List of birds of Timor-Leste

This list's taxonomic treatment (designation and sequence of orders, families and species) and nomenclature (common and scientific names) follow the conventions of The Clements Checklist of the 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: 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.

Order: Charadriiformes   Family: Rostratulidae Painted-snipes are short-legged, long-billed birds similar in shape to the true snipes, but more brightly colored.

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.

Order: Charadriiformes   Family: Turnicidae The buttonquail are small, drab, running birds which resemble the true quails.

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, with exceptionally long central tail feathers.

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

Order: Pelecaniformes   Family: Pelecanidae Pelicans are large water birds with distinctive pouches under their bills.

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: Pittidae Pittas are medium-sized by passerine standards and are stocky, with fairly long, strong legs, short tails and stout bills.

They spend the majority of their time on wet forest floors, eating snails, insects and similar invertebrates.

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Acanthizidae Thornbills are small passerine birds, similar in habits to the tits.

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Rhipiduridae The fantails are small insectivorous birds which are specialist aerial feeders.

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

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Alaudidae Larks are small terrestrial birds with often extravagant songs and display flights.

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

Some are colorful with yellow, red or orange vents, cheeks, throats or supercilia, but most are drab, with uniform olive-brown to black plumage.

[1] Order: Passeriformes   Family: Zosteropidae The white-eyes are small and mostly undistinguished, their plumage above being generally some dull color 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.