List of birds of São Tomé and Príncipe

This list's taxonomic treatment (designation and sequence of orders, families and species) and nomenclature (common and scientific names) for the most part follow the conventions of The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World, 2022 edition.

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: Galliformes   Family: Numididae Guineafowl are a group of African, seed-eating, ground-nesting birds that resemble partridges, but with featherless heads and spangled grey plumage.

Order: Phoenicopteriformes   Family: Phoenicopteridae Flamingos are gregarious wading birds, usually 3 to 5 feet (0.9 to 1.5 m) tall, found in both the Western and Eastern Hemispheres.

Their oddly-shaped beaks are specially adapted to separate mud and silt from the food they consume and, uniquely, are used upside-down.

Order: Caprimulgiformes   Family: Apodidae Swifts are small birds which spend the majority of their lives flying.

They are small to medium-sized birds with compact bodies, short, thick necks and long, usually pointed, wings.

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 grey or white plumage, often with black markings on the head.

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

Order: Procellariiformes   Family: Oceanitidae The southern storm-petrels are relatives of the petrels and are the smallest seabirds.

Order: Procellariiformes   Family: Procellariidae The procellariids are the main group of medium-sized "true petrels", characterised 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.

Having the largest wingspan-to-body-weight ratio of any bird, they are essentially aerial, able to stay aloft for more than a week.

Members of Ardeidae fly with their necks retracted, unlike other long-necked birds such as storks, ibises and spoonbills.

Order: Strigiformes   Family: Strigidae The typical owls are small to large solitary nocturnal birds of prey.

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

Order: Coraciiformes   Family: Coraciidae Rollers resemble crows in size and build, but are more closely related to the kingfishers and bee-eaters.

Old World parrots are found from Africa east across south and southeast Asia and Oceania to Australia and New Zealand.

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Dicruridae The drongos are mostly black or dark grey in colour, sometimes with metallic tints.

They are generally very small birds of drab brown or grey appearance found in open country such as grassland or scrub.

The family occurs mostly in southern to western Eurasia and surroundings, but it also ranges far into the Pacific, with some species in Africa.

They have a slender streamlined body, long pointed wings and a short bill with a wide gape.

They mainly occur as breeding species, as the common name implies, in Europe, Asia and, to a lesser extent, Africa.

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Zosteropidae The white-eyes are small and mostly undistinguished, their plumage above being generally some dull colour like greenish-olive, but some species have a white or bright yellow throat, breast or lower parts, and several have buff flanks.

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Turdidae The thrushes are a group of passerine birds that occur mainly in the Old World.

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Estrildidae The estrildid finches are small passerine birds of the Old World tropics and Australasia.

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Viduidae The indigobirds are finch-like species which usually have black or indigo predominating in their plumage.

These birds have a bouncing flight with alternating bouts of flapping and gliding on closed wings, and most sing well.