Western Palearctic

global

WP

as

WP endemics

as share

Western

Eastern

Palearctic

as

comments

 

Europe, North Africa, Middle East (excl. South Arabia)

number of

number of

share of

number of

of global

share of

share of

number of

share of

referring to species in

excluding birds exotic for this area

species

species

global

species

species

Palearctic

Palearctic

species

global

Western Palearctic

STRUTHIONIDAE

OSTRICHES

1

2

Common Ostrich hunted to extinction in Syria and Arabia by the middle of the 20th century

ANATIDAE

DUCKS, GEESE, SWANS

8

157

40

25%

2

1%

74%

87%

54

34%

highest number of non-passerines in Western Palearctic; includes Goldeneye

PHASIANIDAE

PARTRIDGES, PHEASANTS, GROUSE

13

177

17

10%

5

3%

33%

86%

51

29%

highest number of endemics (non-passerines) in Western Palearctic; includes Black Francolin, Common Quail, Snowcocks; Grouse sometimes (BTO) in its own family: Tetraonidae

PHOENICOPTERIDAE

FLAMINGOS

14

6

1

17%

 

<all>

<all>

1

17%

Greater Flamingo: S Europe, C Asia, NW India, N, E and S Africa; order in Germany previously called Verkehrtschnäbel (wrongbills)

PODICIPEDIDAE

GREBES

15

19

5

26%

 

<all>

80%

5

26%

COLUMBIDAE

PIGEONS

16

304

8

3%

2

1%

42%

89%

19

6%

Streptopelia turtur only European dove migrating sub-Sahara

PTEROCLIDAE

SANDGROUSE

17

16

5

31%

 

63%

<all>

8

50%

almost 1/3 of Sandgrouse in Western Palearctic; there has been some controversy about how to spell the family name: Pteroclididae and even Pterocleidae have been used

PHAETHONTIDAE

TROPICBIRDS

21

3

1

33%

<all>

none

1

 1/3

Red-billed Tropicbird has colonised the Canary Islands in the 21st Century

CAPRIMULGIDAE

NIGHTJARS

25

90

4

4%

 

 1/2

63%

8

9%

APODIDAE

SWIFTS

27

99

6

6%

 

55%

73%

11

11%

CUCULIDAE

CUCKOOS

30

139

3

2%

 

27%

91%

11

8%

Great Spotted Cuckoo: S Europe; Oriental Cuckoo: East of Moscow

RALLIDAE

RAILS AND COOTS

31

127

9

7%

 

60%

80%

15

12%

Incl. Crakes; the largest number of species and the most primitive forms are found in the Old World; a few genera appear to have specialized and radiated in the New World, some of which have reinvaded the Old World

GRUIDAE

CRANES

36

15

2

13%

 

29%

<all>

7

47%

OTIDIDAE

BUSTARDS

37

26

3

12%

1

4%

 3/4

 1/2

4

15%

Peters: Otidae

GAVIIDAE

DIVERS OR LOONS

39

5

4

80%

 

<all>

 3/4

4

80%

OCEANITIDAE

AUSTRAL STORM-PETRELS

41

8

1

13%

 

<all>

none

1

13%

new family: extracted from Hydrobatidae (disputed, sometimes seen as an alternative name for the Hydrobatidae); White-faced Storm-petrel: west of Portugal

DIOMEDEIDAE

ALBATROSSES

42

none

<all>

3

Short-tailed Albatross eliminated some 40,000 years ago in North Atlantic due to 20m higher sea level

HYDROBATIDAE

NORTHERN STORM-PETRELS

43

14

3

21%

2

14%

 3/5

 3/5

5

36%

PROCELLARIIDAE

PETRELS AND SHEARWATERS

44

84

9

11%

3

4%

90%

20%

10

12%

includes Northern Fulmar

CICONIIDAE

STORKS

45

19

2

11%

 

 2/3

 2/3

3

16%

Black Stork: continental Europe; alls storks are mute

PELECANIDAE

PELICANS

46

8

2

25%

 

<all>

<all>

2

25%

Great White Pelican: SE Europe

ARDEIDAE

HERONS

49

62

9

15%

 

69%

85%

13

21%

includes Bitterns, Egrets

THRESKIORNITHIDAE

IBISES AND SPOONBILLS

50

34

3

9%

 

 3/5

 4/5

5

15%

for taxonomic 'ibis', see Ardeidae (Bubulcus ibis: Cattle Egret, up to the 1980s called Ardeola ibis)

SULIDAE

GANNETS AND BOOBIES

52

10

1

10%

 

<all>

none

1

10%

PHALACROCORACIDAE

CORMORANTS

53

30

3

10%

2

7%

 1/2

 2/3

6

20%

includes Shag; family sometimes erroneously called Phalacrocoridae

ANHINGIDAE

DARTERS

54

4

1

25%

<all>

none

1

 1/4

Levant Darter (Anhinga rufa chantrei) remains in Iraq/Iran

BURHINIDAE

THICK-KNEES

55

9

1

11%

 

<all>

<all>

1

11%

includes Stone-curlew

HAEMATOPODIDAE

OYSTERCATCHERS AND IBISBILL

58

12

1

8%

 

 1/2

<all>

2

17%

RECURVIROSTRIDAE

STILTS AND AVOCETS

59

7

2

29%

 

<all>

<all>

2

29%

CHARADRIIDAE

PLOVERS AND LAPWINGS

60

67

11

16%

 

61%

83%

18

27%

includes Dotterel

ROSTRATULIDAE

PAINTED-SNIPE

63

none

<all>

1

SCOLOPACIDAE

SANDPIPERS

65

90

29

32%

 

62%

96%

47

52%

almost 1/3 of Sandpipers in Western Palearctic; includes Sanderling, Dunlin, Turnstone, Knot, Ruff, Snipe, Godwit, Curlew, Phalarope, Woodcock, Redshank, Greenshank, Stint

TURNICIDAE

BUTTONQUAILS

66

16

1

6%

 

<all>

none

1

6%

Common Buttonquail: Morocco

GLAREOLIDAE

COURSERS AND PRATINCOLES

68

17

3

18%

 

 3/4

 1/2

4

24%

ALCIDAE

AUKS

69

24

6

25%

 

30%

75%

20

83%

includes Razorbill, Guillemot, Murrelet, Puffin; the Great Auk (Pinguinus impennis) is a species of flightless alcid that became extinct in the mid-19th century

STERCORARIIDAE

SKUAS OR JAEGERS

70

7

4

57%

 

<all>

 3/4

4

57%

LARIDAE

GULLS AND TERNS

71

99

29

29%

2

2%

66%

80%

44

44%

includes Kittiwake; following genetic research in the early twenty-first century, the terns are e.g. at BTO (sometimes already in the 1970s) given full family status in a separate family: Sternidae

PANDIONIDAE

OSPREY

74

1

1

<all>

 

<all>

<all>

1

100%

worldwide distrbution

ACCIPITRIDAE

KITES, HAWKS AND EAGLES

75

240

30

13%

3

1%

71%

83%

42

18%

TYTONIDAE

BARN OWLS

76

19

1

5%

 

<all>

<all>

1

5%

Barn Owl worldwide distrbution

STRIGIDAE

OWLS

77

195

15

8%

 

63%

96%

24

12%

UPUPIDAE

HOOPOES

82

1

1

<all>

 

<all>

<all>

1

100%

old world

PICIDAE

WOODPECKERS

87

216

11

5%

2

1%

42%

92%

26

12%

MEROPIDAE

BEE-EATERS

89

27

2

7%

 

 2/3

 2/3

3

11%

Green Bee-eater: Nile

CORACIIDAE

ROLLERS

90

12

1

8%

 

 1/3

<all>

3

25%

ALCEDINIDAE

KINGFISHERS

94

90

2

2%

 

 1/2

 3/4

4

4%

Pied Kingfisher: Turkey; Ruddy Kingfisher: NE Mediterranean

FALCONIDAE

FALCONS AND CARACARAS

96

63

10

16%

 

91%

82%

11

17%

PITTIDAE

PITTAS

102

none

<all>

CAMPEPHAGIDAE

MINIVETS AND CUCKOOSHRIKES

143

none

<all>

9

ORIOLIDAE

ORIOLES,  FIGBIRDS AND ALLIES

152

33

1

3%

 

<all>

<all>

1

3%

Eurasian Golden Oriole

MALACONOTIDAE

BUSH-SHRIKES, PUFFBACKS AND TCHAGRAS

160

46

1

2%

 

<all>

none

1

2%

Black-crowned or Black-heaed Tchagra (Morocco to Tunisia), formerly in Laniidae

DICRURIDAE

DRONGOS

161

none

<all>

3

LANIIDAE

SHRIKES

163

34

7

21%

1

3%

41%

82%

17

50%

CORVIDAE

CROWS AND JAYS

164

125

15

12%

2

2%

58%

85%

26

21%

MONARCHIDAE

MONARCHS

165

none

<all>

3

NECTARINIIDAE

SUNBIRDS

174

136

1

1%

 

 1/4

 3/4

4

3%

Palestine Sunbird (down to Yemen)

UROCYNCHRAMIDAE

PRZEVALSKI'S ROSEFINCH

176

none

<all>

1

removed from Fringillidae

PRUNELLIDAE

ACCENTORS

177

12

4

33%

1

8%

 1/3

92%

12

100%

Dunnock (Hedge Sparrow) only Accentor in Western Palearctic

PASSERIDAE

SPARROWS, SNOWFINCHES AND ALLIES

182

38

13

34%

3

8%

59%

73%

22

58%

over 1/3 of Passeridae (split off from Ploceidae) in Western Palearctic

MOTACILLIDAE

WAGTAILS AND PIPITS

183

67

12

18%

2

3%

52%

91%

23

34%

FRINGILLIDAE

FINCHES, EUPHONIAS AND HAWAIIAN HONEYCREEPERS

184

198

30

15%

8

4%

41%

86%

73

37%

highest number of endemics (passerines) in Western Palearctic; includes Chaffinch, Brambling, Siskin, Grosbeak, Crossbill, Canary, Redpoll, Linnet, Serin, Twite

CALCARIIDAE

LONGSPURS

185

6

2

33%

 

<all>

<all>

2

 1/3

split off from Emberizidae; includes Snow Bunting

EMBERIZIDAE

OLD WORLD BUNTINGS

187

41

14

34%

1

2%

44%

84%

32

78%

believed to have evolved in the New World; related to Thraupidae and Cardinalidae (both now split off from Emberizidae)

PARIDAE

TITS, CHICKADEES

199

59

11

19%

4

7%

41%

81%

27

46%

The common ancestor of the Paridae and the Remizidae inhabited tropical Africa and China

REMIZIDAE

PENDULINE TITS

200

10

2

20%

 

 2/3

<all>

3

30%

ALAUDIDAE

LARKS

202

93

17

18%

2

2%

74%

70%

23

25%

PANURIDAE

BEARDED REEDLING

203

1

1

<all>

 

<all>

<all>

1

100%

'Bearded Tit' or Bearded Reedling: Europe to Russian Far East; at IOC in Paradoxornithidae (Parrotbills)

CISTICOLIDAE

CISTICOLAS

205

139

2

1%

 

 2/3

 2/3

3

2%

new family: Cisticola, Prinia from Sylviidae; Zitting Cisticola in Southern, France, Italy, etc

LOCUSTELLIDAE

GRASSBIRDS AND ALLIES

206

57

3

5%

 

21%

<all>

14

25%

new family: earlier in Sylviidae

ACROCEPHALIDAE

BRUSH, REED AND SWAMP WARBLERS

209

53

15

28%

 

65%

87%

23

43%

removed from Sylviidae

HIRUNDINIDAE

SWALLOWS

211

84

7

8%

 

58%

83%

12

14%

bluebird is an old country name for swallows and house martins, which make an annual migration to continental Europe; Plain Martin in Morocco; Pale Crag Martin in N Africa, Middle East

PYCNONOTIDAE

BULBULS

212

130

2

2%

20%

80%

10

8%

White-spectacled Bulbul: Turkey to Yemen; White-eared Bulbul: Iraq to Pakistan

PHYLLOSCOPIDAE

OLD WORLD LEAF WARBLERS

213

77

13

17%

3

4%

32%

88%

41

53%

new family: formerly in Sylviidae; includes Wood Warbler, wintering in tropical Africa, Willow Warbler, wintering down to  South Africa and Chiffchaff,  wintering well above the equator up to Southern England

SCOTOCERCIDAE

BUSH WARBLERS AND ALLIES

214

37

2

5%

 

22%

100%

9

24%

new family: extracted from Sylviidae; Cetti's Warbler: W and S Europe, NW Africa to NW China; Streaked Scrub Warbler: Mauritania to Pakistan

AEGITHALIDAE

LONG-TAILED TITS

215

10

1

10%

 

17%

<all>

6

60%

SYLVIIDAE

SYLVIA WARBLERS, PARROTBILLS AND ALLIES

216

62

21

34%

3

5%

50%

64%

42

68%

immigrations from Southeast Asia; closely related to Timaliidae, so better speak of Sylvia Babblers; various species moved to Cisticolidae, Locustellidae, Acrocephalidae, Phylloscopidae, Scotocercidae, Regulidae

ZOSTEROPIDAE

WHITE-EYES

217

none

<all>

2

White-eyes look like thrushes, wrens, tits or pittas

LEIOTHRICHIDAE

BABBLERS, LAUGHING-THRUSHES AND ALLIES

220

125

3

2%

1

1%

9%

91%

32

26%

Fulvous Babbler: N Africa; Arabian Babbler: Middle East; Iraq Babbler: Iraq, Iran

REGULIDAE

GOLDCRESTS OR KINGLETS

221

6

3

50%

2

33%

<all>

 1/3

3

 1/2

new family (frequently used since 1950s): earlier in Sylviidae

BOMBYCILLIDAE

WAXWINGS

223

3

1

33%

 

 1/2

<all>

2

 2/3

HYPOCOLIIDAE

HYPOCOLIUS AND ALLIES

224

2

1

50%

 

<all>

none

1

50%

CERTHIIDAE

TREECREEPERS

227

9

2

22%

1

11%

 2/5

 4/5

5

56%

SITTIDAE

NUTHATCHES, SALPORNISES AND WALLCREEPER

228

28

7

25%

4

14%

50%

71%

14

50%

TROGLODYTIDAE

WRENS

229

82

1

1%

 

<all>

<all>

1

1%

STURNIDAE

STARLINGS

233

111

4

4%

1

1%

36%

82%

11

10%

Rosy "' SE Europe to India; Tristram's "": Syria to South Arabia;  Spotless "": Iberia, NW Africa

CINCLIDAE

DIPPERS

234

5

1

20%

 

 1/2

<all>

2

40%

MUSCICAPIDAE

CHATS AND FLYCATCHERS

235

303

38

13%

5

2%

37%

83%

103

34%

highest number of passerines in Western Palearctic; many species formerly in Turdidae, incl. Robin, Nightingale, Bluethroat, Wheatear, Rock Thrush, Stonechat, Blackstart

TURDIDAE

THRUSHES

236

156

7

4%

1

1%

22%

<all>

32

 1/5

includes Blackbird, Fieldfare, Redwing, Ring Ouzel (only Palearctic thrush not in Eastern region, where most probable ancestral regions for all Turdus species were located)

33% of families

Aves in Western Palearctic

79 families

5047

568

11%

69

12%

49%

84%

1160

23%

44% of families

non-passerines

44 families

2668

303

11%

24

8%

60%

83%

509

19%

26% of families

passerines

35 families

2379

265

11%

45

17%

41%

84%

651

27%

global

Aves

10027

568

6%

22

29

families:

<all>

all Palearctic species in above mentioned region

global

non-passerines

4021

303

8%

8

7

families:

none

no Palearctic species in above mentioned region

global

passerines

6006

265

4%

Western Palearctic

global

WP

as

WP endemics

as share

Western

Eastern

Palearctic

as

comments

 

Europe, North Africa, Middle East (excl. South Arabia)

number of

number of

share of

number of

of global

share of

share of

number of

share of

referring to species in

species

species

global

species

species

Palearctic

Palearctic

species

global

Western Palearctic

Source: The Howard and Moore complete checklist of the birds of the world, 2013~2014

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