List of birds of the Faroe Islands

There are also some resident landbirds and many regular visitors, both passage migrants and breeders, as well as several species recorded occasionally as vagrants, mainly from Europe.

The Faroese postal system, the Postverk Føroya, prints stamps portraying Faroe birds.

The great auk formerly bred on the Faroes, but became extinct throughout its range in the North Atlantic in the early 19th century due to human predation; the last Faroese record was on Stóra Dímun on 1 July 1808.

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.

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

Unlike the similar-looking but unrelated herons, cranes fly with necks outstretched, not pulled back.

Order: Charadriiformes   Family: Burhinidae The stone-curlews are a group of waders found worldwide within the tropical zone, with some species also breeding in temperate Europe and Asia.

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

Order: Gaviiformes   Family: Gaviidae Divers or loons are a group of aquatic birds found in cooler parts of the Northern Hemisphere.

In particular, their legs are set very far back which assists swimming underwater but makes walking on land extremely difficult.

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: Phalacrocoracidae Cormorants and shags are medium-to-large aquatic birds, usually with mainly dark plumage and areas of colored skin on the face.

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

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

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

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

They have richly coloured plumage, slender bodies and usually elongated central tail feathers, long downturned bills and pointed wings, which give them a swallow-like appearance when seen from afar.

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.

Corvids are above average in size among the Passeriformes, and some of the larger species show high levels of intelligence.

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

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

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 mainly occur as breeding species, as another common name (Old World warblers) implies, in Europe, Asia and, to a lesser extent, Africa.

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Muscicapidae Old World flycatchers are a large group of birds which are mainly small arboreal insectivores.

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

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