List of birds of Tamil Nadu

This article lists the birds found in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Over 508 species of birds have been spotted in Tamil Nadu. The list also sometimes includes the local Tamil name in italics following the English common name.

Table of contents
Non-passerines: Grebes • Tropicbirds • Shearwaters • Cormorants • Darters • Pelicans • Bitterns, herons and egrets • Ibises and spoonbills • Storks • Flamingos • Ducks • Hawks, kites and eagles • Falcons • Pheasants and partridges • Rails, crakes and coots • Bustards • Buttonquails • Jacanas • Avocets and stilts • Pratincoles and coursers • Plovers and lapwings • Sandpipers and allies • Snipes and curlew • Gulls • Terns • Sandgrouses • Doves and pigeons • Parrots and parakeets • Cuckoos • Barn owls • Typical owls • Nightjars • Swifts • Trogons • Kingfishers • Bee-eaters • Rollers and hoopoe • Hornbills • Barbets • Woodpeckers	Emerald dove, the state bird of Tamil Nadu
Passerines: Pitta and larks • Swallows and martins • Wagtails and pipits • Cuckooshrikes • Bulbuls • Thrushes and allies • Cisticolas and allies • Locustellid warblers • Acrocephalid warblers • Phylloscopid warblers • Old World warblers • Old World flycatchers • Laughingthrushes • Ground babblers • Babblers • Titmice • Nuthatches • Sunbirds and spiderhunters • Flowerpeckers • White-eyes • Old World orioles • Shrikes • Woodshrikes • Drongos • Woodswallows • Crows and treepies • Starlings • Weavers • Buntings • Finches • Waxbills and allies • Sparrows
See also        Notes        References

Little grebe

Spot-billed pelicans

Cormorants and egrets

Cattle egret

Purple heron

Painted stork

Asian openbill stork

Glossy ibis

Bar-headed geese

Crested serpent eagle

Brahminy kites

Indian peafowl

Grey-headed swamphen

Pheasant-tailed jacana

Eurasian curlew

Eurasian collared dove

Asian koel

Blue-faced malkoha

Indian nightjar

Malabar trogon

Great hornbill

Golden-backed woodpecker

Red-vented bulbul in Tirunelveli

Red-whiskered bulbul

White-bellied shortwing

pied bushchat

Chestnut-bellied sandgrouse

Black-naped monarch

Indian paradise flycatcher

Yellow-billed babblers

Purple sunbird

White-bellied treepie

House crow

Rufous treepie

Chestnut-tailed starling

Baya weaver

Black-winged stilt

Chestnut-headed bee-eater

Green bee-eater

Grebes

• Little grebe, முக்குளிப்பான்

Tropicbirds

• White-tailed tropicbird^[1]

Shearwaters

• Wedge-tailed shearwater^[2]

Cormorants

• Little cormorant, சிறிய நீர்க்காகம்
• Indian cormorant, இந்திய நீர்க்காகம்
• Great cormorant, பெரிய நீர்க்காகம்

Darters

• Oriental darter, பாம்புத்தாரா

Pelicans

• Spot-billed pelican சாம்பல் கூழைக்கடா

Bitterns, herons and egrets

• Little egret, சின்ன கொக்கு
• Reef heron, கரைக் கொக்கு
• Grey heron, சாம்பல் கொக்கு
• Purple heron, செந்நீலக் கொக்கு
• Striated heron, சின்ன பச்சைக் கொக்கு
• Great egret, பெரிய கொக்கு
• Intermediate egret, நடுவாந்திரக் கொக்கு
• Cattle egret, உண்ணிக் கொக்கு
• Indian pond heron, குளத்துக் கொக்கு
• Black-crowned night heron, இராக்கொக்கு (அ) வக்கா
• Chestnut bittern, செங்குருகு
• Black bittern, கருங்குருகு
• Yellow bittern, மஞ்சள் குருகு

Ibises and spoonbills

• Glossy ibis, சின்ன அன்றில்
• Black-headed ibis, கருந்தலை அன்றில்
• Black ibis, செந்தலை அன்றில் (அ) கருப்பு அன்றில்
• Eurasian spoonbill, கரண்டிவாயன்

Storks

• Painted stork, சங்குவளை நாரை (அ) மஞ்சள் மூக்கு நாரை
• Asian open-billed stork, நத்தைக்குத்தி நாரை
• Woolly-necked stork, வெண்கழுத்து நாரை
• Black stork, கருப்பு நாரை
• White stork, செங்கால் நாரை
• Lesser adjutant, சிறிய போதா நாரை

Flamingos

• Greater flamingo, பெரிய பூநாரை
• Lesser flamingo, சிறிய பூநாரை

Ducks

• Lesser whistling duck, சிறிய சீழ்கை சிறகி
• Bar-headed goose, பட்டைத்தலை வாத்து
• Ruddy shelduck, கருட தாரா
• Knob-billed duck, செண்டு வாத்து
• Cotton teal, அல்லிச் சிறகி
• Eurasian wigeon, நாமத்தலை வாத்து
• Gadwall, கருவால் வாத்து
• Spot-billed duck, புள்ளி-மூக்கு வாத்து
• Northern shoveler, ஆண்டி வாத்து
• Northern pintail, ஊசிவால் வாத்து
• Garganey, நீலச் சிறகி
• Common teal, கிளுவை
• Ferruginous pochard, வெள்ளைக்கண் களியன்
• Tufted duck, குறுங் களியன்
• Fulvous whistling duck பெரிய சீழ்கை சிறகி

Hawks, kites and eagles

• Jerdon's baza, kondai vallooru
• Black baza, karum kondai vallooru
• Crested honey buzzard, then parundhu
• Black-winged kite, mosaladi
• Black kite, kalla parundhu
• Brahminy kite, semparundhu
• White-bellied sea eagle, kadal parundhu
• Lesser fish-eagle
• Egyptian vulture, manjal thirudi kazhugu
• Indian white-backed vulture, pinam thinni kazhugu
• Indian vulture, neenda alagu kazhugu / pinam thinni kazhugu
• Red-headed vulture, senthalai kazhugu
• Short-toed snake eagle, onan kothi kazhugu
• Crested serpent eagle, paambu parundhu
• Western marsh harrier, setru poonai parundhu
• Pallid harrier, poonai parundhu
• Montagu's harrier
• Pied harrier, vellai poonai parundhu
• Crested goshawk, kondai vallooru
• Shikra, valluru
• Besra, chinna valluru
• Eurasian sparrowhawk
• White-eyed buzzard, vellaikkann vairi
• Steppe buzzard, siriya vairi
• Black eagle, karum parundhu
• Tawny eagle, aaalipparundhu
• Indian spotted eagle
• Greater spotted eagle, pulli parundhu
• Steppe eagle
• Bonelli's eagle, raasali parundhu
• Booted eagle, punjai parundhu
• Rufous-bellied eagle, perum parundhu
• Changeable hawk-eagle, kudumi parundhu
• Mountain hawk-eagle
• Osprey, viraal adipaan

Falcons

• Common kestrel, sivappu vallooru
• Amur falcon, falco amurensis
• Red-necked falcon, senthalai vallooru
• Peregrine falcon, pori vallooru

Pheasants and partridges

• Red junglefowl, naatu kozhi
• Red spurfowl, sundang kozhi
• Painted spurfowl, varna sundan kozhi
• Grey junglefowl, kaatu kozhi
• Indian peafowl, neela mayil
• Painted francolin, varna kowdhari
• Grey francolin, kowdhari
• Japanese quail, kaadai
• Rain quail, karung kaadai
• Jungle bush quail, pudhar kaadai
• Painted bush quail, varna kaadai

Rails, crakes and coots

• Little crake, chinna kaanaan kozhi^[3]
• Slaty-legged crake, kaanan kozhi
• Slaty-breasted rail, neela maarbu sambang kozhi
• White-breasted waterhen, kambul kozhi
• Ruddy-breasted crake, sivappu kaanaan kozhi
• Water cock, thanneer kozhi
• Grey-headed swamphen, neela thazhai kozhi
• Common moorhen, thaazhai kozhi
• Common coot, naamak kozhi

Bustards

• Lesser florican, varagu kozhi

Buttonquails

• Yellow-legged buttonquail, manjalkaal kaadai
• Common buttonquail, kurung kaadai

Jacanas

• Pheasant-tailed jacana, neela vaal ilai kozhi
• Bronze-winged jacana, thamarai ilai kozhi

Avocets and stilts

• Pied avocet, konamookku ullan
• Black-winged stilt, nedungaal ullan

Pratincoles and coursers

• Collared pratincole, karuvalaya tholkuruvi
• Little pratincole, chinna tholkuruvi
• Indian courser, kal kuruvi

Plovers and lapwings

• Grey plover, sambal uppukkothi
• Pacific golden plover, kalporukki uppukkothi
• Little ringed plover, pattani uppukkothi
• Lesser sand plover, manal nira uppukkothi
• Greater sand plover
• Kentish plover, siriya uppukkothi
• Crab plover, nandu thinni
• Great stone plover, musal kinnathi
• Yellow-wattled lapwing, sivappu mookku aalkatti
• Red-wattled lapwing, sivappu mookku aalkatti
• Grey-headed lapwing

Sandpipers and allies

• Marsh sandpiper, chinna pachai kaali
• Green sandpiper, aatru ullan
• Wood sandpiper, pori ullan
• Terek sandpiper, terek ullan
• Common sandpiper, ullan
• Curlew sandpiper, curlew ullan
• Dunlin
• Broad-billed sandpiper, agandra alagu ullan
• Spoon-billed sandpiper
• Ruff, pedhai ullan
• Ruddy turnstone, kalthiruppi ullan
• Little stint, kosu ullan
• Temminck's stint, pachai kaal kosu ullan
• Long-toed stint
• Common redshank, pavazha kaali
• Common greenshank, pachai kaali
• Eurasian woodcock, malai mookkan
• Red-necked phalarope, chengazhuthu ullan
• Black-tailed godwit, karuvaal mookkaan^[3]
• Bar-tailed godwit, pattaivaal mookkaan

Snipes and curlew

• Greater painted-snipe, mayil ullan
• Common snipe, visirivaal ullan
• Jack snipe, korai ullan
• Whimbrel, kottan
• Eurasian curlew, peria kottan
• Indian stone-curlew, kankiledi

Gulls

• Brown-headed gull, pazhuppu thalai kadal kakkai
• Black-headed gull, karunthalai kadal kakkai
• Slender-billed gull
• Pallas' gull
• Heuglin's gull

Terns

• Common tern, aala^[3]
• Gull-billed tern, parutha alagu aala
• River tern, aatru aala
• Black-bellied tern, karuppu vayitru aala
• Whiskered tern, meesai aala
• White-winged black tern
• Greater crested tern
• Lesser crested tern, kondai aala

Sandgrouses

• Chestnut-bellied sandgrouse, kal kowdhari
• Painted sandgrouse, varna kowdhari

Doves and pigeons

• Blue rock pigeon, mada pura
• Nilgiri wood pigeon, nilagiri kattu pura
• Little brown dove, chinna thavittu pura
• Spotted dove, pulli pura
• Red turtle dove, thavittu pura
• Eurasian collared dove, kalli pura
• Emerald dove, pancha varna pura
• Grey-fronted green pigeon, sambal netri pura
• Yellow-footed green pigeon, pachai pura
• Orange-breasted green pigeon
• Green imperial pigeon, peria pachai pura
• Mountain imperial pigeon, mandhi pura

Parrots and parakeets

• Vernal hanging parrot, kuttai kili
• Alexandrine parakeet, peria pachai kili
• Rose-ringed parakeet, senthaar pynkili
• Plum-headed parakeet, senthalai kili
• Blue-winged parakeet

Cuckoos

• Jacobin cuckoo, sudalai kuyil
• Red-winged crested cuckoo, sevviragu kondai kuyil
• Brainfever bird, akka kuyil
• Indian cuckoo, kuyil
• Banded bay cuckoo, senkkuyil
• Indian plaintive cuckoo, chakkalathi kuyil
• Drongo cuckoo, karichan kuyil
• Asian koel, kokilam
• Blue-faced malkoha, pachai vayan
• Sirkeer malkoha, chevvaayan
• Greater coucal, shenbagam

Barn owls

• Barn owl, koogai andhai
• Ceylon bay owl

Typical owls

• Collared scops owl, pattai kazhuthu chinna aandhai
• Indian eagle owl, komban aandhai
• Forest eagle owl, kattu aandhai
• Brown fish owl, poomar aandhai
• Mottled wood owl, pooripulli aandhai
• Jungle owlet, chinna kattu aandhai
• Spotted owlet, pulli aandhai
• Brown hawk-owl, vettaikara aandhai
• Short-eared owl, kuttai kaadhu aandhai

Nightjars

• Jungle nightjar, kattu pakki
• Jerdon's nightjar, neendavaal pakki
• Indian nightjar, chinna pakki

Swifts

• Indian edible-nest swiftlet, chinna uzhavaran
• Needletail swift, mulwall uzhavaran
• Asian palm swift, panai uzhavaran
• Alpine swift, malai uzhavaran
• House swift, nattu uzhavaran
• Crested treeswift, kondai uzhavaran

Trogons

• Malabar trogon, theekakkai

Kingfishers

• Small blue kingfisher, meenkothi
• Oriental dwarf kingfisher, chinna meenkothi
• Stork-billed kingfisher, peria alagu meenkothi
• White-throated kingfisher, venthondai meenkothi
• Black-capped kingfisher, karunthalai meenkothi
• Pied kingfisher, karuppu vellai meenkothi

Bee-eaters

• Blue-bearded bee-eater, kattu panchuruttan
• Green bee-eater, pachai panchuruttan
• Blue-tailed bee-eater, neelawal panchuruttan
• Chestnut-headed bee-eater, chenthalai panchuruttan
• European bee-eater

Rollers and hoopoe

• Indian roller, panangadai
• Broad-billed roller, parurha alagu panangadai
• Hoopoe, kondalathi

Hornbills

• Malabar grey hornbill, ottrai iruvaayan
• Indian grey hornbill, saambal iruvaayan
• Malabar pied hornbill, karuppu vellai iruvaayan
• Great pied hornbill, peria karuppu vellai iruvaayan

Barbets

• Brown-headed barbet, kattu pachai kukkuruvaan
• White-cheeked barbet, chinna kukkuruvaan
• Coppersmith barbet, chemmarbu kukkuruvaan
• Crimson throated barbet, megalaima rubricapillus

Woodpeckers

• Speckled piculet, pulli maram kothi
• Brown-capped pygmy woodpecker, sinna maram kothi
• Yellow-crowned woodpecker, manjal netri maram kothi
• Rufous woodpecker, karum sivappu maram kothi
• Lesser yellownape, manjal pidari maram kothi
• Streak-throated woodpecker, sethil vayitru maram kothi
• Golden-backed woodpecker, merkathia ponmudhugu maram kothi
• Lesser golden-backed woodpecker, ponmudhugu maram kothi
• Greater flameback, peria ponmudhugu maram kothi
• Heart-spotted woodpecker, karumpulli maram kothi
• White-bellied woodpecker ^[4]
• White-naped woodpecker

Pitta and larks

• Indian pitta, thottakkallan
• Indian bushlark, sivappu irakkai vaanambadi
• Jerdon's bushlark, pudhar vaanambadi
• Ashy-crowned sparrow lark, sambalthalai vaanambadi
• Rufous-tailed lark, sigappuvaal vanambai
• Malabar crested lark, kondai vaanambadi
• Oriental skylark, chinna vaanambadi

Swallows and martins

• Dusky crag martin, paarai thagaivilaan
• Barn swallow, thagaivilaan
• Pacific swallow, nattu thagaivilaan
• Wire-tailed swallow, kambiwall thagaivilaan
• Red-rumped swallow, sivappu pitta thagaivilaan
• Streak-throated swallow, chinna thagaivilaan

Wagtails and pipits

• White wagtail, வெள்ளை வாலாட்டிக்குருவி ^[3]
• Forest wagtail, கொடிக்கால் வாலாட்டிக்குருவி
• Large pied wagtail, கருப்பு வெள்ளை வாலாட்டிக்குருவி
• Grey wagtail, கரும் சாம்பல் வாலாட்டிக்குருவி
• Yellow wagtail, மஞ்சள் வாலாட்டிக்குருவி
• Citrine wagtail, மஞ்சள் தலை வாலாட்டிக்குருவி
• Paddyfield pipit, வயல் நெட்டைக்காலி ^[3]
• Richard's pipit, ரிச்சர்ட் நெட்டைக்காலி
• Nilgiri pipit, நீலகிரி நெட்டைக்காலி

Cuckooshrikes

• Bar-winged flycatcher-shrike, hemipus picatus, karuppu vellai keechaan
• Large cuckooshrike, kuyil keechaan
• Black-headed cuckooshrike, karunthalai kuyil keechaan
• Small minivet, chinna min chittu
• Scarlet minivet, min chittu
• White-bellied minivet^[5]

Bulbuls

• Grey-headed bulbul, sambalthaalai chinnaan
• Black-crested bulbul, chenthondai chinnaan
• Red-whiskered bulbul, sivappu meesai chinnaan
• Red-vented bulbul, chinnaan
• Yellow-throated bulbul, manjal thondai chinnaan
• White-browed bulbul, venpuruva chinnaan
• Yellow-browed bulbul, manjal puruva chinnaan
• Square-tailed bulbul, karuppu chinnaan
• Common iora, manja chittu
• Golden-fronted leafbird, pachai chittu
• Asian fairy bluebird, neelachittu

Thrushes and allies

• Orange-headed thrush, senthalai poong kuruvi
• Scaly thrush, nilagiri poong kuruvi
• Eurasian blackbird, malai chittaan

Cisticola and allies

• Golden-headed cisticola, chenthalai kadhirkuruvi
• Zitting cisticola, karungottu kadhirkuruvi
• Grey-breasted prinia, velir sambal kadhirkuruvi
• Jungle prinia, kattu kadhirkuruvi
• Ashy prinia, saambal kadhirkuruvi
• Plain prinia, kadhirkuruvi
• Common tailorbird, fhaiyal chittu

Locustellid warblers

• Common grasshopper warbler, thathukili kadhirkuruvi
• Pallas's Grasshopper Warbler, Pallas's thathukili kadhirkuruvi

Acrocephalid warblers

• Paddyfield warbler, vayal kadhirkuruvi
• Blyth's reed warbler, blyth naanal kadhirkuruvi
• Clamorous reed warbler, naanal kadhirkuruvi
• Booted warbler, mara kadhirkuruvi
• Sykes's warbler, Sykes kadhirkuruvi

Phylloscopid warblers

• Greenish warbler, pachai kadhirkuruvi^[3]

Old world warblers

• Yellow-eyed babbler, manjalkan salamban

Old World flycatchers

• Blue-capped rock thrush, neelthalai poong kuruvi
• Blue rock thrush, neela poong kuruvi
• Malabar whistling thrush, seegaar poong kuruvi
• White-bellied shortwing, kuttai irakkayan
• Bluethroat, neelakantan
• Oriental magpie robin, karuppu vellai kuruvi
• White-rumped shama, isaipaadum shama
• Brown-breasted flycatcher, pazhuppu marbu eeppidippan
• Red-throated flycatcher, chenthondai eeppidippan
• Black-and-orange flycatcher, karuppu orange eeppidippan
• Nilgiri flycatcher, nilagiri eeppidippan
• White-bellied blue flycatcher, vellai vayitru neela eeppidippan
• Blue-throated flycatcher, neelathondai eeppidippan
• Tickell's blue flycatcher, ticklell neela eeppidippan
• Grey-headed canary-flycatcher, sambal thalai eeppidippan
• Indian paradise flycatcher, arasawal eppidippan
• Black-naped monarch, karumpidari neela eeppidippan
• White-throated fantail, venthondai visirival eeppidippan
• White-browed fantail flycatcher, venpuruva visirivall eeppidippan
• Indian robin, karunchittu
• Common stonechat, kalkuruvi^[3]
• Pied bushchat, karuppu vellai pudhar chittu^[3]

Laughingthrushes

• Wynaad laughingthrush, wayanattu chirippan
• Nilgiri laughingthrush, nilagiri chirippan
• Palani laughingthrush,
• Ashambu laughingthrush,
• Yellow-billed babblerventhalai salamban^[5]
• Common babbler, thavittu salamban
• Large grey babbler, peria sambal salamban
• Rufous babbler, karunchivappu salamban
• Jungle babbler, kattu salamban

Ground babblers

• Brown-cheeked fulvetta, kalakalappan salamban

Babblers

• Indian scimitar babbler, valaindha alagu salamban
• Tawny-bellied babbler, venthondai salamban
• Dark-fronted babbler, karunthalai salamban
• Pin-striped tit-babbler

Titmice

• Cinereous tit, pattani kuruvi
• Indian yellow tit, manjal kan pattani kuruvi

Nuthatches

• Chestnut-bellied nuthatch, sembazhuppu vayitru pasaiyeduppan
• Velvet-fronted nuthatch, velvet netri pasaiyeduppan

Creepers

• Indian spotted creeper

Sunbirds and spiderhunters

• Purple-rumped sunbird, oodha pitta thenchittu
• Small sunbird, chinna thenchittu
• Purple sunbird, oodha thenchittu
• Loten's sunbird, lotun thenchittu
• Little spiderhunter, chinna silanthi pidippan

Flowerpeckers

• Thick-billed flowerpecker, parutha alagu malar kothi
• Tickell's flowerpecker, tickell malar kothi
• Nilgiri flowerpecker^[5]

White-eyes

• Oriental white-eye, vellai kanni

Old World orioles

• Indian golden oriole, maangkuil
• Black-headed oriole, karunthalai maangkuil

Shrikes

• Brown shrike (including Philippine shrike, pazhuppu keechaan
• Bay-backed shrike, karunchivappu mudhugu keechaan
• Rufous-backed shrike or long-tailed shrike, chemmudhugu keechaan
• Great grey shrike

Woodshrikes

• Common woodshrike, kattu keechaan

Drongos

• Black drongo, karung karichaan
• Ashy drongo, karichaan
• White-bellied drongo, vellai vayitru karichaan
• Bronzed drongo, karumpachai karichaan
• Spangled drongo, kondai karichaan
• Greater racket-tailed drongo, thuduppu vaal karichaan

Woodswallows

• Ashy woodswallow, sambal thangaivilaan

Crows and treepies

• Indian treepie, vaal kakkai
• White-bellied treepie, vellai vayitru vaal kaakkai
• House crow, kakkai
• Jungle crow, andam kakkai

Starlings

• Chestnut-tailed starling, சாம்பல் தலை நாகணவாய்
• Brahminy starling, கருங்கொண்டை நாகணவாய்
• Rosy starling, சோளக்குருவி
• Common myna, நாகணவாய்
• Jungle myna, காட்டு நாகணவாய்
• Southern hill myna, மலை நாகணவாய்
• Asian pied starling, கருப்பு வெள்ளை நாகணவாய் (Recorded from Vellore, Chennai, Kancheepuram. Breeding recorded in Chennai)

Weavers

• Streaked weaver, karungeetru thookkanam
• Baya weaver, tookanag kuruvi

Buntings

• Red-headed bunting, kattu chenthalayan

Finches

• Common rosefinch, koombalagan

Waxbills and allies

• Red munia, சிவப்பு சில்லை
• White-throated munia, வெண்தொண்டை சில்லை
• White-rumped munia, வெண்முதுகு சில்லை
• Black-throated munia, கருந்தொண்டை சில்லை
• Scaly-breasted munia, புள்ளிச் சில்லை
• Tricoloured munia, திணைக்குருவி

Sparrows

• House sparrow, சிட்டுக்குருவி
• Yellow-throated sparrow, மஞ்சள் தொண்டைக் குருவி

See also

• Wildlife of Tamil Nadu
• Birds of Coimbatore

Notes

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Birds of Tamil Nadu.

• K. Ratnam (November 2004). Birds Of Tamil Nadu. Chennai: Manivaasagar Pathippagam.
• K. Ratnam (May 1998). Tamilil Paravai Peyargal. Sulur, Coimbatore District: Ulagam Veliyeedu.
• Grimmett, Richard; Inskipp, Tim (2005). Birds Of southern India. London: Christopher Helm.
• M. A. Badshah. Checklist of birds of Tamil Nadu with English, Scientific and Tamil names. Chennai: Forest Department, Government of Tamil Nadu.
• Sálim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History, Coimbatore, Annual report, 2006-2007