The Complete List of Birds of Afghanistan

Afghanistan’s varied landscapes—from the Hindu Kush peaks to river valleys and desert margins—support a surprising diversity of birds. Whether you’re a local birder or researching the region, a focused species list makes it easier to understand what to look for where.

There are 100 Birds of Afghanistan, ranging from Alpine Chough, Willow Warbler to show the geographic and ecological breadth. For each species the entries are organized with Scientific name, Length (cm), Status & region so you can quickly compare identification and distribution; you’ll find the full list below.

How can I use this list to plan birdwatching in Afghanistan?

Use the Status & region column to identify which areas and seasons are best for particular species, and the Scientific name and Length (cm) to confirm identifications in the field; combine the list with local guides or recent checklists for up-to-date sightings and access information.

Does the list indicate which species are threatened or protected?

Yes—the Status & region field flags conservation status and typical range; for legal protections and detailed conservation assessments, cross-check species with IUCN Red List entries and local wildlife authorities before any fieldwork.

Birds of Afghanistan

Common name	Scientific name	Length (cm)	Status & region
Chukar	Alectoris chukar	34	Resident in rocky hills and mountains
Gray Partridge	Perdix perdix	32	Resident in agricultural lowlands and steppe
MacQueen’s Bustard	Chlamydotis macqueenii	72	Rare resident and migrant in arid plains and deserts
Common Pheasant	Phasianus colchicus	60	Resident in scrub, farmland and river valleys
Ruddy Shelduck	Tadorna ferruginea	58	Resident and migrant on lakes, rivers and wetlands
Greylag Goose	Anser anser	76	Regular migrant and winter visitor to wetlands
Bar-headed Goose	Anser indicus	66	Migratory passage and highland wetlands
Mallard	Anas platyrhynchos	60	Common resident and migrant in wetlands and rivers
Northern Shoveler	Spatula clypeata	50	Migratory on shallow wetlands and marshes
Northern Pintail	Anas acuta	60	Migratory visitor to lakes and marshes
Common Pochard	Aythya ferina	44	Migratory and wintering on lakes and reservoirs
Ferruginous Duck	Aythya nyroca	44	Migratory and scarce breeder in marshes and lakes
Common Crane	Grus grus	115	Passage migrant and winter visitor on wetlands and plains
Demoiselle Crane	Anthropoides virgo	85	Passage migrant; open steppes and agricultural plains
Common Moorhen	Gallinula chloropus	32	Resident in freshwater marshes, reedbeds and lakes
Eurasian Coot	Fulica atra	38	Resident on lakes, reservoirs and slow rivers
Little Grebe	Tachybaptus ruficollis	25	Resident in ponds, lakes and slow rivers
Black-necked Grebe	Podiceps nigricollis	28	Migratory breeder on saline and freshwater lakes
Dalmatian Pelican	Pelecanus crispus	170	Rare visitor to large lakes and wetlands
Great White Pelican	Pelecanus onocrotalus	175	Occasional visitor to large lakes and reservoirs
Greater Flamingo	Phoenicopterus roseus	120	Seasonal visitor to saline lakes and shallow wetlands
Common Shelduck	Tadorna tadorna	63	Passage migrant and local winterer on wetlands
Saker Falcon	Falco cherrug	52	Resident and migratory raptor of open country
Peregrine Falcon	Falco peregrinus	34	Migratory and resident on cliffs and urban areas
Common Kestrel	Falco tinnunculus	34	Resident in open fields, steppes and urban edges
Eurasian Hobby	Falco subbuteo	29	Summer migrant through wooded valleys and wetlands
Lanner Falcon	Falco biarmicus	48	Scarce resident in rocky and semi-desert areas
Golden Eagle	Aquila chrysaetos	80	Resident in high mountains and open uplands
Steppe Eagle	Aquila nipalensis	75	Migratory and winter visitor on plains and semi-desert
Imperial Eagle	Aquila heliaca	85	Rare resident and migrant in open woodlands and plains
Tawny Eagle	Aquila rapax	70	Resident and migrant across arid plains and savanna-like areas
Eurasian Griffon	Gyps fulvus	95	Resident on cliffs, mountains and open landscapes
Cinereous Vulture	Aegypius monachus	100	Scarce resident and mountain-steppe regions
Bearded Vulture	Gypaetus barbatus	100	Resident in high rocky mountains and gorges
Egyptian Vulture	Neophron percnopterus	60	Summer visitor in open country and cliffs
Eurasian Eagle-Owl	Bubo bubo	63	Resident in cliffs, rocky outcrops and semi-desert
Little Owl	Athene noctua	21	Resident in farmland, orchards and rocky areas
Short-eared Owl	Asio flammeus	34	Winter visitor in open grasslands and marshes
Long-eared Owl	Asio otus	35	Resident and migrant in wood edges and reedbeds
Common Swift	Apus apus	16	Summer migrant over cities, cliffs and river valleys
Alpine Swift	Tachymarptis melba	20	Summer migrant in mountain valleys and cliffs
Common Nightjar	Caprimulgus europaeus	24	Migratory in dry open woodlands and scrub
Rock Dove	Columba livia	32	Resident in cliffs, cities and villages
Eurasian Collared-Dove	Streptopelia decaocto	33	Resident in towns, villages and agricultural areas
European Turtle Dove	Streptopelia turtur	28	Migratory summer visitor in scrub and farmland
Laughing Dove	Spilopelia senegalensis	25	Resident in arid scrub, gardens and oases
Common Cuckoo	Cuculus canorus	32	Summer migrant across wood edges and open country
Common Sandpiper	Actitis hypoleucos	19	Migratory along rivers, lakeshores and mudflats
Green Sandpiper	Tringa ochropus	26	Passage migrant in freshwater marshes and wooded streams
Marsh Sandpiper	Tringa stagnatilis	25	Migratory visitor to shallow wetlands and mudflats
Common Redshank	Tringa totanus	28	Migratory on marshes, mudflats and wetlands
Little Ringed Plover	Charadrius dubius	18	Migratory on gravel rivers, lakeshores and wetlands
Kentish Plover	Charadrius alexandrinus	16	Passage and some resident on saline lakes and shores
Northern Lapwing	Vanellus vanellus	35	Winter visitor and passage migrant on agricultural plains
Sociable Lapwing	Vanellus gregarius	34	Rare breeder; steppe and arid grasslands
Black-winged Stilt	Himantopus himantopus	36	Breeds and migrates in shallow wetlands and salt pans
Common Snipe	Gallinago gallinago	26	Migratory in marshes, wet meadows and bogs
Little Stint	Calidris minuta	16	Passage migrant on mudflats and shallow wetlands
Eurasian Curlew	Numenius arquata	55	Migratory on coastal-like wetlands, lakes and marshes
House Sparrow	Passer domesticus	16	Common resident in towns, villages and farmland
Eurasian Tree Sparrow	Passer montanus	14	Resident in rural villages, orchards and farmland
White Wagtail	Motacilla alba	18	Common migrant and resident near water and open ground
Grey Wagtail	Motacilla cinerea	18	Resident along fast-flowing streams and mountain rivers
Tawny Pipit	Anthus campestris	17	Resident and migrant on dry open steppe and semi-desert
Water Pipit	Anthus spinoletta	17	Summer breeder and migrant on alpine streams and marshes
Eurasian Skylark	Alauda arvensis	18	Resident and migrant in open fields and steppes
Shore Lark	Eremophila alpestris	16	Resident in high plateaus and cold steppe
Common Starling	Sturnus vulgaris	21	Migratory and resident in towns, farmland and open areas
Rosy Starling	Pastor roseus	23	Summer migrant in flocks on plains and orchards
Common Blackbird	Turdus merula	25	Resident in gardens, woodlands and valleys
Fieldfare	Turdus pilaris	26	Winter visitor in orchards, open woodland and farmland
Common Chiffchaff	Phylloscopus collybita	11	Spring-summer migrant in woodlands and scrub
Willow Warbler	Phylloscopus trochilus	11	Spring-summer migrant in woodlands and riparian scrub
Eurasian Blackcap	Sylvia atricapilla	14	Summer migrant and occasional resident in woodlands
Lesser Whitethroat	Curruca curruca	13	Breeding migrant in scrub, orchards and steppe edges
Common Linnet	Linaria cannabina	13	Resident and migrant in open farmland and scrub
Eurasian Siskin	Spinus spinus	12	Winter visitor in wooded valleys and riparian belts
Common Chaffinch	Fringilla coelebs	15	Resident in woodlands, orchards and towns
European Goldfinch	Carduelis carduelis	12	Resident and migrant in gardens, orchards and grasslands
Rock Thrush	Monticola saxatilis	22	Breeding migrant on rocky hills and mountain crags
Blue Rock Thrush	Monticola solitarius	22	Resident and migrant on cliffs, ruins and rocky slopes
Wallcreeper	Tichodroma muraria	17	Resident in high rocky cliffs and canyon walls
White-throated Dipper	Cinclus cinclus	20	Resident along fast mountain streams and rivers
Common Raven	Corvus corax	63	Resident in mountains, deserts and open country
Hooded Crow	Corvus cornix	48	Resident in plains, towns and farmland
Rook	Corvus frugilegus	45	Resident in agricultural areas and open countryside
Eurasian Jay	Garrulus glandarius	34	Resident in woodlands and foothills
Red-billed Chough	Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax	40	Resident on cliffs and high mountain pastures
Alpine Chough	Pyrrhocorax graculus	42	Resident in high mountains and plateaus
Eurasian Magpie	Pica pica	44	Resident in farmland, scrub and towns
Isabelline Shrike	Lanius isabellinus	17	Summer breeding migrant in open scrub and steppe
Great Grey Shrike	Lanius excubitor	25	Resident and migrant in open countryside and scrub
Eurasian Wryneck	Jynx torquilla	18	Spring-summer migrant in orchards and open woodland
Great Spotted Woodpecker	Dendrocopos major	23	Resident in woodlands, orchards and river valleys
Common Kingfisher	Alcedo atthis	16	Resident along clear rivers, streams and lakes
Northern Wheatear	Oenanthe oenanthe	15	Spring-summer migrant in open ground and rocky edges
Desert Wheatear	Oenanthe deserti	14	Resident and migrant in arid deserts and semi-desert
Pied Wheatear	Oenanthe pleschanka	16	Breeding migrant on stony slopes and rocky steppe
Crested Lark	Galerida cristata	17	Common resident in open fields, roadsides and semi-desert
Pallid Harrier	Circus macrourus	40	Passage migrant over steppe and agricultural plains

Images and Descriptions

Chukar

Bold, partridge-like bird with barred flanks and red bill. Often seen on cliffs and terraces, vocal call betrays presence. Nationally familiar gamebird; tolerant but declining locally due to hunting and habitat change.

Gray Partridge

Chunky, ground-dwelling partridge with greyish-brown plumage and orange face. Prefers cereal fields and dry grasslands. Often seen in small coveys; populations sensitive to intensive farming and pesticide use.

MacQueen’s Bustard

Large, sandy-coloured bustard with dramatic courtship display and long stride. Iconic Central Asian species vulnerable to hunting and habitat loss; secretive but visible on open desert and steppe at dawn and dusk.

Common Pheasant

Flashy male with long tail and iridescent plumage; hens are mottled brown. Widespread where cover and grassland remain. Popular gamebird introduced to many areas; conspicuous in winter fields.

Ruddy Shelduck

Striking orange-buff waterfowl with black flight feathers and white head patch. Vocal and often tame near water. Uses wetland networks across Afghanistan as breeding and passage habitat.

Greylag Goose

Large grey goose with pink bill and legs. Seen in flocks on lakes and agricultural fields during migration and winter. Ancestral wild species of domestic geese; commonly observed in wetland complexes.

Bar-headed Goose

Slim grey goose with distinctive two dark head bars; famed for high-altitude migration over the Himalaya. Seen at high-elevation lakes and wetlands during migration and winter.

Mallard

Familiar dabbling duck; male glossy green head, female mottled brown. Occurs on most water bodies, adaptable and often populous. Source species for many domestic duck breeds.

Northern Shoveler

Distinct broad bill adapted for filtering; males show green head and white flank. Occurs in spring and autumn migration and on wetlands; easily identified by feeding posture.

Northern Pintail

Elegant dabbling duck with long pointed tail and sleek profile. Males have slender neck and distinctive pattern. Seen during migration and winter on open wetlands and flooded fields.

Common Pochard

Diving duck with chestnut head and black breast in males. Declining globally due to wetland loss; still encountered on deeper lakes where it feeds on submerged plants.

Ferruginous Duck

Dark-rufous diving duck, glossy in good light; prefers reed-fringed lakes and slow rivers. Populations vulnerable to disturbance and habitat loss; prized by birders when located.

Common Crane

Tall grey crane with black-and-white head pattern; loud trumpeting calls in flight. Moves through Afghanistan during migration in flocks, often using wetlands and agricultural fields to rest.

Demoiselle Crane

Smaller, elegant crane with slate-grey body and long neck plumes. Migratory flocks pass over and stop on grassy plains; notable for graceful courtship dances.

Common Moorhen

Dark rail with red frontal shield and yellow-tipped bill, walks on floating vegetation. Secretive but common where reeds and emergent plants provide cover for feeding and nesting.

Eurasian Coot

Chunky black waterbird with white facial shield and lobed feet. Bold and gregarious on freshwater bodies; often seen diving for vegetation and defending territories in breeding season.

Little Grebe

Small diving waterbird with compact shape and dark plumage; pops up and dives frequently. Prefers vegetated freshwater and is often shy but visible in quiet marshes.

Black-necked Grebe

Elegant breeding plumage with golden ear tufts; small diving grebe. Favors shallow lakes and salt pans; spectacular flocks can form during migration.

Dalmatian Pelican

Massive white pelican with curly nape feathers and huge bill pouch. Globally threatened; occasional visitor to major wetland sites where it forages for large fish.

Great White Pelican

Very large white pelican with pinkish bill and pouch. Seen in suitable big wetlands during migration; impressive flocks are memorable but records are local and seasonal.

Greater Flamingo

Tall, pink wading bird with curved bill and long legs. Feeds by filter-feeding algae and small invertebrates; appears at saline lakes and mudflats in good seasons.

Common Shelduck

Large, colourful duck with chestnut band on white body and greenish head in males. Found on estuary-like wetlands and saline lakes, usually in small flocks.

Saker Falcon

Large, powerful falcon prized in falconry; sandy brown plumage and strong flight. Threatened by illegal capture and persecution; best seen perched on pylons and cliffs hunting open plains.

Peregrine Falcon

Famous high-speed hunter with slate-blue back and barred underparts. Nests on cliffs and tall structures; occurs widely during migration and year-round in some areas.

Common Kestrel

Small falcon often seen hovering over fields. Rusty back and spotted breast; adaptable hunter of small mammals and large insects.

Eurasian Hobby

Slim, fast falcon that catches swifts and dragonflies on the wing. Dark back and rufous underparts; migratory spring-summer visitor that passes through open river corridors.

Lanner Falcon

Large falcon of arid zones with powerful flight and streaked underparts. Prefers cliffs for nesting; uncommon but recorded in dry open landscapes.

Golden Eagle

Majestic large raptor with dark plumage and golden nape. Soars over mountain ranges hunting hares and marmots; culturally significant and locally persecuted, though still widespread in remote areas.

Steppe Eagle

Large dark eagle that uses open steppe and agricultural lands. Passage and wintering species that scavenges and hunts; populations declining across its range.

Imperial Eagle

Large, pale-headed eagle that nests in trees and hunts over grassland. Threatened species with fragmented populations; highly prized by conservationists.

Tawny Eagle

Medium-large eagle with tawny brown plumage. Scavenges and hunts small vertebrates; seen across lowland dry habitats and around carcasses.

Eurasian Griffon

Large, pale vulture that soars in thermals over mountains. Social scavenger of carcasses; nests on cliffs and crucial for ecosystem cleanup, but vulnerable to poisoning.

Cinereous Vulture

One of the largest vultures with dark plumage and heavy bill. Solitary to small groups; declining due to poisoning and disturbance but still occurs in rugged areas.

Bearded Vulture

Distinctive large vulture with long wedge tail and beard-like facial feathers; feeds on bone fragments. Culturally iconic and conservation priority in high ranges.

Egyptian Vulture

Small pale vulture with yellow face and slender wings. Uses tools and marks occasion of food changings; globally vulnerable and declining on migration routes.

Eurasian Eagle-Owl

Largest owl with ear tufts and orange eyes. Nocturnal predator of mammals and birds; roosts in rocky refuges and is rarely seen in daylight.

Little Owl

Small, stocky owl with speckled plumage and big yellow eyes. Diurnal tendencies make it easier to spot perching on posts and branches in open country.

Short-eared Owl

Medium-sized, pale owl that hunts by day over open fields. Moth-like silhouette in flight; winters in steppe and wet grasslands in variable numbers.

Long-eared Owl

Slender ear-tufted owl that roosts communally in dense vegetation. Nocturnal and secretive, often detected by distinctive calls in winter roosts.

Common Swift

Aerial specialist spending most of life on the wing. Dark silhouette with scythe-like wings; nests in buildings and cliff holes during the brief summer.

Alpine Swift

Large swift with pale belly and robust body. Breeds on cliffs and sometimes buildings; high-flying insectivore during warmer months.

Common Nightjar

Cryptic, moth-like nocturnal bird that roosts on the ground by day. Silent fluttering flight at dusk; feeds on flying insects and blends into leaf litter.

Rock Dove

Wild ancestor of domestic pigeons; wild and feral forms common. Cliff-nesting and ubiquitous in human settlements, variable plumage with iridescent neck sheen.

Eurasian Collared-Dove

Pale, plump dove with black neck crescent. Rapidly expanded range in recent decades; common in human-dominated landscapes and quiet orchards.

European Turtle Dove

Delicate dove with patterned neck and soft purring song. Declining steeply across its range due to habitat loss and hunting; seen during spring-summer migration.

Laughing Dove

Small, slender dove with warm buff tones and spotted neck. Tame and often found near water in towns and rural areas across dry lowlands.

Common Cuckoo

Familiar brood parasite whose distinctive two-note call announces arrival. Slender grey bird that lays eggs in other species’ nests, a notorious but charismatic migrant.

Common Sandpiper

Small, bobbing shorebird with white underparts and brown upperparts. Runs along water edges probing for invertebrates; common on migration and during stopovers.

Green Sandpiper

Dark-backed sandpiper with bright white underparts when in flight. Prefers small ponds and shaded pools during migration; skulking but distinctive in flight.

Marsh Sandpiper

Delicate, long-legged sandpiper with slender bill. Seen during migration on marshes and flooded fields; favors shallow saline and freshwater wetlands.

Common Redshank

Vocal, medium-sized wader with red legs and mottled plumage. Breeds in northern areas but migrates through and winters in wetland sites across Afghanistan.

Little Ringed Plover

Small plover with black forehead band and yellow eye-ring. Prefers bare shingle and gravel riverbanks during breeding migration; alert and quick-moving.

Kentish Plover

Tiny plover with pale plumage and fine bill. Found on saline flats and lake margins; often in small flocks or singletons at shorelines.

Northern Lapwing

Distinctive crested shorebird with iridescent back and bold flight display. Uses wet fields and pastures during migration and winter; numbers fluctuate widely.

Sociable Lapwing

Critically endangered, gregarious lapwing of open steppe. Formerly widespread but now rare; conservation focus in Afghanistan where remnant breeding and passage sites occur.

Black-winged Stilt

Elegant long-legged wader with striking black-and-white plumage and long pink legs. Wades in shallow water for invertebrates; often conspicuous in suitable wetlands.

Common Snipe

Cryptic, streaky wader with long bill used to probe mud. Booming and zig-zag flight during display; common on migration and in wet habitats.

Little Stint

Tiny sandpiper with fine bill and rapid movements. Stops briefly at shallow ponds and lakes during migration; often in mixed flocks with other waders.

Eurasian Curlew

Large wader with long down-curved bill and plaintive call. Uses mudflats and lakeshores in migration and winter; population declines worry conservationists.

House Sparrow

Familiar small brown sparrow of human settlements. Social and noisy, nests in buildings and eaves; close association with people makes it one of the most recognized birds.

Eurasian Tree Sparrow

Smaller, chestnut-capped sparrow frequenting rural human habitats. Often found around farmsteads and orchards, tolerant of people and common where villages provide nesting niches.

White Wagtail

Bold, pied wagtail with constant tail-bobbing. Found along rivers, fields and towns; many regional subspecies occur and it is often a conspicuous roadside bird.

Grey Wagtail

Slender wagtail with olive-grey back and yellow underparts. Favors tumbling mountain streams and riverbanks, often bobbing on rocks close to water.

Tawny Pipit

Sandy-coloured pipit of open ground with upright stance and melodious song. Often seen running on bare soil; favors steppes and arid grasslands.

Water Pipit

Plain, water-loving pipit found on high-altitude streams and wet meadows. Distinctive in flight with pale outer tail feathers; moves lower in winter.

Eurasian Skylark

Famous singer of the sky with rising song-flights. Brown-streaked and ground-nesting, its aerial song is a hallmark of open landscapes and agricultural plains.

Shore Lark

Small, stocky lark with crested head in some seasons. Prefers rocky or stony high ground and cold steppes; often seen in small flocks outside breeding season.

Common Starling

Glossy blackbird with iridescent sheen and complex vocalizations. Forms large flocks and is adaptable to human landscapes, but declining in parts of its range.

Rosy Starling

Gregarious, pink-and-black starling that forms immense flocks in migration and breeding season. Eats fruit and insects; spectacular concentrations occur when locusts or fruiting trees abound.

Common Blackbird

Black male and brown female thrush with melodious song. Widespread in towns and countryside, often the first thrush learned by new birdwatchers.

Fieldfare

Grey-backed thrush that arrives in winter in flocks. Eats fruit and invertebrates on the ground; noisy and conspicuous during cold months.

Common Chiffchaff

Tiny greenish warbler with repetitive “chiff-chaff” song. Active in foliage gleaning insects; one of the early migrants returning to breed.

Willow Warbler

Delicate, pale warbler with descending song and thin bill. Favors damp willow-lined habitats on migration and breeding stopovers.

Eurasian Blackcap

Greyish warbler with black (male) or brown (female) cap and melodious song. Feeds on insects and fruit, common in hedgerows and gardens during the breeding season.

Lesser Whitethroat

Small grey-backed warbler with white throat and sharp call. Secretive in thick scrub but sings from exposed perches; widespread in breeding season.

Common Linnet

Small finch with red forehead in males during breeding. Favors hedgerows and scrubby fields; sings a pleasant warbling flight-song during the season.

Eurasian Siskin

Small green-and-yellow finch that visits floodplain and riparian trees in winter. Feeds on alder and birch seeds in flocks with other finches.

Common Chaffinch

Stocky finch with strong wing bars and varied song. Males are colorful in breeding season; common across varied habitats with trees.

European Goldfinch

Colourful finch with red face and black-and-white head. Flits among thistles and seedheads; popular and conspicuous at feeders and in open country.

Rock Thrush

Colourful male rock thrush often perches on bare rock; insectivorous and territorial. Seen on mountain crags and cliffs during breeding season.

Blue Rock Thrush

Slaty-blue male with melodious song; common on rocky outcrops and old walls. Perches conspicuously while hunting insects and small prey.

Wallcreeper

Striking crimson, grey and black bird that creeps on vertical rock faces. Charismatic and sought-after by birders; feeds on insects on cliff surfaces.

White-throated Dipper

Dark, compact bird with white throat and chest; often bobs and dives among rocks. Indicative of clean, oxygen-rich mountain watercourses.

Common Raven

Huge, intelligent corvid with deep croak. Extremely adaptable, ranging from high mountains to lowlands; known for problem-solving and strong social bonds.

Hooded Crow

Grey-bodied crow with black head and wings. Common across lowlands and steppe, often near human settlements and farmland where it scavenges opportunistically.

Rook

Social crow with glossy black plumage and bare grey facial skin in adults. Nests colonially in trees and feeds in open fields on invertebrates and grains.

Eurasian Jay

Colourful corvid with pinkish body, black-and-white wing patches and blue wing panel. Vocal and secretive, caches acorns and plays important ecological role in oak forests.

Red-billed Chough

Glossy black corvid with red bill and legs; acrobatic in flight. Prefers cliff habitats and alpine meadows where it feeds on invertebrates.

Alpine Chough

Yellow-billed black corvid adapted to high altitudes. Bold and social, often seen near human mountain refuges and passes feeding opportunistically.

Eurasian Magpie

Black-and-white long-tailed corvid with metallic sheen. Bold omnivore that thrives near people; personal and noisy, often seen in pairs or family groups.

Isabelline Shrike

Pale sandy shrike with hooked bill and habit of impaling prey. Common in Central Asian steppes during breeding season; conspicuous and diagnostic.

Great Grey Shrike

Large, grey shrike that perches conspicuously to hunt small vertebrates. Known as the “butcher bird” for storing prey on thorns and twigs.

Eurasian Wryneck

Cryptic, streaky woodpecker relative with twisting neck display. Eats ants from trunks and branches and often nests in cavities during breeding season.

Great Spotted Woodpecker

Striking black-and-white woodpecker with red under-tail. Drills into trees for insects and nests in cavities; conspicuous pecking and drumming in wooded areas.

Common Kingfisher

Tiny, bright-blue and orange fish-eating bird that perches over water before diving. Prefers clear, slow-flowing water with suitable perches and banks for nesting holes.

Northern Wheatear

Small insectivorous bird with upright posture and pale plumage. Breeds on open ground and rocky outcrops, notable for long-distance migration to Africa.

Desert Wheatear

Pale wheatear adapted to sandy habitats with upright stance and tail flicking. Often seen on desert plains and stony ground, unobtrusive but distinctive.

Pied Wheatear

Black-and-white wheatear with dapper male plumage. Prefers open rocky hills and plateaus during breeding season; perches on stones and low bushes.

Crested Lark

Fluffy-crested lark with streaky brown plumage and melodious song from elevated perch. Ubiquitous in dry farmland and roadside verges across lowlands.

Pallid Harrier

Slender harrier with pale plumage and buoyant flight hunting rodents and birds. Migratory passage species that drifts low over grasslands and stubble fields during migration.