This is a list of the bird species recorded in Antarctica. The avifauna of Antarctica include a total of 62 species, of which 1 is endemic. 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. The family accounts at the beginning of each heading reflect this taxonomy, as do the species counts found in each family account.
The following tags have been used to highlight several categories. The commonly occurring native species do not fall into any of these categories.
(A) Accidental - a species that rarely or accidentally occurs in Antarctica
(E) Endemic - a species endemic to Antarctica
Ducks, geese, and waterfowl
Order: AnseriformesFamily: Anatidae
Anatidae includes the ducks and most duck-like waterfowl, such as geese and swans. 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.
Yellow-billed pintail, Anas georgica
Sheathbills
Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Chionididae
The sheathbills are scavengers of the Antarctic regions. They have white plumage and look plump and dove-like but are believed to be similar to the ancestors of the modern gulls and terns.
Snowy sheathbill, Chionis albus
Sandpipers and allies
Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Scolopacidae
Scolopacidae is a large diverse family of small to medium-sized shorebirds including the sandpipers, curlews, godwits, shanks, tattlers, woodcocks, snipes, dowitchers and phalaropes. The majority of these species eat small invertebrates picked out of the mud or soil. 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.
Upland sandpiper, Bartramia longicauda (A)
Skuas and jaegers
Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Stercorariidae
The family Stercorariidae are, in general, medium to large birds, typically with grey or brown plumage, often with white markings on the wings. They nest on the ground in temperate and arctic regions and are long-distance migrants.
Chilean skua, Stercorarius chilensis
South polar skua, Stercorarius maccormicki
Brown skua, Stercorarius antarctica
Pomarine jaeger, Stercorarius pomarinus (A) Parasitic jaeger, Stercorarius parasiticus (A) Long-tailed jaeger, Stercorarius longicaudus (A)
Gulls, terns, and skimmers
Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Laridae
Laridae is a family of medium to large seabirds, the gulls, terns, and skimmers. Gulls are typically grey or white, often with black markings on the head or wings. They have stout, longish bills and webbed feet. Terns are a group of generally medium to large seabirds typically with grey or white plumage, often with black markings on the head. Most terns hunt fish by diving but some pick insects off the surface of fresh water. Terns are generally long-lived birds, with several species known to live in excess of 30 years.
Sabine's gull, Xema sabini (A) Franklin's gull, Leucophaeus pipixcan (A) Kelp gull, Larus dominicanus Arctic tern, Sterna paradisaea Antarctic tern, Sterna vittata
Penguins
Order: SphenisciformesFamily: Spheniscidae
The penguins are a group of aquatic, flightless birds living almost exclusively in the Southern Hemisphere. Most penguins feed on krill, fish, squid and other forms of sea life caught while swimming underwater.
King penguin, Aptenodytes patagonicus
Emperor penguin, Aptenodytes forsteri (E) Adelie penguin, Pygoscelis adeliae Gentoo penguin, Pygoscelis papua Chinstrap penguin, Pygoscelis antarctica Magellanic penguin, Spheniscus magellanicus (A) Macaroni penguin, Eudyptes chrysolophus Royal penguin, Eudyptes schlegeli (A) Southern rockhopper penguin, Eudyptes chrysocome
Albatrosses
Order: ProcellariiformesFamily: Diomedeidae
The albatrosses are among the largest of flying birds, and the great albatrosses from the genus Diomedea have the largest wingspans of any extant birds.
Gray-headed albatross, Thalassarche chrysostoma
White-capped albatross, Thalassarche cauta (A) Salvin's albatross, Thalassarche salvini (A) Black-browed albatross, Thalassarche melanophris Sooty albatross, Phoebetria fusca Light-mantled albatross, Phoebetria palpebrata Royal albatross, Diomedea epomophora Wandering albatross, Diomedea exulans