List of birds of the Republic of the Congo

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. • White-faced whistling-duck, Dendrocygna viduata • Fulvous whistling-duck, Dendrocygna bicolor • White-backed duck, Thalassornis leuconotus • Knob-billed duck, Sarkidiornis melanotos • Hartlaub's duck, Pteronetta hartlaubii • Egyptian goose, Alopochen aegyptiacus • Spur-winged goose, Plectropterus gambensis • African pygmy-goose, Nettapus auritus • Northern shoveler, Spatula clypeata • African black duck, Anas sparsa (A) • Yellow-billed duck, Anas undulata • Common pochard, Aythya ferina (A) ==Guineafowl==

Order: GalliformesFamily: Numididae Guineafowl are a group of African, seed-eating, ground-nesting birds that resemble partridges, but with featherless heads and spangled grey plumage. • Helmeted guineafowl, Numida meleagris • Black guineafowl, Agelastes niger • Plumed guineafowl, Guttera plumifera • Western crested guineafowl, Guttera verreauxi ==Pheasants, grouse, and allies==

Order: GalliformesFamily: Phasianidae The Phasianidae are a family of terrestrial birds which consists of quails, snowcocks, francolins, spurfowls, tragopans, monals, pheasants, peafowls and jungle fowls. In general, they are plump (although they vary in size) and have broad, relatively short wings. • Latham's francolin, Peliperdix lathami • Coqui francolin, Campocolinus coqui • White-throated francolin, Campocolinus albogularis • Finsch's francolin, Scleroptila finschi • Blue quail, Synoicus adansonii (A) • Harlequin quail, Coturnix delegorguei • Scaly francolin, Pternistis squamatus • Heuglin's francolin, Pternistis icterorhynchus • Red-necked francolin, Pternistis afer ==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. • Greater flamingo, Phoenicopterus roseus ==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. • Little grebe, Tachybaptus ruficollis ==Pigeons and doves==

Order: ColumbiformesFamily: Columbidae Pigeons and doves are stout-bodied birds with short necks and short slender bills with a fleshy cere. • Rock pigeon, Columba livia (I) • Afep pigeon, Columba unicincta • Bronze-naped pigeon, Columba iriditorques • Lemon dove, Columba larvata (A) • European turtle-dove, Streptopelia turtur (A) • Red-eyed dove, Streptopelia semitorquata • Ring-necked dove, Streptopelia capicola • Laughing dove, Streptopelia senegalensis • Emerald-spotted wood-dove, Turtur chalcospilos • Blue-spotted wood-dove, Turtur afer • Tambourine dove, Turtur tympanistria • Blue-headed wood-dove, Turtur brehmeri • Namaqua dove, Oena capensis • African green-pigeon, Treron calva ==Bustards==

Order: OtidiformesFamily: Otididae Bustards are large terrestrial birds mainly associated with dry open country and steppes in the Old World. They are omnivorous and nest on the ground. They walk steadily on strong legs and big toes, pecking for food as they go. They have long broad wings with "fingered" wingtips and striking patterns in flight. Many have interesting mating displays. • Denham's bustard, Neotis denhami • White-bellied bustard, Eupodotis senegalensis • Black-bellied bustard, Lissotis melanogaster ==Turacos==

Order: MusophagiformesFamily: Musophagidae The turacos, plantain eaters and go-away-birds make up the bird family Musophagidae. They are medium-sized arboreal birds. The turacos and plantain eaters are brightly coloured, usually in blue, green or purple. The go-away birds are mostly grey and white. • Great blue turaco, Corythaeola cristata • Guinea turaco, Tauraco persa • Black-billed turaco, Tauraco schuettii • Yellow-billed turaco, Tauraco macrorhynchus • Western plantain-eater, Crinifer piscator ==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. • Gabon coucal, Centropus anselli • Senegal coucal, Centropus senegalensis • Blue-headed coucal, Centropus monachus • White-browed coucal, Centropus superciliosus • Black coucal, Centropus grillii • Blue malkoha, Ceuthmochares aereus • Great spotted cuckoo, Clamator glandarius (A) • Levaillant's cuckoo, Clamator levaillantii • Pied cuckoo, Clamator jacobinus (A) • Thick-billed cuckoo, Pachycoccyx audeberti • Dideric cuckoo, Chrysococcyx caprius • Klaas's cuckoo, Chrysococcyx klaas • Yellow-throated cuckoo, Chrysococcyx flavigularis • African emerald cuckoo, Chrysococcyx cupreus • Dusky long-tailed cuckoo, Cercococcyx mechowi • Olive long-tailed cuckoo, Cercococcyx olivinus • Black cuckoo, Cuculus clamosus • Red-chested cuckoo, Cuculus solitarius • African cuckoo, Cuculus gularis • Common cuckoo, Cuculus canorus ==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. • Pennant-winged nightjar, Caprimulgus vexillarius • Standard-winged nightjar, Caprimulgus longipennis (A) • Brown nightjar, Caprimulgus binotatus • Eurasian nightjar, Caprimulgus europaeus (A) • Rufous-cheeked nightjar, Caprimulgus rufigena (A) • Fiery-necked nightjar, Caprimulgus pectoralis • Swamp nightjar, Caprimulgus natalensis • Bates's nightjar, Caprimulgus batesi • Long-tailed nightjar, Caprimulgus climacurus • Square-tailed nightjar, Caprimulgus fossii ==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. • Mottled spinetail, Telacanthura ussheri • Black spinetail, Telacanthura melanopygia • Sabine's spinetail, Rhaphidura sabini • Cassin's spinetail, Neafrapus cassini • Common swift, Apus apus • Nyanza swift, Apus niansae (A) • Pallid swift, Apus pallidus (A) • Little swift, Apus affinis • Horus swift, Apus horus • White-rumped swift, Apus caffer • Bates's swift, Apus batesi • African palm-swift, Cypsiurus parvus ==Flufftails==

Order: GruiformesFamily: Sarothruridae The flufftails are a small family of ground-dwelling birds found only in Madagascar and sub-Saharan Africa. • White-spotted flufftail, Sarothrura pulchra • Buff-spotted flufftail, Sarothrura elegans • Red-chested flufftail, Sarothrura rufa • Chestnut-headed flufftail, Sarothrura lugens • Streaky-breasted flufftail, Sarothrura boehmi ==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. • African rail, Rallus caerulescens (A) • Corn crake, Crex crex • African crake, Crex egregia • Gray-throated rail, Canirallus oculeus • Lesser moorhen, Paragallinula angulata (A) • Eurasian moorhen, Gallinula chloropus • Allen's gallinule, Porphyrio alleni • African swamphen, Porphyrio madagascariensis • Nkulengu rail, Himantornis haematopus • Striped crake, Amaurornis marginalis (A) • Black crake, Zapornia flavirostris • Little crake, Zapornia parva • Baillon's crake, Zapornia pusilla ==Finfoots==

Order: GruiformesFamily: Heliornithidae Heliornithidae is a small family of tropical birds with webbed lobes on their feet similar to those of grebes and coots. • African finfoot, Podica senegalensis ==Thick-knees==

Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Burhinidae The thick-knees are a group of largely tropical waders in the family Burhinidae. They are found worldwide within the tropical zone, with some species also breeding in temperate Europe and Australia. They are medium to large waders with strong black or yellow-black bills, large yellow eyes and cryptic plumage. Despite being classed as waders, most species have a preference for arid or semi-arid habitats. • Water thick-knee, Burhinus vermiculatus ==Egyptian plover==

Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Pluvianidae The Egyptian plover is found across equatorial Africa and along the Nile River. • Egyptian plover, Pluvianus aegyptius ==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. • Black-winged stilt, Himantopus himantopus ==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. • Black-bellied plover, Pluvialis squatarola • White-headed lapwing, Vanellus albiceps • Senegal lapwing, Vanellus lugubris • Wattled lapwing, Vanellus senegallus (A) • Brown-chested lapwing, Vanellus superciliosus • Caspian plover, Charadrius asiaticus (A) • Kittlitz's plover, Charadrius pecuarius • Kentish plover, Charadrius alexandrinus • Common ringed plover, Charadrius hiaticula • Little ringed plover, Charadrius dubius (A) • Three-banded plover, Charadrius tricollaris (A) • Forbes's plover, Charadrius forbesi • White-fronted plover, Charadrius marginatus ==Painted-snipes==

Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Rostratulidae Painted-snipes are short-legged, long-billed birds similar in shape to the true snipes, but more brightly coloured. • Greater painted-snipe, Rostratula benghalensis (A) ==Jacanas==

Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Jacanidae The jacanas are a group of tropical waders in the family Jacanidae. They 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. • African jacana, Actophilornis africanus ==Sandpipers and allies==