List of birds by population

This is a list of bird species by global population, divided by bird classification. While numbers are estimates, they have been made by the experts in their fields. For more information on how these estimates were ascertained, see Wikipedia's articles on population biology and population ecology. Contributing organizations include the IUCN, BirdLife International, and Partners in Flight.

The average global population of all mature birds is estimated to be somewhat less than 90 billion (actually, somewhere between 40 and 130 billion; this too is a rough estimate). The total population including younglings is somewhat higher during the breeding season of each species.

This list is incomplete, because experts have not estimated all bird numbers. For example, the spectacled flowerpecker was only discovered in 2010, and did not receive its scientific name (Dicaeum dayakorum) until 2019, adding to the other 73 new bird species described by ornithologists from 2000 – 2009. Global population estimates for many of these at this time would lack accuracy.

All numbers are estimates, because they are taken by observation, and a given number of 50 slender-billed curlews does not necessarily mean there are 10 more of this species than the black stilt, which has been estimated at 40: there is a possibility that the latter species has a larger population than the former. This list should not be taken that literally. An estimate of 250 shore dotterels compared with 4,500 – 5,000 wrybills, on the other hand, means that the latter has well over one order of magnitude more individuals than the former. The wrybill only has approximately one tenth the population of great skuas (48,000), which are outnumbered ~10:1 by the pigeon guillemot (470,000). It is these large differences between species that this list tries to convey.

By taxonomy

List by taxonomic order Birds included # of quantified species / # of total species (%)1 Example of less common species Example of more common species
Anseriformes Waterfowl: ducks, geese, swans. 89 / 166 (54%) Laysan duck (CR) Laysan teal male.jpg Mallard (LC) Mallard in flight.jpg
Pop: 521 Pop: > 17,000,000
Apodiformes Swifts, hummingbirds. 86 / 441 (20%) Juan Fernández firecrown (CR) Sephanoides fernandensis.jpg Chimney swift (NT) Chimney swift overhead.jpg
Pop: 2,500 – 3,000 Pop: 15,000,000
Caprimulgiformes Nightjars, nighthawks, potoos. 19 / 125 (15%) Puerto Rican nightjar (EN) Puerto Rican nightjar sitting in leaves.jpg European nightjar (LC) Paukstelis.jpg
Pop: 1,400 – 2,000 Pop: 2,000,000 – 6,000,000
Charadriiformes Waders, gulls, auks. 181 / 352 (51%) Shore dotterel (EN) NZ Shore plover male.JPG Thick-billed murre (LC) Thick-billed Murres in Alaska refuge.jpg
Pop: 250 Pop: > 22,000,000
Ciconiiformes Storks, herons, egrets, ibises, spoonbills. 52 / 115 (45%) Storm's stork (EN) Storm's Stork SMTC.jpg White-faced ibis (LC) White-faced Ibis by Dan Pancamo.jpg
Pop: 400 – 500 Pop: 1,200,000
Columbiformes Doves, pigeons. 94 / 321 (29%) Socorro dove (EW) SocorroGroundDove025.jpg Rock dove (LC) Rock dove - natures pics.jpg
Pop: 100 Pop: 260,000,000
Coraciiformes Kingfishers, hornbills, motmots, bee-eaters. 38 / 219 (17%) Narcondam hornbill (EN) Narcondam hornbill.jpg Rainbow bee-eater (LC) Merops ornatus -Australia-8.jpg
Pop: 320 – 340 Pop: > 1,000,000
Cuculiformes Cuckoos. 22 / 165 (13%) Black-hooded coucal (CR) Common cuckoo (LC) Cuculus canorus vogelartinfo chris romeiks CHR0791 cropped.jpg
Pop: 70 Pop: 25,000,000 – 100,000,000
Falconiformes Diurnal birds of prey. 165 / 310 (53%) Madagascar fish eagle (CR) Madagascarfisheagle.jpg Common kestrel (LC) Kestrel hunting over Cherry Wood - geograph.org.uk - 1711571.jpg
Pop: 360 Pop: > 5,000,000
Galliformes Gamebirds. 121 / 288 (42%) Bornean peacock-pheasant (EN) Willow ptarmigan (LC) Lagopus in Abisko.jpg
Pop: 1,000 – 2,499 Pop: > 40,000,000
Gaviiformes Loons. 5 / 5 (100%) Yellow-billed loon (NT) Gavia adamsii.jpg Pacific loon (LC) PacificLoon24.jpg
Pop: 16,000 – 32,000 Pop: 930,000 – 1,600,000
Gruiformes Cranes, crakes, rails. 92 / 206 (45%) Lord Howe woodhen (EN) Lord Howe Woodhen.jpg American coot (LC) Fulica americana3.jpg
Pop: 220 – 230 Pop: 6,000,000
Pelecaniformes Pelicans, frigatebirds, gannets, boobies, cormorants. 36 / 65 (55%) Flightless cormorant (VU) Flightless Cormorant (Phalacrocorax harrisi) -swimming2.jpg Red-footed booby (LC) Sula sula by Gregg Yan 02.jpg
Pop: 1,679 Pop: > 1,000,000
Phoenicopteriformes Flamingos. 5 / 6 (83%) Andean flamingo (VU) Two andeanflamingo june2003 arp.jpg Lesser flamingo (NT) Phoeniconaias minor3.jpg
Pop: 38,000 Pop: 2,220,000 – 3,240,000
Piciformes Woodpeckers, toucans, barbets. 43 / 410 (10%) Ivory-billed woodpecker (CR) Ivory-billed Woodpecker by Jerry A. Payne.jpg Great spotted woodpecker (LC) Dendrocopos major -Durham, England -female-8.jpg
Pop: 0 – 50 Pop: 73,500,000 – 216,000,0002
Podicipediformes Grebes. 11 / 19 (58%) New Zealand grebe (VU) NZDabchickZoom X2.JPG Black-necked grebe (LC) Podiceps nigricollis (Marek Szczepanek).jpg
Pop: 1,900 – 2,000 Pop: 3,900,000 – 4,200,000
Procellariiformes Albatrosses and petrels. 116 / 129 (90%) New Zealand storm petrel (CR) Oceanites maorianus.jpg Short-tailed shearwater (LC) Puffinus tenuirostris - SE Tasmania.jpg
Pop: < 50 Pop: > 23,000,000
Psittaciformes Parrots. 134 / 356 (38%) Kakapo (CR) Strigops habroptilus 1.jpg Red-tailed black cockatoo (LC) Red tailed Black Cockatoo in flight.jpg
Pop: 210 Pop: > 100,000
Sphenisciformes Penguins. 16 / 18 (89%) Galapagos penguin (EN) Galápagos Penguin (Spheniscus mendiculus) -standing on rock.jpg Macaroni penguin (VU) Eudyptes chrysolophus -Antarctic-54.jpg
Pop: 1,800 Pop: 18,000,0003
Strigiformes Owls. 72 / 197 (37%) Forest owlet (CR) Forest Owlet (Heteroglaux blewitti, Athene blewitti) in Melghat Tiger Reserve Maharashtra (2).jpg Short-eared owl (LC) Asio flammeus Delta BC 3.jpg
Pop: 70 – 400 Pop: > 2,000,000
Struthioniformes Ratites. 6 / 11 (55%) Little spotted kiwi (NT) Little spotted kiwi, Apteryx owenii, Auckland War Memorial Museum.jpg Southern brown kiwi (VU) Tokoeka.jpg
Pop: > 1,200 Pop: 29,800
Tinamiformes Tinamous. 9 / 47 (19%) Slaty-breasted tinamou (LC) CrypturusBoucardiSmit.jpg Little tinamou (LC) Crypturellus soui.jpg
Pop: 20,000 – 49 999 Pop: 500,000 – 4,999,999
Trogoniformes Trogons, quetzals. 9 / 44 (20%) Javan trogon (EN) Javan Trogon (Harpactes reinwardtii reinwardtii).jpg Collared trogon (LC) Collared Trogon (Trogon collaris) (4090278016).jpg
Pop: 350 – 1,500 Pop: 5,000,000 – 50,000,000

See also


This page was last updated at 2021-11-07 15:25 UTC. Update now. View original page.

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