Birds of Paraguay: The Complete List

Paraguay’s mix of dry Chaco, seasonally flooded wetlands and subtropical forest supports a rich variety of birdlife, from riverine specialists to wide-ranging waterbirds. This compilation brings together species recorded across those habitats to make field reference and basic conservation checks easier for observers and researchers.

There are 59 Birds of Paraguay, ranging from the river-edge Amazon Kingfisher to the marsh-dwelling Wood Stork. For each species you’ll find the Scientific name, IUCN status and Range/habitat — details you’ll find below.

How should I use the columns when looking up a species?

The Scientific name gives precise identification for comparison with field guides and databases, the IUCN status summarizes conservation concern, and the Range/habitat notes where and in what conditions the bird is typically seen; use them together to plan where and when to search.

When and where in Paraguay am I most likely to see the widest variety of species?

Visit wetlands and river corridors in the dry season for waterbirds and shorebirds, and explore eastern subtropical forests during breeding months for forest specialists; combining river margins, marshes and forest edges across regions yields the broadest species mix.

Birds of Paraguay

Images and Descriptions

Greater Rhea

Huge, flightless bird with long neck and legs, gray-brown plumage and strong running gait. Often seen in open pampas and dry Chaco, feeding on plants and small animals. Vulnerable to hunting and habitat conversion for agriculture.

Red-legged Seriema

Tall, long-legged bird with crest and loud yelping calls, distinctive reddish legs and curved bill. Forages on ground for insects, snakes and small vertebrates. A charismatic grassland species often seen in pairs or family groups.

Chaco Chachalaca

Noisy, chicken-like gamebird with brownish plumage and pale throat. Lives in dry thorny woodland and scrub, moving in small flocks. Vocal at dawn and suitable indicator of healthy Chaco habitats.

Jabiru

Large stately stork with black neck collar and red face patch, long bill and white body. Wades in shallow wetlands feeding on fish and amphibians. Localized and reliant on extensive marshes; sensitive to wetland loss.

Maguari Stork

Large white stork with long legs and heavy bill, often seen in open marshes and flooded fields. Opportunistic feeder on fish, frogs and invertebrates. Common in seasonally flooded areas and agricultural wetlands.

Wood Stork

Big, white stork with bare dark head and thick bill; feeds by tactile sweeping in shallow water. Breeds in large colonies in flooded forests and is vulnerable due to wetland degradation.

Roseate Spoonbill

Pink, spoon-billed wader with distinctive spatulate bill used to sweep for crustaceans and small fish. Found in shallow wetlands and mangroves, often in mixed colonies with herons and ibises; eye-catching and unmistakable.

Cocoi Heron

Large grey-and-white heron with long neck and dagger bill, frequently seen standing motionless at water edges. Feeds on fish and amphibians; common along rivers and flooded savannas across Paraguay.

Great Egret

Elegant white heron with long S-shaped neck and yellow bill, follows shallow waters to hunt fish. Widespread and familiar in wetlands, often forming small rookeries during breeding.

Cattle Egret

Small white heron often following livestock to feed on stirred insects; buff breeding plumage on head and back. Extremely common in farmland and grasslands, benefiting from agricultural landscapes.

Southern Screamer

Large, bulky waterbird with loud, far-carrying calls, heavy bill and downy plumage. Prefers marshes and flooded savanna, grazing on aquatic plants and defending territories aggressively.

Black-necked Stilt

Slender, long-legged wader with black upperparts and white underparts, long pink legs and thin bill. Forages in shallow water for invertebrates; striking silhouette in wetland flats.

Southern Lapwing

Stocky plover with prominent facial crest and loud alarm calls; grey-brown upperparts and black chest band. Common in open habitats and urban parks; fiercely defensive of nests.

Toco Toucan

Iconic large toucan with striking oversized orange bill, black body and white throat. Perches conspicuously in canopy, feeds on fruit and occasionally small animals; a charismatic symbol of tropical woodlands.

Hyacinth Macaw

World’s largest parrot with vivid cobalt-blue plumage and massive yellow-rimmed bill. Lives in palm-rich savannas and seasonally flooded forests, feeds on hard palm nuts. Threatened by trapping and habitat loss.

Blue-and-yellow Macaw

Bright blue upperparts with vibrant yellow chest and green forehead, large long-tailed macaw often seen in pairs. Prefers riverine forest and forest edges, nesting in tree cavities; threatened locally by habitat loss.

Scarlet Macaw

Brilliant red macaw with blue and yellow wing panels, large and vocal. Historically widespread in eastern forests; now fragmented and locally rare due to trapping and deforestation.

Monk Parakeet

Small green parakeet known for colonial twig nests often on manmade structures. Vocal and gregarious, adapts well to disturbed habitats and urban areas, sometimes considered a crop pest.

Ringed Kingfisher

Large kingfisher with rufous underparts and blue-gray back, loud rattling call. Hunts fish from perches, common along major rivers and floodplain channels in Paraguay.

Amazon Kingfisher

Medium green-and-white kingfisher with stocky bill, perches low over water to hunt small fish. Prefers slow-moving rivers and vegetated banks in lowland forest.

Green Kingfisher

Small, green kingfisher with spotted white underparts and sharp bill. Shy and quick to dart into cover, hunts from low perches near quiet water.

Rufous-tailed Jacamar

Slim iridescent green bird with long bill and rufous tail, hawks flying insects from perches. Common along forest edges and clearings, noted for glossy plumage and quick sallies.

Burrowing Owl

Small, ground-dwelling owl with long legs and spotted plumage, nests in burrows often dug by other animals. Active at dusk and dawn, hunts insects and small vertebrates in open country.

Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl

Tiny owl with rufous-brown tones and bold dark eye spots; surprisingly bold and diurnal. Hunts insects and small birds, often perches conspicuously while calling.

Crested Caracara

Large, crow-like raptor with black cap, orange facial skin and white neck. Omnivorous and opportunistic, often seen walking on ground scavenging or hunting small prey.

Roadside Hawk

Small hawk with streaked underparts and broad tail, perches openly along roads and edges. Feeds on small birds, reptiles and insects; common and adaptable.

Black Vulture

Large dark vulture with short tail and bare head, often seen scavenging in groups. Common on carrion and waste sites, important carrion recyclers.

Turkey Vulture

Large vulture with red head, soaring flight and strong sense of smell for carrion. Widespread across habitats, often seen gliding over open areas.

Great Kiskadee

Bold, large flycatcher with bright yellow belly, black-and-white head pattern and loud call. Aggressive and conspicuous, hunts insects and small prey from exposed perches.

Tropical Kingbird

Common, long-tailed flycatcher with pale belly and yellowish underparts; sits on wires and sallies for insects. Widespread and familiar across agricultural and urban landscapes.

Fork-tailed Flycatcher

Slim, long-tailed migratory flycatcher with white body and black tail; males have dramatically long forked tails. Performs aerial insect-catching displays, often seen perched on wires.

Vermilion Flycatcher

Small, striking flycatcher with brilliant red plumage in males, dark eye patch and perky posture. Hovering and sallying for insects, stands out in open landscapes.

Rufous Hornero

Familiar ovenbird with reddish-brown plumage and distinctive clay “oven” nest. Builds conspicuous mud nests on posts and buildings; a common, industrious presence in rural and urban areas.

Lineated Woodpecker

Large woodpecker with black body, white lines on face and red crest. Drums loudly on trunks and excavates large nest holes; common in mature trees near watercourses.

Squirrel Cuckoo

Long-tailed, rufous-headed cuckoo with curved bill and noisy, rolling calls. Moves actively in canopy gleaning large insects and fruit, often visible at forest edges.

Guira Cuckoo

Gregarious, scruffy-looking cuckoo with long tail and patchy brown-and-white plumage. Forages on ground and in low vegetation for insects; forms noisy communal flocks.

Smooth-billed Ani

Glossy black communal bird with long tail and distinctive ridged bill. Lives in groups that share nests and feed on insects, fruit and small vertebrates in open countryside.

Eared Dove

Small plump dove with gray-brown plumage and pale ear patch, forms large flocks in agricultural areas. Feeds on seeds on ground and adapts well to human-altered landscapes.

Picui Ground-Dove

Tiny dove with streaked crown and fine spotting on wings, walks on ground feeding on seeds. Common in open dry habitats and often seen in pairs or small groups.

Ruddy Ground-Dove

Small, pale dove with rufous underparts in males and subtle facial pattern. Ground-feeding and widespread in disturbed and natural habitats alike.

Rock Pigeon

Introduced city pigeon with variable grey plumage and iridescent neck patches. Ubiquitous in towns and plazas, nesting on buildings and scavenging human food sources.

Rufous-bellied Thrush

Medium thrush with warm rufous belly and plain face; sings melodious phrases. Common in gardens and forest edges, foraging on the ground for fruit and invertebrates.

Pale-breasted Thrush

Plain olive-brown thrush with pale underparts and soft song; forages on leaf litter for insects and fruit. Often found at forest edges and shaded gardens.

Sayaca Tanager

Blue-gray tanager with pale underparts and gentle appearance, commonly seen in flocks. Feeds on fruit and insects, adapts well to human-modified landscapes.

Blue-gray Tanager

Friendly, sky-blue tanager with pale belly, often in pairs or flocks. Feeds on fruit and nectar, widespread in eastern Paraguay and urban green spaces.

Palm Tanager

Olive-green tanager that frequents canopy and palm groves, subtle plumage and active behavior. Eats fruit and insects, common in disturbed forest and plantations.

Silver-beaked Tanager

Striking male with glossy black body and bright silver lower bill area and red rump; feeds on fruit in flocks. Common along forest edges and riverine habitats.

White-bearded Manakin

Small, chunky black-and-white manakin known for acrobatic courtship displays on fallen logs. Males show bright white throat patch; insectivorous and often heard at leks.

Barn Swallow

Slender migratory swallow with steel-blue upperparts and deeply forked tail; nests on buildings and bridges. Aerial insectivore that migrates long distances between continents.

Southern Rough-winged Swallow

Brown-backed swallow with pale underparts, nests in cavities or banks. Forages low over water and fields, common near streams and open wetlands.

House Wren

Small, busy brown wren with loud, complex song and cocked tail. Builds domed nests in cavities, very common in human-altered and natural habitats alike.

Glittering-bellied Emerald

Small metallic-green hummingbird with glittering belly, fast hovering and short rapid flights. Visits flowers and urban feeders, often seen in open, sunny spots.

White-collared Swift

Large swift with a pale collar and long swept wings, flies high in fast flocks. Aerial insectivore frequenting open skies above forest and river corridors.

Barred Antshrike

Stout antbird with bold barred plumage (male) and rufous female; skulks in understory and joins mixed flocks. Feeds on insects, common in degraded and edge habitats.

Black-capped Donacobius

Stocky, black-capped wetland bird with loud duetting calls and long tail. Common along reedy waterways, feeds on insects and small aquatic prey.

Red-crested Cardinal

Showy cardinal-like bird with red head and crest, gray body and white belly. Often found in pairs on fence posts and shrub edges, sings melodically.

Magpie Tanager

Large, long-tailed tanager with black, white and chestnut plumage; often in noisy flocks. Eats fruit and insects and favors disturbed forest and edges.

Shiny Cowbird

Small glossy black brood-parasitic bird that lays eggs in other species’ nests. Common in agricultural areas and known for affecting smaller passerine reproductive success.

Common Pauraque

Cryptic nightjar with mottled plumage, wide gape for hawking insects at dusk. Rests on ground by day and vocal at night, blending into leaf litter.

Birds of Other Countries