Birding in Central Asia
The Birds of Central Asia as a field guide to the birds of the OSME defined region of Central Asia (Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan) plus Afghanistan, covering all 635 species that have occurred in the region. It is a field guide in the proper sense, being similar in size to the Collins Guide and hence would be easily slipped into a large coat pocket or small backpack pouch.
The Birds
Birds of prey do well in Central Asia. They feed on rodents on other small mammals that thrive in the tussocky grass of the steppe. In Tashkent you can see magpies and swifts.
Demoiselle cranes are known as the lovely birds by the people of Mongolia. They are smaller than most crane species and are among the most widespread, nesting across a wide swath of the Eurasian steppe.
Demoiselle cranes reach altitudes of 24,000 feet when they cross the Hindu Kush mountains during their fall and spring migrations between nesting grounds in Central Asia and warmer, wintering areas in India. Demoiselle cranes winter in western Rajasthan.
List of Birds in Central Asia
| ANSERIFORMES: Anatidae | |
| White-headed Duck | Oxyura leucocephala |
| Mute Swan | Cygnus olor |
| Whooper Swan | Cygnus cygnus |
| Red-breasted Goose | Branta ruficollis |
| Bar-headed Goose | Anser indicus |
| Greylag Goose | Anser anser |
| Swan Goose | Anser cygnoid |
| Bean Goose | Anser fabalis |
| Lesser White-fronted Goose | Anser erythropus |
| Velvet Scoter | Melanitta fusca |
| Common Goldeneye | Bucephala clangula |
| Smew | Mergellus albellus |
| Goosander | Mergus merganser |
| Red-breasted Merganser | Mergus serrator |
| Common Shelduck | Tadorna tadorna |
| Ruddy Shelduck | Tadorna ferruginea |
| Red-crested Pochard | Netta rufina |
| Common Pochard | Aythya ferina |
| Ferruginous Duck | Aythya nyroca |
| Tufted Duck | Aythya fuligula |
| Garganey | Spatula querquedula |
| Northern Shoveler | Spatula clypeata |
| Gadwall | Mareca strepera |
| Eurasian Wigeon | Mareca penelope |
| Mallard | Anas platyrhynchos |
| Northern Pintail | Anas acuta |
| Common Teal | Anas crecca |
| GALLIFORMES: Phasianidae | |
| Common Quail | Coturnix coturnix |
| Himalayan Snowcock | Tetraogallus himalayensis |
| Altai Snowcock | Tetraogallus altaicus |
| Chukar Partridge | Alectoris chukar |
| Common Pheasant | Phasianus colchicus |
| Northern Hazel Grouse | Tetrastes bonasia |
| Willow Grouse | Lagopus lagopus |
| Rock Ptarmigan | Lagopus muta |
| Western Capercaillie | Tetrao urogallus |
| Eurasian Black Grouse | Lyrurus tetrix |
| Grey Partridge | Perdix perdix |
| Daurian Partridge | Perdix dauurica |
| PHOENICOPTERIFORMES: Podicipedidae | |
| Little Grebe | Tachybaptus ruficollis |
| Red-necked Grebe | Podiceps grisegena |
| Great Crested Grebe | Podiceps cristatus |
| Slavonian Grebe | Podiceps auritus |
| Black-necked Grebe | Podiceps nigricollis |
| COLUMBIFORMES: Columbidae | |
| Rock Dove | Columba livia |
| Hill Pigeon | Columba rupestris |
| Pale-backed Pigeon | Columba eversmanni |
| Wood Pigeon | Columba palumbus |
| European Turtle Dove | Streptopelia turtur |
| Oriental Turtle Dove | Streptopelia orientalis |
| Eurasian Collared Dove | Streptopelia decaocto |
| Laughing Dove | Streptopelia senegalensis |
| PTEROCLIFORMES: Pteroclidae | |
| Pallas’s Sandgrouse | Syrrhaptes paradoxus |
| Black-bellied Sandgrouse | Pterocles orientalis |
| CAPRIMULGIFORMES: Caprimulgidae | |
| European Nightjar | Caprimulgus europaeus |
| CAPRIMULGIFORMES: Apodidae | |
| Fork-tailed Swift | Apus pacificus |
| Common Swift | Apus apus |
| CUCULIFORMES: Cuculidae | |
| Common Cuckoo | Cuculus canorus |
| Oriental Cuckoo | Cuculus optatus |
| GRUIFORMES: Rallidae | |
| Western Water Rail | Rallus aquaticus |
| Corncrake | Crex crex |
| Spotted Crake | Porzana porzana |
| Little Crake | Zapornia parva |
| Baillon’s Crake | Zapornia pusilla |
| Common Moorhen | Gallinula chloropus |
| Common Coot | Fulica atra |
| GRUIFORMES: Gruidae | |
| Demoiselle Crane | Grus virgo |
| Common Crane | Grus grus |
| OTIDIFORMES: Otididae | |
| Little Bustard | Tetrax tetrax |
| Great Bustard | Otis tarda |
| Macqueen’s Bustard | Chlamydotis macqueenii |
| GAVIIFORMES: Gaviidae | |
| Red-throated Diver | Gavia stellata |
| Black-throated Diver | Gavia arctica |
| PELECANIFORMES: Ciconiidae | |
| Black Stork | Ciconia nigra |
| PELECANIFORMES: Pelecanidae | |
| Great White Pelican | Pelecanus onocrotalus |
| Dalmatian Pelican | Pelecanus crispus |
| PELECANIFORMES: Ardeidae | |
| Eurasian Bittern | Botaurus stellaris |
| Little Bittern | Ixobrychus minutus |
| Grey Heron | Ardea cinerea |
| Great Egret | Ardea alba |
| PELECANIFORMES: Threskiornithidae | |
| Eurasian Spoonbill | Platalea leucorodia |
| Glossy Ibis | Plegadis falcinellus |
| PELECANIFORMES: Phalacrocoracidae | |
| Great Cormorant | Phalacrocorax carbo |
| CHARADRIIFORMES: Burhinidae | |
| Eurasian Thick-knee | Burhinus oedicnemus |
| CHARADRIIFORMES: Haematopodidae | |
| Eurasian Oystercatcher | Haematopus ostralegus |
| Ibisbill | Ibidorhyncha struthersii |
| CHARADRIIFORMES: Recurvirostridae | |
| Pied Avocet | Recurvirostra avosetta |
| Black-winged Stilt | Himantopus himantopus |
| CHARADRIIFORMES: Charadriidae | |
| Pacific Golden Plover | Pluvialis fulva |
| Eurasian Dotterel | Eudromias morinellus |
| Common Ringed Plover | Charadrius hiaticula |
| Little Ringed Plover | Charadrius dubius |
| Kentish Plover | Charadrius alexandrinus |
| Greater Sand Plover | Charadrius leschenaultii |
| Caspian Plover | Charadrius asiaticus |
| Northern Lapwing | Vanellus vanellus |
| Sociable Lapwing | Vanellus gregarius |
| CHARADRIIFORMES: Scolopacidae | |
| Eurasian Curlew | Numenius arquata |
| Black-tailed Godwit | Limosa limosa |
| Ruff | Calidris pugnax |
| Little Stint | Calidris minuta |
| Asian Dowitcher | Limnodromus semipalmatus |
| Eurasian Woodcock | Scolopax rusticola |
| Solitary Snipe | Gallinago solitaria |
| Swinhoe’s Snipe | Gallinago megala |
| Great Snipe | Gallinago media |
| Common Snipe | Gallinago gallinago |
| Terek Sandpiper | Xenus cinereus |
| Common Sandpiper | Actitis hypoleucos |
| Green Sandpiper | Tringa ochropus |
| Spotted Redshank | Tringa erythropus |
| Common Redshank | Tringa totanus |
| Wood Sandpiper | Tringa glareola |
| Marsh Sandpiper | Tringa stagnatilis |
| CHARADRIIFORMES: Glareolidae | |
| Collared Pratincole | Glareola pratincola |
| Black-winged Pratincole | Glareola nordmanni |
| CHARADRIIFORMES: Laridae | |
| Black-headed Gull | Chroicocephalus ridibundus |
| Little Gull | Hydrocoloeus minutus |
| Relict Gull | Ichthyaetus relictus |
| Pallas’s Gull | Ichthyaetus ichthyaetus |
| Mew Gull | Larus canus |
| Lesser Black-backed Gull | Larus fuscus |
| Caspian Gull | Larus cachinnans |
| Little Tern | Sternula albifrons |
| Gull-billed Tern | Gelochelidon nilotica |
| Caspian Tern | Hydroprogne caspia |
| Whiskered Tern | Chlidonias hybrida |
| White-winged Tern | Chlidonias leucopterus |
| Black Tern | Chlidonias niger |
| Common Tern | Sterna hirundo |
| ACCIPITRIFORMES: Pandionidae | |
| Osprey | Pandion haliaetus |
| ACCIPITRIFORMES: Accipitridae | |
| European Honey Buzzard | Pernis apivorus |
| Oriental Honey Buzzard | Pernis ptilorhynchus |
| Bearded Vulture | Gypaetus barbatus |
| Egyptian Vulture | Neophron percnopterus |
| Short-toed Eagle | Circaetus gallicus |
| Himalayan Vulture | Gyps himalayensis |
| Griffon Vulture | Gyps fulvus |
| Cinereous Vulture | Aegypius monachus |
| Greater Spotted Eagle | Clanga clanga |
| Steppe Eagle | Aquila nipalensis |
| Eastern Imperial Eagle | Aquila heliaca |
| Golden Eagle | Aquila chrysaetos |
| Booted Eagle | Hieraaetus pennatus |
| Western Marsh Harrier | Circus aeruginosus |
| Hen Harrier | Circus cyaneus |
| Pallid Harrier | Circus macrourus |
| Montagu’s Harrier | Circus pygargus |
| Shikra | Accipiter badius |
| Eurasian Sparrowhawk | Accipiter nisus |
| Pallas’s Fish Eagle | Haliaeetus leucoryphus |
| White-tailed Sea Eagle | Haliaeetus albicilla |
| Black Kite | Milvus migrans |
| Rough-legged Buzzard | Buteo lagopus |
| Eurasian Buzzard | Buteo buteo |
| Long-legged Buzzard | Buteo rufinus |
| Upland Buzzard | Buteo hemilasius |
| STRIGIFORMES: Strigidae | |
| Hawk Owl | Surnia ulula |
| Eurasian Pygmy Owl | Glaucidium passerinum |
| Little Owl | Athene noctua |
| Tengmalm’s Owl | Aegolius funereus |
| Eurasian Scops Owl | Otus scops |
| Northern Long-eared Owl | Asio otus |
| Short-eared Owl | Asio flammeus |
| Ural Owl | Strix uralensis |
| Great Grey Owl | Strix nebulosa |
| Snowy Owl | Bubo scandiacus |
| Eurasian Eagle Owl | Bubo bubo |
| BUCEROTIFORMES: Upupidae | |
| Common Hoopoe | Upupa epops |
| PICIFORMES: Picidae | |
| Northern Wryneck | Jynx torquilla |
| Grey-headed Woodpecker | Picus canus |
| Black Woodpecker | Dryocopus martius |
| Lesser Spotted Woodpecker | Dendrocopos minor |
| White-backed Woodpecker | Dendrocopos leucotos |
| White-winged Woodpecker | Dendrocopos leucopterus |
| Great Spotted Woodpecker | Dendrocopos major |
| Eurasian Three-toed Woodpecker | Picoides tridactylus |
| CORACIIFORMES: Meropidae | |
| Blue-cheeked Bee-eater | Merops persicus |
| European Bee-eater | Merops apiaster |
| CORACIIFORMES: Coraciidae | |
| European Roller | Coracias garrulus |
| CORACIIFORMES: Alcedinidae | |
| Common Kingfisher | Alcedo atthis |
| FALCONIFORMES: Falconidae | |
| Lesser Kestrel | Falco naumanni |
| Common Kestrel | Falco tinnunculus |
| Red-footed Falcon | Falco vespertinus |
| Merlin | Falco columbarius |
| Eurasian Hobby | Falco subbuteo |
| Saker Falcon | Falco cherrug |
| Peregrine Falcon | Falco peregrinus |
| PASSERIFORMES: Oriolidae | |
| Eurasian Golden Oriole | Oriolus oriolus |
| Indian Golden Oriole | Oriolus kundoo |
| PASSERIFORMES: Laniidae | |
| Brown Shrike | Lanius cristatus |
| Red-backed Shrike | Lanius collurio |
| Turkestan Shrike | Lanius phoenicuroides |
| Isabelline Shrike | Lanius isabellinus |
| Lesser Grey Shrike | Lanius minor |
| Great Grey Shrike | Lanius excubitor |
| Northern Shrike | Lanius borealis |
| PASSERIFORMES: Corvidae | |
| Red-billed Chough | Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax |
| Alpine Chough | Pyrrhocorax graculus |
| Siberian Jay | Perisoreus infaustus |
| Eurasian Jay | Garrulus glandarius |
| Eurasian Magpie | Pica pica |
| Eurasian Nutcracker | Nucifraga caryocatactes |
| Eurasian Jackdaw | Corvus monedula |
| Rook | Corvus frugilegus |
| Common Raven | Corvus corax |
| Carrion Crow | Corvus corone |
| PASSERIFORMES: Prunellidae | |
| Altai Accentor | Prunella himalayana |
| Alpine Accentor | Prunella collaris |
| Brown Accentor | Prunella fulvescens |
| Black-throated Accentor | Prunella atrogularis |
| PASSERIFORMES: Passeridae | |
| Saxaul Sparrow | Passer ammodendri |
| House Sparrow | Passer domesticus |
| Spanish Sparrow | Passer hispaniolensis |
| Eurasian Tree Sparrow | Passer montanus |
| Eurasian Rock Sparrow | Petronia petronia |
| White-winged Snowfinch | Montifringilla nivalis |
| PASSERIFORMES: Motacillidae | |
| Tree Pipit | Anthus trivialis |
| Water Pipit | Anthus spinoletta |
| Richard’s Pipit | Anthus richardi |
| Tawny Pipit | Anthus campestris |
| Grey Wagtail | Motacilla cinerea |
| Citrine Wagtail | Motacilla citreola |
| White Wagtail | Motacilla alba |
| PASSERIFORMES: Fringillidae | |
| Common Chaffinch | Fringilla coelebs |
| Brambling | Fringilla montifringilla |
| White-winged Grosbeak | Mycerobas carnipes |
| Hawfinch | Coccothraustes coccothraustes |
| Common Rosefinch | Erythrina erythrina |
| Great Rosefinch | Carpodacus rubicilla |
| Long-tailed Rosefinch | Carpodacus sibiricus |
| Pallas’s Rosefinch | Carpodacus roseus |
| Red-mantled Rosefinch | Carpodacus rhodochlamys |
| Pine Grosbeak | Pinicola enucleator |
| Eurasian Bullfinch | Pyrrhula pyrrhula |
| Mongolian Finch | Eremopsaltria mongolica |
| Plain Mountain Finch | Leucosticte nemoricola |
| Brandt’s Mountain Finch | Leucosticte brandti |
| Asian Rosy Finch | Leucosticte arctoa |
| Desert Finch | Rhodospiza obsoleta |
| Twite | Linaria flavirostris |
| Common Linnet | Linaria cannabina |
| Common Redpoll | Acanthis flammea |
| Red Crossbill | Loxia curvirostra |
| European Goldfinch | Carduelis carduelis |
| Red-fronted Serin | Serinus pusillus |
| Eurasian Siskin | Spinus spinus |
| PASSERIFORMES: Calcariidae | |
| Lapland Longspur | Calcarius lapponicus |
| Snow Bunting | Plectrophenax nivalis |
| PASSERIFORMES: Emberizidae | |
| Red-headed Bunting | Granativora bruniceps |
| Corn Bunting | Emberiza calandra |
| Meadow Bunting | Emberiza cioides |
| Godlewski’s Bunting | Emberiza godlewskii |
| Rock Bunting | Emberiza cia |
| Grey-necked Bunting | Emberiza buchanani |
| Ortolan Bunting | Emberiza hortulana |
| Yellowhammer | Emberiza citrinella |
| Pine Bunting | Emberiza leucocephalos |
| Pallas’s Reed Bunting | Schoeniclus pallasi |
| Eurasian Reed Bunting | Schoeniclus schoeniclus |
| Rustic Bunting | Schoeniclus rusticus |
| Yellow-breasted Bunting | Schoeniclus aureolus |
| PASSERIFORMES: Paridae | |
| Coal Tit | Periparus ater |
| Willow Tit | Poecile montanus |
| Siberian Tit | Poecile cinctus |
| Azure Tit | Cyanistes cyanus |
| Great Tit | Parus major |
| Turkestan Tit | Parus bokharensis |
| PASSERIFORMES: Remizidae | |
| European Penduline Tit | Remiz pendulinus |
| Black-headed Penduline Tit | Remiz macronyx |
| Eastern Penduline Tit | Remiz consobrinus |
| PASSERIFORMES: Alaudidae | |
| Lesser Short-toed Lark | Alaudala rufescens |
| Bimaculated Lark | Melanocorypha bimaculata |
| Calandra Lark | Melanocorypha calandra |
| Black Lark | Melanocorypha yeltoniensis |
| Greater Short-toed Lark | Calandrella brachydactyla |
| Horned Lark | Eremophila alpestris |
| White-winged Lark | Alauda leucoptera |
| Eurasian Sky Lark | Alauda arvensis |
| Oriental Sky Lark | Alauda gulgula |
| Crested Lark | Galerida cristata |
| PASSERIFORMES: Panuridae | |
| Bearded Reedling | Panurus biarmicus |
| PASSERIFORMES: Locustellidae | |
| Rusty-rumped Warbler | Locustella certhiola |
| Lanceolated Warbler | Locustella lanceolata |
| Savi’s Warbler | Locustella luscinioides |
| River Warbler | Locustella fluviatilis |
| Grasshopper Warbler | Locustella naevia |
| PASSERIFORMES: Acrocephalidae | |
| Booted Warbler | Iduna caligata |
| Sykes’s Warbler | Iduna rama |
| Icterine Warbler | Hippolais icterina |
| Sedge Warbler | Acrocephalus schoenobaenus |
| Blyth’s Reed Warbler | Acrocephalus dumetorum |
| Common Reed Warbler | Acrocephalus scirpaceus |
| Paddyfield Warbler | Acrocephalus agricola |
| Great Reed Warbler | Acrocephalus arundinaceus |
| PASSERIFORMES: Hirundinidae | |
| Northern House Martin | Delichon urbicum |
| Red-rumped Swallow | Cecropis daurica |
| Barn Swallow | Hirundo rustica |
| Eurasian Crag Martin | Ptyonoprogne rupestris |
| Sand Martin | Riparia riparia |
| Pale Martin | Riparia diluta |
| PASSERIFORMES: Phylloscopidae | |
| Wood Warbler | Rhadina sibilatrix |
| Yellow-browed Warbler | Abrornis inornatus |
| Hume’s Leaf Warbler | Abrornis humei |
| Dusky Warbler | Phylloscopus fuscatus |
| Willow Warbler | Phylloscopus trochilus |
| Common Chiffchaff | Phylloscopus collybita |
| Mountain Chiffchaff | Phylloscopus lorenzii |
| Sulphur-bellied Warbler | Phylloscopus griseolus |
| Radde’s Warbler | Phylloscopus schwarzi |
| Greenish Leaf Warbler | Seicercus trochiloides |
| Arctic Warbler | Seicercus borealis |
| PASSERIFORMES: Scotocercidae | |
| Cetti’s Warbler | Cettia cetti |
| PASSERIFORMES: Aegithalidae | |
| White-browed Tit Warbler | Leptopoecile sophiae |
| Long-tailed Tit | Aegithalos caudatus |
| PASSERIFORMES: Sylviidae | |
| Eurasian Blackcap | Sylvia atricapilla |
| Garden Warbler | Sylvia borin |
| Asian Desert Warbler | Curruca nana |
| Barred Warbler | Curruca nisoria |
| Eastern Orphean Warbler | Curruca crassirostris |
| Lesser Whitethroat | Curruca curruca |
| Common Whitethroat | Curruca communis |
| PASSERIFORMES: Regulidae | |
| Goldcrest | Regulus regulus |
| PASSERIFORMES: Bombycillidae | |
| Bohemian Waxwing | Bombycilla garrulus |
| PASSERIFORMES: Certhiidae | |
| Eurasian Treecreeper | Certhia familiaris |
| PASSERIFORMES: Sittidae | |
| Eurasian Nuthatch | Sitta europaea |
| Wallcreeper | Tichodroma muraria |
| PASSERIFORMES: Troglodytidae | |
| Eurasian Wren | Troglodytes troglodytes |
| PASSERIFORMES: Sturnidae | |
| Common Starling | Sturnus vulgaris |
| Rosy Starling | Pastor roseus |
| Common Myna | Acridotheres tristis |
| PASSERIFORMES: Cinclidae | |
| White-throated Dipper | Cinclus cinclus |
| Brown Dipper | Cinclus pallasii |
| PASSERIFORMES: Muscicapidae | |
| Spotted Flycatcher | Muscicapa striata |
| Siberian Blue Robin | Larvivora cyane |
| Thrush Nightingale | Luscinia luscinia |
| Common Nightingale | Luscinia megarhynchos |
| Bluethroat | Luscinia svecica |
| White-tailed Rubythroat | Calliope pectoralis |
| Siberian Rubythroat | Calliope calliope |
| Red-flanked Bluetail | Tarsiger cyanurus |
| Taiga Flycatcher | Ficedula albicilla |
| European Pied Flycatcher | Ficedula hypoleuca |
| Blue-capped Redstart | Adelura coeruleocephala |
| Eversmann’s Redstart | Adelura erythronota |
| Common Redstart | Phoenicurus phoenicurus |
| Black Redstart | Phoenicurus ochruros |
| Güldenstädt’s Redstart | Phoenicurus erythrogastrus |
| Common Rock Thrush | Monticola saxatilis |
| Whinchat | Saxicola rubetra |
| Eastern Stonechat | Saxicola maurus |
| Northern Wheatear | Oenanthe oenanthe |
| Isabelline Wheatear | Oenanthe isabellina |
| Desert Wheatear | Oenanthe deserti |
| Pied Wheatear | Oenanthe pleschanka |
| PASSERIFORMES: Turdidae | |
| White’s Thrush | Zoothera aurea |
| Mistle Thrush | Turdus viscivorus |
| Song Thrush | Turdus philomelos |
| Redwing | Turdus iliacus |
| Eurasian Blackbird | Turdus merula |
| Fieldfare | Turdus pilaris |
| Black-throated Thrush | Turdus atrogularis |
| Red-throated Thrush | Turdus ruficollis |
More articles
