Birds Of China

There are over 1400 birds that live in China, making it eighth in the world when it comes to avian diversity. These birds have adapted to the wide variety of habitats in the country’s diverse landscape. However, these avifauna are at risk of losing their homes as they are under constant threat of getting engulfed by the ever-growing human population. 

While the official national bird of China is the Manchurian Crane, the Golden Pheasant also holds great significance. Other notable avian species include birds of prey like the Chinese Sparrow hawk and the endangered Crested Ibis.

Birds of China

List of Common Birds Found in China

Native Birds

  • Amur Falcon
  • Ashy-throated Parrotbill
  • Asian Brown Flycatcher
  • Asian Glossy Starling
  • Asian Koel
  • Asian Openbill
  • Asian Paradise Flycatcher
  • Asian Stubtail
  • Baer’s Pochard
  • Baikal Teal
  • Barn Swallow
  • Bar-tailed Godwit
  • Besra
  • Black Drongo
  • Black Kite
  • Black-billed Capercaillie
  • Black-browed Tit
  • Black-capped Kingfisher
  • Black-faced Bunting
  • Black-headed Gull
  • Black-throated Bushtit
  • Black-throated Thrush
  • Blyth’s Pipit
  • Broad-billed Sandpiper
  • Brown-eared Bulbul
  • Brown Dipper
  • Brown Eared Pheasant
  • Brown-headed Gull
  • Brown-throated Treecreeper
  • Brown-winged Parrotbill
  • Buff-bellied Pipit
  • Bufflehead
  • Buff-throated Warbler
  • Cabot’s Tragopan
  • Caspian Gull
  • Caspian Tern
  • Chestnut-bellied Nuthatch
  • Chestnut-bellied Rock Thrush
  • Chestnut-cheeked Starling
  • Chestnut-eared Bunting
  • Chestnut-flanked White-eye
  • Chestnut-throated Partridge
  • Chestnut Thrush
  • Chinese Bamboo Partridge
  • Chinese Blackbird
  • Chinese Bulbul
  • Chinese Crested Tern
  • Chinese Egret
  • Chinese Francolin
  • Chinese Gray Shrike
  • Chinese Grosbeak
  • Chinese Grouse
  • Chinese Hill Partridge
  • Chinese Hwamei
  • Chinese Merganser
  • Chinese Monal
  • Chinese Penduline Tit
  • Chinese Pied Starling
  • Chinese Pond Heron
  • Chinese Prinia
  • Chinese Sparrowhawk
  • Chinese Thrush
  • Chukar Partridge
  • Collared Crow
  • Collared Owlet
  • Common Buttonquail
  • Common Crane
  • Common Cuckoo
  • Common Eider
  • Common Goldeneye
  • Common Green Magpie
  • Common Gull
  • Common Kingfisher
  • Common Merganser
  • Common Myna
  • Common Pheasant
  • Common Pochard
  • Common Quail
  • Common Reed Bunting
  • Common Scoter
  • Cotton Pygmy Goose
  • Crested Goshawk
  • Crested Ibis
  • Crested Lark
  • Crested Myna
  • Crimson-breasted Woodpecker
  • Dark-sided Flycatcher
  • Daurian Partridge
  • Daurian Redstart
  • Daurian Starling
  • Dunlin
  • Dusky Thrush
  • Dusky Warbler
  • Eared Pheasant
  • Eastern Imperial Eagle
  • Eastern Marsh Harrier
  • Eastern Spot-billed Duck
  • Eurasian Blackbird
  • Eurasian Buzzard
  • Eurasian Collared Dove
  • Eurasian Curlew
  • Eurasian Golden Plover
  • Eurasian Hobby
  • Eurasian Hoopoe
  • Eurasian Kestrel
  • Eurasian Sparrowhawk
  • Eurasian Treecreeper
  • Eurasian Tree Sparrow
  • Eurasian Wigeon
  • Eyebrowed Thrush
  • Falcated Duck
  • Ferruginous Duck
  • Golden Eagle
  • Golden Pheasant
  • Gray-headed Bullfinch
  • Gray-headed Thrush
  • Greater Scaup
  • Great Knot
  • Great Tit
  • Green Bee-eater
  • Green Peafowl
  • Greenish Warbler
  • Gray Heron
  • Gull-billed Tern
  • Gyrfalcon
  • Hair-crested Drongo
  • Heuglin’s Gull
  • Hill Myna
  • Hill Partridge
  • Himalayan Cuckoo
  • Himalayan Rubythroat
  • Indian Peafowl
  • Japanese Cormorant
  • Japanese Tit
  • Japanese White-eye
  • Lady Amherst’s Pheasant
  • Lanceolated Warbler
  • Large Hawk-cuckoo
  • Lesser Whistling Duck
  • Light-vented Bulbul
  • Little Egret
  • Little Grebe
  • Manchurian Crane
  • Mandarin Duck
  • Mugimaki Flycatcher
  • Naumann’s Thrush
  • Olive-backed Sunbird
  • Oriental Cuckoo
  • Oriental Greenfinch
  • Oriental Honey-buzzard
  • Oriental Magpie
  • Oriental Magpie-robin
  • Oriental Plover
  • Oriental Turtle Dove
  • Oriental White-eye
  • Osprey
  • Pacific Golden Plover
  • Pacific Loon
  • Pale Thrush
  • Red Collared Dove
  • Red-billed Blue Magpie
  • Red-vented Bulbul
  • Red-wattled Lapwing
  • Rock Pigeon
  • Saker Falcon
  • Sanderling
  • Sandhill Crane
  • Saunders’s Gull
  • Scaly-sided Merganser
  • Scaly Thrush
  • Siberian Rubythroat
  • Siberian Accentor
  • Sichuan Leaf Warbler
  • Sichuan Treecreeper 
  • Silver Pheasant
  • Slaty-backed Flycatcher
  • Slaty Bunting 
  • Slavonian Grebe
  • Slender-billed Gull
  • Smew
  • Smoky Warbler
  • Spoon-billed Sandpiper
  • Spotted Dove
  • Stejneger’s Scoter
  • Swan Goose
  • Taiga Flycatcher
  • Temminck’s Stint
  • Tibetan Partridge
  • Tibetan Rosefinch 
  • Tibetan Snowcock
  • Varied Tit
  • Velvet Scoter
  • Vinous-throated Parrotbill
  • Wallcreeper
  • Water Pipit
  • Whiskered Tern
  • White Wagtail
  • White-throated Kingfisher
  • Willow Tit
  • Xinjiang Ground Jay 
  • Yellow-bellied Tit
  • Yellow-browed Warbler
  • Zebra Dove
  • Ala Shan Redstart
  • Alström’s Warbler
  • Altai Snowcock
  • Amur Stonechat
  • Arctic Warbler
  • Ashy-headed Green-pigeon
  • Ashy-throated Warbler
  • Ashy Wood-pigeon
  • Asian Desert Warbler
  • Asian Emerald Cuckoo
  • Asian Emerald Dove
  • Asian Rosy-finch
  • Azure-winged Magpie
  • Banded Bay Cuckoo
  • Bar-backed Partridge
  • Barred Cuckoo-dove
  • Barred Warbler
  • Bay Woodpecker
  • Beijing Babbler
  • Bianchi’s Warbler
  • Black-backed Forktail
  • Black Bittern
  • Black-chinned Fruit-dove
  • Black-crowned Night-heron
  • Black Eagle
  • Black Grouse
  • Black-headed Greenfinch
  • Black-headed Mountain Finch
  • Black-hooded Oriole
  • Black-naped Oriole
  • Black Redstart
  • Black-rumped Magpie
  • Blackthroat
  • Black-throated Parrotbill
  • Blanford’s Rosefinch
  • Blood Pheasant
  • Blue-and-white Flycatcher
  • Blue-breasted Quail
  • Blue-capped Redstart
  • Blue Eared-pheasant
  • Blue-fronted Redstart
  • Blue-fronted Robin
  • Blue Rock-thrush
  • Bluethroat
  • Blue-throated Flycatcher
  • Blue Whistling-thrush
  • Blyth’s Leaf Warbler
  • Blyth’s Rosefinch
  • Blyth’s Tragopan
  • Bonelli’s Eagle
  • Booted Eagle
  • Brahminy Kite
  • Brambling
  • Brant
  • Brown-breasted Flycatcher
  • Brown Bullfinch
  • Brown-chested Jungle-flycatcher
  • Brown Parrotbill
  • Brown-throated Fulvetta
  • Buff-barred Warbler
  • Burmese Collared-dove
  • Carrion Crow
  • Chestnut-breasted Partridge
  • Chestnut-crowned Warbler
  • Chestnut-winged Cuckoo
  • Chinese Beautiful Rosefinch
  • Chinese Blue Flycatcher
  • Chinese Fulvetta
  • Chinese Grassbird
  • Chinese Leaf Warbler
  • Chinese Rubythroat
  • Chinese Shortwing
  • Chinese Vivid Niltava
  • Chinese White-browed Rosefinch
  • Cinnamon Bittern
  • Claudia’s Leaf Warbler
  • Collared Grosbeak
  • Collared Treepie
  • Common Chaffinch
  • Common Chiffchaff
  • Common Flameback
  • Common Nightingale
  • Common Raven
  • Common Redpoll
  • Common Redstart
  • Common Rosefinch
  • Common Shelduck
  • Common Wood-pigeon
  • Crested Serpent-eagle
  • Crimson-browed Finch
  • Crimson-winged Finch
  • Darjeeling Woodpecker
  • Dark-breasted Rosefinch
  • Dark-rumped Rosefinch
  • Daurian Jackdaw
  • Davison’s Leaf Warbler
  • Desert Finch
  • Desert Wheatear
  • Eared Grebe
  • Eastern Crowned Warbler
  • Elliot’s Pheasant
  • Emei Leaf Warbler
  • Eurasian Bullfinch
  • Eurasian Golden Oriole
  • Eurasian Jackdaw
  • Eurasian Jay
  • Eurasian Linnet
  • Eurasian Magpie
  • Eurasian Marsh Harrier
  • Eurasian Nutcracker
  • Eurasian Siskin
  • Eurasian Three-toed Woodpecker
  • Eurasian Wryneck
  • European Goldfinch
  • European Greenfinch
  • European Robin
  • European Turtle-dove
  • Ferruginous Flycatcher
  • Fire-fronted Serin
  • Fire-tailed Myzornis
  • Firethroat
  • Fork-tailed Drongo-cuckoo
  • Fujian Niltava
  • Fulvous Parrotbill
  • Gadwall
  • Gansu Leaf-warbler
  • Garganey
  • Giant Shrike
  • Golden-breasted Fulvetta
  • Golden Bush-robin
  • Golden Parrotbill
  • Gold-naped Finch
  • Gould’s Shortwing
  • Gray-backed Shrike
  • Gray Bushchat
  • Gray-capped Pygmy Woodpecker
  • Gray-cheeked Warbler
  • Gray-crowned Warbler
  • Gray-faced Buzzard
  • Gray-headed Parrotbill
  • Gray-hooded Fulvetta
  • Gray-hooded Parrotbill
  • Gray-hooded Warbler
  • Graylag Goose
  • Gray Partridge
  • Gray Peacock-pheasant
  • Gray-streaked Flycatcher
  • Gray Treepie
  • Great-billed Heron
  • Great Bittern
  • Great Bustard
  • Great Crested Grebe
  • Great Egret
  • Greater Coucal
  • Greater Flameback
  • Greater Spotted Eagle
  • Greater White-fronted Goose
  • Greater Whitethroat
  • Great Gray Shrike
  • Great Parrotbill
  • Great Rosefinch
  • Great Spotted Woodpecker
  • Green-backed Flycatcher
  • Green-billed Malkoha
  • Green-crowned Warbler
  • Green Imperial-pigeon
  • Hainan Blue Flycatcher
  • Hainan Leaf Warbler
  • Hainan Partridge
  • Hainan Peacock-pheasant
  • Hartert’s Leaf Warbler
  • Hawfinch
  • Hazel Grouse
  • Hen Harrier
  • Hill Blue Flycatcher
  • Hill Pigeon
  • Himalayan Beautiful Rosefinch
  • Himalayan Bluetail
  • Himalayan Monal
  • Himalayan Shortwing
  • Himalayan Snowcock
  • Himalayan White-browed Rosefinch
  • Hoary Redpoll
  • Hodgson’s Hawk-cuckoo
  • Hodgson’s Redstart
  • Hooded Crow
  • Horned Grebe
  • House Crow
  • Hume’s Pheasant
  • Hume’s Warbler
  • Imperial Eagle
  • Indian Blue Robin
  • Indian Cuckoo
  • Indian Golden Oriole
  • Indochinese Green-magpie
  • Intermediate Egret
  • Isabelline Wheatear
  • Japanese Grosbeak
  • Japanese Leaf Warbler
  • Japanese Night-heron
  • Japanese Pygmy Woodpecker
  • Japanese Quail
  • Japanese Robin
  • Japanese Sparrowhawk
  • Japanese Wood-pigeon
  • Jerdon’s Bushchat
  • Kalij Pheasant
  • Kamchatka Leaf Warbler
  • Kloss’s Leaf Warbler
  • Knob-billed Duck
  • Koklass Pheasant
  • Large-billed Crow
  • Large-billed Leaf Warbler
  • Large Niltava
  • Laughing Dove
  • Lemon-rumped Warbler
  • Lesser Coucal
  • Lesser Cuckoo
  • Lesser Gray Shrike
  • Lesser Shortwing
  • Lesser Spotted Woodpecker
  • Lesser White-fronted Goose
  • Lesser Whitethroat
  • Lesser Yellownape
  • Limestone Leaf Warbler
  • Little Bittern
  • Little Cuckoo-dove
  • Little Forktail
  • Little Pied Flycatcher
  • Long-tailed Rosefinch
  • Long-tailed Shrike
  • Malayan Night-heron
  • Maroon Oriole
  • Martens’s Warbler
  • Mongolian Finch
  • Mongolian Ground-jay
  • Montagu’s Harrier
  • Mountain Bamboo-partridge
  • Mountain Chiffchaff
  • Mountain Hawk-eagle
  • Mountain Imperial-pigeon
  • Mute Swan
  • Narcissus Flycatcher
  • Northern Goshawk
  • Northern Hawk-cuckoo
  • Northern Shoveler
  • Northern Shrike
  • Northern Wheatear
  • Orange-breasted Green-pigeon
  • Pale-billed Parrotbill
  • Pale Blue Flycatcher
  • Pale-chinned Blue Flycatcher
  • Pale-headed Woodpecker
  • Pale-legged Leaf Warbler
  • Pale Rosefinch
  • Pallas’s Fish Eagle
  • Pallas’s Leaf Warbler
  • Pallas’s Rosefinch
  • Pallid Harrier
  • Pied Bushchat
  • Pied Cuckoo
  • Pied Harrier
  • Pied Wheatear
  • Pine Grosbeak
  • Pink-browed Rosefinch
  • Pink-rumped Rosefinch
  • Pin-tailed Green-pigeon
  • Plain Mountain Finch
  • Plaintive Cuckoo
  • Plumbeous Redstart
  • Przevalski’s Partridge
  • Przevalski’s Pinktail
  • Purple Heron
  • Pygmy Flycatcher
  • Radde’s Warbler
  • Ratchet-tailed Treepie
  • Red-billed Chough
  • Red Crossbill
  • Red-flanked Bluetail
  • Red-fronted Rosefinch
  • Red-headed Bullfinch
  • Red Junglefowl
  • Red-mantled Rosefinch
  • Red-necked Grebe
  • Reed Parrotbill
  • Reeves’s Pheasant
  • Ring-necked Pheasant
  • Rock Ptarmigan
  • Rook
  • Ruddy Shelduck
  • Rufous-backed Redstart
  • Rufous-bellied Eagle
  • Rufous-bellied Niltava
  • Rufous-breasted Bush-robin
  • Rufous-gorgeted Flycatcher
  • Rufous-headed Parrotbill
  • Rufous-headed Robin
  • Rufous-tailed Babbler
  • Rufous-tailed Robin
  • Rufous-tailed Rock-thrush
  • Rufous-tailed Scrub-robin
  • Rufous-throated Partridge
  • Rufous Treepie
  • Rufous-winged Buzzard
  • Rufous Woodpecker
  • Rusty-bellied Shortwing
  • Rusty-throated Parrotbill
  • Ryukyu Flycatcher
  • Ryukyu Robin
  • Sapphire Flycatcher
  • Satyr Tragopan
  • Scaly-bellied Woodpecker
  • Scaly-breasted Partridge
  • Scarlet Finch
  • Schrenck’s Bittern
  • Sclater’s Monal
  • Severtzov’s Grouse
  • Sharpe’s Rosefinch
  • Shikra
  • Short-tailed Parrotbill
  • Short-toed Snake-eagle
  • Siberian Blue Robin
  • Siberian Grouse
  • Siberian Jay
  • Siberian Stonechat
  • Sichuan Jay
  • Sichuan Partridge
  • Sillem’s Rosefinch
  • Silver Oriole
  • Slaty-backed Forktail
  • Slaty-blue Flycatcher
  • Slender-billed Oriole
  • Small Niltava
  • Snow Partridge
  • Snow Pigeon
  • Snowy-browed Flycatcher
  • Speckled Piculet
  • Speckled Wood-pigeon
  • Spectacled Fulvetta
  • Spectacled Parrotbill
  • Spot-breasted Parrotbill
  • Spotted Flycatcher
  • Spotted Forktail
  • Spot-winged Grosbeak
  • Spot-winged Rosefinch
  • Square-tailed Drongo-cuckoo
  • Steppe Eagle
  • Stock Dove
  • Streaked Rosefinch
  • Streak-throated Fulvetta
  • Streak-throated Woodpecker
  • Striated Heron
  • Stripe-breasted Woodpecker
  • Sulphur-bellied Warbler
  • Sulphur-breasted Warbler
  • Szecheny’s Partridge
  • Taiga Bean-goose
  • Tarim Babbler
  • Temminck’s Tragopan
  • Thick-billed Green-pigeon
  • Three-banded Rosefinch
  • Three-toed Parrotbill
  • Tibetan Eared-pheasant
  • Tibetan Sandgrouse
  • Tibetan Serin
  • Tickell’s Blue Flycatcher
  • Tickell’s Leaf Warbler
  • Tundra Bean-goose
  • Tundra Swan
  • Twite
  • Two-barred Warbler
  • Ultramarine Flycatcher
  • Variable Wheatear
  • Verditer Flycatcher
  • Verreaux’s Partridge
  • Vinaceous Rosefinch
  • Violet Cuckoo
  • Wedge-tailed Green-pigeon
  • Western Capercaillie
  • Western Tragopan
  • Whistler’s Warbler
  • Whistling Green-pigeon
  • White-backed Woodpecker
  • White-bellied Green-pigeon
  • White-bellied Heron
  • White-bellied Redstart
  • White-breasted Parrotbill
  • White-browed Bush-robin
  • White-browed Fulvetta
  • White-browed Piculet
  • White-capped Redstart
  • White-cheeked Partridge
  • White-crowned Forktail
  • White-eared Night-heron
  • White Eared-pheasant
  • White-eyed Buzzard
  • White-gorgeted Flycatcher
  • White-necklaced Partridge
  • White-rumped Shama
  • White-spectacled Warbler
  • White-tailed Eagle
  • White-tailed Flycatcher
  • White-tailed Robin
  • White-throated Bushchat
  • White-throated Redstart
  • White-throated Rock-thrush
  • White-winged Crossbill
  • White-winged Grosbeak
  • White-winged Magpie
  • White-winged Redstart
  • White-winged Woodpecker
  • Whooper Swan
  • Willow Ptarmigan
  • Yellow-billed Blue-magpie
  • Yellow-billed Chough
  • Yellow-billed Grosbeak
  • Yellow Bittern
  • Yellow-breasted Greenfinch
  • Yellow-crowned Woodpecker
  • Yellow-eyed Babbler
  • Yellow-eyed Pigeon
  • Yellow-footed Green-pigeon
  • Yellow-rumped Flycatcher
  • Yellow-streaked Warbler
  • Yellow-vented Warbler
  • Zappey’s Flycatcher

Non-native Birds

There are several places where one can go birdwatching in China, including Qinghai Lake, Yunnan Province, and Emei Shan, a mountain in southwestern China that is also a UNESCO World Heritage site. The best time to see these birds is in the spring and summer, between April and August.

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