List of birds of Panama

Unless otherwise noted, the species on this list are considered to occur regularly in Panama as permanent residents, summer or winter visitors, or migrants.

Although they look similar to other ground-dwelling birds like quail and grouse, they have no close relatives and are classified as a single family, Tinamidae, within their own order, the Tinamiformes.

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.

Order: Nyctibiiformes   Family: Nyctibiidae The potoos (sometimes called poor-me-ones) are large near passerine birds related to the nightjars and frogmouths.

Order: Apodiformes   Family: Trochilidae Hummingbirds are small birds capable of hovering in mid-air due to the rapid flapping of their wings.

Order: Charadriiformes   Family: Haematopodidae The oystercatchers are large and noisy plover-like birds, with strong bills used for smashing or prising open molluscs.

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.

Variation in length of legs and bills enables multiple species to feed in the same habitat, particularly on the coast, without direct competition for food.

Terns are a group of generally medium to large seabirds typically with gray or white plumage, often with black markings on the head.

Order: Phaethontiformes   Family: Phaethontidae Tropicbirds are slender white birds of tropical oceans which have exceptionally long central tail feathers.

Order: Sphenisciformes   Family: Spheniscidae The penguins are a group of aquatic, flightless birds living almost exclusively in the Southern Hemisphere.

Order: Procellariiformes   Family: Oceanitidae The storm-petrels are the smallest seabirds, relatives of the petrels, feeding on planktonic crustaceans and small fish picked from the surface, typically while hovering.

Order: Procellariiformes   Family: Procellariidae The procellariids are the main group of medium-sized "true petrels", characterized by united nostrils with medium septum and a long outer functional primary.

Order: Ciconiiformes   Family: Ciconiidae Storks are large, long-legged, long-necked wading birds with long stout bills.

Order: Suliformes   Family: Anhingidae Anhingas are often called "snake-birds" because of their long thin neck, which gives a snake-like appearance when they swim with their bodies submerged.

Found in tropical woodlands worldwide, they feed on insects and fruit, and their broad bills and weak legs reflect their diet and arboreal habits.

Order: Coraciiformes   Family: Momotidae The motmots have colorful plumage and long, graduated tails which they display by waggling back and forth.

Order: Coraciiformes   Family: Alcedinidae Kingfishers are medium-sized birds with large heads, long, pointed bills, short legs, and stubby tails.

The loose abundant plumage and short tails makes them look stout and puffy, giving rise to the English common name of the family.

Order: Piciformes   Family: Galbulidae The jacamars are near passerine birds from tropical South America, with a range that extends up to Mexico.

Order: Piciformes   Family: Picidae Woodpeckers are small to medium-sized birds with chisel-like beaks, short legs, stiff tails, and long tongues used for capturing insects.

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Grallariidae Antpittas resemble the true pittas with strong, longish legs, very short tails, and stout bills.

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Formicariidae Antthrushes resemble small rails with strong, longish legs, very short tails, and stout bills.

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Bombycillidae The waxwings are a group of birds with soft silky plumage and unique red tips to some of the wing feathers.

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Polioptilidae These dainty birds resemble Old World warblers in their build and habits, moving restlessly through the foliage seeking insects.

The gnatcatchers and gnatwrens are mainly soft bluish gray in color and have the typical insectivore's long sharp bill.

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Cinclidae Dippers are a group of perching birds whose habitat includes aquatic environments in the Americas, Europe, and Asia.

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Donacobiidae The black-capped donacobius is found in wet habitats from Panama across northern South America and east of the Andes to Argentina and Paraguay.

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Icteriidae This species was historically placed in the wood-warblers but nonetheless most authorities were unsure if it belonged there.

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Thraupidae The tanagers are a large group of small to medium-sized passerine birds restricted to the New World, mainly in the tropics.

The harpy eagle is Panama's national bird.
Great tinamou, fairly common in undisturbed forest but difficult to see.
A male blue-winged teal; this migrant from the north is the commonest duck in Panama.
Crested guan, which has decreased in numbers due to hunting and deforestation.
Least grebe is fairly common on lakes and ponds.
Ruddy ground-dove is very common around human settlements.
White-tipped dove, a common resident.
Smooth-billed ani, Darién. Common in open areas.
Common nighthawk is present late March to early November. Both breeding and transient races occur.
The gray-cowled wood-rail usually keeps to dense cover along forested streams and rivers.
The purple gallinule inhabits well-vegetated wetlands.
Southern lapwing, Gamboa . It has increased and spread westwards in recent decades.
Wattled jacana is common in wetlands with plenty of floating vegetation.
Laughing gull is the most common of Panama's gulls.
Royal terns are common non-breeding visitors to coasts.
Red-billed tropicbird; a few breed on Swan Cay off the Caribbean coast.
Audubon's shearwater chick; this species breeds on Tiger Cays off the Caribbean coast.
Magnificent frigatebird, frequently seen soaring over coastal areas.
Brown booby, the commonest of the boobies along Panama's coasts.
Neotropic cormorant, which can occur in huge numbers in Panama Bay.
Brown pelican, very common along the coast.
Cattle egret, first recorded in 1954 and now common.
White ibis, seen in flocks in mangroves and on mudflats.
Black vulture is very common around towns and cities.
Spectacled owl, a nocturnal bird of humid forest and woodland.
Tody motmot, Darién. A local and easily overlooked bird of humid forest.
American pygmy kingfisher, Soberanía National Park . A shy bird of forest streams and mangroves.
Barred puffbird, Darién. A scarce bird of humid forest.
Rufous-tailed jacamar is found in eastern and western Panama.
Collared aracari, Darién. Common in forested areas.
Lineated woodpecker, a large woodpecker of forest edges and clearings.
Crested caracara, a bird of open grassland and farmland.
Scarlet macaws are now very rare except on Coiba Island.
Golden-headed manakin inhabits forest and woodland in eastern Panama.
Snowy cotinga, an uncommon bird of the forests of Bocas del Toro.
Cocoa woodcreeper, the most common woodcreeper in Panama.
Plain xenops, an active forager in forest and woodland.
Red-eyed vireo passes through in large numbers on migration.
Brown jay is uncommon but conspicuous in north-west Panama.
Barn swallow, a common migrant from North America.
Long-tailed silky-flycatcher, found in small groups in the western highlands.
House wren is common around settlements and often nests on buildings.
Bay wren, a noisy bird of dense undergrowth.
Tropical mockingbird, first recorded in 1932 and now common in central Panama.
Clay-colored thrush, Panama City. A common bird which is often seen in gardens.
House sparrow, a bird of urban areas which was first recorded in 1976.
Yellow-crowned euphonia, seen in flocks in scrub, savannah and woodland clearings.
Female lesser goldfinch, a local resident of fairly open country.
Great-tailed grackle has become very common around Panama City and the former Canal Zone.
Tennessee warbler, a winter visitor in large numbers.
Tropical parula, resident locally in forest and woodland.
A yellow warbler belonging to one of the migratory northern races.
Rose-breasted grosbeak, a passage migrant and winter visitor.