List of birds of Turkey

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 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: 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: Pterocliformes   Family: Pteroclidae Sandgrouse have small, pigeon like heads and necks, but sturdy compact bodies.

Order: Otidiformes   Family: Otididae Bustards are large terrestrial birds mainly associated with dry open country and steppes in the Old World.

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

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.

It resembles a plover but with very long grey legs and a strong heavy black bill similar to a tern.

It has black-and-white plumage, a long neck, partially webbed feet and a bill designed for eating crabs.

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

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.

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.

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: Bucerotiformes   Family: Upupidae Hoopoes have black, white and orangey-pink colouring with a large erectile crest on their head.

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.

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.

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

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Remizidae The penduline-tits are a group of small passerine birds related to the true tits.

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 grey appearance found in open country such as grassland or scrub.

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

[2] Order: Passeriformes   Family: Aegithalidae Long-tailed tits are a group of small passerine birds with medium to long tails.

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

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Leiothrichidae The laughingthrushes are somewhat diverse in size and colouration, but are characterised by soft fluffy plumage.

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

The white-throated kingfisher ( Halcyon smyrnensis ), also known as Smyrna kingfisher, was described from Turkey by Linnaeus in 1758.
Turkey holds an important wintering population of the endangered white-headed duck ( Oxyura leucocephala ).
Black francolin ( Francolinus francolinus ).
Large numbers of Sociable lapwings ( Vanellus gregarius ) pass through Turkey in passage.
Armenian gull ( Larus armenicus ).
Lammergeier ( Gypaetus barbatus ).
Very small numbers of brown fish-owl ( Ketupa zeylonensis ) breed at Oymapınar Dam every year.
Common kingfisher (Alcedo atthis).
Paddyfield warbler ( Acrocephalus agricola ) breeds very locally in East Turkey.
Bluethroat ( Luscinia svecica ).
American pipit ( Anthus rubescens )
Fire-fronted serin ( Serinus pusillus ).
Black-headed bunting ( Emberiza melanocephala ) is a very common breeder across Turkey.