This is a list of the bird species recorded in Colombia. According to the South American Classification Committee (SACC) of the American Ornithological Society (AOS), the avifauna of Colombia has 1867 confirmed species. Of them, 84 are endemic, three have been introduced by humans, and 65 are rare or vagrants. One of the endemic species is believed to be extinct. An additional 37 species are hypothetical (see below).
The Colombian province of San Andrés and Providencia is much closer to Nicaragua than to the South American mainland, so the SACC does not address records there. A 2015 publication adds 17 species whose only Colombian records are from that province and also five species to the mainland list. Three of the 17 are also considered hypothetical. A 2020 publication adds four more species (one offshore sighting, two vagrants to the mainland, and one vagrant to San Andrés and Providencia). (The SACC does not address records from more than 200 miles offshore.) Another vagrant species whose published record has not been evaluated by the SACC is also included.
The total number of species presented here is 1930. Of them, 87 are endemic and 70 are vagrants.
Unless noted otherwise, the list's taxonomic treatment (designation and sequence of orders, families, and species) and nomenclature (common and scientific names) are those of the SACC.
The following tags have been used to highlight several categories.
(V) Vagrant - a species that rarely or accidentally occurs in Colombia
(E) Endemic - a species endemic to Colombia
(I) Introduced - a species introduced to Colombia as a consequence, direct or indirect, of human actions (H) Hypothetical - a species recorded but with "no tangible evidence" according to the SACC (SA) San Andrés - a species whose only Colombian records are from the province of San Andrés and Providencia
Population status symbols are those of the Red List published by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The symbols apply to the species' worldwide status, not their status solely in Colombia. The symbols and their meanings, in increasing order of peril, are:
Tinamous
Order: TinamiformesFamily: Tinamidae
The tinamous are one of the most ancient groups of bird. Although they look similar to other ground-dwelling birds like quail and grouse, they have no close relatives and are classified as a single family, Tinamidae, within their own order, the Tinamiformes. They are distantly related to the ratites (order Struthioniformes), that includes the rheas, emus, and kiwis. Seventeen species have been recorded in Colombia.
Tawny-breasted tinamou, Nothocercus julius
Highland tinamou, Nothocercus bonapartei
Gray tinamou, Tinamus tao
Black tinamou, Tinamus osgoodi
Great tinamou, Tinamus major
White-throated tinamou, Tinamus guttatus
Berlepsch's tinamou, Crypturellus berlepschi
Cinereous tinamou, Crypturellus cinereus
Little tinamou, Crypturellus soui
Brown tinamou, Crypturellus obsoletus
Undulated tinamou, Crypturellus undulatus
Gray-legged tinamou, Crypturellus duidae
Red-legged tinamou, Crypturellus erythropus
Choco tinamou, Crypturellus kerriae
Variegated tinamou, Crypturellus variegatus
Rusty tinamou, Crypturellus brevirostris (H) Barred tinamou, Crypturellus casiquiare
Screamers
Order: AnseriformesFamily: Anhimidae
The screamers are a small family of birds related to the ducks. They are large, bulky birds, with a small downy head, long legs, and large feet which are only partially webbed. They have large spurs on their wings which are used in fights over mates and in territorial disputes. Two species have been recorded in Colombia.
Horned screamer, Anhima cornuta
Northern screamer, Chauna chavaria
Ducks
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. Twenty-five species have been recorded in Colombia.