandpiper | Actitis hypoleucos | Migrant | Rivers, lake shores |
| Chukar Partridge | Alectoris chukar | Resident | Rocky slopes, scrubby foothills |
| Himalayan Snowcock | Tetraogallus himalayensis | Breeder | High alpine Tien Shan slopes |
| Common Quail | Coturnix coturnix | Breeder and migrant | Grasslands, agricultural fields |
| Eurasian Hoopoe | Upupa epops | Breeder and migrant | Open woodlands, orchards, farmland |
| Great Spotted Woodpecker | Dendrocopos major | Resident | Riparian woodlands, orchards |
| Eurasian Wryneck | Jynx torquilla | Migrant | Open woodlands, orchards |
| Common Kingfisher | Alcedo atthis | Resident | Fast streams, rivers, lakes |
| Eurasian Magpie | Pica pica | Resident | Villages, farmland, scrub |
| Common Raven | Corvus corax | Resident | Mountains, cliffs, open country |
| Hooded Crow | Corvus cornix | Resident | Lowland towns, steppe, farmland |
| Rook | Corvus frugilegus | Resident | Farmland, open fields |
| Jackdaw | Coloeus monedula | Resident | Cliffs, buildings, farmland |
| Eurasian Jay | Garrulus glandarius | Resident | Woodlands, river valleys |
| Red-billed Chough | Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax | Resident | High crags, alpine meadows |
| Alpine Chough | Pyrrhocorax graculus | Resident | High mountains, ridgelines |
| Common Starling | Sturnus vulgaris | Resident | Towns, farmland, steppe |
| Rosy Starling | Pastor roseus | Breeder and migrant | Steppe, farmland, towns in summer |
| House Sparrow | Passer domesticus | Resident | Villages, towns, farmland |
| Eurasian Tree Sparrow | Passer montanus | Resident | Villages, orchards, farmland |
| White-winged Snowfinch | Montifringilla nivalis | Resident | Alpine scree, high peaks |
| Eurasian Skylark | Alauda arvensis | Breeder | Open fields, steppe, meadows |
| Crested Lark | Galerida cristata | Resident | Steppes, semi-desert, roadsides |
| Horned Lark | Eremophila alpestris | Resident | Open highland plateaus, steppe |
| Greater Short-toed Lark | Calandrella brachydactyla | Breeder | Steppe, semi-desert plains |
| Calandra Lark | Melanocorypha calandra | Breeder | Deep steppe grasslands |
| Isabelline Wheatear | Oenanthe isabellina | Breeder | Dry slopes, semi-desert, steppe |
| Northern Wheatear | Oenanthe oenanthe | Breeder | Open rocky areas, meadows |
| Desert Wheatear | Oenanthe deserti | Breeder | Semi-desert, low hills |
| Black Redstart | Phoenicurus ochruros | Resident | Rocks, towns, urban edges |
| Common Redstart | Phoenicurus phoenicurus | Breeder | Woodland edges, gardens |
Images and Descriptions
Common Kestrel
Small falcon often hovering over fields; common and adaptable. Look for slender body, long wings and rusty back with dark spots. Hunts small mammals and large insects from visible perches or while hovering.
Saker Falcon
Powerful raptor prized in falconry; large and broad-winged with streaked underside. Prefers open landscapes and nests on cliffs or pylons. Vulnerable locally from trapping and habitat loss, sightings are special for birders.
Peregrine Falcon
Fast, compact falcon with barred underparts and a dark “moustache” mark. Hunts birds on wing and winters in lower valleys. Look for high-speed stoops and cliffside nesting sites.
Golden Eagle
Large, dark brown eagle with golden nape; powerful hunter of mammals and birds in alpine areas. Often seen soaring over ridges. Iconic and widespread in remote high country.
Steppe Eagle
Medium-large eagle of open country with broad wings and dark brown plumage. Breeds in steppe habitats and migrates seasonally; often seen perched on posts or circling over plains.
Lammergeier (Bearded Vulture)
Striking vulture with long wedge-shaped tail and pale body; unique bone-dropping behavior to access marrow. Prefers remote crags and high mountain slopes in the Tien Shan range.
Griffon Vulture
Large, pale vulture often seen in thermal-rich skies above mountains. Gathers at carcasses; broad wings and long neck ruff are distinctive. Important scavenger species in Kyrgyz landscapes.
Eurasian Sparrowhawk
Small, agile hawk that zips through trees hunting small birds. Males show fine barring and yellow eyes; females larger and streakier. Seen during migration and breeding in wooded valleys.
Common Buzzard
Broad-winged, chunky raptor with variable brown plumage and barred tail. Soars or perches while hunting small mammals. Very adaptable and commonly seen across Kyrgyz lowlands and uplands.
Long-legged Buzzard
Large buzzard with long legs and varied plumage; favors open dry country. Often seen perched conspicuously on posts or rocks scanning for rodents and reptiles.
Common Crane
Tall, stately grey crane with a black-and-white head pattern; migrates across Central Asia in spring and autumn. Look for flocks calling and feeding in marshy meadows and shallow lakes.
Demoiselle Crane
Elegant small crane with long neck and distinctive black head plumes. Breeds on open steppe and migrates long distances; often seen in loose flocks on migration.
Bar-headed Goose
Pale grey goose with two dark head bars; renowned for high-elevation migrations. Breeds on mountain lakes and reservoirs; often in small flocks with other waterfowl.
Greylag Goose
Large, heavy grey goose with orange bill; common in lowland wetlands and reservoirs. Feeds on grasses and crops, often in family groups during breeding season.
Ruddy Shelduck
Orange-buff waterfowl with a black beak and contrasting wings in flight. Often seen in pairs or small flocks on open water and riverbanks; vocal and conspicuous.
Mallard
Familiar dabbling duck; males have glossy green heads in breeding season. Very adaptable, frequenting city ponds, lakes and slow rivers throughout Kyrgyzstan year-round.
Northern Shoveler
Distinctive spoon-billed duck; males show green head and large spatulate bill. Feeds by filtering shallow water and is common on marshy steppe lakes during migration and breeding.
Common Pochard
Diving duck with reddish head and black breast in males; winters on larger, deeper lakes and reservoirs. Numbers fluctuate with water levels and cold winters.
Ferruginous Duck
Rich brown diving duck with a compact profile and pale eye. Prefers quiet reed-fringed lakes; vulnerable locally and prized by birders when found.
Great Crested Grebe
Elegant waterbird with ornate head plumes in breeding season; excellent diver and swimmer. Makes floating nests among reeds and is often seen performing courtship displays.
Black-necked Grebe
Small grebe with striking breeding plumage and red eyes. Prefers shallow saline lakes and can be abundant on suitable alkaline water bodies during summer.
Little Grebe
Tiny, compact grebe that dives readily, showing only head and neck on water. Brown plumage and distinctive sharp calls; common on sheltered freshwater bodies.
Great Cormorant
Large dark waterbird that dives for fish, often seen drying wings on rocks or posts. Versatile and common on larger water bodies across the country.
Grey Heron
Tall, long-legged heron known for slow hunting stance and spear-like bill. Wades quietly to catch fish, amphibians and small mammals along streams and marshes.
Common Coot
Chunky black waterbird with a white frontal shield; bold and noisy on water. Feeds on aquatic plants and is common on lakes and reed-fringed wetlands.
Black-winged Stilt
Very long-legged wader with black-and-white plumage and thin bill; conspicuous on shallow wetlands. Feeds on invertebrates in shallow water and breeds on mudflats.
Little Ringed Plover
Small plover with a black breast band and pale eye-ring. Runs in short bursts along shingle banks and mudflats; common on river gravel and lake edges.
Kentish Plover
Tiny sandy-colored plover with pale underparts; favors saline lagoons and exposed shorelines. Often seen singly or in small groups feeding on tiny invertebrates.
Common Snipe
Cryptic, streaky wader with a long straight bill; often hidden in marsh vegetation. Displays distinctive “drumming” on migration; best found in wet, grassy areas.
Common Sandpiper
Small, bobbing wader with white underparts and brown upperparts; teeters on stones and mud while feeding. Regular spring and autumn migrant along rivers and reservoirs.
Chukar Partridge
Stocky gamebird with bold flank bars and red bill; favors rocky, arid slopes and terraces. Runs swiftly across terrain and often calls from ridges at dawn.
Himalayan Snowcock
Large grouse-like bird of high alpine scree and plateaus; pale and mottled with a distinctive call. Best searched for on remote mountain ridges above the treeline.
Common Quail
Small, secretive ground-nesting bird with a rapid insect-like call. Often seen fleetingly in tall grasses during spring and summer; widespread but cryptic.
Eurasian Hoopoe
Striking bird with a long decurved bill and cinnamon plumage with black-and-white wings. Feeds on insects on the ground and displays a conspicuous crest when excited.
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Medium woodpecker with black-and-white pattern and red undertail. Drums on trunks and excavates cavities; common in mature trees and wooded valleys.
Eurasian Wryneck
Small woodpecker-like bird with cryptic, streaky plumage that twists its neck when threatened. Feeds on ants and insects in bark fissures; migratory and often shy.
Common Kingfisher
Tiny, brightly colored bird with electric blue back and orange underparts. Perches quietly before plunging for small fish; best found along clear streams and slow river margins.
Eurasian Magpie
Large black-and-white corvid with long tail and noisy behavior. Omnivorous and bold near people; easily recognized and common across diverse habitats including towns.
Common Raven
Huge black corvid with deep croak and soaring flight. Extremely intelligent and adaptable, often seen singly or in pairs over cliffs and high plateaus.
Hooded Crow
Grey-and-black crow common in urban and rural areas. Social and opportunistic, forages across fields, rubbish tips and villages; common and easily observed.
Rook
Social crow with glossy black plumage and bare pale bill base in adults. Forms breeding colonies and feeds in agricultural landscapes; often seen in large flocks.
Jackdaw
Small, gregarious crow with pale eyes and a glossy black cap. Often nests in cavities in cliffs and buildings and forms noisy flocks in towns and farmland.
Eurasian Jay
Colorful corvid with pinkish-brown body, blue wing patch and crest. Shy but conspicuous by calls; caches acorns and frequent oak-ash woodlands in valleys.
Red-billed Chough
Glossy black corvid with red legs and bill; acrobatic in flight, often near cliff nesting sites. Associated with high rocky terrain and summer pastures.
Alpine Chough
Slim, glossy black corvid with yellow bill and nimble flight; familiar around high mountain huts and ridges. Sociable flocks forage on alpine meadows and scree.
Common Starling
Gregarious glossy bird with speckled winter plumage and a sharp call. Forms large communal roosts and adapts to urban and rural settings across Kyrgyzstan.
Rosy Starling
Pink-and-black starling that forms large breeding colonies in trees and buildings. Irruptive migrant with noisy communal feeding flocks, especially where locusts or fruit are plentiful.
House Sparrow
Familiar small brown sparrow of human settlements; males show grey crown and chestnut nape. Ubiquitous around homes and farms, often feeding on scraps and grains.
Eurasian Tree Sparrow
Small sparrow with chestnut crown and black cheek spot. Prefers rural settlements and orchards, often nesting in cavities and feeding in fields and hedgerows.
White-winged Snowfinch
Sturdy, pale finch well adapted to high elevations; shows white wing patches and stout bill. Forages on rocky slopes and stands out against snow and scree.
Eurasian Skylark
Famous for hovering song-flight over open country. Brown-streaked and inconspicuous on the ground but unmistakable by extended melodious song delivered in flight.
Crested Lark
Streaky brown lark with a short crest and melodious song. Common in dry open habitats, often seen singing from low perches or in flight displays.
Horned Lark
Small lark with pale face and small black “horn” tufts in some morphs; prefers open, stony ground and alpine plateaus, often in flocks outside breeding season.
Greater Short-toed Lark
Compact lark with short bill and streaky brown upperparts. Prefers dry grasslands and steppe, where it forages for seeds and insects on the ground.
Calandra Lark
Large, powerful lark with rich brown tones and a loud, fluting song. Typical of extensive steppe grasslands and attracts attention when singing in flight.
Isabelline Wheatear
Pale sandy wheatear with subtle markings and upright posture. Common across arid lowlands and foothills; perches on rocks and guards insect-rich territories.
Northern Wheatear
Bold little passer often seen bobbing on stones; males show pale underparts and distinct wing pattern in breeding season. Common migrant and breeder in open habitats.
Desert Wheatear
Stark pale wheatear of dry sandy areas with black mask in males. Typically occupies barren semi-desert and rocky low hills, feeding on ground insects and spiders.
Black Redstart
Small dark red-tailed bird often seen on walls and rocks. Males are sooty-grey or black with bright red tail; common in urban and rocky habitats.
Common Redstart
Delicate orange-red tail and pale face on males; perches upright to sally for insects. Arrives in spring and breeds in open wooded areas and gardens.
