The birds of Honduras included a total of 798 species as of June 2023, according to La Asociación Hondureña de Ornitología (ASHO). Between that date and August 2021, an additional 30 species have been added from Bird Checklists of the World and one as a result of a split.
Of the 797 species listed here, one of them, the Honduran emerald, is endemic. Fifty-four are rare or accidental and five have been introduced by humans. Five species are hypothetical (see below) and a few have insufficient information to classify. Some of the "hypothetical" species have more recent eBird records with photographs. Two species have possibly been extirpated. Sixteen species are globally vulnerable or endangered.
This list is presented in the taxonomic sequence of the Check-list of North and Middle American Birds, 7th edition through the 63rd Supplement, published by the American Ornithological Society (AOS). Common and scientific names are also those of the Check-list, except that the common names of families are from the Clements taxonomy because the AOS list does not include them.
Unless otherwise noted, the species on this list are considered to occur regularly in Honduras as permanent residents, summer or winter visitors, or migrants. The following tags are used by ASHO to highlight several categories of occurrence.
(A) Accidental - a species that rarely or accidentally occurs in Honduras
(E) Endemic - a species endemic to Honduras
(I) Introduced - a species introduced to Honduras as a consequence, direct or indirect, of human actions (H) Hypothetical - a species recorded but with no tangible evidence such as a photograph, according to the ASHO (?) Insufficient information - appended to a tag or note because of uncertainty
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, emu, and kiwi.
Great tinamou, Tinamus major (near-threatened) Little tinamou, Crypturellus soui Thicket tinamou, Crypturellus cinnamomeus Slaty-breasted tinamou, Crypturellus boucardi
Ducks, geese, and waterfowl
Order: AnseriformesFamily: Anatidae
The family Anatidae includes the ducks and most duck-like waterfowl, such as geese and swans. These are birds adapted to an aquatic existence with webbed feet, flattened bills, and feathers that are excellent at shedding water due to an oily coating.
Black-bellied whistling-duck, Dendrocygna autumnalis
Fulvous whistling-duck, Dendrocygna bicolor
Snow goose, Anser caerulescens (A) Brant, Branta bernicla (A) Canada goose, Branta canadensis (A?) (H?) Muscovy duck, Cairina moschata Blue-winged teal, Spatula discors Cinnamon teal, Spatula cyanoptera Northern shoveler, Spatula clypeata Gadwall, Mareca strepera (A) American wigeon, Mareca americana Mallard, Anas platyrhynchos (A) White-cheeked pintail, Anas bahamensis (A) Northern pintail, Anas acuta Green-winged teal, Anas crecca Canvasback, Aythya valisineria Redhead, Aythya americana (A) Ring-necked duck, Aythya collaris Lesser scaup, Aythya affinis Red-breasted merganser, Mergus serrator (A) Masked duck, Nomonyx dominicus Ruddy duck, Oxyura jamaicensis
Guans, chachalacas, and curassows
Order: GalliformesFamily: Cracidae
The Cracidae are large birds, similar in general appearance to turkeys. The guans and curassows live in trees, but the smaller chachalacas are found in more open scrubby habitats. They are generally dull-plumaged, but the curassows and some guans have colorful facial ornaments.
Plain chachalaca, Ortalis vetula
Gray-headed chachalaca, Ortalis cinereiceps
White-bellied chachalaca, Ortalis leucogastra
Crested guan, Penelope purpurascens
Highland guan, Penelopina nigra (vulnerable) Great curassow, Crax rubra (vulnerable)
New World quail
Order: GalliformesFamily: Odontophoridae
The New World quails are small, plump terrestrial birds only distantly related to the quails of the Old World, but named for their similar appearance and habits.
Tawny-faced quail, Rhynchortyx cinctus
Buffy-crowned wood-partridge, Dendrortyx leucophrys
Black-throated bobwhite, Colinus nigrogularis
Crested bobwhite, Colinus cristatus
Ocellated quail, Cyrtonyx ocellatus (vulnerable) Singing quail, Dactylortyx thoracicus Black-eared wood-quail, Odontophorus melanotis Spotted wood-quail, Odontophorus guttatus