This is a list of the bird species recorded on the Auckland Islands . The avifauna of the Auckland Islands include a total of 123 species.
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. Introduced and accidental species are included in the total counts for the Auckland Islands .
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 on the Auckland Islands . (E) Endemic - a species endemic to the Auckland Islands (I) Introduced - a species introduced to the Auckland Islands as a consequence, direct or indirect, of human actions
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.
Canada goose, Branta canadensis (A) Black swan, Cygnus atratus (A) Australian shelduck, Tadorna tadornoides (A) Australian shoveler, Spatula rhynchotis (A) Pacific black duck, Anas superciliosa Mallard, Anas platyrhynchos (I) Gray teal, Anas gracilis Auckland Islands teal, Anas aucklandica (E) Hardhead, Aythya australis (A) Auckland Islands merganser, Mergus australis extinct
Cuckoos Order: CuculiformesFamily: Cuculidae
The family Cuculidae includes cuckoos, roadrunners and anis. These birds are of variable size with slender bodies, long tails and strong legs.
Long-tailed koel, Urodynamis taitensis (A) Shining bronze-cuckoo, Chrysococcyx lucidus (A)
Swifts Order: CaprimulgiformesFamily: Apodidae
Swifts are small birds which spend the majority of their lives flying. These birds have very short legs and never settle voluntarily on the ground, perching instead only on vertical surfaces. Many swifts have long swept-back wings which resemble a crescent or boomerang.
White-throated needletail, Hirundapus caudacutus (A)
Rails, gallinules, and coots Order: GruiformesFamily: Rallidae
Rallidae is a large family of small to medium-sized birds which includes the rails, crakes, coots and gallinules. Typically they inhabit dense vegetation in damp environments near lakes, swamps or rivers. In general they are shy and secretive birds, making them difficult to observe. Most species have strong legs and long toes which are well adapted to soft uneven surfaces. They tend to have short, rounded wings and to be weak fliers.
Auckland Islands rail, Lewinia muelleri (E) Buff-banded rail, Gallirallus philippensis
Plovers and lapwings Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Charadriidae
The family Charadriidae includes the plovers, dotterels and lapwings. They are small to medium-sized birds with compact bodies, short, thick necks and long, usually pointed, wings. They are found in open country worldwide, mostly in habitats near water.
Pacific golden-plover, Pluvialis fulva (A) Masked lapwing, Vanellus miles (A) Double-banded plover, Charadrius bicinctus
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.
Bar-tailed godwit, Limosa lapponica (A) Black-tailed godwit, Limosa limosa (A) Ruddy turnstone, Arenaria interpres Red knot, Calidris canutus (A) Sharp-tailed sandpiper, Calidris acuminata (A) Curlew sandpiper, Calidris ferruginea (A) Red-necked stint, Tringa incana (A) Subantarctic snipe, Coenocorypha aucklandica (A) Gray-tailed tattler, Tringa brevipes (A) Wandering tattler, Tringa incana (A) (A) Common greenshank, Tringa nebularia
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.
South polar skua, Stercorarius maccormicki (A) Brown skua, Stercorarius antarcticus Parasitic jaeger, Stercorarius parasiticus
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.
Black-billed gull, Chroicocephalus bulleri (A) Silver gull, Chroicocephalus novaehollandiae Kelp gull, Larus dominicanus White-fronted tern, Sterna striata Arctic tern, Sterna paradisaea (A) Antarctic tern, Sterna vittata
Penguins Order: SphenisciformesFamily: Spheniscidae
Penguins are a group of aquatic, flightless birds living almost exclusively in the Southern Hemisphere, especially in Antarctica. Only one species, the little penguin, breeds on the Australian coast.
King penguin, Aptenodytes patagonicus (A) Yellow-eyed penguin, Megadyptes antipodes Fiordland penguin, Eudyptes pachyrhynchus (A) Erect-crested penguin, Eudyptes sclateri Macaroni penguin, Eudyptes chrysolophus Royal penguin, Eudyptes schlegeli (A) Southern rockhopper penguin, Eudyptes chrysocome Snares penguin, Eudyptes robustus (A)
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 Buller's albatross, Thalassarche bulleri White-capped albatross, Thalassarche cauta Salvin's albatross, Thalassarche salvini Black-browed albatross, Thalassarche melanophris Sooty albatross, Phoebetria fusca (A) Light-mantled albatross, Phoebetria palpebrata Royal albatross, Diomedea epomophora Wandering albatross, Diomedea exulans
Southern storm-petrels Order: ProcellariiformesFamily: Oceanitidae
The southern storm-petrels are relatives of the petrels and are the smallest seabirds. They feed on planktonic crustaceans and small fish picked from the surface, typically while hovering. The flight is fluttering and sometimes bat-like.
Wilson's storm-petrel, Oceanites oceanicus (A) Gray-backed storm-petrel, Garrodia nereis White-faced storm-petrel, Pelagodroma marina Black-bellied storm-petrel, Fregetta tropica
Shearwaters and petrels Order: ProcellariiformesFamily: 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.
Southern giant-petrel, Macronectes giganteus (A) Northern giant-petrel, Macronectes halli Cape petrel, Daption capense Southern fulmar, Fulmarus glacialoides Antarctic petrel, Thalassoica antarctica (A) Kerguelen petrel, Aphrodroma brevirostris Gray-faced petrel, Pterodroma gouldi Magenta petrel, Pterodroma magentae Soft-plumaged petrel, Pterodroma mollis White-headed petrel, Pterodroma lessonii Mottled petrel, Pterodroma inexpectata (A) Cook's petrel, Pterodroma cookii Blue petrel, Halobaena caerulea (A) Fairy prion, Pachyptila turtur Broad-billed prion, Pachyptila vittata Salvin's prion, Pachyptila salvini Antarctic prion, Pachyptila desolata Slender-billed prion, Pachyptila belcheri Fulmar prion, Pachyptila crassirostris Gray petrel, Procellaria cinerea White-chinned petrel, Procellaria aequinoctialis Flesh-footed shearwater, Ardenna carneipes Buller's shearwater, Ardenna bulleri Sooty shearwater, Ardenna grisea Short-tailed shearwater, Ardenna tenuirostris Fluttering shearwater, Puffinus gavia Subantarctic shearwater, Puffinus elegans Common diving-petrel, Pelecanoides urinatrix South Georgia diving-petrel, Pelecanoides georgicus
Boobies and gannets Order: SuliformesFamily: Sulidae
The sulids comprise the gannets and boobies. Both groups are medium-large coastal seabirds that plunge-dive for fish.
Australasian gannet, Morus serrator (A)
Cormorants and shags Order: SuliformesFamily: Phalacrocoracidae
Phalacrocoracidae is a family of medium to large coastal, fish-eating seabirds that includes cormorants and shags. Plumage colouration varies, with the majority having mainly dark plumage, some species being black-and-white and a few being colourful.
Little pied cormorant, Microcarbo melanoleucos (A) Great cormorant, Phalacrocorax carbo (A) Auckland Islands shag, Leucocarbo colensoi (E) Campbell Islands shag, Leucocarbo campbelli (A) Macquarie shag, Leucocarbo purpurascens (A)
Herons, egrets, and bitterns Order: PelecaniformesFamily: Ardeidae
The family Ardeidae contains the bitterns, herons and egrets. Herons and egrets are medium to large wading birds with long necks and legs. Bitterns tend to be shorter necked and more wary. Members of Ardeidae fly with their necks retracted, unlike other long-necked birds such as storks, ibises and spoonbills.
Great egret, Ardea alba White-faced heron, Egretta novaehollandiae (A) Little egret, Egretta garzetta Pacific reef-heron, Egretta sacra (A) Cattle egret, Bubulcus ibis
Hawks, eagles, and kites Order: AccipitriformesFamily: Accipitridae
Accipitridae is a family of birds of prey, which includes hawks, eagles, kites, harriers and Old World vultures. These birds have powerful hooked beaks for tearing flesh from their prey, strong legs, powerful talons and keen eyesight.
Swamp harrier, Circus approximans
Owls Order: StrigiformesFamily: Strigidae
The typical owls are small to large solitary nocturnal birds of prey. They have large forward-facing eyes and ears, a hawk-like beak and a conspicuous circle of feathers around each eye called a facial disk.
Morepork, Ninox novaeseelandiae
Falcons and caracaras Order: FalconiformesFamily: Falconidae
Falconidae is a family of diurnal birds of prey. They differ from hawks, eagles, and kites in that they kill with their beaks instead of their talons.
New Zealand falcon, Falco novaeseelandiae
Old World parrots Order: PsittaciformesFamily: Psittaculidae
Characteristic features of parrots include a strong curved bill, an upright stance, strong legs, and clawed zygodactyl feet. Many parrots are vividly colored, and some are multi-colored. In size they range from to in length. Old World parrots are found from Africa east across south and southeast Asia and Oceania to Australia and New Zealand.
Red-crowned parakeet, Cyanoramphus novaezelandiae Yellow-crowned parakeet, Cyanoramphus auriceps
Honeyeaters Order: PasseriformesFamily: Meliphagidae
The honeyeaters are a large and diverse family of small to medium-sized birds most common in Australia and New Guinea. They are nectar feeders and closely resemble other nectar-feeding passerines.
Tui, Prosthemadera novaeseelandiae New Zealand bellbird, Anthornis melanura
Thornbills and allies Order: PasseriformesFamily: Acanthizidae
Thornbills are small passerine birds, similar in habits to the tits.
Grey warbler, Gerygone igata
Australasian robins Order: PasseriformesFamily: Petroicidae