BIRDS OF AFGHANISTAN

Birds of Afghanistan coded for abundance, breeding, migration, wintering, endemic, rare, etc.; 2000 pages on birds of Afghanistan, nature, birdwatching, where to go birding, bird and nature pictures, nature conservation, equipment, bird feeding, etc.

Birds of Afghanistan coded for abundance, breeding, migration, wintering, endemic, rare, etc.; 2000 pages on birds, nature, birdwatching, where to go birding, birds and nature pictures, nature conservation, equipment, bird feeding, etc. Welcome to the bird list of Afghanistan.

Afghanistan is home to an impressive number of species of birds that vary from residents, that stay all year around, to breeding birds, that spend a good part of the growing season in Afghanistan to raise their young, migrants who pass through Afghanistan with the seasons, to wintering birds who like to spend a good part of the winter in Afghanistan to escape colder conditions up north. While many species of birds are relatively common as they are part of the ecosystems of the state, it is always a thrill to stumble upon a rare bird or vagrant, that does not really form part of any the Afghanistan ecosystems. Maybe it got lost during its travels between its summer and winter residence or it got displaced by bad weather.

Among the species of the checklist of the birds of Afghanistan you can find waterfowl and wading birds, a large suite of song birds, raptors, game birds, swifts and nighthawks, etc., many of which occupy several ecosystems simultaneously, as they fly to and from forests, meadows, shorelines of waters, cities and and urban green spaces. At Birdlist, we have developed a coding system that can help you predict when you may expect a certain species, with a code for seasonality, such as resident, nesting, wintering, etc. A code for abundance will give you a clue on the likelihood that you may actually see a certain species of bird. As we progressed with the coding, we realized that there should be a differentiation in the coding for "common", such as less common, common and very common birds. However, this would require reliable quantative data, which for most states, are not revealed by the commission of bird records. We hope to provide those in the future. In the meantime, enjoy the current checklist of the birds of Afghanistan.

For years, I kept this website rather anonymous. But then it occurred to me that maybe, you, the visitor, would actually enjoy knowing who and what is behind all this. I am Daan Vreugdenhil, have a PhD in conservation ecology, and dedicated my career of 4 decades to the conservation of nature, for which I visited some 80 countries and learned 6 foreign languages, my native language being Dutch. I have always felt that conservation is a passion, not a profession.

As a child, my father would take me on the back of his bicycle into the meadows in Holland, where he taught me to identify birds and plants. I caught frogs, butterflies and lizards as pets (yes, most of those poor critters died shortly after). As a teenager, I joined a youth club for nature study, riding my bike every weekend with my fellow club members to nature reserves in the Netherlands where I grew up. Little wonder, when time came I studied ecology and natural resources management.

I guess, I never got over my love for nature, wild places, forests, deserts and wild animals. I still love hitting the trail, kayaking down a river, the wind in my ears when skiing down a slope or riding my speed bike. Often people ask me if I don't get tired of traveling. But how can one ever get tired of the beauty of the bright colours of Indian Fall, the thrill of an eagle soaring the sky, the thunder of Igua�u Falls, the fragrance of a spring flower, a Sky Lark announcing spring, a herd of elephants roaming the plains. My entire life has been dedicated to the conservation of nature.

This website is my gift to you, so you can follow me in my passion and carry on the flame of conservation, the result of more than a decade of work for which I never got paid or never received any subsidy. If this website in any way was useful to you, then I invite you to make a donation to the Adopt A Ranger Foundation. The Adopt A Ranger Foundation is my latest contribution in my quest to save 10% of our planet as a home for animals and plants.

Welcome to Nature worldwide with the birds of this country or territory. You will find 2 tables. the first table explains the abundance and presence codes; the second table is the checklist of the birds. To learn about how we acquired the information, see our Methodology page. We have about 2000 pages, not only on birds but also on, mammals and national parks as well as nature related links by country. For the list of mammals or national parks of this country or for the links, press the link above. National Parks in developing countries need YOUR help. Learn more about the most important rescue effort ever made to rescue nature and about our crusade to rescue nature in the tropics from annihilation!.

Abundance Codes
D	Distribution range deducted from map, not actual record.
P	Present, abundance not determined.
C	Within its range, varying from common to occasional
O	Rare, wandered outside of its normal range but still may be expected from time to time. Normally between 10 - 100 records.
V	Vagrant, accidental, species far out of its normal distribution range. >10 observations.
I	Introduced species.
Q	Not verified.
X	Extinct.
XL	Extinct in country
Status of Permanence Codes
R	Resident, present year around.
N	Nests in the area but absent during part of the year.
M	Migrant, non-breeding. May spend a short period or the entire winter.
W	Wintering; stays in the area, while its primary nesting range is elsewhere.
E	National endemic.
*	National bird.
How to safe and print a list

BIRDS OF AFGHANISTAN

Species	Common name
Lerwa lerwa	Snow Partridge
Ammoperdix griseogularis	See-see Partridge
Tetraogallus himalayensis	Himalayan Snowcock
Alectoris chukar	Chukar
Pucrasia macrolopha	Koklass Pheasant
Cygnus columbianus	Tundra or Bewick's or Whistling Swan
Anser anser	Greylag Goose
Anser indicus	Bar-headed Goose
Tadorna ferruginea	Ruddy Shelduck
Tadorna tadorna	Common Shelduck
Anas strepera	Gadwall
Anas penelope	Eurasian Wigeon
Anas platyrhynchos	Mallard or common Mallard
Anas clypeata	Northern Shoveler
Anas acuta	Northern Pintail or Pintail
Anas querquedula	Garganey
Anas crecca	Common Teal Green-winged Teal
Aythya nyroca	Ferruginous Pochard
Clangula hyemalis	Long-tailed Duck
Upupa epops	Eurasian or Common Hoopoe
Coracias garrulus	European Roller
Coracias benghalensis	Indian Roller
Alcedo atthis	Common Kingfisher
Merops persicus	Blue-cheeked Bee-eater
Merops apiaster	European Bee-eater
Cuculus canorus	Common Cuckoo
Psittacula krameri	Rose-ringed Parakeet
Psittacula himalayana	Slaty-headed Parakeet
Tachymarptis melba	Alpine Swift
Apus apus	Common Swift
Apus nipalensis	House Swift
Otus brucei	Pallid Scops-Owl
Otus scops	Common Scops-Owl
Bubo bubo	Eurasian Eagle-Owl
Strix aluco	Tawny Owl
Athene noctua	Little Owl
Athene brama	Spotted Owlet
Asio flammeus	Short-eared Owl
Caprimulgus europaeus	Eurasian Nightjar
Caprimulgus mahrattensis	Sykes's Nightjar
Columba livia	Rock Pigeon or Feral Pigeon
Columba rupestris	Hill Pigeon
Columba leuconota	Snow Pigeon
Columba palumbus	Common Wood-Pigeon
Streptopelia orientalis	Oriental Turtle-Dove or Rufous Turtle Dove
Streptopelia senegalensis	Laughing Dove
Streptopelia chinensis	Spotted Dove
Chlamydotis undulata	Houbara Bustard
Grus virgo	Demoiselle Crane
Grus grus	Common Crane
Rallus aquaticus	Water Rail
Porzana parva	Little Crake
Porzana pusilla	Baillon's Crake
Porzana porzana	Spotted Crake
Pterocles alchata	Pin-tailed Sandgrouse
Pterocles senegallus	Spotted Sandgrouse
Pterocles orientalis	Black-bellied Sandgrouse
Gallinago gallinago	Common Snipe
Lymnocryptes minimus	Jack Snipe
Numenius arquata	Eurasian Curlew
Tringa totanus	Common Redshank
Tringa stagnatilis	Marsh Sandpiper
Tringa glareola	Wood Sandpiper
Calidris temminckii	Temminck's Stint
Burhinus oedicnemus	Eurasian Thick-knee
Charadrius dubius	Little Ringed Plover
Charadrius alexandrinus	Kentish Plover or Snowy Plover
Vanellus vanellus	Northern Lapwing
Vanellus leucurus	White-tailed Lapwing or PLover
Larus brunnicephalus	Brown-headed Gull
Sterna caspia	Caspian Tern
Gypaetus barbatus	Lammergeier
Gyps himalayensis	Himalayan Griffon
Aegypius monachus	Cinereous Vulture or European Black Vulture
Circus aeruginosus	Western or Eurasian Marsh-Harrier
Circus macrourus	Pallid Harrier
Accipiter badius	Shikra
Accipiter nisus	Eurasian Sparrowhawk or Northern Sparrowhawk or Sparrow Hawk
Accipiter gentilis	Northern Goshawk or Goshawk
Buteo buteo	Common Buzzard or Japanese Buzzard
Aquila chrysaetos	Golden Eagle
Hieraaetus fasciatus	Bonelli's Eagle
Hieraaetus pennatus	Booted Eagle
Falco tinnunculus	Common or Eurasian Kestrel
Falco subbuteo	Eurasian Hobby
Falco cherrug	Saker Falcon
Falco peregrinus	Peregrine Falcon
Tachybaptus ruficollis	Little Grebe
Ardea cinerea	Grey Heron
Nycticorax nycticorax	Black-crowned Night-Heron
Ixobrychus minutus	Little Bittern
Plegadis falcinellus	Glossy Ibis
Platalea leucorodia	Eurasian Spoonbill or White Spoonbill
Pelecanus onocrotalus	Great White Pelican or Eastern White Pelican
Pelecanus crispus	Dalmatian Pelican
Ciconia ciconia	White Stork
Lanius collurio	Red-backed Shrike
Lanius souzae	Souza's Shrike
Lanius vittatus	Bay-backed Shrike
Garrulus glandarius	Eurasian Jay or Jay
Temnurus temnurus	Ratchet-tailed Treepie
Nucifraga columbiana	Clark's Nutcracker
Nucifraga caryocatactes	Spotted Nutcracker or Nutcracker
Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax	Red-billed Chough
Ptilostomus afer	Piapiac
Corvus capensis	Cape Crow
Corvus leucognaphalus	White-necked Crow
Corvus corone	Carrion Crow
Corvus ruficollis	Brown-necked Raven
Oriolus isabellae	Isabela Oriole
Pericrocotus solaris	Grey-chinned Minivet or Yellow-throated Minivet
Dicrurus macrocercus	Black Drongo
Terpsiphone bourbonnensis	Mascarene Paradise-Flycatcher
Cinclus cinclus	White-throated Dipper
Monticola rufocinereus	Little Rock-Thrush
Monticola rufiventris	Chestnut-bellied Rock-Thrush
Myophonus horsfieldii	Malabar Whistling-Thrush
Turdus hortulorum	Grey-backed Thrush
Turdus poliocephalus	Island Thrush
Turdus celaenops	Izu Thrush or Izu Islands Thrush
Turdus mupinensis	Chinese Thrush
Rhinomyias goodfellowi	Slaty-backed Jungle-Flycatcher
Muscicapa griseisticta	Grey-streaked Flycatcher or Sooty Flycatcher
Ficedula hodgsonii	Slaty-backed Flycatcher
Luscinia calliope	Siberian Rubythroat
Luscinia pectoralis	White-tailed Rubythroat
Cercotrichas leucophrys	Red-backed Scrub-Robin
Phoenicurus alaschanicus	Ala Shan Redstart or Przevalski's Redstart
Phoenicurus erythronota	Rufous-backed Redstart
Phoenicurus caeruleocephalus	Blue-capped Redstart
Phoenicurus moussieri	Moussier's Redstart
Phoenicurus erythrogaster	White-winged Redstart
Phoenicurus frontalis	Blue-fronted Redstart
Rhyacornis fuliginosus	Plumbeous Water-Redstart
Saxicola dacotiae	Canary Islands Chat
Saxicola leucura	White-tailed Stonechat
Oenanthe monacha	Hooded Wheatear
Oenanthe phillipsi	Somali Wheatear
Oenanthe lugubris	Schalow's Wheatear
Oenanthe finschii	Finsch's Wheatear
Oenanthe hispanica	Black-eared Wheatear
Oenanthe pileata	Capped Wheatear
Sturnus erythropygius	White-headed Starling
Sturnus roseus	Rosy Starling
Leucopsar rothschildi	Bali Myna
Sitta nagaensis	Chestnut-vented Nuthatch
Sitta cashmirensis	Kashmir Nuthatch
Sitta castanea	Chestnut-bellied Nuthatch
Sitta canadensis	Red-breasted Nuthatch
Sitta neumayer	Western Rock-Nuthatch
Sitta formosa	Beautiful Nuthatch
Certhia brachydactyla	Short-toed Tree-Creeper
Thryothorus griseus	Grey Wren
Parus rufescens	Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Parus rubidiventris	Rufous-vented Tit
Aegithalos caudatus	Long-tailed Tit
Hirundo concolor	Dusky Crag-Martin
Delichon urbica	Northern House-Martin or House Martin
Pycnonotus leucotis	White-eared Bulbul
Cisticola exilis	Bright-headed Cisticola or Gold-capped Cisticola
Acrocephalus baeticatus	African Reed-Warbler
Phylloscopus lorenzii	Caucasian Chiffchaff
Phylloscopus chloronotus	Pale-rumped Warbler or Lemon-Rumped Warbler
Phylloscopus borealis	Arctic Warbler
Garrulax jerdoni	Grey-breasted Laughingthrush
Turdoides altirostris	Iraq Babbler
Turdoides subrufus	Rufous Babbler
Sylvia communis	Common or Greather Whitethroat
Sylvia nisoria	Barred Warbler
Melanocorypha yeltoniensis	Black Lark
Calandrella cinerea	Red-capped Lark
Lullula arborea	Wood Lark
Alauda japonica	Japanese Skylark
Passer ammodendri	Saxaul Sparrow
Passer domesticus	House Sparrow
Motacilla flaviventris	Madagascar Wagtail
Motacilla citreola	Citrine Wagtail
Motacilla flava	Yellow Wagtail
Anthus latistriatus	Jackson's Pipit
Anthus sokokensis	Sokoke Pipit
Anthus cervinus	Red-throated Pipit
Anthus petrosus	Rock Pipit
Anthus gutturalis	Alpine Pipit
Prunella collaris	Alpine Accentor
Prunella fagani	Yemen Accentor
Prunella fulvescens	Brown Accentor
Fringilla montifringilla	Brambling
Carduelis dominicensis	Antillean Siskin
Carduelis flammea	Common Redpoll
Carduelis flavirostris	Twite
Carduelis johannis	Warsangli Linnet
Leucosticte nemoricola	Plain Mountain-Finch
Leucosticte australis	Brown-capped Rosy-Finch
Rhodopechys sanguinea	Crimson-winged Finch
Rhodopechys githaginea	Trumpeter Finch
Rhodopechys mongolica	Mongolian Finch
Carpodacus nipalensis	Dark-breasted Rosefinch
Carpodacus rodopeplus	Spot-winged Rosefinch
Carpodacus thura	White-browed Rosefinch
Carpodacus rubicilloides	Streaked Rosefinch
Pyrrhula pyrrhula	Eurasian Bullfinch
Mycerobas melanozanthos	Spot-winged Grosbeak
Emberiza leucocephalos	Pine Bunting
Emberiza koslowi	Tibetan Bunting or Kozlov's Bunting
Emberiza jankowskii	Rufous-backed Bunting or Janowski's Bunting
Emberiza melanocephala	Black-headed Bunting
Puffinus nativitatis	Christmas Island Shearwater
Phylloscopus sindianus	Mountain Chiffchaff

Thank you for visiting Nature Worldwide on Afghanistan. In this linked net of country pages you can find lists of birds, nature, mammals and national parks. Birds of Afghanistan provides a checklist of the birds of Afghanistan. It is a complete birdlist or bird list listing all the birds of Afghanistan in ornithological taxonomic order. In Nature of Afghanistan you can find nature related websites, like on birding, birdwatching, general ornithology, nature, nature conservation, national parks, protected areas, nature reserves, etc. In Mammals of Afghanistan you can find the list of the mammals of Afghanistan in taxonomic order. National parks, Nature reserves and Protected areas of Afghanistan provides you with list of all the national parks and other protected areas of Afghanistan. Click on the following links for our web pages on Afghanistan. Birds of Afghanistan: http:///www.birdlist.org/afghanistan.htm http://www.nature-worldwide.info/afghanistan.htm http://www.mammals-worldwide.info/afghanistan.htm http://www.nationalparks-worldwide.info/afghanistan.htm