List of birds of Uganda

Order: StruthioniformesFamily: Struthionidae Ostriches are flightless birds native to Africa, and the largest living species of bird. They are distinctive in appearance, with a long neck and legs and the ability to run at high speeds. • Common ostrich, Struthio camelus ==Ducks, geese, and waterfowl==

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 (A) • Egyptian goose, Alopochen aegyptiacus • Spur-winged goose, Plectropterus gambensis • African pygmy-goose, Nettapus auritus • Garganey, Spatula querquedula • Blue-billed teal, Spatula hottentota • Northern shoveler, Spatula clypeata • Eurasian wigeon, Mareca penelope (A) • African black duck, Anas sparsa • Yellow-billed duck, Anas undulata • Red-billed duck, Anas erythrorhyncha • Northern pintail, Anas acuta • Green-winged teal, Anas crecca • Southern pochard, Netta erythrophthalma • Common pochard, Aythya ferina • Ferruginous duck, Aythya nyroca (A) • Tufted duck, Aythya fuligula • Maccoa duck, Oxyura maccoa (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 • Western crested guineafowl, Guttera verreauxi ==New World quail==

Order: GalliformesFamily: Odontophoridae Despite their family's common name, these two species are native to Africa. • Stone partridge, Ptilopachus petrosus • Nahan's francolin, Ptilopachus nahani ==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 • Crested francolin, Ortygornis sephaena • Coqui francolin, Campocolinus coqui • Ring-necked francolin, Scleroptila streptophorus • Red-winged francolin, Scleroptila levaillantii • Elgon francolin, Scleroptila elgonensis • Orange River francolin, Scleroptila gutturalis • Shelley's francolin, Scleroptila shelleyi • Blue quail, Synoicus adansonii • Common quail, Coturnix coturnix • Harlequin quail, Coturnix delegorguei • Handsome francolin, Pternistis nobilis • Jackson's francolin, Pternistis jacksoni (A) • Hildebrandt's francolin, Pternistis hildebrandti • Scaly francolin, Pternistis squamatus • Heuglin's francolin, Pternistis icterorhynchus • Clapperton's francolin, Pternistis clappertoni • Yellow-necked francolin, Pternistis leucoscepus • 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 • Lesser flamingo, Phoeniconaias minor ==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 • Great crested grebe, Podiceps cristatus • Eared grebe, Podiceps nigricollis (A) ==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) • Speckled pigeon, Columba guinea • Afep pigeon, Columba unicincta • Rameron pigeon, Columba arquatrix • Delegorgue's pigeon, Columba delegorguei • Bronze-naped pigeon, Columba iriditorques • Lemon dove, Columba larvata • White-naped pigeon, Columba albinucha • European turtle-dove, Streptopelia turtur • Dusky turtle-dove, Streptopelia lugens • Mourning collared-dove, Streptopelia decipiens • Red-eyed dove, Streptopelia semitorquata • Ring-necked dove, Streptopelia capicola • Vinaceous dove, Streptopelia vinacea • Laughing dove, Streptopelia senegalensis • Emerald-spotted wood-dove, Turtur chalcospilos • Black-billed wood-dove, Turtur abyssinicus • Blue-spotted wood-dove, Turtur afer • Tambourine dove, Turtur tympanistria • Namaqua dove, Oena capensis • Bruce's green-pigeon, Treron waalia • African green-pigeon, Treron calvus ==Sandgrouse==

Order: PterocliformesFamily: Pteroclidae Sandgrouse have small, pigeon-like heads and necks, but sturdy compact bodies. They have long pointed wings and sometimes tails and a fast direct flight. Flocks fly to watering holes at dawn and dusk. Their legs are feathered down to the toes. • Lichtenstein's sandgrouse, Pterocles lichtensteinii (A) • Four-banded sandgrouse, Pterocles quadricinctus ==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. • Kori bustard, Ardeotis kori • Denham's bustard, Neotis denhami • White-bellied bustard, Eupodotis senegalensis • Buff-crested bustard, Lophotis gindiana • Black-bellied bustard, Lissotis melanogaster • Hartlaub's bustard, Lissotis hartlaubii ==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 • Black-billed turaco, Tauraco schuettii • White-crested turaco, Tauraco leucolophus • Hartlaub's turaco, Tauraco hartlaubi • Purple-crested turaco, Tauraco porphyreolophus • Rwenzori turaco, Ruwenzorornis johnstoni • Ross's turaco, Musophaga rossae • Bare-faced go-away-bird, Corythaixoides personatus • White-bellied go-away-bird, Corythaixoides leucogaster • Eastern plantain-eater, Crinifer zonurus ==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. • Black-throated coucal, Centropus leucogaster • Senegal coucal, Centropus senegalensis • Blue-headed coucal, Centropus monachus • White-browed coucal, Centropus superciliosus • Black coucal, Centropus grillii • Blue malkoha, Ceuthmochares aereus • Green malkoha, Ceuthmochares australis • Great spotted cuckoo, Clamator glandarius • Levaillant's cuckoo, Clamator levaillantii • Pied cuckoo, Clamator jacobinus • Thick-billed cuckoo, Pachycoccyx audeberti (A) • 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 • Barred long-tailed cuckoo, Cercococcyx montanus • Black cuckoo, Cuculus clamosus • Red-chested cuckoo, Cuculus solitarius • Lesser cuckoo, Cuculus poliocephalus • African cuckoo, Cuculus gularis • Madagascar cuckoo, Cuculus rochii (A) • 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 • Eurasian nightjar, Caprimulgus europaeus • Sombre nightjar, Caprimulgus fraenatus (A) • Nubian nightjar, Caprimulgus nubicus • Fiery-necked nightjar, Caprimulgus pectoralis • Montane nightjar, Caprimulgus poliocephalus • Swamp nightjar, Caprimulgus natalensis • Plain nightjar, Caprimulgus inornatus • Star-spotted nightjar, Caprimulgus stellatus • Freckled nightjar, Caprimulgus tristigma • Bates's nightjar, Caprimulgus batesi • Long-tailed nightjar, Caprimulgus climacurus • Slender-tailed nightjar, Caprimulgus clarus • 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 • Sabine's spinetail, Rhaphidura sabini • Cassin's spinetail, Neafrapus cassini • Scarce swift, Schoutedenapus myoptilus • Alpine swift, Apus melba • Mottled swift, Apus aequatorialis • Common swift, Apus apus • Nyanza swift, Apus niansae • Pallid swift, Apus pallidus (A) • African swift, Apus barbatus • Little swift, Apus affinis • Horus swift, Apus horus • White-rumped swift, Apus caffer • 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 ==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 • Corn crake, Crex crex • African crake, Crex egregia • Gray-throated rail, Canirallus oculeus • Spotted crake, Porzana porzana (A) • Lesser moorhen, Paragallinula angulata • Eurasian moorhen, Gallinula chloropus • Red-knobbed coot, Fulica cristata • Allen's gallinule, Porphyrio alleni • African swamphen, Porphyrio madagascariensis • Nkulengu rail, Himantornis haematopus • Striped crake, Amaurornis marginalis (A) • Black crake, Zapornia flavirostra • Little crake, Zapornia parva (A) • Baillon's crake, Zapornia pusilla (A) ==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 ==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, not pulled back. Most have elaborate and noisy courting displays or "dances". • Gray crowned-crane, Balearica regulorum • Black crowned-crane, Balearica pavonina (A) ==Thick-knees==

Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Burhinidae The thick-knees are a group of waders 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 • Eurasian thick-knee, Burhinus oedicnemus (A) • Indian thick-knee, Burhinus indicus • Senegal thick-knee, Burhinus senegalensis • Spotted thick-knee, Burhinus capensis ==Egyptian plover==

Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Pluvianidae The Egyptian plover is found across equatorial Africa and along the Nile River. • Egyptian plover, Pluvianus aegyptius (A) ==Stilts and avocets==