The Birds of Afghanistan

Observation records covering 465 species

Compiled by Khushal Habibi

2016
 The Birds of Afghanistan

Acknowledgements

The collection of information on the birds of Afghanistan was originally started in the early 1970s
when I worked with the late Clas Naumann. He was not only my professor but also my friend. Together,
we formulated the checklist of the birds of Afghanistan. His enthusiasm and encouragement enabled me
to collect vital information on the countrys birds.
I would like to thank my friends and colleagues Ronald Petocz, the late William Rodenburg,
Christopher Shank, Abdul Rahim and Nazifullah Komak with whom I participated in surveys to observe
and obtain data on the birds of Afghanistan, during the 1970s, on which the bulk of information of this
collection is based.
I am indebted to Theodore Eliot for providing vital data of his observations of Afghan birds, spanning
from 1970 to 1978, while he served as the US ambassador to Afghanistan. He generously provided lists
of birds observed by him and a large number of other bird enthusiasts who had observed and studied the
birds of Afghanistan.
Finally, I am grateful to Kamar Maiwandi Habibi for editing and correcting the Dari text of this treatise.
Her help was extremely useful in shaping the Dari section of this study.

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Introduction

All known species of birds recorded in Afghanistan are described and are arranged in their families.
Descriptions are based on field observations and the accounts of birds in literature. Distribution records
are based on observations made by various individuals involved in the study of birds. Some are year
round residents, while others either breed in the country during the summer and then migrate, visit it
regularly or are passage migrants. This treatise is a collection of records made by project personnel,
ornithologists, bird watchers and scientists who have been involved in studying and observing the
avifauna of Afghanistan.
Ornithological studies, in one form or the other, were started in the middle 19th century by British
military personnel. A century later, Knud Paludan, carried out the first major ornithological study on the
birds of Afghanistan. His travels covered the entire country and he made records from remote places
such as Nuristan, Badakshan, Badghis and the deserts of the southwest. His paper, On the Birds of
Afghanistan, published in 1959, provides information on the status, breeding, ecology and geographical
distribution of 389 species.
In the early 1970s the project National Parks and Utilization of Wildlife Resources funded by the Food
and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations was started. Reconnaissance surveys were
undertaken to study and establish protected areas in the country. Data on birds encountered during the
surveys was gathered on a regular basis and specific surveys were undertaken in the Kol-e Hashmat
Khan, Ab-e Istada, Dasht-e Nawar, Zor Qol, Chaqmaqteen, Band-e Amir, Hamun-e Puzak and Hamun-e
Saberi lakes to assess the status of waterfowl in these wetlands of international importance. During this
time Theodore Eliot, the United States ambassador to Afghanistan from 1971 to 1978, and his associates
undertook bird watching expeditions in various parts of the country and recorded their valuable findings.
The data gathered on the birds of Afghanistan by team members of the project was published in FAO
field reports in a fragmentary form. Several years ago I started gathering the data, published or otherwise
on the birds of Afghanistan. I requested Ted, an avid birder, if he could send me copies of his notes. He
obliged by sending all his notes together with that of various other colleagues. In all it was some 80 pages
of notes covering the period from 1970 to 1979.
The compilation of distribution of the birds is mainly based on records made during the 1970s when
Afghanistan was undergoing a peaceful transformation to modernization. Much has changed since then
and certain species, such as the Siberian Crane, has not been observed in the country in the recent
years. Inadvertently, the war and a persistent drought in recent years, may also have changed the
migratory patterns of a number of species, especially waterfowl which rely on the lakes and wetlands of
Afghanistan as wintering and breeding grounds.

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

This list of species is based on the 2006 Avibase Bird Checklist of the World, Afghanistan.
The circles in the maps show the locations where the birds were observed. Habitat describes the type
of terrain where the bird is usually found, roosts or nests and range suggests its worldwide distribution
pattern.
The species noted in this treatise were recorded in the 1970s by a large number of observers and the
writer of this treatise makes no guarantees as to the validity of the records.

Avifauna of Afghanistan

The complex geography of Afghanistan support a particularly diversified fauna. The Hindu Kush
(Paropamisadae) mountains has acted as a barrier to a westward dispersal of most elements of the
Indian fauna realm, and as a result most of the fauna is typically Palearctic. This overlap of two major
zoogeographic realms is made complex by the occurrence of four major biogeographic regions: central
highlands, steppes, southern deserts and the monsoon forests.
Four hundred and sixty five species of birds are known, of which nearly half occur in the steppes
region. Within this region, more than 100 species of waterfowl and waders pay regular visits to the
alkaline lakes of Ab-e Istada and Dasht-e Nawar. The rare Siberian crane (Grus leucogeranus) used to
visit Ab-e Istada en route from India to its breeding grounds on the Ob river in Russia. These birds have
not been observed at the lake in recent years, perhaps due to the drying up of the lake due to drought
and agricultural activity which has increased during the past three decades around the lake. Many
species also breed at these lakes, including shelduck (Tadorna tadorna), black-winged stilt (Himantopus
jimantopus), avocet (Recurvirostra avosetta), terns and gulls. About 20,000 greater flamingo
(Phoenicopterus ruber ruseus) breed at the two areas; Dasht-e Nawar (3200m) represents the worlds
highest breeding ground of this species.
The Hamun-e Saberi and Hamun-e Puzak lakes extending along the Afghan-Iranian border form an
extensive habitat for many water birds, which overwinter annually. More than half a million waterfowl and
waders have been recorded in these lakes. Coots (Fulica atra) dominate the scene; greylag goose (Anser
anser), mallard (Anas platyrhynchos), wigeon (Anas penelope), pintail (Anas acuta), shoveler (Anas
clypeata), teal (Anas crecca), pochard (Aythya ferina), and three species of grebes (Podiceps), are some
of the major species encountered. Beside waterfowl, two species of pelicans, grey heron (Ardea cinerea),
great white egret (Egretta alba), spoonbill (Platalea leucorodia) and cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo),
and hundreds of waders (shanks, plovers, sandpipers, snipes and gulls) are also prevalent. Of the
raptors, eagles, harriers, kestrels and some vultures abound in the lake surround.
About 150 species of birds occur in the central mountains. The Salang Pass forms a major flyway

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

during spring and autumn for large number of white storks (Ciconia ciconia), black storks (Ciconia nigra),
starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) and numerous species of waterfowl and waders, which migrate from their
wintering grounds to northern latitudes. The chukar (Electoris chukar), Himalayan snowcock (Tetraogallus
himalayensis), magpie (Pica pica), hoopoe (Upupa epops), raven (Corvus corax), chough (Pyrrhocorax
pyrrhocorax), alpine chough (Pyurrhocorax graculus), and a number of eagles and buzzards, together
with lammergeier (Gypaetus barbatus), are some of the more characteristic birds encountered in the
mountains. Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus) is by far the most abundant raptor of this zone.
Many species with Himalayan affinities are found in the Nuristan and Paktia monsoon forests in
eastern Afghanistan. Species such as the Himalayan monal pheasant (Lophophorus impejanus), black-
throated jay (Garrulus lanceolatus), white-headed bulbul (Hypsipetes leucocephalus), and Himalayan
black drongo (Dicrurus macrocerus) occur in these forests. The ringed-necked parakeet (Psitacula
krameri), and salty-headed parakeet (Psitacula himalayana) are summer visitors. The blue-fronted
redstart (Phoenicurus frontalis), blue-capped redstart (Phoenicurus coeruleocephala), white-tailed
rubythroat (Luscinia pectoralis), and Indian blue robin (Luscinia brunnea) are colorful breeding visitors to
the region while the spotted forktail (Enicurus maculatus), large-spotted nutcracker (Nucifraga
multipunctata), and large-billed crow (Corvus macrorhynchos) are year-round residents.
The arid semi-deserts and lowlands harbor few breeding birds. During spring and autumn migration,
the avifauna of this region is enriched by large concentrations of larks and pipits. Tree sparrow (Passer
montanus), house sparrow (Passer domesticus) and barn swallow (Hirundo rustica) are common year
round in towns and villages.
Of the total number of species recorded nearly 231 are thought to breed in the country. Eighty five
species are known to be passage migrants or stragglers. These include 9 species of cormorants, ducks
and storks; 5 species of raptors, 22 species of waders and shore birds, 3 terns, 6 wheatears, 10 warblers,
2 buntings and the Spanish sparrow (Passer hispaniolensis). The majority of them are two-way migrants
with some staying as winter or summer residents. However, there are other species which use the country
as a flyover from their wintering areas to their breeding grounds in the northern hemisphere. Example of
such passage migrants are the garganey (Anas querquedula), Montagus harrier (Circus pygargus), pallid
harrier (Circus macrourus), red-necked phalarope (Phalaropus lobatus), tree pipit (Anthus trivialis),
bluethroat (Luscinia svecica), paddyfield warbler (Acrocephalus agricola) and booted warbler (Hippolais
caligata).

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

60 62 64 66 68 70 72 74

38

TAJIKISTAN
UZBEKISTAN
BADAKSHAN Zor Kol
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Mazar-e Sharif Jurm
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=
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Tangi-e Tashkorgan Nau Shakh
36
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FEROZ KOH Zirrin = Shibar SHOMALI Asadabad
= Bamian
Kabul
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Jam Chakhcharan Band-e Amir = Unia
Hari Rud Lal wa Sarjangal Shah Foladi Kabul Jalalabad
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=
34 Talkhab Pass KOHE BABA Lataband
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SPINGHAR
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200 km

Map of Afghanistan showing major wetlands, rivers and mountain ranges.

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

PHEASANTS
Phasianidae

The pheasant family includes the snowcocks, partridges, francolins, and quails. These birds are often
encountered in parties composed of 10-15. They are game birds with spurred legs, short round wings
and in flight the wings create a heavy whirring sound. Flight is short and straight. Bill is short and thick
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Himalayan Snowcock
Tetraogallus himalyensis
Description: Length 55-74 cm. A large bulky bird with
short wings. The white throat and sides of the head are
bordered by a chestnut stripe and a dark band stretching
from the eye over the ear into the collar. Upper parts are
grey, the wing and rump feathers are bordered with
rufous. The legs and orbital skin are yellow. Sexes are
alike in plumage but the female is smaller in size and
lacks the large tarsal spur of the male.
Habitat: Year-round resident. High alpine meadows,
cliffs, steep slopes with large expanses of rocky outcrops;
often seen near boundaries of perpetual snowfields.
Range: Found across the Himalayan and Hindu Kush
ranges spanning into the highlands of Tibet.

Author: Remy Lecolazet . - :
Source: oiseaux.net .
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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Chukar
Alectoris chukar
Description: Length 32-35 cm, wingspan 47-52 cm.
Medium sized with red bill and legs. The back is light
brown, grey breast and a buff belly. Face and throat is
white with a striking black band from forehead to breast.
Flanks are rufous with grey speckling on throat above the
breast-band. The sexes are similar with the female
slightly smaller and lacks the spur.
Habitat: Year round resident. Rocky arid mountains and
hills, canyon walls and rocky outcrops. It migrates from
higher to lower elevations during snowy weather.
Author: Mdf Range: Europe and Asia.
Source: avianweb.com

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

See-see Partridge
Ammoperdix griseogularis
Description: Length 22-25 cm, wingspan 40-42 cm. A
small rotund bird with orange bill and yellow legs.
Feathers are sandy-brown with wavy white and brown
flank stripes. Male has a grey head with a black stripe
running through the eye and a white cheek patch. The
sides of the neck are speckled with white. Female is pale
sandy grey with lightly mottled head and breast.
Habitat: Year-round resident. Dry open and often hilly
country, plains, deserts and steppes.
Author: Fawad Maqsood
Range: Found through eastern Turkey all the way to
Source: brecorder.com
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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Black Francolin
Francolinus francolinus
Description: Length 33-36 cm, wingspan 50-55 cm. The
male has a black face and underparts with a white cheek-
patch, a chestnut collar and heavy white spots on the
flanks. The back and wings are covered with golden brown
feathers. The legs are reddish brown. The female is mainly
brown with with a chestnut hind neck. Head and
underparts are buff. Rump and upper tail coverts are light
brown.
Habitat: Year-round resident. Dry scrubby habitat with
thick vegetation, brush land, grassland usually near water.
Range: Found from south-eastern Turkey eastwards
through Iran to Turkmenistan and northeast India.
Author: USDA
Source: commons.wikimedia.org
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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Grey Francolin
Francolinus pondicerianus
Description: Length 30-35 cm. A medium sized francolin.
The pelage is barred throughout and the face is pale with
a thin black border running down to the throat. Throat,
cheek and forehead is orange. Males can have two spurs
while the female lacks them. Males are slightly larger than
females.
Habitat: Straggler. Dry plains, scrublands and grasslands.
Author: Clement Francis Martin
Range: South Asia.
Source: thehindu.com

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Common Quail
Coturnix coturnix
Description: Length 21-23 cm, wingspan 36-38 cm. It is
a small and compact round bird, streaked brown with dark
markings on upper parts and a white eyestripe. The male
has a black chin. Unlike other short-winged game birds it
has long pointed wings.
Habitat: Breeding visitor and two-way migrant. Found
mainly in steppes and cultivations.
Range: Europe, Asia and Africa.
Author: Henryr10
Source: Flickr.com

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Koklas Pheasant
Pucrasia macrolopha
Description: Length male 58-64 cm. The male has a
glossy greenish-black head with white patches on both
sides of the neck. The plumage is silvery grey. It has long
black ear-tufts that can stand upright. The upper part of
the female is pale brown. Tails of both sexes are
elongated and tipped with pale feathers.
Habitat: Year-round resident. Common on steep slopes
in coniferous and mixed forests.
Author: Soumyajit Nandy
Range: Afghanistan to Nepal and northeastern Tibet.
Source: orientalbirdimages.org

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Himalayan Monal
Lophophorus impejanus
Description: Length 70 cm. The male is multicolored
while the female has a dull color. The male has a metallic
green head, greenish to bluish upper parts with a
prominent white rump that is visible in flight and a chestnut
brown tail. The female has a prominent white patch on the
throat and a white strip on the tail.
Habitat: Year-round resident. Oak-conifer forests, cliffs
Author: Dibyendu Ash
and alpine meadows.
Source: en.wikipedia.org
Range: The Hindu Kush mountains in Afghanistan through
the Himalayas to Bhutan and southern Tibet.

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Common Pheasant
Phasianus colchicus
Description: Length male 60-89 cm, female 50-63 cm.
The plumage of the male is bright gold and brown with
green, purple and white markings. The green head has a
small crest with bare bright red facial skin and a white
neck ring and a long tail. Female has a duller brown
plumage with black markings on crown, neck and upper
Author: Nathan DeBoer parts.
Source: fieldguide.mt.gov Habitat: Year-round resident. Grasslands, farmlands,
scrub and wetlands.
Range: Common in Asia from the Caspian Sea to Taiwan.

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

DUCKS, GEESE AND SWANS

Anatidae

Aquatic birds characterized by long necks and short webbed feet. The bill is flattened and blunt with a
horny nail on the tip. Takes off from water with a flapping of the wings to sail through the air. Necks are
held straight in flight.

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Mute Swan
Cygnus olor
Description: Length 140-160 cm, wingspan 200-240
cm. A large bird with orange-reddish bill with black basal
knob and white plumage and holding of the neck curved at
rest makes it unmistakable at close quarters. Males and
females are similar in appearance but the males are
slightly larger. Young are not bright white like mature
adults and the bill is dull greyish-black for the first year. In
Author: Yerpo
flight the neck is held straight.
Source: en.wikipedia.org
Habitat: Winter visitor. Lakes and wetlands.
Range: It is found through Europe and central Asia.

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Whooper Swan
Cygnus cygnus
Description: Length 140-165 cm, wingspan 205-275
cm. Plumage is all white, the bill has a yellow base with
black tip and lacks a knob. The head is triangular in shape
and the neck is held erect at rest. The tail is short and has
a rounded tip. Juveniles are greyish brown with a pink and
black bill.
Habitat: Winter visitor. Lakes and wetlands.
Range: Europe and Eastern Asia and breeds in subarctic
Author: Dick Daniels
Eurasia.
Source: commons.wikimedia.org

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Greylag Goose
Anser anser
Description: Length 74-90 cm, wingspan 147-180 cm. It
is the largest of the grey geese with a bulky body, thick
long neck and a large head and bill. The plumage is
greyish-brown with a darker head and paler belly with
black spots. It is best distinguished by its pale grey
forewing, orange bill and pink legs. Males are generally
larger than females.
Author: Charlessharp Habitat: Year-round resident. Marshes, lakes, wetlands
Source: commons.wikimedia.org and fields. Breeds in lowland marshes.
Range: Europe with its range extending across Asia to
China.

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Bar-headed Goose
Anser indicus
Description: Length 71-76 cm, wingspan 142-168 cm.
Pale grey with white face and neck stripe. It is easily
distinguished from other grey geese of the genus Anser by
the black bars on its head and a much paler body. The
neck and rear flanks are dark. In flight it looks pale with
dark flight feathers and flank patch.
Habitat: Breeding visitor. High altitude lakes, rivers and
marshes.
Author: Diliff Range: It flies over the Himalayas to winter in South Asia
Source: avianweb.com from its breeding grounds in the Tibetan plateau.

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Greater White-fronted Goose

Anser albifrons
Description: Length 64-81 cm, wingspan 130-165 cm.
Distinguished by its conspicuous broad white forehead and
heavily barred underparts. Body color is dusky-brown with
a white belly. It is medium sized with a rather dark head
and neck, pinkish bill and orange legs. Both sexes are
similar in appearance but the male is slightly larger in size.
Habitat: Winter visitor. Wetlands, lakes and fields.
Author: Rick Leche
Range: Its range extends across Siberia to North America.
Source: inaturalist.org

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Ruddy Shelduck
Tadorna ferruginea
Description: Length 58-70 cm, wingspan 110-135 cm. A
large rusty orange duck with a goose-like body, a blue bill
and white face with a black cap. The tail and wing tips are
black with a conspicuous white wing-patch in flight. Adult
females have a darker bill, cap and cheek stripe. The legs
and feet are black. Female is similar to the male but is
smaller in size.
Author: Arpingstone Habitat: Winter and summer visitor. Marshy lakes, ponds,
Source: en.m.wikepedia.org lagoons, rivers and streams.
Range: Southern Europe across Asia and North Africa.

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Common Shelduck
Tadorna tadorna
Description: Length 58-62 cm, wingspan 100-112 cm. A
large goose-like duck with a dark green head, reddish-
pink bill having a knob in summer, pink feet, white body
with a chestnut breast band. The belly is black and the
underwings are almost entirely white. The male is crispy
colored in breeding and bears the prominent knob at the
forehead.
Habitat: Year-round resident, winter and summer visitor.
Author: Dick Daniels
Marshy lakes, coastal flats, fresh and salt water estuaries.
Source: commons.wikimedia.org Range: Common in Eurasia. Its range extends to north-
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Cotton Pygmy-goose
Nettapus coromandelianus
Description: Length 34-43 cm, wingspan 53-59 cm. A
small pale duck with a small bill, dark cap and underparts.
From a distance the drakes in nuptial plumage appear
grey, with a dark head and a white stripe running along
the flanks. The head and upper neck is chestnut. The
female is browner with a dark eye line.
Habitat: Summer visitor. Lakes and ponds with floating
vegetation.
Author: Dick Daniels
Range: Occurs in Asia and Australia.
Source: en.wikimedia.org

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Eurasian Wigeon
Anas penelope
Description: Length 42-52 cm, wingspan 71-80 cm. A
medium sized duck. The breeding male is pale-grey with a
white wing patch, chestnut head and yellow forehead. The
body is grey with a black rear end. The breast is pink and
the belly white. In non-breeding plumage the drake looks
like the female with a light brown plumage and a whitish
belly.
Author: Laitche
Habitat: Winter visitor. Open grasslands, marshes, fresh
Source: commons.wikimedia.com
and marshy lakes.
Range: Northern areas of Europe and Asia. Migrates to
southern Asia and Africa.

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Falcated Duck
Anas falcata
Description: 48-54 cm long with a 80-90 cm wingspan.
The body plumage is finely vermiculated grey, with a large
puffy green head with a white throat, a dark green collar
and bronzed crown. In males the long sickle-shaped
tertials hang off its back. Female has a dark crown and
eye-stripe, pale spot at the base of the bill and a white
throat.
Author: Adrian Pingstone Habitat: Winter visitor. Lowland wetlands, marshy lakes.
Source: commons.wikimedia.org Range: Found throughout Asia. It winters in India and
southeast Asia.

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Gadwall
Anas strepera
Description: 46-56 cm long with a 78-90 cm wingspan.
The male has white chestnut wings with a white patch on
the hind edge of the wing, pale head with steep forehead.
In non-breeding plumage the male resembles a female,
but retains the male wing pattern and has less orange on
the bill. The female is light brown with a dark orange-
edged bill.
Author: Andreas Trepte
Habitat: Year-round resident and winter visitor.
Source: en.wikipedia.org
Freshwater wetlands with vegetation, marshy and
freshwater lakes.
Range: Northern Europe and Asia and Central North
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Marbled Teal
Marmaronetta angustirostris
Description: Length 38 to 48 cm, wingspan 63-67 cm. A
medium sized duck. The male has a pale sandy-brown
color with a dark eye-patch and shaggy head. Bill is
blackish with pale grey base and tip. The brownish body is
flecked with creamy white brown. The head has a slightly
crested appearance. Underparts are paler, brownish-grey
with narrow darker streaks. The neck and wings are long.
The tail is pale buffy-grey.
Author: Sandy Cole
Habitat: Year-round resident and breeding visitor.
Source: commons.wikimedia.org Shallow fresh and brackish waters in swampy lakes with
dense vegetation. Breeds in dry steppe-like areas on
shallow freshwater, brackish or alkaline ponds with rich
emergent vegetation. Also uses slow rivers and saline
coastal lagoons and man-made wetlands.
Range: Mediterranean region all the way to India.

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Common Teal
Anas crecca
Description: Length 34-43 cm, wingspan 53-59 cm. The
head of the drake is chestnut with a wide iridescent dark
green patch of tear drop shape starting from the eye which
arcs to the upper hind neck bordered with a thick yellowish
line. The breast is buff with small round brown spots. The
belly is white and the tail and tail coverts are black.
Habitat: Year-round resident and winter visitor.
Freshwater wetlands with some tall vegetation, small lakes
Author: Dick Daniels
and ponds with extensive reedbeds, brackish waters in
Source: commons.wikimedia.org sheltered inlets and lagoons.
Range: Distributed across Eurasia, Africa and North
America.

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Mallard
Anas platyrhynchos
Description: Length 50-65 cm, wingspan 81-98 cm. The
male has bright green head, black rear end and a yellowish
orange bill tipped with black. A white collar demarcates the
the head from the purple-tinged brown breast, grey brown
wings and a pale grey belly. The female is mottled light
brown and has buff cheeks, eyebrow, throat and neck with
a darker crown and eye-stripe.
Habitat: Year-round resident and winter visitor. Found in
Author: ViseMoD
both fresh and salt water wetlands, including parks, small
Source: commons.wikimedia.org
ponds, rivers, lakes, reservoirs and estuaries. It prefers
water depth less than 1 m. It is attracted to bodies of water
with aquatic vegetation.
Range: Widely distributed across Eurasia, North and South
America and North Africa.

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Northern Pintail
Anas acuta
Description: Length 59-76 cm, wingspan 80-90 cm. It is
a slender duck with long, narrow wings. The tail feathers
are elongated and constitute one-fourth of the drakes
body length. The male has a chocolate-brown head during
the breeding season and white breast with a white stripe
extending up to the side of the neck. Its underparts and
sides are grey with elongated grey feathers with black
stripes draped across the back. The central feathers of the
Author: Dick Daniels
tail stretch almost 10 cm. The bill is bluish and the legs
Source: commons.wikimedia.org blue-grey. Female is mottled in light brown with a grey-
brown head and grey bill, its pointed tail is shorter than the
males.
Habitat: Winter visitor. Open wetlands such as wet
grassland, lakesides or tundra, brackish marshes, ponds,
lakes, rivers, canals and coastal lagoons.
Range: Breeds in northern Europe, Asia and North
America. Winters in southern parts of its range.

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Garganey
Anas querquedula
Description: Length 37-41 cm, wingspan 59-67 cm. A
small teal with prominently striped head and long dark bill.
Adult male has a brown head and breast with a broad
white crescent over the eye. In flight it shows a pale blue
forewing. The rest of the plumage is grey with loose grey
scapular feathers. The bill and legs are grey.
Habitat: Passage migrant and breeding visitor. Freshwater
wetlands, shallow ponds, brackish lakes, rivers and
Author: Dick Daniels
reservoirs.
Source: commons.wikimedia.org Range: Breeds in Europe and Western Asia and winters in
India, Africa and Australia.

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Baikal Teal
Anas formosa
Description: Length 39-43 cm, wingspan 55-63 cm.
Breeding male is unmistakable, with a striking green nape,
and a buff-yellow face patch. It has a dark crown, the
breast is light brown with dark spots. The scapulars are
long and dark. The grey sides are set off on the front and
rear with white bars. Shoulder feathers are long with
streaks of chestnut-red, black and white. Females are
plainer in color.
Author: Dick Daniels
Habitat: Winter visitor. Freshwater lakes, rivers,
Source: commons.wikimedia.com reservoirs and farmland.
Range: Breeds in Russia and winters in East Asia.

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Northern Shoveler
Anas clypeata
Description: Length 44-52 cm, wingspan 73-82 cm.
Breeding drake has an iridescent dark green head. It has a
large spatulate bill, white breast and chestnut belly and
flanks. A white stripe extends from the breast along the
margin of the grey-brown back. Female is mottled brown
like other dabblers and is distinguished by the long broad
bill, which is grey tinged with orange.
Author: Andreas Trepte
Habitat: Year-round resident, winter visitor, breeding
Source: commons.wikimedia.com
visitor. Open wetlands, marshes, saline lakes, rivers, and
reservoirs.
Range: Europe, Asia, Africa and North America.

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Common Pochard
Aythya ferina
Description: Length 37-40 cm, wingspan 67-75 cm.
Adult male has a long dark bill with a grey band, red head
and neck, black breast, red eyes and a grey back. The
female has a brown head and body and a narrower grey
bill-band.
Habitat: Year-round resident and winter visitor. Marshes
and lakes, brackish wetlands, reservoirs and rivers.
Range: Spread across Europe into Asia.
Author: Mike Scott
Source: commons.wikimedia.org

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Ferruginous Duck
Aythya nyroca
Description: Length 43-48 cm, wingspan of 62-70 cm.
Adult male has a rich chestnut color with dark back, a pure
white triangular patch under the tail and a white belly,
white eyes with a small white spot on chin. The female is
duller brown with a dark eye. The beak is short giving the
head a triangular appearance.
Habitat: Year-round resident, winter and breeding visitor.
Marshes, well-vegetated lakes, coastal waters, brackish
Author: Dick Daniels lakes, reservoirs and rivers.
Source: commons.wikimedia.com Range: Southern Europe and western Asia.

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Tufted Duck
Aythya fuligula
Description: Length 40-45 cm, wingspan 65-72. Adult
male is all black except for white flanks. The bill is blue-
grey with a black tip. The head has a prominent head tuft.
Adult female is brown with paler flanks. The back of the
head has a small protuberance of feathers.
Habitat: Winter visitor. Brackish lakes, wetlands,
reservoirs, and rivers.
Range: Breeds in temperate northern Eurasia. Winter
Author: Lee Karney
visitor in the United States and Canada.
Source: commons.wikmedia.org

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Greater Scaup
Aythya marila
Description: Length 40-56 cm, wingspan 71-84 cm. The
head, neck and breast of the male are black in breeding
plumage. The back is grey and the rump is black. The
belly and sides are white. They have a bright blue bill and
yellow eyes. The head and neck of female are dark brown
with some light mottling. Breast buffy brown with whitish
Author: Calibas belly. Sides and flanks are brown.
Habitat: Winter visitor. Fresh water lakes, marshy lowland
Source: en.wikipedia.o
tundra.
Range: Europe, Asia and North America.

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Red-crested Pochard
Netta rufina
Description: Length 53-57 cm, wingspan 85-90 cm.
Adult male has a rounded orange head, red bill and black
breast. Flanks are white, the back is brown and the tail is
black. Female is pale brown, with a darker back and crown
and a whitish face. In flight they show whitish primaries.
Habitat: Year-round resident and winter visitor. Lowland
marshes, lakes and rivers.
Author: Diliff
Range: Breeds in Europe and Central Asia and winters in
Source: en.wikipedia.org
India and Africa.

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Common Goldeneye
Bucephala clangula
Description: Length 45-53 cm, wingspan 75-83 cm.
Males have a greenish glossy head with a circular white
patch below the golden-yellow eye. The back is dark and
the neck and belly white. Females have a brown head and
a grey body. The legs are orange-yellow.
Habitat: Winter visitor. Lakes and rivers.
Range: Europe, Asia and North America. Vagrant in the
Indian subcontinent.
Author: Bernard Dupont
Source: commons.wikimedia.org

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Smew
Mergellus albellus
Description: Length 33-35 cm, wingspan 60-65 cm. A
small diving duck. Males are gleaming white with a round
black eye and nape-patch, black dorsal and breast
stripes. Female has a dark chestnut head and a uniform
grey body. Looks black and white in flight.
Habitat: Winter visitor. Fresh and saline lakes, rivers and
reservoirs.
Range: Breeds in Europe and Asia with vagrants recorded
Author: Dick Daniels
in North America.
Source: commons.wikimedia.org

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Red-breasted Merganser
Mergus serrator
Description: Length 51-62 cm, wingspan 70-86 cm.
During the breeding season the male is glossy green and
blue. It has a dark metallic green head with a spiky crest,
white neck, rusty breast, black back and white underparts.
Adult females have a rusty head and a greyish body.
Habitat: Winter visitor. Freshwater and saline lakes and
rivers.
Author: Eric Reuter
Range: Europe, Asia and North America.
Source: ducks.org

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Goosander
Mergus merganser
Description: Length 58-72 cm, wingspan 78-97 cm. The
head and back of adult male are black contrasted with a
white breast and belly. The rump and tail are grey.
Females are grey with a reddish-brown head, white chin
and white secondary feathers on the wing. The bill and
legs are brownish-red.
Habitat: Year-round resident and winter visitor. Streams
Author: Tony Hisgett
and rivers.
Source: en.wikipedia.org
Range: Europe, Asia and North America.

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

White-headed Duck
Oxyura leucocephala
Description: Length 43-48 cm, wingspan 64-68 cm. A
chestnut-brown diving duck with long tail. Drakes have a
blue bill and white head with a black cap and neck.
Females have a grey-brown body with a white face and a
dark bill, cap and cheek stripe.
Habitat: Year-round resident and winter visitor. Saline
and freshwater lakes, rivers.
Distribution: Breeds in Spain and North Africa with a
Author: Dick Daniels
large population in Western and Central Asia.
Source: commons.wikimedia.org

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Velvet Scoter
Melanitta fusca
Description: Length 53-60 cm, wingspan 86-101 cm.
Characterized by its bulky shape and large bill. Large
white speculum on the black wing makes it easy to identify
in flight. The male is entirely black with white eye patches.
Bill is orange becoming red at the tip. There is large black
knob at the base of the bill. Legs are reddish-orange and
Author: Gary Kramer the iris is pale grey. Females are dark brown with two
white pale patches on the side of the head.
Source: avibirds.com
Habitat: Winter vagrant. Lakes and rivers.
Range: Breeds in the northern parts of Asia and North
America and winters to the south.

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

GREBES
Podicipedidae

Grebes are small to medium in size, have lobed toes, and are excellent swimmers and divers. They are
long-necked. In flight they hold the head and neck at an angle below the body. Adapted to aquatic life
they are found in natural lakes, reservoirs and marshes. Five species have been recorded in Afghanistan.

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Little Grebe
Tachybaptus ruficollis
Description: Length 23-29 cm, wingspan 42 cm. A small
water bird with a pointed short bill. Distinctive for its brown
plumage with black cap and whitish posterior. The
breeding adult is dark, with chestnut cheek and fore neck
and yellow gape. Non-breeding adult is blackish above
with brownish sides and inconspicuous gape. In flight
white secondaries are prominent.
Author: J.M. Garg Habitat: Year round resident. Lakes, riverine coastlines
Source: commons.wikimedia.org and well-vegetated wetlands. Like all grebes it nests at
the waters edge. More frequent in natural lakes.
Range: Breeds across Europe, Asia and most of Africa.

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Great Crested Grebe

Podiceps cristatus
Description: Length 46-51 cm, wingspan 59-73 cm. A
graceful bird with a long neck and bill and slender outline.
In summer both the male and female are adorned with
beautiful head-plumes. The double-horned crest is used
in courtship displays. It holds the neck erect at rest. In
flight shows pale wing-bar. The sexes are similar in
appearance.
Author: Dick Daniels Habitat: Year-round resident. Large lakes, lagoons,
Source: commons.wikimedia.org reservoirs, fresh and brackish wetlands.
Range: Summers in Europe and Asia and winters in India,
Australia and Africa.

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Slavonian Grebe
Podiceps auritus
Description: Length 31-38 cm, wingspan 46-55 cm. A
small dark grebe with distinctive golden-yellow patches of
feathers above its eyes which it is capable of lowering and
raising. These feathers are only present during the
breeding season. This grebe is more striking in its red-
and-black breeding feathers. Bill is short and straight and
the large head is flat-topped which has glossy black
feathers while breeding. Males and females are similar in
Author: Glenn Bartley appearance with the male being slightly large.
Source: allaboutbirds.org Habitat: Winter visitor. Natural lakes and reservoirs.
Breeds in marshes and lakes.
Range: Northern parts of Europe, Asia and North
America.

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Black-necked Grebe
Podiceps nigricollis
Description: Length 28-34 cm, wingspan 52-55 cm. A
small grebe with golden plumes on face and bright
orange-red eyes. Its steeped forehead gives its head a
peaked look. Adult is unmistakable in summer with a black
head and neck and yellow ear tufts. In winter the plumage
is greyish with a poorly defined black cap. The bill is thin
and dark and is tilted slightly upward.
Author: Frank Schulenburg
Habitat: Year-round resident and winter visitor. Natural
Source:njbigyear.wordpress.com
lakes, vegetated areas of fresh water lakes, and
reservoirs.
Range: Widespread in all continents except Australia and
Antarctica.

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Red-necked Grebe
Podiceps grisegena
Description: Length 40-50 cm, wingspan 77-85. The
red-necked grebe is a large stocky species with a long
neck and robust bill. It is a nondescript dusky-grey bird in
winter. During the breeding season, it acquires the
distinctive red neck plumage, black cap and contrasting
pale grey face from which its name was derived. The
underparts are brownish black and the wings are dark.
The irises are dark and the bill is black with yellow at the
Author: Mdf base. Males are larger than females, otherwise the sexes
Source: en.wikipedia.org are similar in appearance.
Habitat: Winter visitor. Prefers shallow bodies of fresh
water such as lakes and marshes.
Range: Northern Europe to Siberia and North America.

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

STORKS
Ciconiidae
Large wading long-legged and long-necked birds with long stout bills with heavier bodies than most
herons. In flight both neck and legs are outstretched and trail slightly downward.

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White Stork
Ciconia ciconia
Description: Length 100-115 cm, wingspan 195-210 cm.
A large land bird with a stout body, long neck and slender
bare red legs. Its plumage is white with black on its wings.
It has a long red sharply pointed bill. The tail is short and
white. The two sexes appear identical although the male
may be slightly larger than the female. During courtship it
holds its neck backwards in a U-bend.
Habitat: Passage migrant. Farmland and open marshes,
Author: Dick Daniels
nesting in trees.
Source: commons.wikimedia.org Range: A Paleoarctic migrant found in Europe, Middle
East, Central Asia and northern India.

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Black Stork
Ciconia nigra
Description: Length 90-100 cm, wingspan 145-155 cm.
The plumage is black with a purplish green gloss,
underparts are white. It has a long neck, long legs and a
long, straight, pointed beak. The bare skin around its eyes
is red, as are its red bill and legs. While the male is slightly
larger than the female the sexes are similar in
Author: Sergey Pisarevsky appearance.
Source: allwildlifeblog.com Habitat: Passage migrant and breeding visitor. Open
marshy areas and freshwater margins in wooded country.
Nests in trees.
Range: Widespread in Europe, Asia and Africa.

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

CORMORANTS
Phalacrocoracidae

Cormorants form a large family of fish-eaters residing along freshwater and saltwater shores. Because
they do not possess the waterproofing oil of other seabirds they have to spend a lot of time drying their
wings. Their hooked beaks and bare pouches have evolved to deal with fish which they can catch with
great agility. Cormorants are colonial nesters, using trees, rocky islets, or cliffs.
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Great Cormorant
Phalacrocorax carbo
Description: Length 70-102 cm, wingspan 120-160 cm.
A large black bird with a long neck with yellow skin at base
of bill and a white face patch. It has a longish tail and
adults develop white thigh patches during the breeding
season. It is relatively short-tailed, and the pale bill is
strongly hooked. In flight the body looks heavy, the wings
are broad and the tail short.
Author: Andreas Trepte
Habitat: Year-round resident, summer visitor and
source: en.wikipedia.org
passage migrant. Freshwater lakes and rivers.
Range: Common across the northern hemisphere.

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Pygmy Cormorant
Phalacrocorax pygmeus
Description: Length 45-55 cm, wingspan 75-90 cm . A
medium-sized black bird with green glossy feathers. The
bill is short and thick. The neck and head are red-brown
during the breeding season. The tail is long and adults
have small white feather tufts on the head, neck and
underparts during the breeding season. Non-breeding
birds have a white throat.
Author: Richard Steel
Habitat: Year-round resident and winter visitor. Well-
Source: wildlifephotographic.blogspot.com
vegetated freshwater lakes, coastal deltas, and wetlands
with extensive reed-beds.
Range: Occurs from south-east Europe to south-east
Asia.

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Little Cormorant
Phalacrocorax niger
Description: Length 55-60 cm. A small black cormorant,
distinguished by its rectangular head profile with a short
crest on the back of the head and a short hooked bill. It is
glossy-black during the breeding season with white head
plumes and a whitish throat. The wing coverts are silvery
and the tail is slightly long. The eyes and face are dark.
The webbed feet are black. The sexes are similar in
appearance but the males tend to be larger.
Habitat: Straggler. Freshwater wetlands and coasts.
Author: James Niland Range: Asia. Found across India all the way to Indonesia.
Source: commons.wikimedia.org

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

PELICANS
Pelecanidae
Pelicans are large birds with a huge pouched bill and can have a wingspan of 280 cm. They are able to
swim well with all four toes webbed. The tail is short but the wings are long which are used for soaring
and gliding. Pelicans rub the backs of their heads on their preen glands to pick up oily secretions, which
they transfer to their plumage to waterproof it. Two species have been recorded in Afghanistan.
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Pelecanus onocrotalus
Description: Length 160 cm, wingspan 280 cm. The
plumage is pure white with a bare pink facial patch around
the eye and pinkish legs. The wing tips are black with a
yellow patch on the breast. The bill is bluish and pink and
the large pouch is pale pink or yellow which it effectively
uses to catch fish. Males are larger than females and have
a long beak that grows in a downward arc, as opposed to
the shorter, straighter beak of the female. In flight the
Author: Lip Kee head is held close to and aligned with the body by a
Source: commons.wikimedia.org downward bend of the neck.
Habitat: Winter visitor. Well adapted to aquatic life in
coastal estuarine areas of inland water bodies such as
natural lakes and reservoirs.
Range: Southeastern Europe, through Asia and Africa.

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Dalmatian Pelican
Pelecanus crispus
Description: Length 160-180 cm, wingspan 300 cm.
The Dalmatian pelican whose bill reaches 40 cm is the
largest pelican species in the world. The plumage is
greyish-white with curly nape feathers. The webbed legs
are grey and the lower mandible turns red during the
breeding season. It lacks the crest of the white pelican but
is larger in size from which it differs in its greyish-white
plumage and never displays a pink plumage. In flight no
black shows in the underwings.
Habitat: Winter visitor. Swamps and shallow lakes.
Range: Southeastern Europe to India and China.

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

HERONS, EGRETS AND BITTERNS

Ardeidae
They are large to very large wading birds with long legs, bill and neck which are adaptations to feeding in
shallow water. The heads are often adorned with elongated plumes which is more pronounced in egrets.
The wings are broad and rounded in flight and the tail is rather short. The head is held retracted in flight
and at rest a feature which distinguishes them from storks, ibises and spoonbills.
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Grey Heron
Ardea cinerea
Description: Length 90-100 cm, wingspan 180 cm. The
feathers are mainly grey above and white below with white
head and neck and a black crest. Immature birds have a
dull grey head. The powerful bill is pinkish-yellow which is
brighter in breeding adults. The flight is slow and majestic
with the long neck retracted. It often stands still in water,
with neck either outstretched or hunched up. The legs are
Author: Anemone Projectors
yellow. Sexes are similar in appearance.
source: commons.wikimedia.org
Habitat: Year round resident and winter visitor. It feeds in
shallow waters of lakes and seashores or other wetlands. It
nests in trees and in reed-beds.
Range: Throughout temperate Europe, Asia and parts of
Africa.

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Purple Heron
Ardea purpurea
Description: Length 80-90 cm, wingspan 120-150 cm.
Smaller and much darker reddish-brown plumage than the
grey heron with a black crown and belly with striped rufous
neck and chestnut breast. It has a narrow yellow bill which
is brighter in breeding adults. In flight the whole wing is
uniformly dark and the legs project further beyond the tail.
The neck is coiled into an S-shape in flight. Both sexes are
similar in appearance but the female is slightly larger than
the male.
Habitat: Year-round resident. Breeds mainly in reed beds,
prefers well-vegetated wetlands, large lakes and rivers.
Range: Southern Europe, south Asia and Africa.

Author: Yathin S Krishnappa

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Great Egret
Ardea alba
Description: Length 100-110 cm, wingspan 170-215
cm. Plumage is all white. It is distinguished from other
white egrets by its yellow bill and black legs. It does not
have a visible crest but has long white plumes during the
breeding season. The bill becomes darker and the lower
legs lighter in the breeding season. It has a slow flight with
its neck retracted and the legs extend far beyond the short
Author: Brocken Inaglory
tail. Males and females are identical in appearance.
source: commons.wikimedia.org
Habiat: Year-round resident. Marshes, shallow fresh and
brackish water, inland wetlands. Usually nests in reed-
beds.
Range: Most of the temperate and tropical regions of the
world.

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Little Egret
Egretta garzetta
Description: Length 55-65 cm, wingspan 88-106 cm. A
small pure white heron with black legs and bill and yellow
feet which show clearly in flight. In breeding season the
adult develops two long nape plumes and long fuzzy wing
plumes around the breast and back.
Habitat: Year-round resident. Marshes, shallow, fresh,
coastal waters and inland wetlands. Usually breeds in
trees and near water.
Range: Temperate parts of Europe, Asia, Africa and
Author: GDW.45 Australia.
source: en.wikipedia.org

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Black-crowned Night Heron

Nycticorax nycticorax
Description: Length 64 cm, wingspan 120 cm. It is a
medium-sized heron with a black crown and back, wings
are grey with a white wing-patch, red eyes and short
yellow legs. The nape is adorned with two or three long
white plumes. The bill is short and black. The neck is short
and its habitual hunched attitude makes it look compacter
than its size suggests. Young birds are brown, flecked with
white and grey.
Habitat: Year-round resident. Densely vegetated swamps
and marshes, wooded wetlands and even away from
water. Nests usually in trees or bushes.
Author: Mikes Birds
Range: Widely distributed throughout much of the world.
Source: commons.wikimedia.org

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Little Bittern
Ixobrychus minutus
Description: Length 27-36 cm, wingspan 40-58 cm. The
smallest heron with a short neck, longish bill and buff
underparts. It is recognized by its dark back and cap and
buffy-white cheeks. The male has a prominent whitish
wing patch which is conspicuous in flight. Female is
smaller than the male and has a browner back and a buff-
brown wing patch. The beak and eyes are yellow. The
Author: Mike Pope
legs vary from yellow to greenish in color.
source: hawar-islands.com
Habitat: Breeding visitor. Densely vegetated swamps and
freshwater margins and reedbeds.
Range: Africa, Asia and southern Europe.

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Great Bittern
Botaurus stellaris
Description: Length 70-80 cm, wingspan 100-130 cm. A
thickset heron with buffy-brown plumage covered with
dark streaks and bars and a black crown. It has a shortish
yellow bill. It sits hunched up like a large domestic fowl but
stretches its neck in an alert posture.
Habitat: Year-round resident. Reed beds and swamps.
Range: Widely distributed over northern Europe and Asia.

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Squacco Heron
Ardeola ralloides
Description: Length 44-47 cm, wingspan 80-92 cm. A
stocky small heron with a short neck, short thick greenish
bill and buff-brown back. Long soft feathers on the back
covers the tail. The head has tufts of long black and white
feathers that sometimes stick up in the air. It appears
white in flight. At rest it appears tawny buff with white
wings, tail and belly. In breeding season it has a crown
Author: Mark S Jobling
and bluish bill.
source: commons.wikimedia.org
Habitat: Straggler. Marshes and swampy riversides,
nesting in trees.
Range: Eurasia and North Africa.

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

IBISES AND SPOONBILLS

Threskiornithidae
Mid-sized wading birds with shorter necks and legs than herons. They fly with the neck outstretched. The
bill is long and curved in ibises, straight and spoon-shaped at the tip in spoonbills.

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Glossy Ibis
Plegadis falcinellus
Description: Length 55-65 cm, wingspan 88-105 cm.
A slender dark bird with a down-curved bill. It is the only
blackish long-legged bird in the country with a curved
bill. Breeding adults have reddish-brown bodies and
shiny green-glossed wings. The bill is brownish, and the
legs are red brown. Unlike herons, ibises fly with necks
stretched, are graceful in flight and often fly in lines. The
male and female are similar in appearance, but the
Author: Dick Daniels
female is generally smaller in size.
source: commons.wikimedia.org Habitat: Breeding visitor and passage migrant. Shallow
fresh and salt marshes, nests colonially in trees often
with herons.
Range: Occurs in the warm regions of Europe, Asia,
Africa and Australia.

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Eurasian Spoonbill
Platalea leucorodia
Description: Length 80-93 cm, wingspan 120-135 cm.
The only large white bird with a long broad black bill,
shaped like a spoon. Adults have a yellowish chest and in
breeding season, a long yellowish crest and patches of
yellow on the tip of the bill. Sexes are similar in appearance
but the male is slightly larger than the female. Non-
breeders lack the crest and breast patch. They fly with their
Author: Niranj Vaidyanathan necks outstretched.
source: inaturalist.org Habitat: Year-round resident and passage migrant in
marshes and shallow fresh and coastal waters. Nests
colonially in trees, bushes and reed-beds.
Range: Europe to northern Africa, India and China.

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

FLAMINGOS ( )
Phoenicopteridae
Tall wading birds, adults are pink and juveniles brown with a strongly curved bill which is used to sieve
animal and vegetable food from shallow water.

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Greater Flamingo
Phoenicopterus ruber
Description: Length 110-150 cm, wingspan 140-165
cm. It is recognizable by its long legs and thin neck.
Extremely tall with pink plumage and striking red and black
contrast of wings in flight. The bill is uniquely curved
downward, pink with a black tip. The legs are entirely pink.
The neck and legs are held outstretched in flight. Female
is smaller than the male and is lighter in color.
Habitat: Winter and breeding visitor. Shallow lakes or
Author: Dick Daniels
lagoons of salt and soda water.
source: commons.wikimedia.org Range: Southern Europe, southwestern Asia and Africa.

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

FALCONS
Falconidae
Diurnal birds of prey characterized by long pointed wings, the females are often larger than males. They
kill their prey by biting and severing the back of the neck holding their prey in one claw. They do not build
their own nest. The larger falcons are among birds of prey most favored for the sport of falconry.

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Lesser Kestrel
Falco naumanni
Description: Length 27-33 cm, wingspan 63-72 cm. A
small falcon. The male has a grey head, uniform rusty
upper body and buff underparts with black spots.Wings are
long and pointed and a long grey tail marked with a black
band at the end. The belly is creamy pink with black spots.
Females are rusty with black barring and streaking and
paler underparts. Females have a brown back and head
with a pale belly. Both males and females have white
Author: Jose Viana underside to their wings. The color of the feet varies from
Source: taenos.com yellow to orange.
Habitat: Passage migrant and breeding visitor. Often
found in the vicinity of human settlements, natural and
managed grasslands and non-intensive cultivation.
Range: Southern Europe, northern Asia and Africa.

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Common Kestrel
Falco tinnunculus
Description: Length 32-39 cm, wingspan 65-82 cm. The
plumage is light chestnut brown with blackish spots on the
upper side and buff with narrow blackish streaks on the
underside. The male has less black spots and streaks and
is noticeably smaller than the female. Males have a blue-
grey cap and tail. Female has a brown tail with black bars
and a black tip.
Author: Sumeet Moghe
Habitat: Year-round resident. Prefers open habitat such
Source: commons.wikimedia.org
as fields, shrubland, marshland, treeless steppe and
human settlements.
Range: Breeding visitor and passage migrant. Occurs in
Europe, Asia and North Africa.

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Merlin
Falco columbarius
Description: Length 24-33 cm, wingspan 50-67 cm. The
male has a blue-grey back. The underparts are buff to
orange tinted, with black to reddish brown streaks. The
female is brownish-grey above and whitish buff spotted
with brown below. The face is less strongly patterned than
most other falcons. The tail has 3 to 4 blackish bands.
Habitat: Winter visitor. Inhabits open country such as
shrubland, grassland, steppe and prairies.
Range: Europe, Asia, North America and Central America.

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Source: commons.wikimedia.org
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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Eurasian Hobby
Falco subbuteo
Description: Length 30-36 cm, wingspan 65-80 cm.
Small, slender falcon with relatively long, squared tail and
long, scythe-like wings. It has a dark brown crown with
two short black mustache like stripes, the upper parts are
slate grey, throat white, thighs and undertail coverts are
unstreaked rufous and the rest of the underparts are
whitish with black streaks.
Habitat: Breeding visitor. Open country such as farmland,
marshes, steppe and savannah.
Range: Occurs in Europe, Asia and Africa.

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Laggar Falcon
Falco jugger
Description: Length 39-41 cm, wingspan 90-95 cm. A
large falcon. Adults have grey-brown upper parts and
white underparts with dark side patches on flank and
thighs. The face is white with a dark stripe from their eyes
downwards across each cheek. The short bill is greyish
blue equipped with a special notch in their beak, legs and
feet are yellow. Females are slightly larger than males.
Habitat: Breeding visitor. Open dry scrubland with
Author: Sumit Sengupta
scattered trees.
Source: orientalbirdimages.org Range: Iran to Myanamar in southern Asia.

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Saker Falcon
Falco cherrug
Description: Length 47-55 cm, wingspan105-129 cm. A
heavily built brown falcon, pale headed with narrow
mustache with a finely streaked supercilium. It has a
brown upper belly and contrasting grey flight feathers.
Head and underparts are paler brown, with streaking from
the breast down. The mustache like head streak is barely
perceptible. Females are markedly larger than males.
Habitat: Winter visitor. Semi-deserts with scattered trees,
Author: Dick Daniels
steppes and plains.
Source: commons.wikimedia.org Range: Occurs in Europe, Asia and northern Africa.

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Barbary Falcon
Falco pelegrinoides
Description: Length 33-39 cm, wingspan 76-98 cm. It
resembles a Peregrine Falcon but is smaller in size with a
shallower chest and the head is not as broad. Overall it is
a slimmer bird. The underparts are paler and often have a
buff wash to the barred underparts. The head has a brown
cap, rufous forehead and dusky patches around the eyes.
Sexes are similar in appearance but the female is
substantially larger in size.
Habitat: Winter visitor. Fringes of wetlands, semi-deserts,
high mountains.
Range: Common in Middle East, Central Asia, South Asia
Author: Frank Vassen and Northern Africa.
Source: commons.wikimedia.org

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Peregrine Falcon
Falco peregrinus
Description: Length 34-58 cm, wingspan 80-120 cm.
The back and the long pointed wings are blue-grey above
with barred underparts and a dark head with thick
sideburns. Underparts are white to rusty barred with thin
clean bands of dark brown or black. The tail is long, narrow
and rounded at the end with a black tip and a white band at
the very end. Beak and claws are black.
Habitat: Winter visitor. Mountain ranges, river valleys,
semi-desert, steppes, coniferous forest and fringes of
wetlands.
Range: Found in all continents except Antarctica.

Author: Gordon Court

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Gyrfalcon
Falco rusticolus
Description: Length 48-61 cm, wingspan of 110-130
cm. A large falcon; extremely variable in plumage with
body color ranging from white to dark grey with variable
barring and streaking mostly grey. There is a faint
mustache mark on face, wings are long and pointed. The
long tail is barred. Adults have a yellow cere, eye-rings
and and legs. Juveniles display these features in a blue
color. The eye is black.
Author: Andy Johnson Habitat: Summer visitor. Cliffs, mountains, and coniferous
Source: allaboutbirds.org forest.
Range: Occurs in Europe, Asia and North America.

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Red-footed Falcon
Falco vespertinus
Description: Length 28-34 cm, wingspan of 65-75 cm. A
small long winged falcon. Adult male is blue-grey, except
for the red undertail and legs, underwings are uniformly
grey. There is bare red skin around the eyes. The legs and
a patch at the base of the bill are red. The larger female
has blue-grey upper parts and the tail has black bands.
The head has a rust colored crown and a blackish
eyepatch. The females legs are orange.
Habitat: Summer visitor. Steppes.
Range: Occur in Europe, Asia and winters in Africa.

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

ACCIPTERS
Accipitridae
Medium to large long-winged birds adapted to flesh-eating by means of their hooked bills and powerful
talons. Females are usually larger than males. They include ospreys, kites, eagles, buzzards, hawks,
vultures and harriers.
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Osprey
Pandion haliaetus
Description: Length 50-66 cm, wingspan 127-180 cm.
The upper part is glossy brown above and white below
with long angled wings. The head is white with a broad
brown stripe through the eye. The irises of the eye vary
from golden to brown. The bill is black with a blue cere.
Feet are white with blue talons.The tail is short and the
breast band of the male is weaker than that of the female.
Author: Kersiah Akinlana Habitat: Winter visitor. Salt marshes, rivers, ponds,
Source: sta,uwi.edu reservoirs.
Range: Found in all continents except Antarctica.

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Black-shouldered Kite
Elanus caeruleus
Description: Length 35-38 cm, wingspan 80-95 cm.
Adults are pale grey with a white head and white
underparts. Leading edge of inner wing is black and the
eyes are red. A black patch in front of the eyes extends
into a thin line above and behind the eyes. The bill is black
and the cere is yellow. In flight a black patch can be seen
on the underside of each wing toward the base of the
Author: Frankzed
wing. Tail is greyish and the legs are yellow. Male and
Source: en.wikipedia.org
female are similar in appearance.
Habitat: Year-round resident. Open country with
scattered woods and trees.
Range: Eurasia, Africa, North America and Australia.

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Black Kite
Milvus migrans
Description: Length 50-56 cm, wingspan120-170 cm.
The upper plumage is brown while the head and neck are
paler. The patch behind the eye appears darker. Wings
are angled and the tail is forked. The outer flight feathers
are black with dark cross bars. The cere is yellow but the
bill is black. In flight, the shallow-forked tail is
conspicuous. Female is larger than the male otherwise the
sexes are similar in appearance.
Habitat: Breeding and winter visitor. Steppes, semi-
deserts, coniferous forests, wetlands, river edges, towns
Author: Omang Dutt
and villages.
Source: avianweb.com Range: Occurs in Eurasia, Africa and Australia.

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Pallass Fish Eagle

Haliaeetus leucoryphus
Description: Length 72-84 cm, wingspan of 180-215
cm. The wings are dark brown and the back rufous. The
long and rounded tail is black with a distinctive thick white
stripe. Underwings have a white band. It has a light brown
hood over a white face. The wings and neck are long,
which makes the head appear small. Eyes are brown, the
cere and beak are grey, feet are dull white.
Habitat: Year-round resident. Wetlands, large lakes and
Author: Lip Kee rivers.
Source: commons.wikimedia.org Range: Central Asia to India.

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

White-tailed Eagle
Haliaeetus albicilla
Description: Length 69-95 cm, wingspan 182-244 cm. It
is a large eagle with a huge wingspan which makes the
bright white tail look small in flight. Head and beak are
large. Mainly brown except for the paler head and neck,
blackish flight feathers and distinctive white tail. Bill and
legs are yellow.
Habitat: Winter visitor. Wetlands and rivers.
Range: Occurs in northern Europe and Asia.
Author: Talks Presenters 09
Source: en.wikipedia.org

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Lammergeier
Gypaetus barbatus
Description: Length 94-125 cm, wingspan 231-300 cm.
A huge bird which lacks a bald head. Body and head are
buff yellow. The head is creamy-yellow with black eye
patches extending below the short bill like tufted whiskers.
The neck and underparts are rusty-orange. Tail feathers
and wings are dark grey. The tail is diamond shaped in
flight.
Habitat: Year-round resident. Mountainous terrain and
high steppes. Breeds on crags in high mountains.
Range: Occurs in mountainous regions of Europe, Asia
and Africa.

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Source: avianweb.com
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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Egyptian Vulture
Neophron percnopterus
Description: Length 47-70 cm, wingspan 150-170 cm. A
small black and white vulture with a straight-winged
soaring outline. Bill is slender and long and the tip of the
upper mandible is hooked. The nostril is an elongated
horizontal slit. The face has yellow bare skin. Feathers on
the neck are long and form a hackle. Tail is wedged
shaped.
Habitat: Summer visitor. Steppes, semi-desert, sandy
Author: Kousik Nandy desert, mountain crags and wooded areas.
Source: en.wikipedia.org Range: Southern Europe, Asia and Africa.

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

White-rumped Vulture
Gyps bengalensis
Description: Length 75-93 cm, wingspan 192-206 cm. A
medium sized vulture with unfeathered head and neck,
broad black wings and short tail feathers and bare talons.
It has a white neck ruff, body is black and the secondaries
are silvery grey. The undertail coverts are black. Head is
pinkish and the bill is silvery and the cere is dark. Nostril
openings are slit like.
Habitat: Passage migrant. Mountain crags and steppes.
Range: Occurs in southern Asia.

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Indian Vulture
Gyps indicus
Description: Length 80-103 cm, wingspan 196-238 cm.
Typical vulture with buffy body and wing coverts. Lacks the
whitish median covert bar. It has a bald head, broad
wings, and short tail feathers. The Indian vulture has a
pale yellow bill, and pale eye rings. The thighs are
feathered, matching the underside in color.
Habitat: Passage migrant. Crags and cliffs in steppe
Author: Deepak Sankat
country.
Source: commons.wikimedia.org
Range: Occurs in central and peninsular India.

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Himalayan Griffon
Gyps himalayensis
Description: Length 110-150 cm, wingspan 260-310
cm. A large vulture, adults have a pale brown ruff with
white streaks. Ruff feathers are long and spiky, head and
legs are covered with feathers. Underside and under wing
coverts are pale brown or buff. Upper side is pale buff,
while the outer coverts and wings are dark brown, facial
skin is pale blue, bill is yellowish and legs are pinkish.
Habitat: Year-round resident. Rocky mountains, crags
Author: Matthias Zepper
and cliffs.
Source: commmons.wikimedia.org Range: Occurs in the Himalayas and the Tibetan plateau.

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Eurasian Griffon
Gyps fulvus
Description: Length 93-110 cm, wingspan 230-280 cm.
Head is white, wings broad and tail short. The neck ruff is
creamy-white and the bill is yellow. The body and upper
wing plumage is pale brown which contrasts sharply with
the dark flight feathers.
Habitat: Year-round resident. Steppes, mountain crags,
semi-deserts.
Author: Nikhil Devasar Range: Occurs in southern Europe and Asia.
Source: leesbird.com

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Cinereous Vulture
Aegypius monachus
Description: Length 98-120 cm, wingspan 250-310 cm.
A huge bird with a dark blackish-brown plumage. The
unfeathered head is covered in fine down with dark
markings around the eyes. Beak is brown with a blue-grey
cere. Legs and feet are grey. Females are slightly larger
than males. It is considered one of the worlds heaviest
flying bird with adults reaching weights of 12 to 14 kg.
Habitat: Year-round resident. Steppes and rocky
Author: Mahmood Sayed Fahim
mountains.
Source: indianbirds.com Range: Occurs in Southern Europe and Asia.

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Short-toed Eagle
Circaetus gallicus
Description: Length 63-68 cm, wingspan 180-190 cm. A
large, long-winged eagle. Head is broad and the beak
small, it has long bare legs. Upper body is greyish brown,
underside predominantly white. Chin, throat and upper
breast are pale earthy brown. Tail has 3 or 4 bars. Head is
rounded, eyes yellow, and the under wing is lightly barred.
Male and female are similar in appearance but the female
is heavier and has a slightly longer tail.
Author: Kiran Poonacha Habitat: Year-round resident. Steppes, dry open plains,
Source: pinterest.com and rocky mountains.
Range: Occurs in South Europe, Asia and Africa.

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Western Marsh-Harrier
Circus aeruginosus
Description: Length 42-56 cm, wingspan 115-140 cm.
Large bulky harrier with broad wings. Male is reddish-
brown with lighter yellowish streaks particularly prominent
in the breast. Head and shoulders are mostly pale
greyish-yellow. Legs, feet and the cere of the black bill are
yellow. Female is entirely chocolate-brown, top of the
head, throat and shoulders have a lighter yellowish color.
Author: Tsjok DeClercq
Habitat: Passage migrant, summer and winter visitor.
Source: pinterest.com Steppes and wetland areas.
Range: Occurs in Europe, Asia, Africa and the Pacific
islands.

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Hen Harrier
Circus cyaneus
Description: Length 45-55 cm, wingspan 97-118 cm.
The facial appearance of the hen harrier is owl-like which
distinguishes it from other hawks. The male is mainly grey
above and white below except for the upper breast which
is grey. Wings are grey with black wingtips. Female is
brown above with white upper tail coverts. The under parts
are buff streaked with brown.
Habitat: Winter visitor. Steppes and wetlands.
Range: Europe, Asia, North American and Central
America.

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Source: en.wikipedia.org
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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Pallid Harrier
Circus macrourus
Description: Length 40-48 cm, wingspan 90-110 cm.
The pallid harrier has distinct male and female plumage.
Male is whitish grey above and white below, with narrow
black wingtips. Female is brown above with white upper
tail coverts, underparts are buff streaked with brown.
Habitat: Passage migrant, winter visitor. Open plains,
wetlands, steppes and forest steppe.
Range: Europe and Asia.

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Montagus Harrier
Circus pygargus
Description: Length 43-47 cm, wingspan 97-115 cm. A
slender harrier. The wings are narrow with shortened fifth
primary feathers. Adult males have a pale grey plumage
contrasting with black wingtips. It has black bands along
the secondaries both above and below the wing with rusty
streaks on belly and flanks. Female underparts are pale
yellow-brown, belly has longitudinal stripes, with spotted
Author: Nirav Parekh wing coverts. Upper parts are dark brown except for the
white upper tail, wing coverts are slightly paler.
Source: orientalbirdimages.org
Habitat: Passage migrant. Steppes marshes and
wetlands.
Range: Europe, Asia and North Africa.

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Shikra
Accipiter badius
Description: Length 26-30 cm, wingspan 55-61 cm. A
small raptor with short rounded wings and a narrow long
tail. Adults are whitish on the underside with rufous bars
while the upper parts are grey. Lower belly less barred,
thighs are whitish. Males have a red iris while females
have a yellowish orange one. Female underparts are
brownish. The adult male shikra is smaller than the
female.
Habitat: Year-round resident. Steppes, farmland, urban
areas and forest steppes.
Range: Southern Asia and Africa.

Author: J M Garg
Source: commons.wikimedia.org . - - :
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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Eurasian Sparrowhawk
Accipter nisus
Description: Length 29-34 cm wingspan 59-64 cm. Male
has slate-grey upperparts with red-barred underparts
which can look plain orange from a distance, the iris is
orange-yellow. The male has a pale line above the eye
and a white patch on the chin. The female which is
significantly larger than the male has dark brown
upperparts, brown-barred underparts, and bright yellow to
orange iris.
Author: Eddy Van Habitat: Summer visitor. Steppes, mountains, open
Source: commons.wikimedia.org forests.
Range: Europe, Asia and Northeast Africa.

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Northern Goshawk
Accipiter gentilis
Description: Length 46-57 cm, wingspan 89-105 cm.
The largest member of the genus Accipiter. It has short,
broad wings and a long tail. Upper parts are dark-grey
with blackish crown and cheek. Adults have a white eye
stripe and the eyes are orange colored. Underparts are
light grey with horizontal barring on the breast and small
dark vertical streaks on the throat. Female is considerably
larger than the male with browner underparts and coarse
markings on the breast.
Author: Ian Montgomery
Habitat: Winter visitor. Mountainous terrain.
Source: leesbird.com
Range: Europe, Asia and North America.

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

White-eyed Buzzard
Butastur teesa
Description: Length 36-46 cm, wingspan 86-96 cm. A
slim and small sized hawk identified by its white iris, white
throat and orange-yellow cere. Head is dark with the
underside of the body darkly barred. In flight the upper
wing shows a pale bar over the brown. The rufous tail is
barred with a dark subterminal band.
Habitat: Summer visitor. Steppes, rolling hills, open scrub.
Author: Shreeram M V
Range: Occurs widely in South Asia.
Source: visualquotient.net

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Long-legged Buzzard
Buteo rufinus
Description: Length 45-58 cm, wingspan 105-155 cm.
Plumage has a clear orange tint, red or orange tail, pale
head and largely white underwings, wings have a black
carpal patch and dark trailing edge. Rump is dark or deep
rufous. It has a dark bill, brownish-yellow eyes and long
yellow legs. It can be recognized by dark patches on the
bend in each wing and rounded tail. Female is slightly
larger than the male.
Habitat: Summer and winter visitor, passage migrant.
Steppes, semi-deserts, mountains, cliffs, forests.
Range: Southern Europe, Central Asia and North Africa.

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Source: commons.wikimedia.org .
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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Rough-legged Buzzard
Buteo lagopus
Description: Length 48-60 cm, wingspan 120-153 cm.
Plumage is predominantly brown and shows a high
degree of speckling. Tail feathers are white with one or
more subterminal bands. Wing tips are long enough to
extend past the tail when the animal is perched. Feet
feathered to the toes. Talons are relatively small. Chest
has a broad brown chest band. Female is larger and
heavier than the male.
Habitat: Winter visitor. Steppes, mountains and forested
areas.
Range: Europe, Asia and North America.

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Source: en.wikipedia.org
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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Common Buzzard
Buteo buteo
Description: Length 40-58 cm, wingspan 109-136 cm. A
medium sized raptor recognized by its rounded head and
tail and broad wings. Plumage is variable ranging from
pale to dark, tail is faintly barred with obscure dark band at
tip. Throat and breast are streaked. Underwing has a large
pale patch. The bare legs are yellow.
Habitat: Passage migrant. Steppes, mountains, semi-
Author: Mike Pope deserts.
Source: hawar-islands.com Range: Europe, Asia and Africa.

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

European Honey-buzzard
Pernis apivorus
Description: Length 52-60 cm, wingspan 135-150 cm.
Slenderer than the Eurasian Buzzard with longer narrower
wings, tail and longer neck and a pigeon-like head.
Upperside is dark brown, the underside and legs are
speckled. There is a double broad dark bar at the base of
tail. The cere and eyes are yellow. The feet are equipped
with nearly straight claws adapted to walking and digging.
Habitat: Passage migrant. Forested mountains.
Range: Europe, western Asia and Africa.

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Greater Spotted Eagle

Aquila clanga
Description: Length 50-71 cm, wingspan 157-179 cm. A
medium sized eagle it only has white spots as a juvenile.
In adults the spots fade away leaving brown feathers.
Head and wing coverts are dark brown. Wingtips has a
white patch on the upper wings with a light crescent on the
primary remiges. Head is small compared to other eagles.
When gliding the greater spotted eagle holds the tip of the
feathers down.
Author: Mike Pope
Habitat: Winter visitor. Steppes, wetlands in semi-
Source: kuwaitbirds.org deserts.
Range: Europe, Asia and North Africa.

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Steppe Eagle
Aquila nipalensis
Description: Length 62-81 cm, wingspan 165-215 cm. A
large eagle with dark brown plumage with well-defined
bars on the flight and tail feathers. Reddish-brown patch
on the nape of neck, oval nostrils and long, wide gape are
distinguishing marks of this relatively large bird of prey.
The main distinguishing features of the steppe eagle are
reddish-brown patchs on the nape of the neck and the
long, wide gape. Females are slightly larger than males.
Habitat: Winter visitor. Steppes, semi-deserts, high
mountains.
Range: Asia, Europe and Africa.

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Eastern Imperial Eagle

Aquila heliaca
Description: Length 72-84 cm, wingspan 180-216 cm. A
large eagle with pale cream head and neck. Stocky in
shape with black-brown feathers and a pale golden crown
and nape. Shoulders have prominent white patches, tail is
greyish brown. Strong feet have long, curved talons and
the head is large.
Habitat: Winter visitor. Steppes, semi-deserts.
Range: Southern Europe, Asia and Africa.

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Source: apinterest.com
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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Golden Eagle
Aquila chrysaetos
Description: Length 66-100 cm, wingspan 180-234 cm.
Identified by its longs wings and long tail. It is a dark brown
raptor with broad wings. Adults are brown with gold on the
back of the crown and nape, and some grey on the wings
and tail. Tarsal feathers range from white to dark brown.
Feathers of the head and nape of the neck are light yellow
or reddish-brown. Bill is dark at tip fading to a lighter color
with a yellow cere.
Habitat: Year-round resident. Steppes, mountains, semi-
deserts, and forested mountains.
Range: Widespread in Europe, Asia, North Africa and
North America.

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Bonellis Eagle
Aquila fasciata
Description: Length 55-65 cm, wingspan 150-180 cm. It
is a small to medium sized eagle living in open areas.
Upper parts are dark brown, and the underside is white
with dark streaks. Wings are relatively short and rounded.
The long tail is grey on top and white below with a single
broad black terminal band. Feet and eyes are yellow.
Females are larger than males.
Habitat: Year-round resident. Steppes, mountains, cliffs.
Range: Southern Europe, south Asia and North Africa.

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Author: John Gould
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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Booted Eagle
Aquila pennata
Description: Length 48-50 cm, wingspan 113-134 cm. A
small, stocky eagle with rounded head and heavily
feathered legs. Mainly brown with cream to golden hind-
crown, distinctive light panels on the wing coverts, and
white patches where the wings meet the body. Sexes are
similar in appearance but the female is slightly larger than
the male.
Author: Stephen Daly
Habitat: Summer visitor. Steppes, forested mountains.
Source: andalucianguides.com
Range: Southern Europe, Asia and North Africa.

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Tawny Eagle
Aquila rapax
Description: Length 60-75 cm, wingspan 159-190 cm.
Upper parts are tawny or rusty brown with dark markings
on the wings, flight feathers and tail are blackish. Lower
back is very pale. The eyes are brown and the beak is
yellow with a dark tip. Sexes are similar but the female is
slightly larger than the male. Legs are heavily feathered.
Habitat: Year-round resident. Steppes, semi-deserts,
Author: Yathin S Krishnappa mountains.
Source: commons.wikimedia.org Range: Common in Asia and Africa.

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

CRANES
Gruidae

Cranes are large birds with long wings, legs and necks with stout straight bills. Plumage is usually a
combination of grey, black and white. Both neck and legs are stretched in flight.
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Common Crane
Grus grus
Description: Length 100-130 cm, wingspan 180-240
cm. Body color is slate grey overall. The head is black
with a red crown which is not visible at a distance. It has a
conspicuous white stripe from the cheek down the neck. A
large tuft of plumes obscure the tail. The primaries, tips of
secondaries and tail are black. The legs are dark grey.
Habitat: Two-way migrant. Marshes, wetlands and
steppes.
Range: Northern Europe, Asia and North Africa.
Author: Steve Fletcher
Source: norfolkcranes.co.uk

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Demoiselle Crane
Grus virgo
Description: Length 85-100 cm, wingspan 155-180 cm.
It is shorter than the Common Crane but has a similar
plumage. It has a conspicuous white ear tuft and the black
color of the head extends down the neck to the chest.
Habitat: Two-way migrant. Marshes, wetlands,
grasslands and deserts.
Range: Central Eurasia and Africa.
Author: Thonnerieux Yves
Source: ouseayx-birds.com

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Siberian Crane
Grus leucogeranus
Description: Length 140 cm, wingspan 210-230 cm.
Both sexes are pure white with black wing tips.The bare
skin on the face and bill is red. The legs are pinkish.
Elongated white tertial feathers form a bushy tail.
Habitat: Two-way migrant. Shallow marshlands and
wetlands.
Range: Asia.
Author: Martin Hale
Source: scott-macleod.blogspot.com

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

BUSTARDS
Otididae

Medium to large highly terrestrial birds associated with dry open country and steppes. They are long
necked and long legged. The bill is stout and somewhat flattened. In flight they extend the neck and
legs like cranes and storks.

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Great bustard
Otis tarda
Description: Length 90-105 cm, wingspan 210-270 cm.
The adult male is brown with black coloration above while
the underparts are white. The neck and head are grey.
The male has long white neck bristles which measure
12-15 cm. In flight the wings are predominantly white with
brown tips. The female which is about a third smaller than
Author: Morales Morales the male has a pale brown coloration with buff neck and
source: bbc.co.uk breast.
Habitat: Winter visitor. Grasslands and steppes.
Range: Southern Europe and Asia.

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Macqueens Bustard
Chlamydotis macqueenii
Description: Length 65 cm, wingspan 140. A medium
sized bustard. The plumage is brown above and white
below with black stripes down the sides of the neck. In
flight the wings show large areas of black and brown on
the flight feathers. Sexes are similar in plumage but the
female is smaller and paler above.
Habitat: Winter visitor. Deserts and steppes.
Range: Sinai Peninsula to Mongolia.
Author: Kovalenko Andrey
Source: birds.kz

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Little Bustard
Tetrax tetrax
Description: Length 42-45 cm, wingspan 90-110 cm.
The breeding male has brown upper parts and a white
belly. It has a grey head and a black neck bordered above
and below by white. In flight the wings are mainly white.
Female lacks the striking neck pattern and it is darker
below than the male.
Habitat: Winter visitor. Grassy and cultivated plains with
Author: Ruedi Aeschilmann
scattered bushes.
Source: vogelwarte.ch
Range: Southern Europe, western and central Asia.

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

RAILS AND CRAKES

Rallidae

Small to medium ground dwelling birds with long legs and toes. Wings and tail are short. They are
marsh dwellers and inhabit densely vegetated wetlands, swamps and marshes.
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Water Rail
Rallus aquaticus
Description: Length 23-28 cm, wingspan 38-45 cm.
The upper side is mainly brown with black streaks. The
sides of the head and underparts are blue-grey with
black barring on the flanks. The toes are long, tail is short
and the reddish bill is long. The undertail is white with
darker streaks. The iris is red. The female is slightly
smaller with a more slender bill.
Author: Pierre Dalous
Habitat: Year-round resident and two way migrant.
Source: en.wikipedia.org
Marshes with tall dense vegetation.
Range: Europe, Asia and North Africa.

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Corncrake
Crex crex
Description: Length 27-30 cm, wingspan 42-53 cm. A
medium sized rail with blue-grey face, neck and breast.
The belly is white and the flanks and undertail have
chestnut and white bars. Males have a pale brown streak
from the base of the bill extending behind the eye while
the female has a narrower and duller eye streak. The legs
Author: Pauline Greenhalgh and feet are pale grey.
Source: birdguides.com Habitat: Fall vagrant. Grasslands.
Range: Europe, Asia and Africa.

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Little Crake
Porzana parva
Description: Length 17-19 cm, wingspan 34-39 cm.
The upper parts of the adult male are brown with a blue-
grey face and underparts. The short straight bill is yellow
with a red base. The legs are green with long toes and a
short tail which is barred black and white underneath.
Females have buff underparts and only their face is grey.
Habitat: Winter visitor. Reed beds.
Range: Europe, Asia and Africa.
Author: Giuliano Gerra
Source: orientalbirdimages.org
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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Baillons Crake
Porzana pusilla
Description: Length 16-18 cm, wingspan 23-37 cm.
This crake has a short straight bill which is yellow or green
without a red base. Upper parts of the adult male are
mainly brown with some white markings. The face and
underparts are blue-grey. The legs are green with long
toes and a short tail which is barred black and white
below.
Author: Andrew Hardacre
Habitat: Breeding visitor, two-way migrant and winter
Source: corndancer.com
visitor. Reedbeds and wetlands.
Range: Europe, Asia, Africa and Australia.

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Spotted Crake
Porzana porzana
Description: Length 19-22 cm, wingspan 37-42 cm.
Adults have brown upper parts and a blue-grey breast,
with dark barring and white spots on the flanks. The legs
are green with long toes, and a short tail which is buff
underneath.
Habitat: Two-way migrant. Marshes and sedge beds.
Range: Europe, Asia and Africa.
Author: Ruedi Aeschlimann
Source: vogelwrte.ch

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Purple Swamphen
Porphyrio porphyrio
Description: Length 38-50 cm, wingspan 90-100 cm.
The purple swamphen is a large rail the size of a chicken.
It is dusky black above and dark blue to purple below. The
robust bill is red and the legs and feet are orange-red. In
flight the long legs hang underneath the body.
Habitat: Breeding visitor. Swamps, streams and marshes.
Author: Richard Taylor Range: Asia, Africa and Australia.
Source: commons.wikimedia.org

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Common Moorhen
Gallinula chloropus
Description: Length 30-38 cm, wingspan 50-62 cm.
The plumage of the wings and back is blackish-olive
apart from the white undertail and a white line along the
flank. It has a red frontal shield and red beak with a yellow
tip. The legs are yellow.
Habibtat: Year-round resident. Marshes, ponds and
wetlands.
Range: Europe, Asia, Africa, North and South America.
Author: Dick Daniels
Source: commons.wikimedia.org

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Common Coot
Fulica atra
Description: Length 32-42 cm, wingspan 70-80 cm.
The color is largely black except for the snowy white
frontal shield and bill and bright red eyes.
Habitat: Year-round resident and two-way migrant.
Fresh water lakes and ponds.
Range: Europe, Asia, Africa and Australia.

Author: Dick Daniels

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

THICK-KNEE
Burhinidae

Brownish shorebirds with striking wing patterns, large yellow eyes, stocky yellow legs and thick black bill
with a yellow base.
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Eurasian Stone-curlew
Burhinus oedicnemus
Description: Length 38-46 cm, wingspan 76-88 cm. A
wader with a strong beak with a yellow base, large yellow
eyes and cryptic brownish plumage. It is striking in flight
with black and white wing markings.
Habitat: Year-round resident. Even though it is classified
as a wader it prefers dry stony country, semi-deserts and
farmland.
Author: Rajiv Lather
Range: Europe, southwestern Asia and Africa.
Source: haryana-online.com

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

OYSTERCATCHER
Haematopodidae

Large chunky shorebirds with some age and seasonal variation.

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Eurasian Oystercatcher
Haematopus ostralegus
Description: Length 40-45 cm, wingspan 80-85 cm.
The plumage is black and white, red legs and strong
broad red bill. The upperparts are black and the
underparts are white. In flight the wings and tail show
white patches.
Habitat: Winter visitor. Brackish and fresh lakes and
Author: David Hastings rivers.
Range: Europe and Asia spreading into China and Korea.
Source: birdimages.net

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

STILTS AND AVOCETS

Recurvirostridae

Long-legged and long-necked narrow billed shorebirds of open waters.

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Black-winged Stilt
Himantopus himantopus
Description: Length 33-36 cm, wingspan 75 cm. The
head and neck are white and the body plumage is black
above and white below. The legs are long and pink and
the thin bill is black. The back of the male has a greenish
gloss while the female has a brown hue.
Habitat: Breeding and winter visitor. Marshes, shallow
lakes and ponds.
Range: Widely distributed with the exception of the polar
Author: J.M. Garg
regions.
Source: commons.wikimedia.org

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Pied Avocet
Recurvirostra avosetta
Description: Length 41-45 cm, wingspan 76-80 cm. It is
mainly white with a black cap and black patches in the
wings and on the back. The black bill is long and turned
upward, legs are bluish. Males and females look alike.
Habitat: Winter visitor and year-round resident. Shallow
brackish water and mudflats.
Range: Europe, Asia and Africa.

Author: Andreas Trepte

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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 The Birds of Afghanistan

PLOVERS
Charadriidae

Plovers are short-billed, small to medium sized waders. They are greyish-brown above and white
below with striking black and white patterns on the head and neck.
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Northern Lapwing
Vanellus vanellus
Description: Length 28-33 cm, wingspan 70-87 cm. It is
short-legged with rounded wings and a crest. The back is
tinted green while the underpart is white. The male has a
black crown, throat and breast and a white face. Female
has a shorter crest and has a less strongly marked head.
Habitat: Winter visitor. Cultivated land, mud flats and
short vegetation.
Author: Andreas Trepte
Range: Europe, Asia and is occasionally a vagrant to
Source: enwikipedia.org
North America.

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Red-wattled Lapwing
Vanellus indicus
Description: Length 32-35 cm, wingspan 80-81 cm. A
large lapwing with light brown wings and back with a
purple sheen. The head, chest and front of neck are black
with prominent white patches on both sides of the neck
running up to the eyes from the belly and tail. There is a
red fleshy wattle in front of each eye. The bill is red with a
black tip.
Habitat: Year-round resident and breeding visitor.
Author: J.M. Garg
Wetlands, fields, grazing land, and rain puddles.
Source: commons.wikimedia.org
Range: Asia from Iraq to India.

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Sociable Lapwing
Vanellus gregarius
Description: Length 27-30 cm, wingspan 70-76 cm. A
medium sized lapwing with a short bill and longish black
legs. The head has a striking pattern, with a black crown
and eyestripe. The plumage is brown with white and grey
wings, a white tail with a black terminal band.
Habitat: Two-way migrant. Open grasslands and mud
flats.
Range: Asia and north Africa. Occasional vagrant in
Author: Jugal Tiwari
western and northern Europe.
Source: birdlife.org

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

White-tailed Lapwing
Vanellus leucurus
Description: Length 26-29 cm, wingspan 67-70 cm. A
medium sized lapwing with long legs and a fairly long
black bill. The back and front of the neck are brown with a
grey breast and paler face. It has long yellow legs which
extend beyond the tail feathers in flight and a white tail.
The wings are white and black.
Habitat: Year-round resident, breeding and winter visitor.
Author: Ron Knight
Inland marshes and wetlands.
Source: commons.wikimedia.org
Range: Asia and north Africa. Rare vagrant in western
Europe.

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Grey Plover
Pluvialis squatarola
Description: Length 27-30 cm, wingspan 71-83 cm. In
spring and summer the adults have spotted backs and
wings. The face, neck and breast is black with a white
rump. Tail is black with white barring. The bill and legs are
black.
Habitat: Two-way migrant. Coastal areas and brackish
lakes.
Range: It has a worldwide coastal distribution.
Author: Hans Hillewaert
Source: commons.widimedia.org

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Pacific Golden Plover

Pluvialis fulva
Description: Length 23-26 cm, wingspan 44-48 cm.
This medium sized plover has gold and black spots on the
crown, back and wings. The face and neck are black
during the breeding season otherwise they are yellowish
brown. The legs are black during the breeding season.
Non-breeding birds have white underparts.
Habitat: Two-way migrant. Scarce migrant on grassland
and agricultural land.
Range: Asia, North America and Australia.

Author: Nikhil Devasar

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Common Ringed Plover

Charadrius hiaticula
Description: Length 17-20 cm, wingspan 35-41 cm.
The back and wings are grey-brown. It has a white belly
and a white breast with a black neckband. The cap is
brown and there is a black mask around the eye. The legs
are orange.
Habitat: Two-way migrant. Wetlands, tundra and fields.
Range: Europe, Asia and North America.
Author: Andreas Trepte
Source: en.wikipedia.org

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Little Ringed Plover

Charadrius dubius
Description: Length 16 cm, wingspan 45 cm. A small
plover. Adults have a grey-brown back and wings, a white
belly and breast with one black neckband. The forehead is
white and the cap brown. There is a black mask around
the eyes. The legs are tan colored.
Habitat: Breeding visitor and two-way migrant. Wetlands,
marshes and estuaries.
Author: Andreas Trepte
Range: Europe, Asia, Australia and Africa.
Source: commons.wikimedia.org

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Kentish Plover
Charadrius alexandrinus
Description: Length 15-17 cm, wingspan 32-34 cm. It is
a small, pale, long-legged and thin-billed plover. The
breast band is never complete. The upperparts are
greyish brown and the underparts white. The breast
markings are black in summer, otherwise brown. The
flight feathers are blackish with a white wing bar.
Habitat: Winter visitor and year-round resident. Wetlands
and marshes and sandy coasts.
Author: Mike Baird
Range: Europe, Asia, Africa, North and South America.
Source: inaturalist.org

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Lesser Sand Plover

Charadrius mongolus
Description: Length 19-20 cm, wingspan 45-58 cm.
Males have brown upperparts, cinnamon-rufous crown,
neck color and breast band and white underparts. The
white forehead has a black stripe and mask. The legs are
dark and the bill is black.
Habitat: Breeding visitor. Barren flats of lake shores,
mudflats and river banks.
Author: J.J. Harrison
Range: Widespread with the exception of the polar
Source: en.wikipedia.org
regions.

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Greater Sand Plover

Charadrius leschenaultii
Description: Length 22-25 cm, wingspan 53-60 cm. It is
long-legged and thick-billed. The male has a grey back
and white underparts. The breast, forehead and nape are
chestnut and it has a black eye mask. The female has a
duller plumage.
Habitat: Breeding visitor. Barren flats of wetlands and
lakes and sandy beaches.
Author: Chung Ki, Ryan Cheng
Range: Europe, Asia, African and Australia.
Source: commons.wikimedia.org

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PAINTED SNIPE
Rostratulidae

The painted snipe looks similar to the snipes but is unrelated. It is long billed with a curve at the tip.
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Greater Painted-snipe
Rostratula benghalensis
Description: Length 23-28 cm, wingspan 50-55 cm. A
medium sized wader with buff-spotted wings and a short
tail. The underparts are white. The long reddish-brown bill
is slightly curved at the tip. It has a distinct white eye
patch. The female is larger and more brightly colored than
the male with chestnut brown head, neck and throat. The
underparts are dark bronze-green with fine black barring.
Habitat: Year-round resident. Marshes.
Author: Koshy Koshy Range: Asia and Africa.
Source: commons.wikimedia.org

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JACANAS
Jacanidae

Shorebirds with extremely long toes and claws used for walking on floating vegetation.
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Pheasant-tailed Jacana
Hydrophasianus chirurgus
Description: Length 39-58 cm, wingspan 50 cm. The
breeding adult is mainly black with white wings, head and
fore neck. The hind neck is golden. The legs are very long
and the wide toes are grey. The tail is about 25 cm but
non-breeding males lack the tail. The underparts are
white except for a brown breast band.
Habitat: Winter visitor. Floating vegetation.
Author: Clemet Francis
Range: Asia, vagrant in Australia.
Source: pinterest.com

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SANDPIPERS
Scolopacidae

Small to large shorebirds with moderately long bills and legs and short wings and neck. They usually
lack a wing-stripe. Sexual dimorphism is minimal and seasonal plumage change is minor.
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Eurasian Woodcock
Scolopax rusticola
Description: Length 33-38 cm, wingspan 55-65 cm.
The upper parts are reddish-brown with buff underparts.
Its camouflage matches its woodland habitat. The large
eyes are located high on the sides of its head. Wings are
rounded and the base of the bill has a dark tip. The color
of legs varies from grey to pink. The male is much larger
than the female.
Habitat: Winter visitor. Woodlands and meadows.
Range: Europe and Asia.

Author: Ronald Slabke

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Jack Snipe
Lymnocryptes minimus
Description: Length 18-25 cm, wingspan 30-41 cm.
The upper body is mottled brown and pale underneath.
The head does not have a central crown-stripe and
instead there are two pale stripes separated by dark
plumage from the top of the head. It has a distinctive
bobbing movement when on the ground.
Habitat: Winter visitor and two-way migrant. Marshes
Author: JJ Harrison
and wet meadows.
Source: en.wikipedia.org
Range: Europe, Asia and Africa.

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Solitary Snipe
Gallinago solitaria
Description: Length 29-31 cm, wingspan 51-56 cm. A
large heavy snipe with relatively short legs. The upperpart
is patterned with brown stripes. The face is whitish, the
breast ginger-brown and the belly is white with brown
barring on the flanks. The long bill is black and brown,
straight and slender. The legs and feet are yellowish-
brown. Females are slightly larger than males.
Habitat: Winter visitor and two-way migrant. Marshes,
Author: Rajiv Lather swamps and river valleys.
Source: birding.in Range: Asia.

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Common Snipe
Gallinago gallinago
Description: Length 25-27 cm, wingspan 44-47 cm. A
small stocky wader with a long straight dark bill. The body
is mottled brown with straw-yellow stripes on top and pale
underneath. There is a dark stripe through the eye with
light stripes above and below. The wings are pointed.
Habitat: Winter visitor and two-way migrant. Marshes,
tundra and wet meadows.
Range: Europe, Asia and Africa.

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Source:commons.wikimedia.org

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Bar-tailed Godwit
Limosa lapponica
Description: Length 37-41 cm, wingspan 70-80 cm. It
has a long dark bill with a slight upward curve and has a
pink tip. The neck, breast and belly are brick red in
breeding plumage and white in winter. The back is mottled
grey. The relatively short legs are blue-grey. Males are
smaller than females.
Habitat: Two-way migrant. Mudflats and marshes.
Author: Andreas Trepte
Range: Europe, Asia, Alaska, Australia and Africa.
Source: en.wipedia.org

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Black-tailed Godwit
Limosa limosa
Description: Length 40-42 cm, wingspan 70-82 cm. A
large wader with long bill and neck. The legs are dark
grey or black. The breast and upperparts are brown-grey
in winter. Males have a brighter plumage during the
breeding season with an orange breast, neck and head. In
flight white wingbars and white rump can be seen readily.
Males are slightly smaller than females.
Habitat: Winter visitor and two-way migrant. Wetlands,
lakes, steppes, marshes and pastures.
Range: Europe, Asia, Africa and Australia.

Photo: Andreas Trepte

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Whimbrel
Numenius phaeopus
Description: Length 37-47 cm, wingspan 75-90 cm. It
is a fairly large wader. The plumage is mainly greyish-
brown, with a white back and rump. The bill is long and
curved downward. It has a central crown stripe and a dark
stripe extending from the eye to the base of the bill. The
legs are light grey.
Habitat: Two-way migrant. Wetland mudflats, coasts and
tundra.
Author: Dick Daniels
Range: Worldwide with the exception of the polar regions.
Source: commons.wikimedia.org

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Far Eastern Curlew

Numenius madagascariensis
Description: Length 60-66 cm, wingspan 100-110 cm.
It is the largest sandpiper with a long downward curved
bill with a black tip which it uses to probe for invertebrates
in mud. The plumage is mostly brown and the underwing
is barred brown.
Habitat: Vagrant. Marshy and swampy lake shores and
wetlands.
Author: Fran Trabalon
Range: Asia and Australia.
Source: en.wikipedia.org

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Eurasian Curlew
Numenius arquata
Description: Length 50-60 cm, wingspan 89-106 cm. It
is a large and widespread wader. The plumage is
greyish-brown, with a white back, and a long curved bill.
Males and females are identical. In flight the long feet
extend beyond the tail.
Habitat: Two-way migrant. Shores of wetlands and coast
lines.
Range: Europe, Asia and Africa.

Author: Andreas Trepte - - :
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Spotted Redshank
Tringa erythropus
Description: Length 29-31 cm, wingspan 61-67 cm. In
breeding plumage it is black but very pale in winter. The
bill and legs are red. In flight it shows a white oval spot on
the back. Juveniles are grey-brown with barred
underparts.
Habitat: Winter visitor and two-way migrant. Wetlands,
marshes and lakes.
Range: Northern Europe, Asia and Africa. Vagrant in
North America and Australia.

Author: J.M. Garg

Source: commons.wikimedia.org
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Common Redshank
Tringa totanus
Description: Length 28 cm, wingspan 48 cm. During the
breeding season the plumage is marbled brown. In winter
they become lighter-toned and are plain greyish-brown
above and whitish below. The legs are red and it has a
black-tipped red bill.
Habitat: Winter visitor and two-way migrant. Wetlands,
salt marshes and wet meadows.
Author: Andreas Trepte
Range: Europe and Asia.
Source: en.wikipedia.org

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Green Sandpiper
Tringa ochropus
Description: Length 20-24 cm, wingspan 39-44 cm. A
small wader with greenish-brown back and wings, and
greyish head and breast. The underparts are white. The
legs and short bill are dark green. In flight the wings are
dark above and below.
Habitat: Winter visitor and two-way migrant. Freshwater
lakes, ponds and rivers.
Author: Maurice Baker
Range: Europe and Asia.
Source: mbaker.co.uk

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Wood Sandpiper
Tringa glareola
Description: Length 18-21 cm, wingspan 35-39 cm. It is
a slender and long-legged sandpiper with a short fine bill,
brown back and yellowish legs. It has a small white rump
patch. The wings are dark above and greyish below. The
tail is white with narrow dark bands.
Habitat: Winter visitor and two-way migrant. Wetlands
and marshes.
Range: Europe, Asia, Africa and Australia.
Author: J.M.Garg
Source: commons.wikimedia.org

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Common Greenshank
Tringa nebularia
Description: Length 30-35 cm, wingspan 55-65. The
breeding plumage is brown and in winter they are grey-
brown. The underparts are white. The long bill which is
slightly upturned has a grey base. It has a narrow white
eye ring. The long legs are greenish. In flight a white
wedge is seen on the back.
Habitat: Winter visitor and two-way migrant. Wetlands,
marshes, swamps and mudflats.
Author: J.M. Garg
Range: Europe, Asia, Africa and Australia.
Source: commons.wikimedia.org

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Marsh Sandpiper
Tringa stagnatilis
Description: Length 22-26 cm, wingspan 55-59 cm. It is
a rather small shank. The plumage is greyish brown that
is pale in winter. A white line runs up its back. The
underparts are white. It has a long fine bill and very long
yellowish legs.
Habitat: Two-way migrant. Muddy shores, grassy areas
and freshwater pools.
Author: JJ Harrison
Range: Europe, Asia, Africa and Australia.
Source: en.wikipedia.org

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Terek Sandpiper
Xenus cinereus
Description: Length 22-25 cm, wingspan 36-45 cm.
The face, back and breast are grey. The belly is whitish
and the feet yellow. The long upcurved bill is black with a
yellowish base.
Habitat: Two-way migrant. Wetlands, lakes and coast
lines.
Range: Europe, Asia, Africa and Australia.
Author: Mathias Schaf
Source: vogelwarte.ch

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Common Sandpiper
Actitis hypoleucos
Description: Length 18-20 cm, wingspan 32-35 cm.
The upperparts are greyish brown while the underparts
are white. The bill has a pale base and a dark tip. The
winter plumage is darker with barring on the wings.
Habitat: Breeding visitor, winter visitor and two-way
migrant. Wetlands, marshes, rivers, ponds and lakes.
Range: Europe, Asia, Africa and Australia.
Author: Jason Thompson
Source: commons.wikimedia.org

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Ruddy Turnstone
Arenaria interpres
Description: Length 22-24 cm, wingspan 50-57 cm. A
small and stocky bird. Breeding birds have reddish-brown
upper parts with black markings. Non breeding birds are
dark brown. The underparts are white. The bill is relatively
short and is slightly turned upward. The bright orange legs
are short.
Habitat: Two-way migrant. Wetlands, shores, coastlines,
Author: Peter Wallack
tundra.
Source: common.wikimedia.org
Range: Widespread in all continents.

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Sanderling
Calidris alba
Description: Length 18-20 cm, wingspan 35 cm. It is a
small wading bird. In winter the sanderling is very pale
apart form a dark shoulder patch. In summer the face and
throat become brick-red. The bill, legs and feet are black.
Habitat: Two-way migrant. Wetlands, sandy beaches,
mudflats and lake shores.
Author: Steve Berardi Range: Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, North and South
Source: commons.wikimedia.org America.

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Little Stint
Calidris minuta
Description: Length 12-13 cm, wingspan 28-30 cm. In
breeding season the upperparts are rust orange, and the
back shows a well defined white V on the back. The
throat and the underparts are white. The short, straight bill
and medium-length legs are dark.
Habitat: Two-way migrant. Mudflats, wetlands, lakes, low
altitude tundra and shorelines.
Range: Arctic Europe and Asia, Africa, vagrant to North
Author: Ken Billington
America and Australia.
Source: en.wikipedia.org

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Temminicks Stint
Calidris temminckii
Description: Length 13-15 cm, wingspan 34-37 cm.
The upperparts are mainly plain brown and the head and
underparts are white apart from a dark breast. The legs
are yellow and the outer tail feathers white.
Habitat: Two-way migrant. Wetlands, marshes and
mudflats.
Author: Andreas Trepte Range: Europe, Asia and Africa.
Source: commons.wikimedia.org

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Curlew Sandpiper
Calidris ferruginea
Description: Length 19-21 cm, wingspan 44 cm. The
breeding adult has dark grey upperparts and brick-red
underparts. In winter it is pale grey above and white
below. It has a long down curved dark bill. The legs are
also dark.
Habitat: Two-way migrant. Wetlands, lagoons, rivers and
Arctic tundra.
Author: Mathias Schaf
Range: Asia, Africa and Australia.
Source: vogelwarte.ch

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Dunlin
Calidris alpina
Description: Length 17-21 cm, wingspan 32-36 cm. It is
a medium-sized sandpiper with a short neck and long
drooping dark bill. In breeding plumage it has a black
belly, rufous cap, and rufous back. Non breeding dunlins
are dull brownish grey with a whitish belly.
Habitat: Winter visitor. Coastal mudflats, sandy beaches,
wetlands, marshes, and tundra.
Author: Arnstein Ronning Range: Found in all continents except the Antarctic.
Source: commons.wikimedia.org

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Ruff
Philomachus pugnax
Description: Length 29-32 cm, wingspan 54-60 cm.
The ruff is a long-necked, stout bird. The breeding
plumage of the male has brightly colored head tufts, bare
orange facial skin and a black breast. The female and
non-breeding male have grey-brown upperparts and
white underparts. The female is smaller than the male
averaging 24 cm in length.
Habitat: Two-way migrant. Wetlands, marshes and wet
meadows and mudflats.
Author: Norfold
Range: Europe, Asia, African and Australia.
Source: norfold.deviantart.com

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Red-necked Phalarope
Phalaropus lobatus
Description: Length 18 cm, wingspan 38 cm. The
breeding female is dark grey above with a chestnut neck
and breast, a black face and white throat. The breeding
male is duller than the female. Winter plumage is
essentially grey above and white below. A black eyepatch
is always present. Females are larger and more brightly
colored than males.
Habitat: Two-way migrant. Wetlands, marshy shores,
tundra ponds.
Author: Terry Sohl Range: North and South America, Africa and Asia.
Source: sdakotabirds.com

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Broad-billed Sandpiper
Limicola falcinellus
Description: Length 15-18 cm, wingspan 34-37 cm. A
small wader with a straight dark bill slightly downcurving at
the tip and short legs. The upperparts of the breeding
adult are dark grey, underparts are white with blackish
markings on the breast. There is a pale crown stripe. In
winter it is pale grey above and white below.
Habitat: Two-way migrant. Wetlands, marshes and mud
flats.
Author: Hans Bister Range: Asia, Africa and Australia.

Source: pbase.com

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COURSERS AND PRATINCOLES

Glareolidae

The Pratincoles are small short-legged, short-billed and short-necked gregarious waders with pointed
bills. The Coursers are slim, long-legged shorebirds with shortish bills and conspicuous white brows.

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Collared Pratincole
Glareola pratincola
Description: Length 24-28 cm, wingspan 60-70 cm. The
back, head and wings are brown. The underparts are
white. The underwings are chestnut. It has short legs and
pointed wings, forked tail and a short bill.
Habitat: Breeding visitor. Fields, steppe plains, rivers, and
sand flats.
Range: Europe, Asia and Africa.

Author: Stephen Christopher

Source: surfbirds.com . - - :
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Little Pratincole
Glareola lactea
Description: Length 16-18 cm. The plumage is pale grey
with a brown crown. It has short legs and long pointed
wings and a short tail. The underwings are mainly black.
The tail is white with a back terminal triangle and the belly
is white.
Habitat: Breeding visitor. Sand banks and gravel of rivers.
Range: Asia.

Author: Kousik Nandy

Source: en.wikipedia.com
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Cream-colored Courser
Cursorius cursor
Description: Length 19-23 cm. A tall and slender wader.
Body plumage is sandy in color and the belly is white. The
crown and nape are grey. It has a black eyestripe from the
eye to the back of the neck. The primary feathers of the
upper wings and underwings are black. The bill is slightly
curved downward. The legs and feet are yellowish-white.
Habitat: Year-round resident, breeding and winter visitor.
Semi-deserts, dry open country.
Range: Asia and Africa.

Author: Frank Vassen
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Source: commons.wikimedia.org
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GULLS AND TERNS

Laridae

Gregarious long-winged, web-footed water birds predominantly white with grey wings with black tips.
The terns are more delicately built than gulls with narrower and more pointed wings.

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Lesser Black-backed Gull

Larus fuscus
Description: Length 51-64 cm, 124-150 cm. A medium
sized gull. The head, neck and underparts are white. The
back is dark grey, wings are black with white tips. Legs
and bill are yellow. The bill is tipped with a red spot.
Habitat: Winter visitor. Wetlands, rivers, lakes, coastal
habitats, agricultural fields and rubbish dumps.
Range: Europe, Asia, Africa and North America.

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Source: worldchanging.gla.ac.uk . .
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Black-headed Gull
Larus ridibundus
Description: Length 35-39 cm, wingspan 86-99 cm. The
head is chocolate-brown in summer and in winter it is
mainly white with a dark spot behind the eye. The
underside is white and the wings are light grey. The bill
and legs are red.
Habitat: Winter visitor. Marshes, farmland, urban parks,
gardens, and rubbish dumps.
Author: Miraceti
Range: Europe, Asia and northeastern North America.
Source: commons.wikimedia.org

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Great Black-headed Gull

Larus ichthyaetus
Description: Length 55-72 cm, wingspan 142-172 cm. A
large black headed gull. In summer no other gull of this
size has a black hood. Adults have grey wings and back
with white wing tips. The legs are yellow and the bill has a
red tip.
Habitat: Two-way migrant. Wetlands and marshes.
Range: Asia, occurs as a rare vagrant in Europe.
Author: Miraceti
Source: commons.wikimedia.org

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Caspian Gull
Larus cachinnans
Description: Length 55-67 cm, wingspan 135-145 cm.
The head and neck are white with pale grey back and grey
upperwings and black wing-tips with white spots. The
heavy bill is slightly hooked with a bold red tip. The legs
are pink. Outside of breeding season the head and neck
are streaked with brown and the bill fades in color.
Habitat: Winter visitor. Coastal areas, lakes, reservoirs,
fields and rubbish dumps.
Range: Europe, Asia and North America.
Author: John Wilson
Source: birdwatchinglancashire.co.uk

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Common Gull
Larus canus
Description: Length 40-46 cm, wingspan 107-114 cm.
The plumage is grey above and white below. The legs are
greenish yellow. The yellow bill has a slight blackish band
near the tip in winter. The wingtips are black with white
spots.
Habitat: Winter visitor. Marshes and lakes.
Range: Europe, Asia and North America.

Author: Dick Daniels

Source: commons.wikimedia.org
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Slender-billed Gull
Larus genei
Description: Length 42-44 cm, wingspan 102-110cm.
The head, neck, underparts and tail are white. The back
and upper surfaces of the wings are grey with black wing
tips. The legs are blackish-red, it has a dark red beak,
yellowish-white eyes with a red eye ring.
Habitat: Breeding visitor. Coastal areas, marshes,
wetlands, rivers and lakes.
Author: Iogan Kahle
Range: Asia and Africa.
Source: commons.wikimedia.org

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Black-legged Kittiwake
Rissa tridactyla
Description: Length 38-41 cm, wingspan 91-97 cm. The
head and underparts are white, while the upperparts and
wings are blue-grey. Tips of wings are black, the bill is
yellow. Breeding adults have a narrow red ring around the
eye. Non-breeding adults have dark grey marks around
the crown, neck and behind the eyes and a pale yellow
beak.
Habitat: Vagrant. Coastal areas, reservoirs, lakes and
Author: Boaworm
buildings.
Source: commons.wikimedia.org
Range: Europe, Asia and North America.

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Gull-billed Tern
Gelochelidon nilotica
Description: Length 33-42 cm, wingspan 76-91 cm. A
large tern with a short, thick gull-like bill, broad wings, and
long legs. Summer plumage has grey upper parts, white
underparts, a black cap, black bill and black legs. Winter
birds do not have a cap and there is a dark patch through
the eye running to the beak.
Habitat: Breeding visitor and two-way migrant. Lakes,
Author: Scottishdude
marshes and coasts.
Source: birdforum.net Range: Europe, Asia, North and South America and
Australia.

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Caspian Tern
Hydroprogne caspia
Description: Length 48-56 cm, 127-140 cm. A large tern
with a red bill with a black tip and a black head. The
plumage is grey and white with black primary feathers.
They eyes are brown and the legs black. Outside the
breeding season the black cap is flecked with white.
Habitat: Year-round resident and two-way migrant. Salt
marshes, lakes, estuaries, and reservoirs.
Range: Europe, Asia, North and South America.
Author: Dick Daniels
Source: commons.wikimedia.org

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Common Tern
Sterna hirundo
Description: Length 31-37 cm, wingspan 75-80 cm. In
breeding plumage it has a black cap which covers the
eyes and extends down to the back of the neck, light
silvery-grey underparts with black outer primaries on the
wingtips. The tail is deeply forked. The bill is orange-red
with a black tip and the legs are red.
Habitat: Breeding visitor. Wetlands, lake shores, salt
Author: Amanda Boyd
marshes, grassy cliffs and river banks.
Source: loe.org
Range: Europe, Asia, North and South America.

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River Tern
Sterna aurantia
Description: Length 38-43 cm, wingspan 80-85 cm. A
medium sized tern with dark grey upperparts, white
underparts, a forked tail and long pointed wings. In
breeding plumage it has a black cap which turns greyish in
winter. The bill is orange and the legs are red. Juveniles
have a brown head and brown-grey underparts.
Author: N A Nazeer Habitat: Vagrant. Lakes and rivers.
Source: commons.wikimedia.org Range: Asia.

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Little Tern
Sternula albifrons
Description: Length 20-28 cm, wingspan 45-55 cm. A
small tern with slender body and narrow sharp-pointed
wings. In breeding plumage it has a black cap with a stripe
between the bill and the eye. The neck is white and the
underparts are pale grey. The bill is bright yellow with a
black tip. The tail is forked. Outside the breeding season
the crown and forehead become grey-white.
Author: Patrick K59
Habitat: Breeding visitor and two-way migrant. Wetlands,
Source: commons.wikimedia.org
lakes, estuaries and rivers.
Range: Europe, Asia, Africa and Australia.

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Whiskered Tern
Chlidonias hybrida
Description: Length 26-28 cm, wingspan 74-78 cm. The
breeding plumage is dark-grey with a black crown and
white cheeks. In winter the forehead becomes white and
the body plumage is pale-grey. The bill and legs are red,
a feature which distinguishes it from other terns. Juveniles
have white underparts with a dark brown back.
Habitat: Two-way migrant. Inland marshes, lakes,
Author: Challiyan mudflats and estuaries.
Soure: commons.wikimedia.org Range: Europe, Asia, Africa and Australia.

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Black Tern
Childonias niger
Description: Length 23-28 cm, wingspan 57-65 cm. A
small tern with dark plumage. In breeding plumage the
head, neck and underparts are black with slate-grey
upperparts and wings. The tail is white, the slender bill
which is slightly decurved is black and the short legs are
blackish-red. Outside the breeding season it is pale grey
above and white below with a white head.
Habitat: Two-way migrant. Brackish wetlands, lakes,
Author: Dick Daniels
marshes, meadows and rivers.
Source: commons.wikimedia.org
Range: Europe, Asia and Africa.

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White-winged Black Tern

Childonias leucopterus
Description: Length 23-27 cm, wingspan 58-67 cm. In
breeding plumage the head, neck, breast and belly are
black while the tail and rump are white. The underwings
are pale grey and the bill and legs are red. Non-breeding
birds have grey upperparts and tail with a white rump,
head and neck and the bill becomes black.
Habitat: Two-way migrant. Freshwater marshes and
lakes, rivers, and farmland.
Author: Frank Vassen
Range: Europe, Asia, Africa and Australia.
Source: commons.wikimedia.org

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SANDGROUSE
Pteroclidae

Ground dwelling birds restricted to treeless, open country such as plains and semi-deserts. Flocks make
long flights daily to water sources.

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Pin-tailed Sandgrouse
Pterocles alchata
Description: Length 30-39 cm, wingspan 55-65 cm. A
medium sized bird with a sturdy compact body and a long
tail. The head and upper parts of the male are yellowish-
green. Underparts are white with a chestnut breast band.
The wings are long and pointed which are white
underneath. Male and female are similar but the female has
a duller plumage.
Author: Francesco Veronesi
Habitat: Year-round resident. Semi-deserts, dry treeless
Source: commons.wikimedia.org
plains, dry fields and irrigation ditches.
Range: Europe, Asia and North Africa.

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Spotted Sandgrouse
Pterocles senegallus
Description: Length 30-35 cm, wingspan 53-65 cm. The
hind neck of the male is reddish-brown, the chin, neck and
throat are orange and the breast grey. The upper parts are
pinkish grey with dark flight feathers and dark patches on
the wings, tail and lower belly. The female also has an
orange throat and its body color is greyish-brown with
Author: Henrik Gronvold small dark markings on the wings, tail and lower belly.
Source: en.wikipedia.org Habitat: Year-round resident. Sparsely vegetated semi-
desert and desert.
Range: Asia and Africa.

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Black-bellied Sandgrouse
Pterocles orientalis
Description: Length 33-39 cm, wingspan 70-73 cm. The
head, neck and breast of the male are grey with a chestnut
throat patch. The underparts are black and the upper parts
golden-brown with dark markings. The upper parts of the
female are browner including the head and the breast. The
underparts are identical to the male.
Habitat: Year-round resident. Dry open plains, semi-
Author: Marten Pelnek
deserts.
Source: biolib.cz
Range: Europe, Asia and Africa.

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Crowned Sandgrouse
Pterocles coronatus
Description: Length 27-30 cm, wingspan 52-63 cm.
The males plumage is pale brown with a yellowish-orange
face-patch. The male has a black crescent at the base of
the bill and a black chin. The females body is entirely
finely barred. The tail is short and lacks the tail pin.
Habitat: Year-round resident. Desert and semi-desert.
Author: Henrik Gronvold
Range: Asia and Africa.
Source: en.wikipedia.org

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Pallass Sandgrouse
Syrrhaptes paradoxus
Description: Length 30-41 cm, wingspan 60-71 cm. The
plumage is buff colored, barred above with a black belly
patch and pale underwings. Male has a grey head and
breast, orange face and grey breast band. The female has
a duller plumage and lacks the breast band. The legs and
toes are feathered.
Habitat: Vagrant. Dry steppes and mountain valleys.
Author: Jari Peltomki
Range: Europe and Asia.
Source: vogelwarte.ch

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DOVES AND PIGEONS

Columbidae

Birds of open country colored in shades of grey or brown, with small heads, short bills and longish tails.
Pigeons are stout-bodied birds that are generally larger than doves.

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Rock Dove
Columba livia
Description: Length 29-37 cm, wingspan 62-72 cm. The
plumage is pale grey with two black bars on each wing.
The head, neck and chest are dark bluish-grey with a
glossy greenish tinge along its neck and wing feathers.
The bill is grey-black with a conspicuous white cere and
the feet are purplish-red. The tail has a black band on the
end.
Author: J.M. Garg
Habitat: Year-round resident. Natural cliffs, rock ledges.
Source: commons.wikimedia.org
In cities it uses man made structures.
Range: Widespread in all continents except the polar
regions.

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Snow Pigeon
Columba leuconota
Description: Length 32-34 cm. The blackish head
contrasts with the white neck collar and white underparts
which turn ashy on the abdomen. The back is brownish
grey with a white patch on the lower back. The pale grey
wings have three brown bands. The black tail has a white
band in the middle.
Habitat: Year-round resident. Rocky hillsides and
Author: Dibyendu Ash
mountain valleys.
Source: en.wikipedia.org
Range: Europe and Asia.

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Stock Dove
Columba oenas
Description: Length 32-34 cm, wingspan 66-68 cm. The
plumage is blue grey with two black bars on the folded
wings. There is an iridescent patch of green on both sides
of the neck. The tail is grey with a terminal black band.
The iris is dark brown, the base of the bill is pink with a
yellow tip and a white cere. The legs are red. The female
is duller with darker legs and bill.
Author: Chris Cant
Habitat: Winter visitor. Grasslands, forests, cliffs and
Source: en.wikipedia.org
human habitations.
Range: Europe and Asia.

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Yellow-eyed Pigeon
Columba eversmanni
Description: Length 25-30 cm. The plumage is bluish-
grey. The rear part of the neck has a green metallic gloss.
The crown has a pinkish tinge and the pale grey rump has
a whitish patch. The wing has three rows of dark spots.
The eyes are yellow and the legs are reddish or yellowish.
The tail feathers are dark grey with black tips.
Habitat: Breeding visitor. Lowlands and foothills, wooded
Author: Shreeram M V
areas and cultivations.
Source: en.wikipedia.org
Range: Asia.

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Hill Pigeon
Columba rupestris
Description: Length 30-33 cm. A stout bodied pigeon
which is similar to the rock pigeon. The plumage is bluish-
grey with a darker neck and breast. The sides of the neck
has a green metallic gloss. There are two black bars on
the folded wings. The tail has a broad white tail-band
across the black tail. The back has a white patch.
Habitat: Year-round resident. Crags, caves, rocky
Author: PV Subramaniam
outcrops and habitations.
Source: orientalbirdimages.org
Range: Asia.

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Woodpigeon
Columba palumbus
Description: Length 38-44 cm, wingspan 68-80 cm. A
large sized bulky pigeon with white on its neck and wing.
The plumage is grey with a pinkish breast. The bill and
legs are reddish. In flight the white wing panel and black
tail band on the longish tail are seen.
Habitat: Year-round resident. Wooded areas, parks and
gardens.
Range: Europe and Asia.
Author: Tristan Ferne
Source: en.wikipedia.org

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Eurasian Collared Dove

Streptopelia decaocto
Description: Length 32-34 cm, wingspan 47-55 cm. It
has a plump body, small head and a long tail. The
plumage is grey buff with broad white patches in the tail. It
has a narrow black crescent around the nape of the neck.
The wing tips are darker than the rest of the wing. The
short legs are red and the bill is black. The eye is
surrounded by a small area of bare skin which is white or
Author: Peter Wallack
yellow.
Source: commons.wikimedia.org
Habitat: Breeding visitor. Farms, inhabited buildings in
towns and cities.
Range: Europe, Asia, Africa, introduced to North America.

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

European Turtle Dove

Streptopelia turtur
Description: Length 24-29 cm, wingspan 47-55 cm. The
plumage is brown. There is a black and white patch on the
side of its neck. The head, neck and flanks of the mature
bird are blue-grey. The tail is wedge shaped in flight with
a dark center and white tips. The abdomen and under tail
covers are white. The bill is black, the eye rims and legs
are red.
Habitat: Breeding visitor. Steppes, semi-deserts,
woodlands and gardens.
Range: Europe, Asia and Africa.

Author: Rashed11112

Source: biodiversityexplorer.org
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Spotted Dove
Streptopelia chinensis
Description: Length 28-32 cm, wingspan 42-48 cm. A
small, long-tailed slim dove. The underside is rosy buff
and the head and belly are grey. The back and sides of
the neck has a half collar made of black feathers with
white spots. Wing feathers are greenish-brown with grey
edges. The feet and eyes are red and the bill is black.
Habitat: Breeding visitor. Woodland, farmland, gardens
and habitations.
Author: Dick Daniels
Range: Asia, introduced to North America and Australia.
Source: carolinabirds.org

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Laughing Dove
Streptopelia senegalensis
Description: Length 23-25 cm, wingspan 40-45 cm. A
small long-tailed dove. The underside is pinkish brown
with a lilac tinged head and neck. It has a rufous and grey
patch on the sides of the neck. The upper parts are
brownish with a bluish-grey band along the wing. The bill
is black and the feet are red.
Habitat: Year-round resident. Semi-deserts, scrub,
Author: Sb616
farmland and habitations.
Source: commons.wikimedia.org
Range: Asia and Africa. Introduced to Western Australia.

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Oriental Turtle Dove

Streptopelia orientalis
Description: Length 33-35 cm, wingspan 55 cm. A
medium sized dove. The wing feathers have black centers
and chestnut edges. The chest and belly is pink to rufous,
the head is greyish. There is a black and greyish patch on
the sides of the neck. The feet and bill are reddish.
Habitat: Breeding resident and two-way migrant. Tropical
forest, semi-desert, steppe, fields and habitations.
Range: Asia, vagrant in western Europe.
Author: Dick Daniels
Source: carolinabirds.org

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Red-collared Dove
Streptopelia tranquebarica
Description: Length 23 cm. It has a round body and a
short tail. The head of the male is bluish-grey with a black
stripe on the back of the neck. The body is red-brown, the
flight feathers are black. The tail is greyish centrally and
blackish on the sides. The bill is black and the feet purplish
red. The female is dull brown.
Habitat: Breeding resident. Semi-desert, steppe, farmland
Author: Atul Dhamankar
and habitations.
Source: orientalbirdimages.org
Range: Asia.

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PARAKEETS
Psittachidae

Small to medium sized parrots with long, tapered tail feathers. They are gregarious tree dwelling birds
with a heavily curved beak. They are social with people and are used as pets.

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Alexandrine Parakeet
Psittacula eupatria
Description: Length 58 cm. The plumage is vibrant green
with a blue-grey sheen on its cheeks and nape. The
males abdomen is yellowish-green. Both males and
females have a reddish-brown shoulder patch at the top of
their wing coverts. The lower and upper mandibles are red
with yellow tips. The iris is yellow and the legs are grey.
Habitat: Year-round resident. Dry forests, cultivations,
and semi-deserts.
Range: Asia, introduced to Europe.

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Rose-ringed Parakeet
Psittacula krameri
Description: Length 40 cm. Overall green with a red
beak. It has a long tail which measures half the entire body
length. The adult male has a red or black neck ring,
females lack the neck ring. The beak is red and the feet
are yellowish-green.
Habitat: Year-round resident. Orchards and gardens,
farmland.
Range: Asia, introduced worldwide.
Author: Dick Daniels
Source: carolinabirds.org

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Salty-headed Parakeet
Psittacula himalayana
Description: Length 40 cm. The plumage is green overall
with a bluish-grey head. It has a broad yellow-tipped long
tail which appears completely yellow from below and a
small maroon patch on the lesser coverts of the wings. The
beak is red.
Habitat: Year-round resident. Mountain forests and
valleys, woodlands.
Range: Asia from Afghanistan to India.

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Source: orientalbirdimages.org

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

CUCKOOS
Cuculidae

Medium sized slender birds. Many species are brood parasites laying their eggs in the nests of other
species. Two toes of the feet point forward and the two outer point backward. All species have long tails.

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Common Cuckoo
Cuculus canorus
Description: Length 32-36 cm, wingspan 55-60 cm.
The adult male has bluish-grey upper parts and a white
belly with dark barring and a long tail. The iris, base of
the bill and feet are yellow. Females come in two forms,
the breast is either buff colored with dark barring, the
other form is reddish brown covered with dark bars.
Habitat: Breeding resident. Woodland, marshes and
alpine valleys.
Range: Europe, Asia and Africa.
Author: R. H. Porter
Source: biodiversitylibrary.org
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OWLS
Strigidae

Nocturnal birds of prey with large heads, short tails and cryptic plumage. The eyes are placed at the front
of the head and are set in a flattened facial disc. The legs and feet are feathered.

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Pallid Scops Owl

Otus brucei
Description: Length 21 cm, wingspan 54-64 cm. A small
owl with light greyish-brown plumage with black streaks
on the upper parts, chest and belly. The face is buffish-
white with a thin dark border and prominent ear tufts. Its
light color provides good camouflage against tree trunks
and rocks. The eyes are large and yellow.
Habitat: Breeding visitor. Semi-deserts, rocky gorges,
orchards, parks.
Range: Asia and north Africa.

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Source: planetofbirds.com
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European Scops Owl

Otus scops
Description: Length 17-21 cm, wingspan 47-54 cm. A
small owl with grey-brown plumage with paler face,
underparts and shoulder line. The body is adorned with
black-brown streaks. The head has two small ear tufts
and the eyes are bright yellow. The wings are long and
narrow.
Habitat: Breeding visitor. Semi-deserts, steppes, parks,
orchards.
Range: Europe, Asia and Africa.

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Eurasian Eagle Owl

Bubo bubo
Description: Length 75 cm, wingspan 188 cm. One of the
largest species of owls with a barrel-shaped body. It has
distinctive ear tufts, the upper parts are mottled black,
wings and tail are barred. The underparts are buff with
dark streaks. It has distinct orange eyes. The beak and
feet are black. Females are slightly larger than males.
Habitat: Year-round resident. Steppes, mountain valleys
and grasslands.
Author: Dick Daniels
Range: Europe and Asia.
Source: commons.wikimedia.org

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Tawny Owl
Strix aluco
Description: Length 37-43 cm, wingspan 81-96 cm. A
medium sized owl with a compact body and large rounded
head which lacks ear tufts. The plumage varies from
greyish to reddish-brown with black and white streaks.
The facial disc surrounding the brown eyes is pale. The
female is much larger than the male.
Habitat: Year-round resident. Steppes, deciduous and
coniferous forests, parks, farmlands.
Range: Europe, Asia and north Africa.

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Source: pinteret.com
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Little Owl
Athene noctua
Description: Length 22 cm, wingspan 56 cm. The
plumage is brown speckled with white spots. The head is
large. It has long whitish legs, and yellow eyes with white
eyebrows. Both sexes are alike.
Habitat: Year-round resident. Steppes, open country such
as farmlands.
Range: Europe, Asia and north Africa.

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Long-eared Owl
Asio otus
Description: Length 31-40 cm, wingspan 86-100 cm.
The upper part is a mixture of black, brown, grey, buff and
white. The underpart is whitish-grey with dark brown
streaks. The wings are long and rounded. It has white
eyebrows above the eyes and white patches below the
beak. The legs and toes are densely feathered.
Habitat: Winter visitor. Steppes, grasslands and shrubs.
Range: Europe, Asia, Africa and North America.

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Source: sdakotabirds.com
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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Short-eared Owl
Asio flammeus
Description: Length 34-43 cm, wingspan 85-110 cm. A
medium sized owl with large eyes, big head, short neck
and broad wings. The plumage is tawny to brown with a
barred tail and wings. The upper part of the breast is
streaked. The eyes are yellow-orange. Females are
slightly larger than males.
Habitat: Winter visitor and two-way migrant. Steppes,
tundra, savannah and meadows.
Range: All continents except Antartica and Australia.

Author: Dario Sanches

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Collared Owlet
Glaucidium brodiei
Description: Length 15-17 cm, wingspan 80-100 cm. A
small owl with brown or greyish-brown upperparts. The
underparts are rufous-white with broad dark brown bars
on the side of the breast and flanks. The crown, nape and
ear-coverts and the side of the neck are reddish-brown
or grey-brown, marked with broken bars. The legs and
toes are greenish-yellow.
Habitat: Year-round resident. Temperate forests.
Range: Asia.
Author: Arun P. Singh
Source: avibirds.com

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

NIGHTJARS
Caprimulgidae

Medium-sized crepuscular and nocturnal birds with long wings, short legs and very short bills. They are
mostly active late evening or early morning and predominantly feed on moths and other flying insects.

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European Nightjar
Caprimulgus europaeus
Description: Length 26-28 cm, wingspan 52-59 cm. The
adult has greyish-brown upperparts with dark streaking,
pale buff hind neck, a white moustachial line and a long
tail. It has a flat wide head, small bill and large brown
eyes.The bill is blackish and the legs and feet are brown.
Habitat: Breeding visitor and two-way migrant.
Mountainous regions, orchards and gardens.
Range: Europe, Asia and North Africa.

Author: John McAllen

Source: animaldiversity.org
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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Egyptian Nightjar
Caprimulgus aegyptius
Description: Length 25 cm, wingspan 55 cm. The
camouflaged plumage is sandy-colored streaked with buff
and brown. The upperparts are whitish or sandy. The
wings and tail are long and its plumage is soft and downy.
The male has a tiny white wing spots.
Habitat: Breeding visitor. Semi-deserts with few trees.
Author: Ivan Dudacek Range: Asia and Africa. Rare visitor to Europe.
Source: iucnredlist.org

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Sykes Nightjar
Caprimulgus mahrattensis
Description: Length 19-21 cm, . A small short-tailed
nightjar with a short dark bill. The upperparts are sandy-
grey and the underparts are sandy buff. There is a
mustachial stripe between the eye and the bill. The cheek
is pale grey and the wing-coverts have pale rufous spots.
The breast is finely barred. The eyes are reddish-brown.
Habitat: Breeding visitor. Semi-deserts, gravel steppes.
Author: Subhadeep Gosh
Range: South Asia.
Source: orientalbirdimages.org

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Indian Nightjar
Caprimulgus asiaticus
Description: Length 24 cm. A small short-tailed nightjar
with greyish-brown upperparts, a golden nape and collar.
The crown is streaked blackish-brown. The cheeks are
dark and there are white patches on the side of the throat.
The eye has a bright ring around it.The breast is finely
barred.
Author: Tejinder Singh Rawal Habitat: Breeding visitor. Steppes, woodland and
Source: nagpurbirds.org cultivations.
Range: South Asia.

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

SWIFTS
Apodidae

A family of aerial birds superficially resembling swallow and martins with narrow scythe-like wings and a
short tail. Swifts are amongst the fastest fliers in the animal kingdom attaining speeds of up to 170 km/h.

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Alpine Swift
Tachymarptis melba
Description: Length 21 cm, wingspan 57 cm. A large bird
which is almost twice as large as other swifts. The upper
plumage is dark brown with white patches underneath the
beak and on the breast separated by a dark brown streak.
The short beak is wide forming a large gaping mouth used
for snatching insects in flight.
Habitat: Breeding visitor. Cliffs, caves and buildings.
Author: Denis Cochia
Range: Europe, Asia and Africa.
Source: birdingmalta.com

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Common Swift
Apus apus
Description: Length 16-17 cm, wingspan 38-40 cm. The
plumage is entirely blackish-brown with a small white
patch on the chin. The tail is short and forked and the
sharply pointed wings are long and swept back enabling it
to make rapid, sharp turns in the air while hunting insects.
Male and female are similar in appearance.
Author: Billy Lindblom Habitat: Breeding visitor and two-way migrant. Semi-
Source: commons.wikimedia.org deserts, steppe, plains, buildings.
Range: Europe, Asia and Africa.

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Little Swift
Apus affinis
Description: Length 12 cm. A small swift with long,
narrow wings and a square-shaped tail. The plumage is
black with a white rump and throat. The large eyes and
small beak are black. The feet are strong with sharp claws,
used for clinging to vertical surfaces. Males and females
look alike.
Habitat: Breeding visitor and two-way migrant.
Author: Thomas Hardwicke Shrublands, grasslands, cliffs, buildings.
Source: commons.wikimedia.org Range: Europe, Asia and Africa.

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

ROLLERS
Coraciidae

Stocky colorful, strong billed birds with boldly patterned wings and square tails. They are powerful fliers in
open habitats are are capable of performing acrobatics during courtship. They are mainly insect eaters.

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European Roller
Coracias garrulus
Description: Length 29-32 cm, wingspan 52-58 cm. A
stocky bird. The color is mainly greenish-blue with an
orange-brown back. The extended wing shows an azure
blue edge and black wing-tips. A short thin black stripe
runs through the eye. The bill is black.
Habitat: Breeding visitor and two-way migrant. Steppes,
mountains, oak and pine woods.
Range: Europe, Asia and Africa.
Author: Christian Svane
Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Indian Roller
Coracias benghalensis
Description: Length 26-27 cm. The crown and vent are
blue and the breast is brown. The primaries are deep
purplish blue with a band of pale blue. The sky blue tail
has a terminal band of greenish-blue and the central
feathers are dull green. The neck and throat has white
streaks.
Habitat: Year-round resident. Steppes, wooded plains
Author: Sammy Sam and cultivations.
Source: commons. wikimedia.org Range: Asia.

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

BEE-EATERS
Meropidae

The plumage is richly colored. The body is slender usually with elongated central tail feathers. All have
long downturned bills and pointed wings. They eat insects, especially bees and wasps.

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Blue-cheeked Bee-eater
Merops persicus
Description: Length 27-33 cm. It has a blue stripe above
and below the eyes. The plumage is bright green, the
throat is yellow with a brown upper breast. It has two
elongated central tail feathers. The beak is black.
Habitat: Breeding visitor. Steppes, wetlands, semi-
deserts and habitations.
Range: Asia and Africa.

Author: J.M. Garg

Source: commons.wikimedia.org . - :
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 The Birds of Afghanistan

European Bee-eater
Merops apiaster
Description: Length 27-29 cm, wingspan 36-40 cm. A
slender bird with rich, bright colors. The crown is chestnut
blending into its golden back. The throat is yellow
bordered by black and the underparts are blue. Males
have a chestnut patch in the middle of the wing.
Author: Elgollimoh Habitat: Breeding visitor. Steppes, river banks and
Source: en.wikipedia.org shores.
Range: Europe, Asia and Africa.

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Green Bee-eater
Merops orientalis
Description: Length 16-18 cm. The plumage is bright
green tinged with blue on the chin and throat. The crown
and upper back have a golden rufous tinge. A black line
runs from the front of the eyes to the back of the head.
The bill is black and the legs are dark grey. The sexes
look alike.
Habitat: Breeding visitor. Open country with bushes.
Range: Asia and Africa.

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Author: K. Hari Krishnan
Source: en.wikipedia.org

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

KINGFISHERS
Alcedinidae

Small to medium sized brightly colored birds mostly green and blue with long, sharp pointed bills, short
legs and stubby tails. In most species there are no differences between the sexes.

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Common Kingfisher
Alcedo atthis
Description: Length 17-19 cm, wingspan 25 cm. The
upperparts are bright blue, while the underparts are
chestnut-red. The dagger-like bill is long. It is large
headed with a short tail. The neck stripe is green-blue.
Males and females are alike but in breeding pairs the bill
of the female has a red base, while the males is
completely black.
Habitat: Breeding visitor. Rivers, ponds, and streams.
Range: Europe, Asia and Africa.

Author: Andreas Trepte
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Source: en.wikipedia.org

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White-throated Kingfisher
Halcyon smyrnensis
Description: Length 28 cm. A large kingfisher with bright
blue back, wings and tail. The head, shoulders, flanks and
lower belly are chestnut. The throat and breast are white.
The bill and legs are bright red.
Habitat: Year-round resident. Steppes, open country with
trees.
Range: Europe and Asia.

Author: Prathyush Thomas

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Pied Kingfisher
Ceryle rudis
Description: Length 17 cm. The plumage is black and
white. It has white-spotted, black upperparts and white
underparts, with a broad band of black streaks on the
upper breast. It has a prominent white eyebrow and a
black eye band that stretches to the back of the neck. The
throat is white. The legs are black.
Habitat: Year-round resident. Rivers, lakes and ponds.
Range: Asia and Africa.
Author: Hans Hillewaert
Source: commons.wikimedia.org

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Crested Kingfisher
Megaceryle lugubris
Description: Length 41 cm. A large kingfisher with black
and white plumage and a prominent crest.The upper body
and tail is speckled with white spots and the underparts
are white with black and white breast bands. The bills is
black.
Habitat: Year-round resident. Mountain rivers.
Range: Asia.

Author: Sandeep Jajabor

Source: sandeepjajabor.blogspot.com . :
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 The Birds of Afghanistan

HOOPOES
Upupidae

Medium sized birds, highly distinctive with long crests and long curved bill. Wings and mantle are heavily
barred.

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Eurasian Hoopoe
Upupa epops
Description: Length 25-32 cm, wingspan 44-48 cm.
Distinguished by its long curved bill and black-tipped crest
which it can fold down or hold erected like a fan. The
plumage is pinkish-cinnamon. The tail and rounded wings
are barred black and white. The legs are short.
Habitat: Year-round resident and breeding visitor.
Author: Drzan Crano Steppes, mountains, grasslands, human habitations.
Source: en.wikipedia.org Range: Europe, Asia and Africa.

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

WOODPECKERS
Picidae

The woodpeckers have strong bills for drilling and drumming on trees and long sticky tongues for
extracting food. The chisel-like tip of the bill is kept sharp by the pecking action on wood.

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Jynx torquilla
Description: Length 17 cm. An elongated looking bird
whose body shape resembles more like a thrush than a
woodpecker. The bill is shorter and less dagger-like than
those of other woodpeckers. The upper parts are barred in
shades of pale brown with rufous and blackish bars and
wide black streaks. The underparts are cream speckled
and spotted with brown. The rounded tail is grey, speckled
with brown. The legs and feet are pale brown.
Author: Tarique Sani Habitat: Breeding visitor and two-way migrant. Steppes,
Source: sdakotabirds.com semi-deserts, deserts, gardens and orchards.
Range: Europe, Asia and Africa.

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Brown-fronted Woodpecker
Dendrocopos auriceps
Description: Length 20 cm. A medium-sized woodpecker
with olive-brown crown and cheek. The body is barred
with white rather than being spotted. The rump is black
with bold black streaking underparts with a pink vent and
lower belly. The male has a bright yellow crown fringed
with red which is dull yellow in female. The tail is unbarred.
Habitat: Year-round resident. Temperate forests,
montane woods.
Range: Asia.

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

White-winged Woodpecker
Dendrocopos leucopterus
Description: Length 24 cm. A fairly large woodpecker
with an extensive white forehead and wing patches. The
crown is black and it has a black bar behind the cheek.
The center of belly and vent is bright red.The wings have
white barring which extends almost to wing-tips.
Habitat: Year-round resident. Temperate forests,
Author: Boris Belchev
montane woods.
Source: alcedowildlife.com
Range: Asia.

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Himalayan Woodpecker
Dendrocopos himalayensis
Description: Length 25 cm. The male has a red crown
with with a black border. The crown of female is black. The
cheek is enclosed by a black mustache and black border.
The back of the neck and back are black. The black wings
have narrow white bars. The underparts are pale buff.
Habitat: Year-round resident. Temperate forests.
Range: Asia.

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Source: orientalbirdimages.org
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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Scaly-bellied Woodpecker
Picus squamatus
Description: Length 35 cm. A large green woodpecker
with a bright red crown in the male, female has a black
crown. The throat and breast are unmarked with distinct
black and white scaled belly. The tail is strongly barred.
The bill is large and pale.
Habitat: Year-round resident. Steppes, temperate forests.
Author: Mvshreeram Range: Asia.
Source: commons.wikimedia.org

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Speckled Piculet
Picumnus innominatus
Description: Length 10 cm. A small golden-olive
woodpecker with a dark mask and mustache and black
spots on greenish-white belly. The tail is short. The male
has a small orange and black barred forehead patch which
is lacking in the female.
Habitat: Year-round resident. Temperate forests.
Range: Asia.

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Source: flickr.com

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

SHRIKES
Laniidae

Medium sized birds with grey, brown or black and white plumage. Their beaks are hooked, like a bird of
prey, showing their predatory nature. Their calls are loud and shrill.
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Turkestan Shrike
Lanius phoenicuroides
Description: Length 17 cm. The crown is rusty-brown. A
black mask extends from the bill base across the eye to
the ear coverts. The throat, breast, abdomen and under
tail are white. The upper back is grey-brown while the
wings and rump are darker. The long tail is rusty-brown.
Females have a scaly pattern on the breast and flanks.
Author: N.A. Naseer The bill and legs are black.
Source: commons.wikimedia.org Habitat: Breeding visitor and passage migrant. Deciduous
forests, bushy thickets, gardens and fields.
Range: Asia.

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Daurian Shrike
Lanius isabellinus
Description: Length 17 cm. A medium sized shrike. The
upperparts are sandy-buff with a pink tinge. The underparts
are pale buff-brown. The rump and tail is reddish-brown.
The head is relatively large with a dark mask on the face
above the bill. The bill is short and thick with a small hook
on the upper mandible. Female is duller than the male.
Habitat: Winter visitor and two way migrant. Open country
with scattered bushes in semi-deserts and steppes and dry
mountain regions.
Author: Bjorn Johansson Range: Asia and Africa. Occasionally recorded in Western
Source: birdskorea.org Europe.

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Bay-backed Shrike
Lanius vittatus
Description: Length 17 cm. A smallish shrike. The upper
wings and the long tail with white edges are black. The
back is maroon-brown with a pale rump. Underparts are
white with buff flanks. A thick black mask extends from the
forehead to the ear coverts. The crown and nape are grey.
The wing has a small white patch. The bill and legs are
dark grey.
Author: J.M. Garg Habitat: Breeding visitor. Semi-deserts, dry mountain
Source: ecommons.wikimedia.org valleys and cultivated plains.
Range: South Asia.

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Long-tailed Shrike
Lanius schach
Description: Length 25 cm. A large shrike. The head is
grey with a black mask covering the forehead, eyes and
ear coverts. The back and rump are chestnut and the
wings and long tail are black. The underparts are whitish
with chestnut flanks. The strong hooked bill is blackish, the
eyes are brown and the legs are grey. Both sexes are
similar.
Habitat: Breeding visitor. Open lightly wooded country,
scrubland and fields.
Range: Asia.
Author: J.M. Garg
Source: en.wikipedia.org
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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Southern Grey Shrike

Lanius meridionalis
Description: Length 25 cm. A large pale grey shrike. The
head and back are grey. The wings are black with a large
white patch. The underparts are entirely white, the tail is
black with white terminal feathers. A black mask extends
from the beak to the ear coverts. The hooked bill and feet
are blackish-grey.
Habitat: Year-round resident and two-way migrant.
Author: Per-Anders Olsson
Semi-deserts and steppes.
Source: commons.wikimedia.org
Range: Vagrant to Europe, South Asia and North Africa.

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Lesser Grey Shrike

Lanius minor
Description: Length 23 cm. The crown and back are pale
bluish-grey. The underparts are white with a pinkish lower
breast and belly. The face has a broad black band
extending from the bill to the ear coverts. The tail feathers
are black with a white tip at the base. The wing is black
with grey upper feathers. The beak is brownish-black, the
eyes brown and the legs and feet are black.
Habitat: Breeding visitor and two-way migrant. Open
Author: Lee Ouzman areas with scattered bushes and trees, gardens and
Source: jacanaent.com roadside trees.
Range: Vagrant to Western Europe, Asia and Africa.

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Woodchat Shrike
Lanius senator
Description: Length 18 cm. A bulky looking shrike with a
rusty crown and a black band which extends from the
forehead to the ear coverts. The band and bill is separated
by white feathers that extend all the way to the eyes. The
underparts are whitish. The wings are brown with
prominent white scapular feathers. The tail is brown. The
bill and legs are blackish-brown. The female has brown
underparts.
Author: Raydes
Habitat: Vagrant in open farmland country with orchard
Source: birdforum.net
trees.
Range: Europe, Asia and Africa.

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Red-backed Shrike
Lanius collurio
Description: Length 18 cm. The head is bluish-grey with
the typical black stripe which runs through the eyes. The
throat is white. The back is chestnut and the tail is black
with white outer feathers. The underparts are tinged pink.
The hooked bill is black. Females lack the black eye mask
and are dull brown.
Habitat: Passage migrant. Steppes with scattered thorny
Author: Nikolay Staykov
bushes and low grass.
Source: birdAuthorgrapher.com
Range: Europe, Asia and Africa.

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Masked Shrike
Lanius nubicus
Description: Length 18 cm. It is a small shrike with a long
tail and a hooked black bill. The male has mainly black
upperparts, with white on its crown and forehead and large
white patches on the shoulders and wings. The throat and
underparts are white. The female is duller with brownish-
black underparts and grey tone to the shoulders.
Habitat: Vagrant. Steppes with open bushes and large
Author: Lior Kislev Ramot trees.
Source: birdforum.net Range: Europe, Asia and North Africa.

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Great Grey Shrike

Lanius excubitor
Description: Length 25 cm. The color of the upperparts is
pearl grey. The chin and cheeks are white. A deep black
mask extends from the beak through the eye to the ear
coverts. The shoulder feathers are white and the wings are
black with a white bar. The long tail is black with a band of
white outer feathers. The underparts are white with a grey
Author: Bernd tinge. The male and female are about the same size but
Source: metro.co.uk the underparts of the female are grey.
Habitat: Vagrant. Steppes with scattered bushes and
sparse low vegetation.
Range: Europe, Asia and North America.

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

BULBULS
Pycnonotidae

Short-billed, short-necked and round-tailed social and noisy songbirds. The tails are long and the wings
short and rounded. Many species are crested and boldly patterned. The sexes are alike but the female is
slightly smaller.
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White-eared Bulbul
Pycnonotus leucotis
Description: Length 20 cm. It lacks a crest. The head and
throat are black. It has white cheek patches which also
cover the ears. The plumage is greyish-brown with
darker wings. The tail is blackish with a white tip. The vent
is orange-yellow. The underparts are lighter than the back
and wings. Males and females look alike.
Habitat: Year-round resident. Scrub forests and gardens.
Range: Asia.

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Author: J.M. Garg
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Source: en.wikipedia.org
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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Himalayan Bulbul
Pycnonotus leucogenys
Description: Length 18 cm. The head, throat and crest
are black with a white cheek patch below the eyes. The
back, wings and tail are tan-brown. The breast and
underside of the tail are whitish. The vent is orange yellow.
The bill is black.
Habitat: Year-round resident. Deciduous forests, gardens
and roadsides.
Range: Asia. From Afghanistan to Bhutan.
Author: J.M. Garg
Source: beautyofbirds.com

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Black Bulbul
Hypsipetes leucocephalus
Description: Length 24 cm. A large bulbul with a long tail
which is slightly forked. The plumage is grey overall with a
black crown and a shaggy crest. The bill and legs are rich
orange-red. Male and female have a similar plumage.
Habitat: Year-round resident and winter visitor.
Deciduous forests, cultivations and gardens.
Range: South Asia.

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Source: en.wikipedia.org
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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Black Drongo
Dicrurus macrocercus
Description: Length 31 cm. A big glossy black bird with a
long deeply forked tail. Adults usually have a small white
spot at the base of the gape. The iris is dark brown. Sexes
are alike and cannot be told apart in the field.
Habitat: Breeding visitor. Open areas with scattered
bushes, cultivations and villages.
Range: Asia.

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Ashy Drongo
Ducrurus leucophaeus
Description: Length 30 cm. Slimmer and less glossy than
black drongo The plumage is mainly dark grey. The long
tail is less splayed. It has bright red eyes.
Habitat: Breeding visitor. Deciduous and coniferous
forests.
Range: Asia.

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Source: commons.wikimedia.org

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Long-tailed Minivet
Pericrocotus ethologus
Description: Length 18 cm. A slim and long tailed bird.
The male is pinkish-red with a red wing slash. The head
and back are black and the underside is pinkish-red.The
tail is black with red outer feathers. Female has a grey
face with a darker grey crown. The back is grey-brown
while the underparts are yellow.
Author: Zhou Huaming Habitat: Summer visitor. Coniferous forests.
Source: ibc.lynxed.com Range: South Asia.

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

CROWS AND JAYS

Corvidae

Medium to large sized birds with strong feet and bills. They are stout birds with a large bill and wingspan.
They are considered to be the most intelligent of all animals and are found worldwide except for the polar
ice caps.
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Black-headed Jay
Garrulus lanceolatus
Description: Length 33cm. The head is black with a
ruffled crest. The body is greyish-pink with a relatively
long barred blue tail with a white tip. The throat has white
streaks. It has a stout slightly upturned silvery bill.
Habitat: Year-round resident. Open wooded areas,
cultivated areas and villages.
Author: Clement Francis Range: Asia. Afghanistan to Bhutan.
Source: zonkerala.com

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Common Magpie
Pica pica
Description: Length 45 cm. Unmistakable species with
black and white plumage. The head, neck and breast are
glossy black. The belly and shoulder feathers are white.
The long tail is black with a bronze-green sheen. The
wings are black with white primary feathers conspicuous
when the wing is open.
Habitat: Year-round resident. Farms, villages and urban
Author: Pierre-Selim areas with threes and shrubs.
Source: en.wikipedia.org Range: Europe, Asia and northwest Africa.

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Large-spotted Nutcracker
Nucifraga multipunctata
Description:Length 32 cm. The plumage is dark brown
with heavy white spots on the foreparts. The vent, rump
and outer tail are white. The cap is blackish brown with a
white eye-ring. The black bill is slender and rather long
and sharply pointed. The legs are black.
Habitat: Year-round resident. Coniferous forests.
Author: Murray B. Hanson Range: Europe and Asia.
Source: en.wikipedia.org

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Red-billed Chough
Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax
Description: Length 40 cm. The plumage is black overall
with a green gloss on the body. The long curved bill and
legs are red. The sexes are similar but the juvenile has an
orange bill and pink legs.
Habitat: Year-round resident. High mountain valleys.
Range: Europe, Asia and North Africa.

Author: Jean-Jacques Boujot

Source: commons.wikimedia.org
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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Yellow-billed Chough
Pyrrhocorax graculus
Description: Length 39 cm. The plumage is glossy black.
It has a short yellow bill, dark brown irises and red legs.
The sexes are identical in appearance although the male
is slightly larger than the female.
Habitat: Year-round resident. High mountain valleys,
alpine meadows and scree slopes.
Range: Europe and Asia.
Author: Mathias Bigge

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Eurasian Jackdaw
Corvus monedula
Description: Length 36 cm. The plumage is shiny black
with silvery hind crown, cheek and nape. The underparts
are slate-grey. The legs and the short, stout bill are black.
The iris is silvery white. The sexes look alike.
Habitat:Year-round resident and winter visitor. Wooded
steppes, pastures, cultivated land and towns.
Range: Europe, Asia and North Africa.
Author: Maxwell Hamilton

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Rook
Corvus frugilegus
Description: Length 45 cm. It is mid-sized, small headed
with a spike-like bill and a bare whitish face. The plumage
is black with blue or bluish-purple sheen in bright sunlight.
The legs and feet are black and the bill is grey-black. The
feathers around the legs are shaggy.
Habitat: Winter visitor. Mountains and steppes, open
agriculture areas.
Author: Brian Nelson Range: Europe and Asia.
Source: en.wikipedia.org

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Carrion Crow
Corvus corone
Description: Length 50 cm. The plumage is black with a
green or purple sheen. It has a short deep bill and flat fore
crown. The bill and legs are also black.
Habitat: Year-round resident. Alpine steppes, forests and
human habitations.
Range: Western Europe and Asia.

Author: Dick Daniels

Source: commons.wikimedia.org . :
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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Large-billed Crow
Corvus macrorhynchos
Description: Length 50 cm. The plumage is glossy black.
The back and wings have a blue-violet sheen. The long,
heavy bill is arched and the forehead is steep. The feet
and bill are black. It lacks the beard of the Common
Raven.
Habitat:Year-round resident. Open areas such as parks
and gardens and cultivations with some trees.
Range: Asia.
Author. J.M. Garg
Source: en.wikipedia.org

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Brown-necked Raven
Corvus ruficollis
Description: Length 56 cm. The head and throat are
brownish-black while the rest of the plumage is black with
a purplish-blue gloss. The legs and bill are black. Its
wings are relatively short and the tail is rounded.
Habitat: Year-round resident. Steppes, cultivations,
gardens and residential areas.
Range: Asia and North Africa.

Author: Lip Kee Yap

Source: commons.wikimedia.org . :
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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Common Raven
Corvus corax
Description: Length 70 cm. The plumage is black
iridescent. In sunlight the plumage displays a blue or
purple sheen. It has a large and heavy black beak, shaggy
feathers around the throat and above the beak and a
wedge-shaped tail. The legs are black and the iris is dark
brown.
Habitat: Year-round resident. Mountain valleys and
Author: David Iliff steppes. Prefers contoured landscapes, human habitations
Source: en.wikipedia.org and garbage dumps.
Range: Europe, Asia, North Africa, and North America.

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Hooded Crow
Corvus cornix
Description: Length 50 cm. The head, throat, wings, tail
and thigh feathers are glossy black. The rest of the body is
ash-grey. The bill and legs are black and the iris is dark
brown.
Habitat: Year-round resident and winter visitor. Steppes,
open areas farms and human habitations.
Range: Europe and Asia.
Author: Alex-engraver
Source: commons.wikimedia.org

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House Crow
Corvus splendens
Description: Length 40 cm. Lightweight with a longish
neck and slim bill. The forehead, crown, throat and upper
breast are glossy black, while the neck and breast are
grey-brown. The wings, tail and legs are black.
Habitat: Year-round resident. Steppes, human
habitations.
Author: Mohammad Mahdi Karim Range: Asia, introduced to many parts of the world.
Source: commons.wikimedia.org

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ORIOLES
Oriolidae

Medium sized passerines with bright and showy plumage, although females have a duller plumage. The
beak is slightly hooked and curved.
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Indian Golden Oriole

Oriolus kundoo
Description: Length 25 cm. The plumage of the male is
bright yellow with mostly black wings with a black mask
extending behind the eye. The bill is red and the eye is
bright red. Female is duller with dusky streaks on the
underside.
Habitat: Breeding visitor. Open deciduous forests, open
country with scattered trees, parks, gardens and orchards.
Range: South Asia.
Author: J.M. Garg
Source: en.wikipedia.org
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TITS
Paridae

They are stocky woodland species with short stout bills. Some have crests. They range in length from 10
to 12 cm and have the tendency to live around human habitations.
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Rufous-naped Tit
Periparus rufonuchalis
Description: Length 13 cm. The head and throat are
black with a white cheek stripe below the eye running
along the neck. It has a rather large crest. The belly is
pure grey and the back and wings dark-grey.
Habitat: Year-round resident. Mountain valleys.
Range: Asia.

Author: P.V. Subramaniam

Source: orientalbirdimages.org . :
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Black-crested Tit
Periparus melanolophus
Description: Length 11 cm. A small tit with a double wing
bar of white spots and grey belly. The crown, neck, throat
and breast are black. The flank is rufous and the crest
large.
Habitat: Year-round resident. Temperate forests.
Range: Asia.

Author: Jugal Tiwari . :
Source: mangoverde.com .
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Great Tit
Parus major
Description: Length 14 cm. The head and neck are black
and the white cheek-patch is enclosed by black. The
underparts are yellow. It has a single white bar on the
blue-grey wing. The back is pale grey. It has a strong
stout bill.
Habitat: Year-round resident and winter visitor. Mountain
Author: Luc Viatour valleys and steppes. Deciduous and conifer forests.
Source: en.wikipedia.org Range: Europe, Asia and North Africa.

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Willow Tit
Poecile montana
Description: Length 11 cm. The cap is sooty brown. The
underparts are buff and the flanks rufous. It has an untidy
bib and a large white cheek.
Habitat: Vagrant. Mountain valleys.
Range: Europe, Asia.

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Author: Francis C. Franklin
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Source: en.wikepedia.org
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Azure Tit
Cyanistes cyanus
Description: Length 12 cm. The head, corners of the tail,
wing bars and underparts are white. The upperparts are
blue. A dark line runs through the eye.
Habitat: Year-round resident. Mountain valleys and
deciduous woodland.
Range: Europe, Asia.

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Blue Tit
Cyanistes caeruleus
Description: Length 12 cm. The crown is azure blue with
a dark blue line passing through the eye and encircling the
white cheeks. The forehead and wing bars are white. The
wings and tail are blue. The underside is yellowish-green.
The bill is black and the legs bluish-grey.
Habitat: Winter visitor. Mountain valleys.
Range: Europe, Asia, North Africa.
Author: Francis C. Franklin

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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PENDULINE AND LONG-TAILED TITS

Remizidae

Small passerines that resemble the true tits but have finer bills with needle-like points. Their wings are
short and rounded and the tails notched.
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Eurasian Penduline Tit

Remiz pendulinus
Description: Length 11 cm. A compact bird with finely
pointed bill and a relatively long tail. The head is grey-
white with long black eye-patches which contrasts with the
chestnut mantle. The sexes are similar.
Habitat: Winter visitor. Lakes, estuaries, rivers, streams or
swamps of fresh or brackish water.
Range: Europe, Asia and North Africa.
Author: Martin Mecnarowski
Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Black-headed Penduline Tit

Remiz macronyx
Description: Length 11 cm. The head is black and the
throat dark grey. The mantle is chestnut-brown while the
back and rump are sandy. Underparts are buff-sandy with
a paler undertail. The bill, feet and claws are dark-brown.
Female is similar to male but has dimmer tones.
Habitat: Year-round resident. Lakes and rivers.
Range: Asia.
Author: Ukolov Ilya
Source: birds.kz
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White-crowned Penduline Tit

Remiz coronatus
Description: Length 11 cm. The crown is white, lower
back and rump are creamy-buff. Male has a black mask
which extends as a broad band around the nape. Hind
neck has a broad white band. The female has a more
diffused mask.
Habitat: Winter visitor. Steppes, temperate forests.
Mountain streams and gardens.
Range: Asia.
Author: Aurelien Audevard
Source: ibc.lynxeds.com
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White-cheeked Tit
Aegithalos leucogenys
Description: Length 10 cm. It has a brown crown and
completely black bib extending from chin to upper breast.
There is a narrow black mask above the white cheek-
patch. The breast and flanks are pale buff. The bill is deep
and stout.
Habitat: Year-round resident. Temperate forests,
steppes.
Author: Abid Ali
Range: Asia.
Source: en.wikipedia.org

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MARTINS AND SWALLOWS

Hirundinidae

Adapted to aerial feeding the martins are square tailed while the swallows are fork-tailed. They have
small bills but wide mouths adapted to catching insects in flight.
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Sand Martin
Riparia riparia
Description: Length 12 cm. The upper side is brown while
the underside is white. The breast has a narrow band
which separates the white throat from the white belly. The
bill is black and the legs are brown.
Habitat: Passage migrant. Open areas, steppes and
mountain valleys especially near water.
Range: Widespread in all continents except the Arctic and
Antarctic.

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Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Pale Martin
Riparia diluta
Description: Length 12 cm. The plumage is grey brown
above, the underparts are dingy white. The breast band is
light grey-brown. The whitish throat is less defined. Sexes
are similar. The tail has a shallow fork.
Habitat: Year-round resident. Steppes. Riverbanks and
reed beds.
Range: Widespread in all continents except the Arctic and
Author: Michael Sveikutis
Antarctic.
Source: carolinabirds.org

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Grey-throated Martin
Riparia chinensis
Description: Length 11 cm. The throat and breast are
silvery-grey and it lacks the breast-band. The belly is
whitish with dark grey brown upperparts. The crown is
darker but there is no contrast between the sides of the
head and throat. The tail is nearly square.
Habitat: Year-round resident. Steppes. Open areas such
as farmland and grassland usually near water.
Range: Asia.
Author: Alok Tewari
Source: birdforum.net

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Eurasian Crag Martin

Ptyonoprogne rupestris
Description: Length 14 cm. The upperparts are ash-
brown with paler underparts. The tail is short and square,
with white patches near the tip. Underwing and undertail
coverts are blackish, eyes brown and the small bill is
black. The legs are brownish-pink. Sexes are alike.
Habitat: Breeding visitor. Steppes and mountain valleys.
Range: Europe, Asia and northwest Africa.
Author: Ragna Extremadura
Source: birdforum.net

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Pale Crag Martin

Ptyonoprogne obsoleta
Description: Length 13 cm. The upperparts are light
brown which become paler on the lower back. The tail is
short and square with small white patches near the tip.
The throat and upper breast are pale grey. The underparts
are dirty white. The small bill is mainly black and the legs
are brownish pink.
Author: Ryan ODonnell Habitat: Breeding visitor. Hilly and mountainous country
Source: surfbirds.com with cliffs, gorges, caves and human habitations.
Range: Asia and north Africa.

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Northern House Martin

Delichon urbicum
Description: Length 15 cm. It is steel blue above
contrasting with the white underparts and a white
rump. The short legs have white feathers. The eyes
are brown, bill black and the exposed parts of the
legs are pink. The sexes are similar. The tail is
sharply forked.
Habitat: Breeding visitor. Steppes and mountain
Author: Andreas Trepte valleys. Open country such as pastures, meadows,
Source: en.wikipediaorg farmlands and human habitations.
Range: Asia and North Africa.

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Wire-tailed Swallow
Hirundo smithii
Description: Length 14 cm. The upperparts are bright
blue, underparts white and the cap is chestnut. The short
tail has two long tail wires. Sexes are similar but the
female has shorter tail wires.
Habitat: Breeding visitor. Open country near water and
human habitations.
Range: Asia and Africa.

Author: Amo Meintjes . :
Source: beautyofbirds.com .
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Barn Swallow
Hirundo rustica
Description: Length 18 cm. The head, wings and tail are
a steely blue. The underparts are tawny. The blue crown
and face contrast with the cinnamon-colored forehead and
throat. The deeply forked tail has white spots. Female is
similar to male with shorter tail streamers.
Habitat: Breeding visitor. Steppes and mountain valleys.
Fields, parks, marshes, ponds and meadows.
Range: Widespread throughout the world except the polar
Author: Eddie Y
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Source: allaboutbirds.org

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Streaked-throated Swallow
Petrochelidon fluvicola
Description: Length 12 cm. A small swallow with a short
forked tail. The throat, chin and breast are streaked. The
upperparts are dark. The crown is rufous. The rump and
underparts are white.
Habitat: Breeding visitor. Open areas, cultivations and
human habitations.
Range: Asia.

Author: J.M. Garg
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Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Red-rumped Swallow
Cecropis daurica
Description: Length 19 cm. It resembles a barn swallow
but has a rufous rump, face and neck collar with darker
undersides. It lacks a breast band, but has a black
undertail. The tail streams are long and strong.
Habitat: Breeding visitor. Mountain valleys and human
habitations.
Author: Agustin Povedano Range: Europe, Asia and Africa.
Source: en.wikipedia.org

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LARKS
Alaudidae

Small to medium sized birds with many species living in dry regions. Most species have streaked brown
plumage which helps them provide camouflage on the ground. They feed on insects and seeds.
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Bar-tailed Lark
Ammomanes cincturus
Description:Length 14 cm. It has a round head and short
bill. The plumage is tawny-rufous above, with a faint buff
stripe above the eye. The flight feathers are orange-rufous
with a black tip and the tail has a black band near the end.
The underparts are pale whitish-buff. The legs are pale
brown.
Habitat: Year-round resident. Deserts and semi-deserts
with less than 100 mm of rainfall.
Range: Asia, Africa.
Author: Daniel Trim
Source: dansbirdingblog.blogspot.com
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Desert Lark
Ammomanes deserti
Description: Length 16 cm. The upperside is sandy
colored and the underside is pale pinkish, the tail is
reddish-brown with a dark terminal band. The breast is
streaked. It has a thick yellow bill.
Habitat: Year-round resident. Deserts, semi-deserts, dry
steppes.
Author: Tim Herfurth
Range: Asia, Africa.
Source: en.wikipedia.org

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Greater Hoopoe Lark

Alaemon alaudipes
Description: Length 23 cm. The body is elongated with
long, slender grey legs and a down curved bill. The
plumage is pale sandy color with creamy white underparts.
The breast has scattered black spots. The dark brown eyes
have a long and narrow eye-stripe.
Habitat:Year-round resident. Deserts and steppes.
Range: Asia, Africa.

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Source: en.wikipedia.org .
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Calandra Lark
Melanocorypha calandra
Description: Length 18 cm. A robust lark, the plumage is
mainly greyish-brown above and white below. The breast
has large black patches. The bill is short and stout. It has
short broad wings, which are dark below. The short tail has
a white edge.
Habitat:Year-round resident. Steppes, open cultivated
Author: Durzan Cirano areas.
Source: en.wikipedia.org Range: Europe, Asia.

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Bimaculated Lark
Melanocorypha bimaculata
Description: Length 16 cm. The upperparts are grey-
brown with heavy streaks, the underparts are whitish to
pale brown. It has a strong black eyeline, clear buff brow
and brown cheeks. The upper breast has a crescent-
shaped black patch. The long wings and short tail are dark
grey-brown.
Habitat: Year-round resident and winter visitor. Stony
semi-deserts and higher steppes.
Author: Danielle Occhiato
Range: Asia, northeast Africa.
Source: kuwaitbirds.org

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Greater Short-toed Lark

Calandrella brachydactyla
Description: Length 15 cm. The upperparts are sandy-
grey to brown with dark streaks. The breast is light buff with
a small dark patch and light streaks. It has a flat head with
a dark cap. The bill is short and pointed and it has a short
blackish tail.
Habitat: Two-way migrant and breeding visitor. Mountains
and steppes.
Author: Vedat Kasambe Range: Europe, Asia, north Africa.
Source: en.wikipedia.org

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Humes Lark
Calandrella acutirostris
Description: Length 14 cm. A small lark with an
unstreaked breast and dark neck side patches. The yellow
bill has a blackish ridge. The cheek is dark and the crown
is weakly streaked. The underside is whitish.
Habitat: Breeding visitor. Mountains and steppes. Found in
fields, rocky hills and around villages.
Author: As Kannan Range: Europe, Asia.
Source: en.wikipedia.org

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Asian Short-toed Lark

Clandrella cheleensis
Description: Length 13 cm. The upperparts are sandy-
grey with dark streaks. The underparts are whitish with
streaks on the breast. The crown is heavily streaked and
the bill is short and stubby. It has a cheek patch below the
eyes.
Habitat: Year-round resident. Steppes, deserts and semi-
deserts with some bushes.
Author: Vladimir Arkhivov Range: Asia.
Source: en.wikipedia.org

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Lesser Short-toed Lark

Calandrella rufescens
Description: Length 15 cm. A small pale lark. It is
greyish-brown above and white below. The breast is finely
streaked. The bill is short and stubby. It lacks the dark
patch at the side of the neck. The head is only weakly
streaked.
Habitat: Year-round resident. Steppes and desert, open
dry country.
Author: John A. Thompson
Range: Europe, Asia and north Africa.
Source: ibx.lynxeds.com

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Sand Lark
Calandra raytal
Description: Length 13 cm. It is a stocky small bird with a
short tail. The plumage is dull brown with faintly streaked
upperparts. The breast has faint streaks. It has a short
stubby bill.
Habitat: Year-round resident. River valleys.
Range: Asia.
Author: Jugal Tiwari
Source: orientalbirdsimages.org
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Crested Lark
Galerida cristata
Description: Length 18 cm. A pale lark with a high pointed
crest. It is long-billed with pale weakly streaked
upperparts. The breast has brown spots and the tail is
short. The underside is whitish.
Habitat:Year-round resident. Mountain valleys, steppes
and deserts.
Range:Europe, Asia, north Africa.

Author: J.M. Garg

Source: en.wikipedia.org . . :

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Eurasian Skylark
Alauda arvensis
Description: Length 18 cm. The back is streaky brown,
and buff-white below with dark brown streaks on the upper
breast. The long tail is brown with white outer tail feathers.
It has a short blunt crest on the head visible only when
raised.
Habitat: Winter visitor. Mountain valleys, steppes and
desert.
Author: Daniel Pettersson
Range: Europe, Asia.
Source: en.wikipedia.org

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Oriental Skylark
Alauda gulgula
Description: Length 16 cm. The upperparts are dark
brown and buff. The underparts are pale buff, the breast
has black streaks. The tail is blackish-brown. It has a fine
pink bill, pink legs, white eye stripes and a small erectile
crest at the back of the head.
Habitat: Breeding visitor. Mountain valleys, steppes,
deserts.
Range: Asia.
Author: J.M. Garg
Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Horned Lark
Eremophila alpestris
Description: Length 20 cm. The plumage is pale and little
streaked. The fore crown, mask and breast-patch are
black as is the small bill. The tail is mostly black contrasting
with the pale body. In summer the male has elongated
black feathers on crown.
Habitat: Year-round resident. Mountain, steppes.
Range: Europe, Asia.
Author: Gerrit Vyn
Source: allaboutbirds.org
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CISTICOLA AND ALLIES

Cisticolidae

Small insectivorous birds most of which build a domed nest. They occur in grasslands, thorny scrub and
marshes. They have broad, long tails which they flick frequently from side to side.
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\ Streaked Scrub Warbler

Scotocerca inquieta
Description: Length 10 cm. The plumage is pale sandy
brown. There is a blackish stripe across each eye and dark
streaks adorn the breast. The wings are short and round
and it has a long tail which it continuously jerks from side to
side. The legs are yellow or pinkish.
Habitat: Year-round resident. Steppes and semi-deserts.
Range: Asia and North Africa.
Author: Yael Schiff
Source: oiseaux.net

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Zitting Cisticola
Cisticola juncidis
Description: Length 10 cm. The plumage is brown, heavily
streaked with black marks. The underside is whitish, the
fanned tail is broad with white and black markings at the
tip.
Habitat: Year-round resident. Steppes, grasslands near
water.
Range:Europe, Asia, Africa and Australia.

Author: Yves Baptiste

Source: mangoverde.com
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Striated Prinia
Prinia crinigera
Description: Length 16 cm. A large prinia with a very long
tail of pale tipped feathers and a blackish bill. The
upperparts are streaked especially on crown and upper
mantle and pale on face. The underparts are whitish.
Habitat: Year-round resident. Mountain valleys, streams
and cultivated fields.
Range: Asia.

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Graceful Priana
Prinia gracilis
Description: Length 13 cm. The upperparts are grey-
brown, underparts are whitish with buff flanks. It has a long
tapering tail with each feather tipped with black and white.
Crown and mantle are streaked. There is a white ring
around the eye.
Habitat: Year-round resident. Mountain valleys, steppes,
with shrubs and tall grasses.
Range: Asia, Africa.
Author: Ammadoux
Source: ibc.lynxeds.com
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Plain Prinia
Prinia inornata
Description: Length 13 cm. It is grey-brown to reddish
brown above with whitish-buff underparts. The longish tail
has a narrow base. The lores and eyebrow are white. The
wings are short and rounded. It has a short black bill.
Habitat: Year-round resident. Mountain valleys, woodland,
scrub and gardens.
Range: Asia.

Author: J.M. Garg

Source: commons.wikimedia.org . :

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OLD WORLD WARBLERS

Sylviidae

The warblers are small, vocal and insectivorous birds with mostly brown or dull greenish plumage. They
are known for their long migrations. Identification is difficult and can only be made on the basis of song.
The sexes are identical.
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Cettis Warbler
Cettia cetti
Description: Length 13 cm. The upperparts are chestnut,
the throat and stomach are pale grey. The tail is long and
broad. The round head has a narrow pale grey stripe
arching over the black eyes. Both sexes are alike but the
male is larger than the female.
Habitat: Winter and breeding visitor. Ponds, lakes,
marshes and rivers.
Author: Daniele Occhiato
Range: Europe, Asia and north-west Africa.
Source: pbase.com

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Common Grasshopper Warbler

Locustella naevia
Description: Length 13 cm. The upperparts are pale
olive-brown with dark spots on crown and mantle.
Underparts are yellowish buff with a few brown spots and
streaks on the breast and flanks. Tail feathers are reddish-
brown, the legs and feet are pale yellowish-brown.
Habitat: Two-way migrant. Steppes. Resides in grass,
bushes and plantations.
Author: Steve Garvie Range: Europe, Asia.
Source: commons.wikimedia.org

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Moustached Warbler
Acrocephalus melanopogon
Description: Length 13 cm. The forehead is flattened, with
blackish-brown crown, bold white brow, dark brown cheek
and grey ear coverts. The underside is white. It has a
strong and pointed bill.
Habitat: Winter visitor. Steppes, found in upright vegetation
such as reeds and sedge.
Range: Europe, Asia, north-west Africa.
Author: Mike Pope
Source: hawar-islands.com

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Paddyfield Warbler
Acrocephalus agricola
Description: Length 14 cm. The upperparts are pale
brown with streaks and the underparts are buff with a
brown rump. It has a long whitish brow and the bill is short
and pointed.
Habitat: Two-way migrant. Mountain valleys and steppes,
long grass and reeds.
Range: Europe, Asia.

Author: Kuldeep Sukhla

Source: orientalbirdimages.org
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Eurasian Reed Warbler

Acrocephalus scripaceus
Description: Length 14 cm. The upperparts are pale
olive-brown with a weak buff brow that does not continue
behind the eye. The underparts are whitish with pale buff
breast and flanks.
Habitat: Breeding visitor. Steppes, lowland reed marshes.
Range: Asia.

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Author: Rosa Gamboias
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Source: flickr.com
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Blyths Reed Warbler

Acrocephalus dumetorum
Description: Length 14 cm. It has a plain brown back and
pale underparts. The bill is longish with pale yellow
mandible. The forehead is flat. The throat is white and the
long undertail coverts are pale brown.
Habitat: Breeding visitor. Scrub and clearings, often near
water.
Range: Europe, Asia.
Author: Shankar70
Source: commons.wikimedia.org

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Great Reed Warbler

Acrocephalus arundinaceus
Description: Length 19 cm. It is one of the largest species
of old world warblers. It has unstreaked brown upperparts
and dull buffish-white chin and underparts and lacks the
breast streaks. The bill is strong and pointed and the
forehead is flattened.
Habitat: Vagrant. Steppes.
Range: Europe, Asia and north Africa.
Author: Stephen Burch
Source: stephenburch.com

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Clamorous Reed Warbler

Acrocephalus stentoreus
Description: Length 19 cm. A large warbler with a
decurved looking bill. It has an unstreaked brown back and
whitish underparts. The throat and breast are unmarked.
The bill is strong and pointed.
Habitat: Breeding visitor. Steppes, mountain valleys. Reed
beds with some bushes.
Range: Asia, north Africa, Australia.

Author: Rose Thumboor

Source: commons.wikimedia.org
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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Booted Warbler
Iduna caligata
Description: Length 12 cm. A small round-headed
warbler with pale brown upper parts and whitish below with
buff flanks. The outer tail feathers have pale edges. The
short bill is strong and pointed. The tail is short with pale
outer feathers. The legs are slightly dark.
Habitat: Two way migrant. Open country with bushes.
Range: Europe, Asia.
Author: Mohanram Kemparaju
Source: birdersmarket.com

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Eastern Olivaceous Warbler

Iduna pallida
Description: Length 13 cm. The upper parts are pale
brown and the underparts are whitish. The bill is strong and
pointed and the legs are grey. The tail is square ended and
it is flicked downward.
Habitat: Breeding visitor. Steppes, dry open country with
bushes and small trees.
Range: Europe, Asia and North Africa.
Author: John Henry
Source: birdforum.net
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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Upchers Warbler
Hippolais languida
Description: Length 14 cm. The upperparts are grey. The
bill is rather long with a pale lower mandible. The tail is
rather long with broad white tips of outer feathers. It has
the habit of frequent tail movements.
Habitat: Breeding visitor. Steppes and semi-desert. Bushy
scrub and thickets.
Range: Asia, Africa.

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Author: Daniele Occhiato

Source: pbase.com

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Common Chiffchaff
Phylloscopus collybita
Description: Length 10 cm. A small brown dull green
warbler with whitish underparts becoming yellowish on the
flanks and a short whitish supercilium. The bill and legs are
dark.
Habitat: Two-way migrant. Open habitat, scrub and small
trees.
Range: Europe, Asia, Africa.
Author: Steve Garvie
Source: commons.wikimedia.org

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Mountain Chiffchaff
Phylloscopus sindianus
Description: Length 10 cm. The upperparts are brown with
buff flanks and lacks any hint of olive in the wings, tail or
rump. It has a white supercilium in front of the eye. The
pointed bill is dark.The underparts and throat are whiter
than other similar warblers.
Habitat: Breeding visitor. Montane scrub.
Range: Asia.
Author: Nikhil Devasar
Source: leesbird.com
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Plain Leaf Warbler

Phylloscopus neglectus
Description: Length 10 cm. A small compact bird with
short, rounded wings and a short tail. The plumage is
greyish-brown with thin blackish bill and legs. The
underparts are pale whitish. It has a pale cream stripe
above the eye and a dark stripe that runs through the eye.
Habitat: Breeding visitor and winter visitor. Steppes, open
woodland, shrublands and grasslands.
Author: Tim Edelsten
Range: Asia, vagrant in Europe.
Source: birdskorea.org

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Greenish Warbler
Phylloscopus trochiloides
Description: Length 11 cm. The plumage is greyish-green
above and off-white below. It has a strong brow, eyeline
and single wing-bar. The pointed bill has a pale lower
mandible.
Habitat:Two-way migrant and breeding visitor. Steppes
and montane mixed woodlands.
Range: Europe, Asia.
Author: Paul Huang
Source: mangoverde.com
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Green Warbler
Phylloscopus nitidus
Description: Length 12 cm. The upperside is bright green
with a pale wing bar and a yellowish supercilium, yellow-
tinged throat and breast. The underside is whitish.
Habitat: Two-way migrant. Montane woodlands, cliff
thickets and streams.
Range: Asia, rare vagrant to Europe.

Source: allaboutbirds.org . :

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Sulphur-bellied Warbler
Phylloscopus griseolus
Description:Length 11 cm. The plumage is drab brown
above with bright yellow supercilium from base of bill to
ear-coverts. The underside is dull greyish-yellow. It has a
heavy darkish bill.
Habitat: Breeding visitor. Montane stony slopes, boulder
strewn hillsides.
Range: Asia.

Author: Imran Shah

Source: pamirtimes.net
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Lemon-rumped Warbler
Phylloscopus chloronotus
Description: Length 10 cm. A small warbler with a short
black bill. It has a pale yellow rump-patch, double wing-
bars and a long yellowish whitish supercilium. The
underparts are dull pale yellow. The short tail lacks any
white feathers.
Habitat: Breeding visitor. Mountains, woodlands and
bushes.
Range: Asia.

Author: Robbie Brookes . :
Source: birdguides.com .
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Brookss Leaf Warbler

Phylloscopus subviridis
Description: Length 10 cm. The upperparts are olive with
a pale yellowish rump, double whitish wing-bars, and a
dark olive central crown stripe. The lower mandible of the
bill is pink with a dark tip and the legs are dark.
Habitat: Breeding visitor. Montane valleys, alpine sedge
meadows and coniferous forests.
Range: Asia.

Author: Nikhil Devasar

Source: mangoverde.com . :

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Humes Leaf Warbler

Phylloscopus humei
Description: Length 10 cm. The upperparts are greenish
and the underparts are off-white. The bill and legs are
dark. It has a long supercilium and one prominent wing bar.
A faint vestige of the second shorter wing bar is also
visible.
Habitat: Two-way migrant. Montane woodlands and
scrublands.
Range: Asia.
Author: J.M. Garg
Source: en.wikipedia.org

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Large-billed Leaf-warbler
Phylloscopus magnirostris
Description: Length 13 cm. The upperparts are greenish
with a single wing bar and a dark large bill. The underparts
have a yellow tinge. The crown is darker than the mantle. It
has a long yellowish brow over a broad eyeline and a
yellowish cheek.
Habitat: Breeding visitor. Open deciduous forests.
Range: Asia.

Author: Lo Chun Fa

Source: orientalbirdimages.org
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Tytlers Leaf Warbler

Phylloacopus tytleri
Description: Length 10 cm. A small warbler with a long
whitish eyebrow over a strong eye-stripe. The bill is long
and strong and it lacks the wing bar. The upperparts are
olive green while the underparts are grimy white.
Habitat: Breeding visitor. Montane forests.
Range: Asia.

Author: Avinash Bhagat

Source: orientalbirdimages.org . :
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Western Crowned Warbler

Phylloscopus occipitalis
Description: Length 12 cm. A large leaf-warbler with pale
median crown stripe. Wing bars are narrow and upper is
lacking. The upperside is grey-green and the supercilium
is yellow and there is more white on the tip of tail.
Habitat: Breeding visitor. Montane forests, stream beds.
Range: Asia.

Author: Gobind Sagar Bhardwaj

Source: orientalbirdimages.org
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Yellow-browed Warbler
Phylloscopus inornatus
Description: Length 10 cm. The plumage is bright green,
wing bars and supercilium are yellow, and the crown is
green. Upper wing bar and eye-stripe are more
conspicuous.
Habitat: Vagrant. Mixed conifer and deciduous forests.
Range: Asia.

Author: Alan Hayden
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Source: chog.org.uk .
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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Common Whitethroat
Sylvia communis
Description: Length 12 cm. The upperparts are brown with
rufous wing, white throat and a broken eye-ring. The
yellowish bill is dark tipped and the legs are pale flesh-
toned. The male has a grey cap.
Habitat: Breeding visitor and two-way migrant. Open
areas with scattered bushes and alpine meadows.
Range: Europe, Asia, Africa.
Author: Markkilner
Source: commons.wikimedia.org

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Humes Whitethroat
Sylvia althaea
Description: Length 13 cm. The upperparts are entirely
dark grey-brown, the throat is white and the underparts are
pale greyish-white with pale brown flanks. The bill and legs
are black.
Habitat: Breeding visitor. Open deciduous woodlands,
alpine meadows.
Range: Asia.

Author: Chris Lansdell

Source: chrislansdell.blogspot.com
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Asian Desert Warbler

Sylvia nana
Description: Length 11 cm. The upperparts are pale grey-
brown with browner wings and tail. The underparts are
whitish. Bill and legs are yellowish and the eye has a
yellow iris.
Habitat: Winter visitor and two-way migrant. Steppes,
semi-desert with scattered scrub.
Author: Silas Olofson Range: Asia.
Source: birdingturkey.wordpress.com

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Barred Warbler
Sylvia nisoria
Description: Length 16 cm. It is the largest Sylvia warbler.
The upperparts are mainly grey and whitish below. Adult
males have white tips on the wing coverts and tail feathers.
Female is paler with light barring. It has a thick bill.
Habitat: Breeding visitor. Steppes, woodlands and thorny
thickets.
Range: Europe, Asia and Africa.
Author: Ivan Dudacek
Source: iucnredlist.org

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Lesser Whitethroat
Sylvia curruca
Description: Length 12 cm. It has a grey back, whitish
underparts, a grey head with a diffuse pale brow above a
dark mask through the eyes and a white throat.
Habitat: Two-way migrant. Woodlands with dense
thickets.
Range: Europe, Asia and North Africa.

Author: Omar Runolfsson

Source: commons.wikimedia.org
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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Eastern Orphean Warbler

Sylvia crassirostris
Description: Length 15 cm. One of the largest species of
warblers. It is heavy-billed with blackish cheek and tail.
The male is greyish above with a black cap and nape and
white throat. Females have a paler head and reddish
underparts. Their grey back has a brownish tinge.
Habitat: Breeding visitor. Steppes, scattered trees and
bushes.
Range: Asia and Africa.
Author: Nikhil Devasar
Source: mangoverde.com
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Mntriss Warbler
Sylvia mystacea
Description: Length 12 cm. The male is dark greyish
above and whitish below with a black crown and cheek, red
eye and orange eye ring. Female is sandy grey-brown
above and buff-white below. The blackish tail has white
outer feathers.
Habitat: Breeding visitor. Steppes, scrub, thickets,
cultivated areas and gardens.
Author: Mike Pope
Range: Asia, North Africa.
Source: hawar-islands.com

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BABBLER, LAUGHING THRUSHES, FLYCATCHER AND WALLCREEPER

Afghan Babbler
Turdoides huttoni
Description: Length 23 cm. The plumage is greyish buff
with a pale throat and dark streaks on the upperparts,
crown breast and sides. The tail is long and held cocked
upright. It has a long decurved bill.
Habitat: Year-round resident. Semi-deserts and steppes,
scattered scrub and cultivations.
Range: Asia.
Photo: Mike Pope
Source: kuwaitbirding.blogspot.com

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Streaked Laughing Thrush

Garrulax lineatus
Description: Length 20 cm. A stocky bird with long tail and
a stubby bill. The plumage is greyish to brownish grey with
fine streaks over most of the body except rump and vent.
The head and wings are rufous brown. The tail has broad
pale grey tips.
Habitat: Year-round resident. Open areas with scattered
bushes.
Photo: Muzzafar Bukhari Range: Asia.
Source: flickr.com

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Variegated Laughing Thrush

Garrulax variegatus
Description: Length 24 cm. The plumage is pale brown
with black mask and black throat-stripe. The black tail has
a broad grey subterminal band and a small white tip. There
is a white mark behind the eye. The wings are mostly
greyish with black primary coverts.
Habitat: Year-round resident. Deciduous open forests.
Range:Asia.

Photo: Suman Paul
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Source: orientalbirdimages.org
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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Asian Paradise Flycatcher

Terpsiphone paradisi
Description: Length 20 cm/male 50 cm with streamers.
The head is glossy black with a black crown and crest.
Males have extremely long central tail feathers. They are
bright rufous or white above. The eye ring is lead-blue and
the bill is long. The female is rufous on the back with a
greyish throat and underparts.
Habitat: Breeding visitor. Mountain woodlands and
gardens.
Range: Asia.

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Source:
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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Wallcreeper
Tichodroma muraria
Description: Length 17 cm. The plumage is slate grey with
darker flight and tail feathers. The wings are crimson with
white spots on the outer primaries and tail corners. The bill
is long and curved and the tail is short and square shaped.
Habitat: Year-round resident, winter visitor. Rocky
mountain valleys with cliffs.
Range: Europe, Asia.
Photo: Nikhil
Source: leesbird.com
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 The Birds of Afghanistan

NUTHATCHES and TREECREEPERS

Sittidae

Small insectivorous birds with large heads, short tails and powerful bills and feet. They specialize in
foraging on tree barks. They are slim brown Himalayan birds normally seen clinging close to tree-trunks.
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Kashmir Nuthatch
Sitta cashmirensis
Description: Length 12 cm. The upperparts are grey. It is
a pale nuthatch with rufous-buff underparts including
undertail coverts. The bill is strong and heavy. Eyestripe is
pronounced. Female is slightly duller and paler than male.
Habitat:Year-round resident. Mixed coniferous and
deciduous forests.
Range: Asia.

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Source: en.wikipedia.org . :

336
 The Birds of Afghanistan

White-cheeked Nuthatch
Sitta leucopsis
Description: Length 12 cm. The face and underparts are
white and it lacks the eyestripe. Upperparts are mostly dark
grey. The crown and nape are black and the bill is relatively
large.
Habitat: Year-round resident. Coniferous forests.
Range: Asia.

Photo: Christian Artuso

Source: artusobirds.blogspot.com
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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Eastern Rock Nuthatch

Sitta tephronota
Description: Length 15 cm. The largest nuthatch of the
region with large chisel-like bill. It has a strong and long
black eyestripe which extends to the sides of the neck. It is
pale grey above with whitish underparts.
Habitat: Year-round resident. Mountain valleys and
steppes. Rocky slopes and cliffs with scattered bushes.
Range: Asia.
Photo: Raphael Jordan
Source: orientalbirdimages.org
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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Bar-tailed Treecreeper
Certhia himalayana
Description: Length 12 cm. It has a barred tail and a long
curved bill. The plumage is pale grey and the wings are
weakly marked with barred tertials. The underparts are
white with grey flanks.
Habitat: Year-round resident. Deciduous and coniferous
forests.
Range: Asia.

Photo: Srimonti Dutta

Source: orientalbirdimages.org
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 The Birds of Afghanistan

WREN, WHITE-EYE AND GOLDCREST

Troglodytidae

Winter Wren
Troglodytes troglodytes
Description: Length 9 cm. A small wren, rufous brown
above and greyish beneath. The wings, tail and flanks are
finely barred. The bill is dark brown and the legs are pale
brown. The tail is short and often held cocked.
Habitat:Year-round resident. Deciduous and coniferous
forests.
Range: Europe, Asia and Africa.
Photo: Eliott Capp
Source:

macroevolution.group.shef.ac.uk
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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Oriental White-eye
Zosterops palpebrosus
Description: Length 10 cm. A small bird with yellowish
olive upper parts, a distinct white eye ring, and yellow
throat and vent. The belly is whitish grey. The sexes are
similar.
Habitat:Year-round resident. Deciduous forests.
Range: Asia.
Photo: N.A. Nazeer

Source: commons.wikimedia.org
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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Goldcrest
Regulus regulus
Description: Length 8 cm. The upper parts are olive-
green, buff-white underparts, dark bill and black lateral
crown-stripe. The male has an orange crown, yellow in
female. The crest is erected in display. The legs are dark
brown.
Habitat: Year-round resident. Coniferous forests.
Range: Europe, Asia.

Author: Francis C. Franklin

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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 The Birds of Afghanistan

MYNAS AND STARLINGS

Sturnidae

Stocky birds with short tails and pointed wings. They are noisy gregarious birds. Mynas are larger than
starlings with stout yellow bills and legs.
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Common Myna
Acridotheres tristis
Description: Length 23 cm. The body is brown with a
black hooded head and bare yellow patch behind the eye,
stout bill and short rounded wings. It has a large white
wing-patch which is visible in flight. The bill and legs are
bright yellow.
Habitat: Year-round resident. Open grassy areas with
bushes, human habitations.
Range: Asia, introduced to Australia, North America and
Author: Richard Taylor Pacific islands.
Source: en.wikipedia.org

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Brahminy Starling
Sturnus pagodarum
Description: Length 22 cm. A compact bird with short
wings. The body is pale brown above and orange-buff
below with a black cap and crest. The bill is yellow with a
bluish base. There is a bluish patch of skin around the eye.
Outer tail feathers are white.
Habitat: Breeding visitor. Dry forests, scrub and
cultivations.
Photo: J.M. Garg Range: Asia.
Source: commons.wikimedia.org

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Rosy Starling
Pastor roseus
Description: Length 21 cm. The adult male has a pink
body, pale orange legs and bill, with black hood, wings and
tail. Males have elongated head feathers. The bill and legs
are reddish. Females are duller overall without a sharp
separation between pink and black.
Habitat: Breeding visitor and passage migrant. Steppes
and open fields.
Photo: Marcel Burkhardt
Range: Europe and Asia.
Source: vogelwarte.ch

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Common Starling
Sturnus vulgaris
Description: Length 20 cm. The plumage is glossy black
or green, spangled with white feathers. The underparts of
the adult male are less spotted than those of the female.
The males throat feathers are long and loose. The legs are
stout and pinkish. The bill is narrow and conical with a
sharp tip.
Habitat: Winter and breeding visitor. Prefers urban and
suburban areas.
Range: Widespread in all continents except the polar
regions.

Author: Philip Heron . :
Source: en.wikipedia.org .
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 The Birds of Afghanistan

ROCK THRUSHES
Muscicapidae

Stout medium sized mostly insectivorous or omnivorous thrushes of open habitats.

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Common Rock Thrush

Monticola saxatilis
Description: Length 22 cm. A medium-sized stocky
thrush. In summer the male has a blue-grey head, orange
underparts and outer tail feathers with dark brown wings
and a white back. Females have a dark brown scaly upper
parts and pale brown scaly underparts. The outer tail
feathers are reddish in both males and females.
Habitat: Breeding visitor. Open dry hilly areas.
Photo: Francesco Veronesi Range: Europe, Asia, Africa.
Source: inaturalist.org

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Blue-capped Rock Thrush

Monticola cinclorhynchus
Description: Length 17 cm. The male has a blue head,
chin and throat, black mask with chestnut underparts and
rump. It has a white wing patch that is visible in flight. The
female is brown with a brown and white under side and a
weak face pattern.
Habitat: Breeding visitor. Pine forests.
Range: Asia.
Photo: Arpit Bansal
Source: orientalbirdimages.org

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Blue Rock Thrush

Monticola solitarius
Description: Length 22 cm. The male has a dull slate-
blue plumage, darker wings with white spotty wing bar. The
female has dark brown upperparts and brown scaly
underparts. Both males and females lack the reddish outer
tail feathers of the rock thrush.
Habitat: Year-round resident, breeding visitor and winter
visitor. Open mountainous areas.
Photo: Jotun Range: Europe, Asia, Africa.
Source: en.wikipedia.org

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Blue Whistling Thrush

Myophonus caeruleus
Description: Length 33 cm. A big and heavy bird with
strong black feet and yellow bill. The plumage is dark violet
blue with a spangling of silver on the body except the lores,
abdomen and under the tail. The sexes are similar in
plumage.
Habitat: Breeding visitor. Streams and damp places.
Range: Asia.

Photo: J.J Harrison

Source: en.wikipedia.org . :
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 The Birds of Afghanistan

THRUSHES
Turdidae

Thrushes are plump small to medium sized insectivores or sometimes omnivores often feeding on the
ground. They are generally more simply patterned than other birds. Females are duller than males.

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Eurasian Blackbird
Turdus merula
Description: Length 26 cm. Adult male is glossy black with
blackish-brown legs, yellow eye-ring and bill. The female
is sooty brown with yellowish-brown bill, brownish-white
throat with dark streaks on the underside.
Habitat: Year-round resident. Mountain woodlands and
settlements.
Range: Europe, Asia, Africa. Introduced to North and
South America, Australia and New Zealand.
Photo: Andreas Trepte
Source: en.wikipedia.org
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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Chestnut Thrush
Turdus rubrocanus
Description: Length 27 cm. The plumage is chestnut with
a grey head and neck. The wings and tail are blackish. Bill
and legs are red. The female is duller and slightly darker on
head.
Habitat: Year-round resident. Temperate forests.
Range: Asia.

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Photo: J.E. Gray
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Source: en.wikipedia.org
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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Red-throated Thrush
Turdus ruficollis
Description: Length 25 cm. A large thrush with a plain
grey back. The adult male has a rufous brow, face and
breast, yellow bill, rufous wing-lining and outer tail
feathers. The female has a rufous tinged breast.
Habitat: Winter visitor. Fields and forest edges.
Range: Asia, rare vagrant to Western Europe.

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Photo: Aurelien Audevard . :
Source: oiseaux.net . :

353
 The Birds of Afghanistan

Redwing
Turdus iliacus
Description: Length 22 cm. A small brown thrush with a
white stripe above the eye and heavily streaked throat and
breast. The underparts have dark brown spots. The sexes
are similar.
Habitat: Vagrant. Deciduous forests.
Range: Asia, Europe.

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Photo: Arnstein Ronning
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Source: en.wikipedia.org
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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Mistle Thrush
Photo: Yuriy75 Turdus viscivorus
Description: Length 28 cm. A large thrush with pale grey-
brown upperparts, and greyish-white chin and throat. The
yellowish buff breast and off-white belly are marked with
round black spots. The outer feathers of the long tail have
white tips. The bill is blackish with a yellow base. Legs and
feet are yellowish-brown.
Habitat: Breeding visitor. Coniferous and mixed forests.
Range: Europe, Asia, North Africa.

Photo: Yuriy75
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Source: en.wikipedia.org
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 The Birds of Afghanistan

NIGHTINGALES, ROBINS, REDSTARTS, BUSHCHATS

Muscicapidae

Most species have black and white or red and white markings on their rumps or their long tails. In most
species the sexes differ; only the male has the striking plumage patterns characteristic of the genus,
though the females share the white or red rump patches.
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Common Nightingale
Luscinia megarhynchos
Description: Length 18 cm. The plumage is plain brown
except for a reddish tail. The underparts are whitish with a
buffy breast. The sexes are similar but the males are
larger.
Habitat: Breeding visitor. Forests, scrub and gardens.
Range: Europe, Asia and West Africa.

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Photo: Jim Almond
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Source: shropshirebirder.co.uk

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

White-throated Robin
Irania gutturalis
Description: Length 18 cm. The male is grey above with a
black face and white throat and brow. The breast and
flanks are bright rufous. The tail and bill are black. The
female is paler and duller with orange flanks.
Habitat: Breeding visitor. Scattered scrub and dry rocky
slopes.
Range: Asia, vagrant in Europe.

Photo: Daniele Oddhiato

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Rufous Scrub Robin

Cercotrichas galactotes
Description: Length 17 cm. A sandy bird with a pale brow,
dark eyeline and whisker. The underparts are whitish. The
long rufous tail is frequently cocked showing the black and
white tips of the tail feathers. Male and female have similar
plumage.
Habitat: Breeding visitor. Dry open country with bushes.
Range: Asia, Africa.

Photo: John A. Thompson

source: ibc.lynxeds.com
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 The Birds of Afghanistan

White-tailed Rubythroat
Luscinia pectoralis
Description: Length 15 cm. The male is grey with a white
forehead and a broad black breast-band. The tail is
blackish with white base and tips. The center of the chin
and throat is red. The belly and vent are white. Female is
brownish grey with smoky underparts.
Habitat: Breeding visitor. Mountains with scattered bushes.
Range: Asia.

Photo: Aurelien Audevard

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Bluethroat
Luscinia svecica
Description: Length 15 cm. The male is plain brown
above with white brow and belly. The black tail has red side
patches. It has a blue bib with successive black, white and
rust colored borders. Female is grey-brown with whitish
brow and throat.
Habitat: Breeding visitor. Moist habitat with dense bushes.
Range: Europe, Asia, North Africa.
Photo: Henrik Gronvold
Source.commons.wikimedia.org

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Indian Blue Robin

Luscinia brunnea
Description: Length 15 cm. It is a stout bird with a short
tail. The adult male is blue with a white brow and blackish
face. The breast and flanks are rufous-orange. The lower
belly and undertail are whitish. Female is olive brown
above and buff below.
Habitat: Breeding visitor. Moist forests with dense growth.
Range: Asia.
Photo: Angad Achappa
Source: ibc.lynxeds.com

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Himalyan Red-flanked Bush Robin

Tarsiger rufilatus
Description: Length 13 cm. The males is blue above and
on the side of the breast. The underside is white. It has an
orange flank patch and a white throat streak. The female is
brown above with a pale eye-ring. Both male and female
have a blue tail.
Habitat: Breeding visitor. Mixed coniferous forests.
Range: Asia.

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Photo: Somachai Kanchanasut
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Source: flickr.com
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 The Birds of Afghanistan

European Robin
Erithacus rubecula
Description: Length 13 cm. A small rotund bird with
orange rufous face, throat and breast. The upperparts are
pale-grey. The belly is whitish. The male and female are
similar in coloration.
Habitat: Winter vagrant. Open woodlands and farmlands.
Range: Europe, Asia, North Africa.

Photo: Francis C. Franklin . :
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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Blue-fronted Redstart
Phoenicurus frontalis
Description: Length 15 cm. The head, breast and mantle
of the male are dark blue and the belly is orange. The
female is brownish-grey with paler underparts.
Habitat: Breeding visitor. Temperate forests, alpine
meadows.
Range: Asia.

Photo: Parang Giri
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Source: flickr.com
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Eversmanns Redstart
Phoenicurus erythronotus
Description: Length 15 cm. The male in breeding plumage
has a black mask and grey crown, rufous throat and
mantle. Males display a white wing-slash. Tail is rufous
apart from the darker central feathers. The belly is white.
The female is plain grey-brown with a buffy eye-ring and a
double wing bar.
Habitat: Breeding and winter visitor. Woodlands and arid
habitats.
Photo: Aurelien Audevard Range: Asia.
Source: oiseaux.net

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Blue-capped Redstart
Phoenicurus coeruleocphala
Description: Length 15 cm. The male is black with a blue-
grey cap, white wing slash and white belly. The tail is dark.
The female has a dark chestnut rump, pale eye-ring and
wing-bar.
Habitat: Breeding visitor. Temperate forests.
Range: Asia.

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Photo: Peter Jones .
Source: spanishnature.blogspot.com .
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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Black Redstart
Phoenicurus ochruros
Description: Length 15 cm. The male is dark grey on the
upperparts with a black breast. The rump and underparts
are dark rufous. The central tail feathers are dark red-
brown. The female is grey-brown except for the orange-
red lower rump and tail.
Habitat: Breeding and winter visitor. Rocky areas with
sparse vegetation.
Photo: Daniele Occhiato Range: Europe, Asia, and Africa.
Source: pbase.com

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Common Redstart
Phoenicurus phoenicurus
Description: Length 15 cm. The head and upperparts of
the male are grey with a whitish forecrown. The sides of
the face and throat are black. The rump, tail and flanks are
orange chestnut. The bill and legs are black. Female is
browner with pale underparts with a whitish throat.
Habitat: Breeding visitor. Open woodland, orchards and
Photo: Markus Varesvuo gardens.
Source: bbc.co.uk Range: Europe, Asia and Africa.

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Gldenstdts Redstart
Phoenicurus erythrogastrus
Description: Length 18 cm. The adult male is black above
with a white crown, white wing patch and an orange-red
tail. The throat and upper breast are black and the
underparts orange-red. The female is brown above and
orange-buff below with an orange-red tail.
Habitat: Breeding visitor. Rocky alpine meadows.
Range: Europe, Asia.
Photo: Machiel Valkenburg
Source: tropicalbirding.com

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

White-capped Redstart
Chaimarrornis leucocephalus
Description: Length 19 cm. A large redstart with black
upperparts and a white cap. The rump, tail, and underparts
are chestnut. The wings are dark and the tail has a black
tip.
Habitat: Breeding visitor. Mountain streams.
Range: Asia.

Photo: JJ Harrison

Source: commons.wikimedia.org
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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Plumbeous Water Redstart

Rhyacornis fuliginosa
Description: Length 12 cm. A small squat short-tailed
redstart. The male is largely blue-grey with a rufous tail
and rump. The female is pale grey with a white rump and
basal tail feathers.
Habitat: Year-round resident. Fast flowing mountain
streams.
Photo: Ashutosh Singh
Range: Asia.
Source: wiienvis.nic.in

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Little Forktail
Enicurus scouleri
Description: Length 12 cm. The plumage is black and
white. The upperparts are black with a white forehead and
a white band in wings which extends across lower back.
The outer feathers of the short tail are white. The sexes are
alike.
Habitat: Year-round resident. Mountain streams and water
falls.
Range: Asia.
Photo: Yeshey Dorji
Source: birding.in

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Spotted Forktail
Enicurus maculatus
Description: Length 26 cm. A long-tailed bird with a white
forehead and black crown and nape. The back has black
and white spots. The rump and wing bars are white. The
long tail is deeply forked with black and white feathers. The
underside is white. The sexes are alike.
Habitat: Year-round resident. Montane forests, prefers
small rocky mountain streams.
Range: Asia.
Photo: Suman Paul
Source: orientalbirdimages.org
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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Siberian Stonechat
Saxicola maurus
Description: Length 13 cm. The breeding male has black
upperparts and head, with a white collar, scapular patch
and rump, rufous breast and white belly. The head and
upperparts of the female are pale brown with white neck
patches and whitish below.
Habitat: Breeding visitor and spring migrant. Moist
meadows with scattered bushes.
Range: Europe, Asia.
Photo: Lee Kee Yap
Source: commons.wikimedia.org
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 The Birds of Afghanistan

White-browed Bushchat
Saxicola macrorhynchus
Description: Length 15 cm. The breeding male has dark
upperparts with blackish mask and wings with a white brow
and a white band along the wing coverts. The underside is
whitish. Female lacks the dark mask and the wings are
duller.
Habitat:Year-round resident. Semi-deserts with low
bushes.
Photo: Rahul Sachdev
Range: Asia.
Sourcre: arkive.org

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Pied Bushchat
Saxicola caprata
Description: Length 13 cm. The male is black except for a
white rump, wing patch and lower belly. The bill and legs
are black. Female is drab brown with rufous rump and belly
and blackish tail.
Habitat: Breeding visitor. Semi-deserts. Open areas with
bushes.
Range: Asia.

Photo VasuVR
Source: commons.wikimedia.org . :
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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Whinchat
Saxicola rubetra
Description: Length 13 cm. A stocky bird with a short bill
and short tail with buffy underparts. Both sexes have a dark
white brow below a dark, streaked crown. The belly is pale
buff to whitish. During the breeding season the male has
an orange-buff throat and breast.
Habitat: Breeding visitor. Semi-deserts, open areas with
bushes.
Range: Europe, Asia, Africa.
Photo: Frank Vassen
Source: en.wikipedia.org

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

WHEATEARS
Muscicapidae

Most species have black and white plumages and white markings on their rumps or their long tails. The
flycatchers are small arboreal insectivores many of which take their prey on the wing. Most have dull
brown colors.

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Humes Wheatear
Oenanthe albonigra
Description: Length 18 cm. The plumage is black and
white. The head, throat and wings are glossy black while
the lower back and rump are white. It has a long, stout bill,
rounded head and short legs. Both sexes are alike but the
female is slightly duller than the male.
Habitat: Year-round resident. Dry valleys with sparse
vegetation.
Photo: Jamie-MacArthur Range: Asia.
Source: jamie-macarthur.deviantart.com

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Northern Wheatear
Oenanthe oenanthe
Description: Length 15 cm. The male is blue-grey above
with black wings and face mask. Both sexes have a white
rump and tail with a broad black T pattern on the tail. The
female is pale brown above and buff below with darker
brown wings.
Habitat: Breeding visitor and passage migrant. Open rocky
country.
Range: Europe, Asia, North America.

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Photo: Andreas Trepte
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Source: en.wikipedia.org
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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Finschs Wheatear
Oenanthe finschii
Description: Length 17 cm. The male has a black and
white plumage in summer with the white crown, central
back and belly contrasting with the black face, throat and
wings. The tail and rump are white with a T pattern on the
tail. Female is brown-grey above and dirty white below.
Habitat: Winter visitor in the south-west and breeding
visitor in the north. Steppes and deserts.
Photo: Lior Kislev Range: Asia and North Africa.
Source: tatzpit.com

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Variable Wheatear
Oenanthe picata
Description: Length 16 cm. A round-headed wheatear
with a small bill. The male is black above with a white rump
and tail with black terminal feathers. Male shows little
seasonal variation. Female is drab brown with pale throat
and breast changing to paler belly.
Habitat: Breeding visitor. Steppes and deserts with rocky
outcrops.
Range: Asia and North Africa.
Photo: Rajiv Lather
Source: www.birding.in
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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Pied Wheatear
Oenanthe pleschanka
Description: Length 15 cm. The male has a white cap and
white lower back which contrasts with the black face and
throat. The tail feathers are white with black markings
which form an inverted T. The female is browner with a
sandy buff head. Tail feathers are white.
Habitat: Breeding visitor and passage migrant. Steppes to
mountain valleys.
Photo: Yann Muzika
Range: Europe, Asia.
Source: orientalbirdimages.org

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Red-tailed Wheatear
Oenanthe chrysopygia
Description: Length 16 cm. The plumage is grey-brown
above and grey-white below. It has a faint pale stripe over
the eye. The rump and outer tail feathers are reddish. The
rest of the tail is black with a T shaped pattern. The sexes
are similar but the male has a black streak between the eye
and bill.
Habitat: Breeding visitor and passage migrant. Rocky
Photo: Nikhil Devasar slopes in steppes.
Source: orientalbirdimages.org Range: Asia.

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Desert Wheatear
Oenanthe deserti
Description: Length 15 cm. The head and nape of the
male are pale sandy-grey. The back has a similar
plumage. The chin, throat and ear-coverts are black tipped
with white. The basal third of the tail feathers are white
without a T shaped pattern. The female is similar but the
rump and upper tail-coverts are more sandy brown.
Habitat: Winter and breeding visitor. Steppes and high
altitude deserts.
Photo: Mohammad Khorshed
Range: Europe, Asia, North Africa.
Source: kuwaitbirds.org

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Isabelline Wheatear
Oenanthe isabellina
Description: Length 16 cm. The sexes are similar in
appearance. The upper parts are pale sandy brown with a
pale grey-yellow tinge on the back. The rump and upper
tail coverts are white. The tail feathers are brownish-black
and lack a T shaped pattern. The legs, feet and beak are
black.
Habitat: Breeding and winter visitor. Deserts to high
mountains with sparse vegetation.
Photo: Lip Kee Yap Range:Europe, Asia and Africa.
Source: en.wikipedia.org

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Spotted Flycatcher
Muscicapa striata
Description: Length 14 cm. The upperparts are grey-
brown and the underparts are whitish. The bill, short legs
and eyes are black. The crown is streaked and there are
weak streaks on the breast.
Habitat: Breeding visitor and passage migrant. Steppes,
open areas and gardens.
Range: Europe, Asia, Africa.
Photo: Martin Mecnarowski
Source: en.wikipedia.org
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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Dark-sided Flycatcher
Muscicapa sibirica
Description: Length 12 cm. A small flycatcher with a short
bill and long wings. The upperparts are dark grey-brown
with a white ring around the eye and white throat. The
breast and flanks have dark grey-brown streaks. The bill
and feet are black. Adults of both sexes are alike.
Habitat: Breeding visitor. Coniferous and mixed forests.
Range: Asia.
Photo: Tim Edelsten
Source: birdskorea.org
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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Rusty-tailed Flycatcher
Muscicapa ruficauda
Description: Length 14 cm. A medium sized flycatcher
with a flat-headed appearance. The plumage is pale grey-
brown with bright rufous rump and tail. The belly is pale
and the bill and feet are black. The sexes have similar
plumage.
Habitat: Breeding visitor. Coniferous and deciduous
forests.
Photo: Vasanthan.P.J.
Range: Asia.
Source: ibc.lynxeds.com

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Red-breasted Flycatcher
Ficedula parva
Description: Length 13 cm. The breeding male is mainly
brown with a grey head and orange throat and whitish
underparts. The bill is black. Non-breeding males and
females have brown heads and lack the throat collar. The
tail has an inverted T pattern.
Habitat: Passage migrant. Steppes and foothills near
water.
Range: Europe, Asia.

Photo: Aurelien Audevard

Source: oiseaux.net
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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Ultramarine Flycatcher
Ficedula superciliaris
Description: Length 10 cm. A small bird with contrasting
blue and white plumage. The male is dark blue above and
on the side of breast and bright white below.The bill and
legs are black. Female is brownish-grey above with rufous
rump and tail.
Habitat: Breeding visitor. Deciduous mountain forests.
Photo: Debojit Deb Range: Asia.
Source: palomaraudubon.org

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

SPARROWS AND SNOWFINCHES

Passeridae

Dwelling in human habitations sparrows are the most familiar of all wild birds. They are mostly seed-
eaters but also consume small insects.

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House Sparrow
Passer domesticus
Description: Length 15 cm. The plumage is mostly shades
of grey and brown. The male has a grey crown and rump,
pale cheek and dark chestnut nape. The bill, throat and the
eye stripes are black. The female is plain with no black
markings or grey crown.The head and upper body is brown
while the underparts and bill are pale grey-brown.
Habitat:Year-round and breeding visitor. Common from
Photo: Fir0002/Flagstaffotos
lowlands to mountains in cultivations, gardens, and human
Source: en.wikipedia.org
habitations.
Range: Found in most parts of the world.

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Eurasian Tree Sparrow

Passer montanus
Description: Length 15 cm. The crown and nape are rich
chestnut with a black ear patch on the pure white cheek.
The chin, throat and the eyestripe is black. The upperparts
are light brown, streaked with black. The brown wings have
two narrow white bars. The sexes are alike.
Habitat: Year-round resident. Common from lowlands to
mountains. Human habitations.
Range: Europe, Asia, Australia.
Photo: Andreas Trepte
Source: en.wikipedia.org
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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Spanish Sparrow
Passer hispaniolensis
Description: Length 15 cm. It is a heavy-billed sparrow.
The male has a dark chestnut crown and nape, black
breast and its underparts are heavily streaked with black.
The cheeks are white. The female is grey-brown overall
with light side streaks and broad cream streaks on its back.
Habitat: Year-round resident and passage migrant.
Common from lowlands to mountains.
Photo: Ray Wilson
Range: Europe, Asia, North Africa.
Source: raywilsonbirdphotography.co.uk

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Russet Sparrow
Passer rutilans
Description: Length 15 cm. The crown and rump of the
breeding male are bright cinnamon red with a black
streaking on its mantle. There is a small black bib and
black ring around the eye. The side of the neck and cheek
are off-white. The underparts are pale grey. The female
has pale brown upperparts and pale grey underparts with a
conspicuous cream superculium and a dark brown stripe
through the eye.
Photo: J.M. Garg
Habitat:Year-round resident. Coniferous forests, human
Source: simple.wikipedia.org habitations.
Range: Asia.

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Afghan Scrub Sparrow

Passer yatii
Description: Length 12 cm. The male has a distinctive
head pattern with greyish ear coverts and crown with black
eye-stripe and a white supercilium. It has a small black bib
and the underside is lemon-yellow. The coverts are
chestnut. It has a small black bill. The supercilium and
underparts of the female are yellowish.
Habitat:Year-round resident. Reedbeds and tamarisk
thickets.
Photo: Raael Aye Range: Asia.
Source: camargue.unibas.ch

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Rock Sparrow
Petronia petronia
Description: Length 16 cm. A stocky sparrow with a stout
pale bill, whitish supercilium and lateral crown stripe. The
brown back and wings are streaked with white patterns.
The breast has a distinctive yellow patch in both sexes.
The underparts are streaked.
Habitat: Year-round resident. Steppes, barren rocky hills.
Range: Europe, Asia, North Africa.
Photo: Aurelian Audevard
Source: ouessant.digiscoping.fr
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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Yellow-throated Sparrow
Gymnoris xanthocollis
Description: Length 14 cm. The dull grey-brown plumage
lacks streaks.There is a double wing bar on the shoulder.
Males have a chestnut shoulder patch and a yellow spot on
the throat. Females are duller and lack the shoulder patch.
The yellow spot is much reduced or is lacking in females.
The black beak is finer than typical sparrows.
Habitat: Breeding visitor. Dry forests, lowland and hills.
Photo: J.M. Garg
Range: Asia.
Source: en.wikipedia.org

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Pale Rock Sparrow

Carpospiza brachydactyla
Description: Length 15 cm. The bill is heavy. The
plumage is sandy overall without streaks with a white ring
around the eyes. The tail is short with a white tip and the
long wing has two white bars. The chest is sandy pale and
the underparts are white.
Habitat: Breeding visitor. Arid areas with scattered scrub.
Range: Asia.
Photo: Dorian Anderson
Source: bikingforbirds.blogspot.com

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

White-winged Snowfinch
Montifringilla nivalis
Description: Length 17 cm. A large stocky bird with brown
upperparts, white underparts and a grey head. In summer
the bill and bib are black. In winter the bill becomes yellow.
The sexes are similar but the female is paler. In flight the
wings are black with a white edged black tail.
Habitat: Year-round resident. Alpine meadows and bare
rocky mountains.
Photo: Francesco Veronesi
Range: Europe, Asia.
Source: commons.wikimedia.org

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Afghan Snowfinch
Pyrgilauda theresae
Description: Length 13 cm. The male is grey brown with
white in the wings, a black face-mask and a patch on the
throat. It has a streaked mantle and white upper wing bar.
The female is buff-tinged brown with a faded grey face
mask and less white in the wings. The male has a brick red
iris.
Habitat: Year-round resident. Stony mountain slopes and
alpine plateau.
Photo: Loso Solo Range: Asia. The only bird species endemic to
Source: goodpictureanimals.blogspot.com Afghanistan.

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

ACCENTORS
Prunellidae

This family is endemic to the Palearctic. They are slim, fine billed montane birds with earth-toned
plumage. They are small drab species similar to but are not related to sparrows.

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Alpine Accentor
Prunella collaris
Description: Length 17 cm. A large grey bird with a yellow
based bill. The back is streaked brown. It has a scaly throat
and white spots on wings and tail tips. Adults have a grey
head with red-brown spotting on the underparts. Sexes are
similar.
Habitat: Year-round resident. Stony alpine meadows.
Photo: Yeshey Dorji Range: Europe, Asia.
Source: birdforum.net

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Altai Accentor
Prunella himalayana
Description: Length 15 cm. The head is grey with some
black streaking. The breast and flanks has rufous streaks.
The mantle and back are chestnut-brown with dark
streaks. The underparts are whitish. The sexes are similar.
Habitat:Breeding visitor. Dry stony alpine meadows.
Range: Asia.

Photo: Chris Bradshaw
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Source: chrisgbradshaw.weebly.com
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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Rufous-breasted Accentor
Prunella strophiata
Description: Length 15 cm. A small accentor with a white
supercilium, blackish crown stripe and cheeks. The breast
is rufous and the white throat has black spots. The
upperparts are brown with broad black streaks. The sexes
are similar.
Habitat: Winter and breeding visitor. Subalpine scrub.
Range: Asia.
Photo: Dibyendu Ash
Source: en.wikipedia.org

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403
 The Birds of Afghanistan

Brown Accentor
Prunella fulvescens
Description: Length 15 cm. The upperparts are brown with
faint streaks. The throat and supercilium are white. Lores
and ear coverts are black. The underparts are buffy. The
bill is black and the feet are yellow. The sexes are similar.
Habitat:Year-round resident and breeding visitor. Stony
alpine and subalpine meadows.
Range: Asia.

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Photo: David Holler . .
Source: tibetbirds.com .
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404
 The Birds of Afghanistan

Black-throated Accentor
Prunella atrogularis
Description: Length 15 cm. The black throat is a
diagnostic feature. The back is streaked dark brown. The
crown and face patch are black. The breast is orange and
the belly white with orange stripes.
Habitat: Winter visitor. Alpine mixed forests.
Range: Asia, vagrant in western Europe.

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Photo: Audevard Aurelien
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Source: mangoverde.com
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405
 The Birds of Afghanistan

SUNBIRDS
Nectariniidae

Small and slender brightly colored passerines with decurved bills and long tails.
.

Purple Sunbird
Cinnyris asiaticus
Description: Length 10 cm. Distinguished by its curved
bill. The male is glossy metallic with purplish black
upperparts with dark brown wings. The female is olive
brown above with yellowish underside and a darkish eye
stripe.
Habitat: Year-round resident. Dry deciduous forests.
Range: Asia.
Photo: J.M. Garg

Source: leesbird.com
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406
 The Birds of Afghanistan

DIPPERS
Cinclidae

Small chunky short tailed birds with the ability to dive and swim underwater.
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White-throated Dipper
Cinclus cinclus
Description: Length 20 cm. A rotund and short-tailed bird
with a brown head and slate-grey back. The wings and tail
are brown. Throat and upper breast are white followed by a
band of chestnut which merges into the black belly. The bill
is black and the legs and irises are brown.
Habitat: Year-round resident. Fast flowing rocky rivers and
streams.
Range: Europe, Asia.
Photo: Mark Medcalf
Source: en.wikipedia.org

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407
 The Birds of Afghanistan

Brown Dipper
Cinclus pallasii
Description: Length 22 cm. A large dipper with an entirely
reddish-brown plumage. It is longer-billed than the white-
throated dipper. Juvenile is greyish-brown with pale spots
overall.
Habitat: Year-round resident. Fast flowing mountain
streams and rivers.
Range: Asia.
Photo: Robert tdc
Source: commons.wikimedia.org
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408
 The Birds of Afghanistan

WAXWING
Bombycillidae

Characterized by soft silky plumage, the legs are short and the wings pointed.
.

Bohemian Waxwing
Bombycilla garrulus
Description: Length 18 cm. The plumage is buff-grey with
black face markings, a crest and yellow and white trim on
wings. Some feather tips have a waxy appearance.
Females are similar to males.
Habitat: Winter visitor. Open areas with berry bearing
shrubs and bushes, towns and gardens.
Range: Europe, Asia, North America.

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Photo: Andreas Trepte
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Source: en.wikipedia.org
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409
 The Birds of Afghanistan

HYPOCOLIUS
Hypocoliidae

A sole member of the genus Hypocolius.

. Hypocolius

Grey Hypocolius
Hypocolius ampelinus
Description: Length 25 cm. A slim bird with a long tail,
slight crest and a thick, hook-tipped bill. The plumage is
pale brownish-grey with the males having a triangular
mask around the eyes. The tail has a black terminal band.
Habitat: Passage migrant. Dry semi-deserts.
Range: Asia, North Africa.

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Photo: Jucicapidaegal Tiwari
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Source: discoverlife.org
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410
 The Birds of Afghanistan

WAGTAILS and PIPITS

Motacillidae

Small, slender, colorful, ground-feeding insectivores birds with long tails which they wag frequently.
.
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White Wagtail
Motacilla alba
Description: Length 18 cm. A slender bird with a long tail.
It is basically grey above and white below, with a white
face, black cap and throat. The wings are mainly white.
Habitat: Year-round resident and winter visitor. Open
country near water and human habitations.
Range: Europe, Asia, Africa.

Photo: Antonio
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Source: commons.wikimedia.org
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411
 The Birds of Afghanistan

Citrine Wagtail
Motacilla citreola
Description: Length 17 cm. The breeding male is grey or
black above and bright yellow below and on the head. In
winter the yellow underparts become diluted by white. The
female has greyish crown and cheeks with yellow
underparts.
Habitat: Breeding and winter visitor. Wet meadows in
steppes.
Photo: J.M. Garg Range: Asia, vagrant in Europe.
Source: commons.wikimedia.org

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412
 The Birds of Afghanistan

Yellow Wagtail
Motacilla flava
Description: Length 17 cm. It is a short-tailed wagtail.The
breeding male is olive above and yellow below with two
pale wingbars. The color of the head varies from black to
grey. The female is markedly paler below than male.
Habitat: Breeding visitor and passage migrant. Wetlands in
steppes and semi-deserts.
Range: Europe, Asia, Africa.
Photo: Frebeck
Source: en.wikipedia.org

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413
 The Birds of Afghanistan

Grey Wagtail
Motacilla cinerea
Description: Length 17 cm. A slim bird with a long tail. It is
grey above and the yellow on its underside is restricted to
the throat and vent. It has a narrow supercilium and a
broken eye ring. Breeding male has a black throat.
Habitat: Breeding and winter visitor. Mountain streams and
rivers.
Range: Europe, Asia, Africa.
Photo: MortimerCat
Source: commons.wikimedia.org
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414
 The Birds of Afghanistan

White-browed Wagtail
Motacilla maderaspatensis
Description: Length 21 cm. A large wagtail with black
upperparts, head and breast with a prominent white
eyebrow, black forehead and a large white wingbar. The
underparts are white.
Habitat: Vagrant. Freshwater wetlands.
Range: Asia.

Photo: J. M. Garg
Source: commons.wikimedia.org . :

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415
 The Birds of Afghanistan

Meadow Pipit
Anthus pratensis
Description: Length 15 cm. It is brown above and buff
below, with dark streaks on most of its plumage. The tail is
brown with narrow white side line and the legs are pale
pinkish yellow.
Habitat: Winter visitor. Open steppes, fields and pastures.
Range: Europe, Asia, North Africa.

Photo: Zambog
Source: commons.wikimedia.org . :
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416
 The Birds of Afghanistan

Paddyfield Pipit
Anthus rufulus
Description: Length 15 cm. The upperside is streaked
grey-brown and pale below. The wings and chest are
streaked. The throat and belly are whitish. It is long legged
with a long tail and long dark bill. The sexes are similar.
Habitat: Breeding visitor. Scrub, grasslands and
cultivations.
Range: Asia.

Photo: J.M. Garg . :
Source: commons.wikimedia.org .
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417
 The Birds of Afghanistan

Tawny Pipit
Anthus campestris
Description: Length 15 cm. It is sandy brown above and
nearly unstreaked with a long tail with black loral and
whisker lines. The face and narrow bill are pale.
Habitat: Breeding and winter visitor. Steppes, open dry
habitats.
Range: Europe, Asia, North Africa.

Photo: Mohammad Khorshed
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Source: kuwaitbirds.org
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418
 The Birds of Afghanistan

Long-billed Pipit
Anthus similis
Description: Length 20 cm. It is sandy grey above and
whitish or pale below. It is a large robust bird with a long
dark bill and long tail.
Habitat:Year-round resident. Dry open slopes with rocks
and low vegetation.
Range: Asia, Africa.

Photo: Abdul Rahman Al-Sirhan
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Source: birdsofkuwait.com
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419
 The Birds of Afghanistan

Tree Pipit
Anthus trivialis
Description: Length 15 cm. The plumage is brown with
more streaks above and less streaked on breast. There is
a marked contrast between its buff breast and white belly.
It has a clear eyebrow.
Habitat: Passage migrant. Steppes and dry mountains.
Range: Europe, Asia, Africa.

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Author: Nikhil Devasar
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Source: kolkatabirds.com
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420
 The Birds of Afghanistan

Red-throated Pipit
Anthus cervinus
Description: Length 15 cm. Adults have a brick red face
and throat during the breeding season.The plumage is
brown with dark streaks on the cap, back, flank, rump and
chest. The underside is whitish.
Habitat: Passage migrant. Mountain valleys.
Range: Europe, Asia, North America.

Photo: David Tipling

Source: arkive.org . :
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421
 The Birds of Afghanistan

Rosy Pipit
Anthus roseatus
Description: Length 15 cm. The upperparts are olive with
heavily streaked mantle and breast. In breeding plumage
the eyebrow, throat and breast are pale pink.
Habitat: Breeding visitor. Mountain valleys above tree line.
Range: Asia.

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Photo: Anand Arya
Source: orientalbirdimages.org

422
 The Birds of Afghanistan

Water Pipit
Anthus spinoletta
Description: Length 15 cm. Mainly brown above and dark
streaked buff below. In breeding season it is pinkish buff
below with streaks only on flanks. The belly is white without
stripes. It has a thin longish bill and dark legs.
Habitat: Winter and breeding visitor. Mountain slopes with
scattered bushes.
Range: Europe, Asia.

Photo: Steve Round

Source: deeestuary.co.uk
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423
 The Birds of Afghanistan

Upland Pipit
Anthus sylvanus
Description: Length 17 cm. A thick billed pipit which
resembles a lark. The plumage is heavily streaked above
with white eybrow and ring. The underside has long fine
dark streaks.
Habitat: Year-round resident. Steep rocky and grassy
slopes.
Range: Asia.

Author: Jyotendra Jyu Thakuri
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Source: orientalbirdimages.org
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424
 The Birds of Afghanistan

Olive-backed Pipit
Anthus hodgsoni
Description: Length 15 cm. Greenish brown with dark
brown streaks above. The supercilium and double wing
bars are whitish. Whitish below with bold black streaks.
Habitat: Vagrant. High mountain valleys.
Range: Europe, Asia.

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Photo: Charles Lam
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Source: en.wikipedia.org
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425
 The Birds of Afghanistan

Richards Pipit
Anthus richardi
Description: Length 18 cm. A large long-legged and
long-necked pipit which stands very upright. It is mainly
brown above and pale below with dark streaks on the
upperparts and breast. The belly and flanks are plain.
Habitat: Passage migrant. Open grasslands and
cultivations.
Range: Vagrant to Europe, Asia.
Photo: J.J. Harrison
Source: en-wikipedia.org

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426
 The Birds of Afghanistan

FINCHES
Fringillidae

Small to medium sized birds with large beaks and long, flat heads. The wings are short and the plumage
is tan or brown.
. .

Chaffinch
Fringilla coelebs
Description: Length 15 cm. The male has a black
forehead and blue grey cap and buff-brown upperparts.
The underparts are pinkish. Female is duller but both
sexes have two white wing bars and white sides of tail. The
irises are brown and the legs grey-brown.
Habitat: Winter visitor. Steppes, lowlands and foothills.
Range: Europe, Asia, North Africa.
Photo: Andreas Trepte
Source: commons.wikimedia.org

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427
 The Birds of Afghanistan

Brambling
Fringilla montifringilla
Description: Length15 cm. The breeding male has a black
head, black bill, dark underparts, orange breast and wing-
bar and white belly. The female is drabber with dark
crown-stripe. The bill is yellow.
Habitat: Winter visitor. Coniferous forests and steppes.
Range: Europe, Asia, North Africa.

Photo: Dunpharlain

Source: commons.wikimedia.org
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428
 The Birds of Afghanistan

Plain Mountain Finch

Leucosticte nemoricola
Description: Length 15 cm. A small finch with heavily
streaked mantle, dark rump and pale wing bars. The head
is plain brown. In appearance it is similar to a female
domestic sparrow.
Habitat: Year-round resident and winter visitor. Alpine
meadows and rocky slopes.
Range: Asia.
Photo: Simon van der Meulen
Source: orientalbirdimages.org
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429
 The Birds of Afghanistan

Brandts Mountain Finch

Leucostiche brandti
Description: Length 18 cm. A large finch. The plumage is
greyish-buff without streaks. The forecrown and lores are
blackish. The breeding male has a black face and bill. The
wings and tail have white feathers. The underside is also
whitish.
Habitat: Year-round resident. Alpine meadows and moist
rocky slopes.
Photo: Nikhil Devasar
Range: Asia.
Source3: faithbaptistwh.org

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430
 The Birds of Afghanistan

Common Rosefinch
Carpodacus erythrinus
Description: Length 15 cm. The male has a red head,
breast, flanks, rump and whitish belly. The cheek is
brownish. The female is plain and greyish with two pale
wing-bars. The bill is stout and conical.
Habitat: Breeding visitor. Open woodland, cultivations and
gardens.
Range: Europe, Asia.

Photo: Audevard Aurelien . :
Source: oiseaux.net . .
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431
 The Birds of Afghanistan

Sinai Rosefinch
Carpodacus synoicus
Description: Length 15 cm. The male has a bright crimson
face, throat and pink underparts. The upperparts are pale
sandy. The bill is also pale. The female is plain sandy
without any streaks.
Habitat: Year-round resident. Arid mountain slopes.
Range: Asia, North Africa.

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Photo: Ian Tew
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Source: birder.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk
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432
 The Birds of Afghanistan

Himalayan White-browed Rosefinch

Carpodacus thura
Description: Length 17 cm. The male has a bright pink
brow, rump and underparts. The cheek and underparts of
the female are heavily streaked with buff brow and breast.
Habitat: Year-round resident. Temperate forests.
Range: Asia.

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Photo: Yathin Krishnappa
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Source: mangoverde.com
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433
 The Birds of Afghanistan

Red-mantled Rosefinch
Carpodacus rhodochlamys
Description: Length 18 cm. A large rosefinch with a stout
bill. The head and underparts of the male are pink with
white streaks on head and breast. The crown and
upperparts are red-brown. The female is streaked with
brown upperparts and white below.
Habitat: Year-round resident. Alpine meadows and
mountain slopes.
Photo: Ron Knight
Range: Asia.
Source: inaturalist.org

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434
 The Birds of Afghanistan

Red-fronted Rosefinch
Carpodacus puniceus
Description: Length 20 cm. A large finch with a longish
beak. The male has a red forehead, brow and cheek. The
crown is dark brown. The female is dark above with
narrow dark streaks below.
Habitat:Year-round resident. Alpine meadows.
Range: Asia.

Photo: Yann Muzika

Source:norientalbirdimages.org
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435
 The Birds of Afghanistan

Blyths Rosefinch
Carpodacus grandis
Description: Length 18 cm. A heavy billed finch. The male
has a light pink brow, cheek, throat and underside. The
wings and upperparts are brown. The heavily streaked
female is greyish.
Habitat: Year-round resident. Montane valleys.
Range: Asia.

Photo: Gunjan Arora
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Source: orientalbirdimages.org
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436
 The Birds of Afghanistan

Spotted Great Rosefinch

Carpodacus severtzovi
Description: Length 19 cm. A large pale rosefinch lacking
a supercilium. The head and underparts of the male are
pink with large white spots. The back is nearly unstreaked.
The female is pale and lightly streaked.
Habitat: Year-round resident. High alpine valleys.
Range: Asia.
Photo: Jainy Kuriakose
Source: orientalbirdimages.org
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437
 The Birds of Afghanistan

European Greenfinch
Carduelis chloris
Description: Length 17 cm. Similar in size to a house
sparrow it has a stout pale bill. The male is yellow-green
with yellow face and breast. Female is brown with yellow in
the wing.
Habitat: Winter visitor. Woodlands, cultivations and
gardens.
Range: Europe, Asia, North Africa.
Photo:Dick Porter
Source: nzbirdsonline.org.nz

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438
 The Birds of Afghanistan

Eurasian Goldfinch
Carduelis carduelis
Description: Length 14 cm. The sexes are similar. The bill
is pale. It has a red face, black and white head, bright
yellow stripe on the wing, brown upperparts and white
underparts. In females the red does not extend past the
eye.
Habitat: Year-round resident and winter visitor.
Woodlands, cultivations and gardens.
Photo: Luciano Giussani
Range: Europe, Asia, North Africa.
Source: inaturalist.org

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439
 The Birds of Afghanistan

Twite
Carduelis flavirostris
Description: Length 13 cm. A small finch with a stubby bill
and long notched tail. The upperparts are buff streaked
with brown. The breeding male has a dark bill and pink
rump. The female has a streaked brown rump.
Habitat: Year round resident and winter visitor.Steppes,
semi-deserts and alpine meadows.
Range: Europe, Asia.
Photo: Mike Pennington
Source: commons.wikimedia.org
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440
 The Birds of Afghanistan

Common Linnet
Carduelis cannabina
Description: Length 13 cm. A slim finch with a long tail.
The breeding male has a reddish cap, breast and flanks.
The upperparts are brown and the bill is grey. Females lack
the red and have white underparts with the breast streaked
buff.
Habitat: Year-round resident and winter visitor. Open
areas with shrubs and rocky mountain slopes.
Range: Europe, Asia, North Africa.

Photo: Joe Pell

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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441
 The Birds of Afghanistan

Eurasian Siskin
Carduelis spinus
Description: Length 12 cm. The male has a black cap and
chin with greyish green upperparts and grey underparts.
The face and breast are yellow. The wings are black with
yellow wing bars and the tail black with yellow sides.
Females have a greyish green head.
Habitat: Vagrant visitor. Open mixed woodlands and
gardens.
Photo: Slawek Staszcuk
Range: Europe, Asia.
Source: en.wikipedia.org

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442
 The Birds of Afghanistan

Red-fronted Serin
Serinus pusillus
Description: Length 12 cm. A dark finch with yellow wing-
bars. The upperside is heavily streaked. The male has a
blackish hood and red forehead. The female lacks the
black head and the red patch on the forehead.
Habitat: Year-round resident. Alpine meadows and
mountain slopes.
Range: Europe, Asia.

Source: planetofbirds.com
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443
 The Birds of Afghanistan

Mongolian Finch
Bucanetes mongolicus
Description: Length 15 cm. The head is large with a short,
thick greyish-yellow bill. The face and underparts of the
breeding male are pale pinkish. The wings have large white
patches. The female is duller and lacks the white wing
patches.
Habitat: Year-round resident. Arid rocky slopes and semi-
Photo: Pkspks arid scrub.
Source: en.wikipedia.org Range: Asia.

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444
 The Birds of Afghanistan

Trumpeter Finch
Bucanetes githagineus
Description: Length 15 cm. It has a large head and a
short thick bill. The male in summer has a red bill, grey
head and pale brown upperparts. The breast, rump and tail
are pink. The female has a duller plumage.
Habitat: Year-round resident. Steppes, stony-deserts and
alpine valleys.
Range: Europe, Asia, North Africa.

Photo: Frank Vassen

Source: commons.wikimedia.org
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445
 The Birds of Afghanistan

Desert Finch
Rhodospiza obsoleta
Description: Length 15 cm. The breeding male has a
black bill and face. The plumage is pale and unstreaked
with black spots on the pink and white wings. Female is
more duller with a paler face.
Habitat: Year-round resident and winter visitor. Semi-
deserts with scattered trees and bushes.
Range: Europe, Asia.
Photo: Ron Knight
Source: commons.wikimedia.org

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446
 The Birds of Afghanistan

Hawfinch
Coccothraustes coccothraustes
Description: Length 18 cm. A stout bird with a thick neck
and large round head with a small black mask and a strong
huge bill. The overall color is light brown, with an orange
hue in the head. It has a white shoulder and a white tip on
the short tail. The females is slightly paler than the male.
Habitat: Year-round resident. Mountains and foothills with
trees.
Photo: Dean Eades Range: Europe, Asia.
Source: birdguides.com

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447
 The Birds of Afghanistan

Black-and-yellow Grosbeak
Mycerobas icterioides
Description: Length 22 cm. A large grosbeak with a pale
bill. The male is yellow with slate black hood, wings and
tail. The female is pale brownish-grey with pale buffy
underside.
Habitat: Year-round resident. Coniferous woodlands.
Range: Asia.

Photo: Yann Muzika

Source: animalsmore2.wordpress.com . . :
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448
 The Birds of Afghanistan

White-winged Grosbeak
Mycerobas carnipes
Description: Length 22 cm. A large dusky bird with a long
tail and massive dark bill. The face, chest and upperside of
the male are black with a yellow-olive belly. The wing has
a large white patch and yellow spots. The female is duller
with grey plumage instead of black.
Habitat: Year-round resident. Montane forests up to tree
line.
Photo: Audevard Aurelion Range: Asia.
Source: mangoverde.com

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449
 The Birds of Afghanistan

Crimson-winged Finch
Rhodopechys sanguineus
Description: Length 18 cm. A thickset pale-colored finch
with a large yellowish bill. The male has a black cap and
pink face, wings and rump. It is light brown overall with a
whitish mid-belly. Female is slightly duller than the male.
Habitat: Breeding visitor. Bare mountain slopes with
sparse vegetation and alpine meadows.
Range: Asia.

Photo: Ukolov llya

Source: iucnredlist.org . :
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450
 The Birds of Afghanistan

Scaly-breasted Munia
Lonchura punctulata
Description: Length 10 cm. The adult male has a nut-
brown head and upperparts with heavy dark bill. The
underparts are white with black scale markings. The sexes
are similar but the males have darker markings on the
underside and darker throat than females.
Habitat: Year-round resident. Open woodlands and
human settlements.
Range: Asia, introduced to Australia and United States of
Photo: Yathin S Krishnappa
America.
Source: en.wikepedia.org

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451
 The Birds of Afghanistan

BUNTINGS
Emberizidae

The buntings are seed-eating birds with stubby, conical bills. Their habits are similar to finches.
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Yellowhammer
Emberiza citrinella
Description: Length 17 cm. A large bunting with a longish
tail. The male has a bright yellow head, heavily streaked
brown back, and yellow underparts. Female is less brightly
colored with more streaks on the crown, breast and flanks.
Habitat: Winter vagrant. Steppes and semi-deserts.
Range: Europe, Asia.

Photo: Sonja Ross

Sourc3: nzbirdsonline.org.nz
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452
 The Birds of Afghanistan

Pine Bunting
Emberizia leucocephalos
Description: Length 17 cm. The male has a white crown
and cheeks and a chestnut forehead and throat. The brown
back is heavily streaked. The female is duller and is more
streaked on the underside.
Habitat: Winter visitor. Open woodland.
Range: Asia, vagrant to Europe.

Photo: Rene Pop . :
Source: planetofbirds.com . .
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453
 The Birds of Afghanistan

Rock Bunting
Emberiza cia
Description: Length 16 cm. The upperparts of the male
are chestnut with plain deep buff underparts, pale grey
head marked with black stripes. The female has paler
underparts, a grey-brown back with a less marked head.
Habitat: Breeding visitor. Steppes and dry mountain
slopes.
Range: Europe, Asia, North Africa.
Photo: Jan Svetlik
Source: commons.wikimedia.org

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454
 The Birds of Afghanistan

Grey-necked Bunting
Emberiza buchanani
Description: Length 15 cm. The male has a grey head
and a distinctive white eye-ring. The chin and throat are
whitish pink. The underparts are pinkish brown. The female
is duller and paler with streaks on crown and mantle.
Habitat: Breeding visitor. Arid and rocky slopes.
Range: Asia.

Photo: Daniele Occhiato
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Source: kuwaitbirds.org
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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Ortolan Bunting
Emberiza hortulana
Description: Length 16 cm. The male has an olive-grey
head and breast, grey neck, yellowish eye ring and rufous
underparts. The female has an olive crown and streaked
breast band.
Habitat: Passage migrant. Semi-deserts with scattered
bushes.
Range: Europe, Asia.
Photo: Pierre Dalous
Source: en.wikipedia.org

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

White-capped Bunting
Emberiza stewarti
Description: Length 17 cm. The breeding male has a pale
grey head, nape and upper breast. A black throat and black
eye stripe. Female has duller plumage with weakly marked
greyish head.
Habitat: Breeding and winter visitor. Rocky alpine slopes.
Range: Asia.
Photo: Manjula Mathur
Source: groups.google.com
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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Striolated Bunting
Emberiza striolata
Description: Length 14 cm. A pale bunting with bicolored
bill. The male has a chestnut body and grey head with dark
stripes and pinkish buff underside. The females head is
brownish with weaker head stripes.
Habitat: Year-round resident. Arid rocky slopes with
scattered shrubs.
Range: Asia.

Photo: Corentin Kermarrec

Souce: corentin.kermarrec.oiseaux.net
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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Rustic Bunting
Emberiza rustica
Description: Length 15 cm. The male has whitish
underparts with a black and white head and a reddish flank
and pink legs. The female has a heavily streaked brown
back and brown face with a whitish supercilium.
Habitat: Vagrant. Open habitats with bushes.
Range: Europe, Asia.

Photo: Aaron Maizlish

Source: flickr.com
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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Black-headed Bunting
Emberiza melanocephala
Description: Length 18 cm. A large bunting with a heavy
bill. The adult male has a black head, chestnut back, yellow
throat and underparts. The adult female in breeding
plumage looks like a duller male with a streaked crown.
Habitat: Passage migrant. Steppes, grasslands.
Range: Europe, Asia.

Photo: Mark S Jobling

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Red-headed Bunting
Emberiza bruniceps
Description: Length 17 cm. The male has a brownish-red
face and breast. Bright yellow underparts and green
upperparts. The female is a paler version of the male with
paler underparts, grey-brown back and greyish head.
Habitat: Breeding visitor. Mountain valleys, steppes and
semi-deserts with scattered scrubs..
Range: Asia.

Photo: Nikhil
Source: leesbird.com . :
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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Reed Bunting
Emberiza schoeniclus
Description: Length 15 cm. A medium-sized bunting with
a small bill. The male has a black head and throat, white
neck collar and underparts, and a streaked back. The
female is duller, with a streaked brown head and has
streaks on the underside.
Habitat: Winter visitor. Wetlands with reeds.
Range: Europe, Asia.
Photo: Maurice Baker
Source: mbaker.co.uk

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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Corn Bunting
Emberiza calandra
Description: Length 18 cm. A large bunting with streaked
grey-brown plumage above and whitish underparts. It lacks
showy colors and has a drab appearance. Male and female
have a similar plumage.
Habitat: Year-round resident. Grassy areas in semi-
desert and steppes.
Range: Europe, Asia, North Africa.
Photo: Steve Riall
Source: commons.wikimedia.org
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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Chestnut-eared Bunting
Emberiza fucata
Description: Length 15 cm. Mainly brown with dark
streaks. The male has a grey crown and nape with dark
streaks, with black and chestnut bands across the breast.
Females are duller than males with less distinct head and
breast pattern.
Habitat: Breeding visitor. Montane scrubs, fields and
grassland.
Range: Asia.

Photo: Pete Morris

Source: sgforums.com
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 The Birds of Afghanistan

Snow Bunting
Plectrophenax nivalis
Description: Length 15 cm. The breeding male is black
and white with a white head, chest and underside. The
upperside and tail are black. The female has the same
coloration but with a rufous back. In winter both male and
female have a rufous back with distinctive white wing
patches.
Habitat: Vagrant. Montane tundra.
Photo: Tormod Amundsen Range: Europe, Asia, North America.
Source: glacierhub.org

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