List of birds of Israel

This is a list of the bird species recorded in Israel. The avifauna of Israel include a total of 591 species, of which eleven have been introduced by humans. Five species are listed as extirpated from Israel. The Eurasian hoopoe was elected as Israel national bird in a public vote in 2008.^[1]

The official checklist of birds of Israel is maintained by the Israeli Rarities and Distribution Committee (IRDC).^[2]

This list's taxonomic treatment (designation and sequence of orders, families and species) and nomenclature (common and scientific names) follow the conventions of The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World, 2022 edition. The family accounts at the beginning of each heading reflect this taxonomy, as do the species counts found in each family account. Introduced and accidental species are included in the total counts for Israel.

The following tags have been used to highlight several categories, but not all species fall into one of these categories. Those that do not are commonly occurring native species.

• (A) Accidental - a species that rarely or accidentally occurs in Israel
• (I) Introduced - a species introduced to Israel as a consequence, direct or indirect, of human actions
• (Ex) Extirpated - a species that no longer occurs in Israel although populations exist elsewhere
• (X) Extinct - a species or subspecies that no longer exists

The avifauna of Israel is notable for its diversity, attributed to Israel's geographical position at the junction of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Israel is a stop on the Black Sea–Mediterranean Flyway for migrating birds, with over 485 species recorded throughout various seasons.^[3] The country's avian population includes both resident species and a vast number of migrants that leverage Israel's varied habitats and climatic zones.

Recent observations have identified changes in Israel's breeding avifauna, including the emergence of new breeding species and expansions in the breeding ranges of existing species. From 2003 to 2016, nine species were found breeding in Israel for the first time, including the common shelduck, great cormorant, and black-winged kite.^[4]

Israel's variety of habitats, from Mediterranean forests and deserts to wetlands and agricultural fields, supports a wide range of bird species. The Agmon wetland in northern Israel, for example, offers crucial foraging, nesting, and roosting habitats for numerous species, including herons, dabbling ducks, kingfishers, and raptors.^[5]

Human activities have exerted both positive and negative impacts on bird populations in Israel. Habitat changes and increased food availability have benefited some species, while others have been challenged by habitat loss and agricultural conflicts. The introduction of non-indigenous bird species has further altered the avian community composition.^[6]

Conservation efforts are crucial to mitigate the challenges faced by birds in Israel, especially for endangered species like the great white pelican, which relies on Israel as a critical stopover during migration.^[7] Protecting habitats, managing human-wildlife conflicts, and informed conservation strategies are essential for preserving Israel's rich avian diversity.

Order: Struthioniformes   Family: Struthionidae

The ostrich is a flightless bird native to Africa. It is the largest living species of bird. It is distinctive in its appearance, with a long neck and legs and the ability to run at high speeds.

• Common ostrich, Struthio camelus (Ex)

Order: Anseriformes   Family: Anatidae

Anatidae includes the ducks and most duck-like waterfowl, such as geese and swans. These birds are adapted to an aquatic existence with webbed feet, flattened bills, and feathers that are excellent at shedding water due to an oily coating.

Order: Galliformes   Family: Phasianidae

The Phasianidae are a family of terrestrial birds. In general, they are plump (although they vary in size) and have broad, relatively short wings.

• Sand partridge, Ammoperdix heyi
• Common quail, Coturnix coturnix
• Chukar, Alectoris chukar
• Black francolin, Francolinus francolinus

Order: Phoenicopteriformes   Family: Phoenicopteridae

Flamingos are gregarious wading birds, usually 3 to 5 feet (0.9 to 1.5 m) tall, found in both the Western and Eastern Hemispheres. Flamingos filter-feed on shellfish and algae. Their oddly shaped beaks are specially adapted to separate mud and silt from the food they consume and, uniquely, are used upside-down.

• Greater flamingo, Phoenicopterus roseus
• Lesser flamingo, Phoeniconaias minor (A)

Order: Podicipediformes   Family: Podicipedidae

Grebes are small to medium-large freshwater diving birds. They have lobed toes and are excellent swimmers and divers. However, they have their feet placed far back on the body, making them quite ungainly on land.

• Little grebe, Tachybaptus ruficollis
• Horned grebe, Podiceps auritus (A)
• Red-necked grebe, Podiceps grisegena (A)
• Great crested grebe, Podiceps cristatus
• Eared grebe, Podiceps nigricollis

Order: Columbiformes   Family: Columbidae

Pigeons and doves are stout-bodied birds with short necks and short slender bills with a fleshy cere.

• Rock pigeon, Columba livia
• Stock dove, Columba oenas
• Common wood-pigeon, Columba palumbus
• European turtle-dove, Streptopelia turtur
• Oriental turtle-dove, Streptopelia orientalis (A)
• Eurasian collared-dove, Streptopelia decaocto
• African collared-dove, Streptopelia roseogrisea (A)
• Laughing dove, Spilopelia senegalensis
• Namaqua dove, Oena capensis

Order: Pterocliformes   Family: Pteroclidae

Sandgrouse have small, pigeon like heads and necks, but sturdy compact bodies. They have long pointed wings and sometimes tails and a fast direct flight. Flocks fly to watering holes at dawn and dusk. Their legs are feathered down to the toes.

• Pin-tailed sandgrouse, Pterocles alchata
• Spotted sandgrouse, Pterocles senegallus
• Black-bellied sandgrouse, Pterocles orientalis
• Crowned sandgrouse, Pterocles coronatus
• Lichtenstein's sandgrouse, Pterocles lichtensteinii

Order: Otidiformes   Family: Otididae

Bustards are large terrestrial birds mainly associated with dry open country and steppes in the Old World. They are omnivorous and nest on the ground. They walk steadily on strong legs and big toes, pecking for food as they go. They have long broad wings with "fingered" wingtips and striking patterns in flight. Many have interesting mating displays.

• Great bustard, Otis tarda (A)
• MacQueen's bustard, Chlamydotis macqueenii
• Little bustard, Tetrax tetrax

Order: Cuculiformes   Family: Cuculidae

The family Cuculidae includes cuckoos, roadrunners and anis. These birds are of variable size with slender bodies, long tails and strong legs.

• Great spotted cuckoo, Clamator glandarius
• Dideric cuckoo, Chrysococcyx caprius (A)
• Common cuckoo, Cuculus canorus
• Oriental cuckoo, Cuculus optatus (A)

Order: Caprimulgiformes   Family: Caprimulgidae

Nightjars are medium-sized nocturnal birds that usually nest on the ground. They have long wings, short legs and very short bills. Most have small feet, of little use for walking, and long pointed wings. Their soft plumage is camouflaged to resemble bark or leaves.

• Eurasian nightjar, Caprimulgus europaeus
• Egyptian nightjar, Caprimulgus aegyptius
• Nubian nightjar, Caprimulgus nubicus

Order: Caprimulgiformes   Family: Apodidae

Swifts are small birds which spend the majority of their lives flying. These birds have very short legs and never settle voluntarily on the ground, perching instead only on vertical surfaces. Many swifts have long swept-back wings which resemble a crescent or boomerang.

• Alpine swift, Apus melba
• Common swift, Apus apus
• Pallid swift, Apus pallidus
• Little swift, Apus affinis

Order: Gruiformes   Family: Rallidae

Rallidae is a large family of small to medium-sized birds which includes the rails, crakes, coots and gallinules. Typically they inhabit dense vegetation in damp environments near lakes, swamps or rivers. In general they are shy and secretive birds, making them difficult to observe. Most species have strong legs and long toes which are well adapted to soft uneven surfaces. They tend to have short, rounded wings and to be weak fliers.

• Water rail, Rallus aquaticus
• Corn crake, Crex crex
• African crake, Crex egregia (A)
• Spotted crake, Porzana porzana
• Eurasian moorhen, Gallinula chloropus
• Eurasian coot, Fulica atra
• African swamphen, Porphyrio madagascariensis
• Gray-headed swamphen, Porphyrio poliocephalus (A)
• Little crake, Zapornia parva
• Baillon's crake, Zapornia pusilla

Order: Gruiformes   Family: Gruidae

Cranes are large, long-legged and long-necked birds. Unlike the similar-looking but unrelated herons, cranes fly with necks outstretched, not pulled back. Most have elaborate and noisy courting displays or "dances".

• Demoiselle crane, Anthropoides virgo
• Common crane, Grus grus

Order: Charadriiformes   Family: Burhinidae

The thick-knees are a group of largely tropical waders in the family Burhinidae. They are found worldwide within the tropical zone, with some species also breeding in temperate Europe and Australia. They are medium to large waders with strong black or yellow-black bills, large yellow eyes and cryptic plumage. Despite being classed as waders, most species have a preference for arid or semi-arid habitats.

• Eurasian thick-knee, Burhinus oedicnemus
• Senegal thick-knee, Burhinus senegalensis (A)

Order: Charadriiformes   Family: Recurvirostridae

Recurvirostridae is a family of large wading birds, which includes the avocets and stilts. The avocets have long legs and long up-curved bills. The stilts have extremely long legs and long, thin, straight bills.

• Black-winged stilt, Himantopus himantopus
• Pied avocet, Recurvirostra avosetta

Order: Charadriiformes   Family: Haematopodidae

The oystercatchers are large and noisy plover-like birds, with strong bills used for smashing or prising open molluscs.

• Eurasian oystercatcher, Haematopus ostralegus

Order: Charadriiformes   Family: Charadriidae

The family Charadriidae includes the plovers, dotterels and lapwings. They are small to medium-sized birds with compact bodies, short, thick necks and long, usually pointed, wings. They are found in open country worldwide, mostly in habitats near water.

Order: Charadriiformes   Family: Rostratulidae

Painted-snipes are short-legged, long-billed birds similar in shape to the true snipes, but more brightly coloured.

• Greater painted-snipe, Rostratula benghalensis (A)

Order: Charadriiformes   Family: Scolopacidae

Scolopacidae is a large diverse family of small to medium-sized shorebirds including the sandpipers, curlews, godwits, shanks, tattlers, woodcocks, snipes, dowitchers and phalaropes. The majority of these species eat small invertebrates picked out of the mud or soil. Variation in length of legs and bills enables multiple species to feed in the same habitat, particularly on the coast, without direct competition for food.

Order: Charadriiformes   Family: Dromadidae

The crab-plover is related to the waders. It resembles a plover but with very long grey legs and a strong heavy black bill similar to a tern. It has black-and-white plumage, a long neck, partially webbed feet and a bill designed for eating crabs.

• Crab plover, Dromas ardeola (A)

Order: Charadriiformes   Family: Glareolidae

Glareolidae is a family of wading birds comprising the pratincoles, which have short legs, long pointed wings and long forked tails, and the coursers, which have long legs, short wings and long, pointed bills which curve downwards.

• Cream-colored courser, Cursorius cursor
• Collared pratincole, Glareola pratincola
• Oriental pratincole, Glareola maldivarum (A)
• Black-winged pratincole, Glareola nordmanni

Order: Charadriiformes   Family: Stercorariidae

The family Stercorariidae are, in general, medium to large birds, typically with grey or brown plumage, often with white markings on the wings. They nest on the ground in temperate and arctic regions and are long-distance migrants.

• Great skua, Stercorarius skua (A)
• South polar skua, Stercorarius maccormicki (A)
• Pomarine jaeger, Stercorarius pomarinus
• Parasitic jaeger, Stercorarius parasiticus
• Long-tailed jaeger, Stercorarius longicaudus

Order: Charadriiformes   Family: Alcidae

Alcids are superficially similar to penguins due to their black-and-white colours, their upright posture and some of their habits, however they are not related to the penguins and differ in being able to fly. Auks live on the open sea, only deliberately coming ashore to nest.

• Atlantic puffin, Fratercula arctica (A)

Order: Charadriiformes   Family: Laridae

Laridae is a family of medium to large seabirds, the gulls, terns, and skimmers. Gulls are typically grey or white, often with black markings on the head or wings. They have stout, longish bills and webbed feet. Terns are a group of generally medium to large seabirds typically with grey or white plumage, often with black markings on the head. Most terns hunt fish by diving but some pick insects off the surface of fresh water. Terns are generally long-lived birds, with several species known to live in excess of 30 years. Skimmers are a small family of tropical tern-like birds. They have an elongated lower mandible which they use to feed by flying low over the water surface and skimming the water for small fish.

Order: Phaethontiformes   Family: Phaethontidae

Tropicbirds are slender white birds of tropical oceans, with exceptionally long central tail feathers. Their heads and long wings have black markings.

• Red-billed tropicbird, Phaethon aethereus (A)

Order: Gaviiformes   Family: Gaviidae

Loons, known as divers in Europe, are a group of aquatic birds found in many parts of North America and northern Europe. They are the size of a large duck or small goose, which they somewhat resemble in shape when swimming, but to which they are completely unrelated. There are 5 species worldwide and 2 species which occur in Israel.

• Red-throated loon, Gavia stellata (A)
• Arctic loon, Gavia arctica
• Pacific loon, Gavia pacifica (A)

Order: Procellariiformes   Family: Diomedeidae

The albatrosses are among the largest of flying birds, and the great albatrosses from the genus Diomedea have the largest wingspans of any extant birds.

• Shy albatross, Thalassarche cauta (A)

Order: Procellariiformes   Family: Oceanitidae

The southern storm-petrels are relatives of the petrels and are the smallest seabirds. They feed on planktonic crustaceans and small fish picked from the surface, typically while hovering. The flight is fluttering and sometimes bat-like.

• Wilson's storm-petrel, Oceanites oceanicus (A)

Order: Procellariiformes   Family: Hydrobatidae

The northern storm-petrels are relatives of the petrels and are the smallest seabirds. They feed on planktonic crustaceans and small fish picked from the surface, typically while hovering. The flight is fluttering and sometimes bat-like.

• Mediterranean storm-petrel, Hydrobates (pelagicus) melitensis (A)
• Leach's storm-petrel, Hydrobates leucorhous (A)
• Swinhoe's storm-petrel, Hydrobates monorhis
• Band-rumped storm-petrel, Hydrobates castro (A)

Order: Procellariiformes   Family: Procellariidae

The procellariids are the main group of medium-sized "true petrels", characterised by united nostrils with medium septum and a long outer functional primary.

Order: Ciconiiformes   Family: Ciconiidae

Storks are large, long-legged, long-necked, wading birds with long, stout bills. Storks are mute, but bill-clattering is an important mode of communication at the nest. Their nests can be large and may be reused for many years. Many species are migratory.

• Black stork, Ciconia nigra
• White stork, Ciconia ciconia
• Marabou stork, Leptoptilos crumenifer (A)
• Yellow-billed stork, Mycteria ibis (A)

Order: Suliformes   Family: Fregatidae

Frigatebirds are large seabirds usually found over tropical oceans. They are large, black-and-white or completely black, with long wings and deeply forked tails. The males have coloured inflatable throat pouches. They do not swim or walk and cannot take off from a flat surface. Having the largest wingspan-to-body-weight ratio of any bird, they are essentially aerial, able to stay aloft for more than a week.

• Lesser frigatebird, Fregata ariel (A)

Order: Suliformes   Family: Sulidae

The sulids comprise the gannets and boobies. Both groups are medium to large coastal seabirds that plunge-dive for fish.

• Masked booby, Sula dactylatra (A)
• Brown booby, Sula leucogaster
• Northern gannet, Morus bassanus

Order: Suliformes   Family: Anhingidae

Anhingas or darters are often called "snake-birds" because of their long thin neck, which gives a snake-like appearance when they swim with their bodies submerged. The males have black and dark-brown plumage, an erectile crest on the nape and a larger bill than the female. The females have much paler plumage especially on the neck and underparts. The darters have completely webbed feet and their legs are short and set far back on the body. Their plumage is somewhat permeable, like that of cormorants, and they spread their wings to dry after diving.

• African darter, Anhinga melanogaster (A)

Order: Suliformes   Family: Phalacrocoracidae

Phalacrocoracidae is a family of medium to large coastal, fish-eating seabirds that includes cormorants and shags. Plumage colouration varies, with the majority having mainly dark plumage, some species being black-and-white and a few being colourful.

• Pygmy cormorant, Microcarbo pygmeus
• Great cormorant, Phalacrocorax carbo
• European shag, Gulosus aristotelis (A)

Order: Pelecaniformes   Family: Pelecanidae

Pelicans are large water birds with a distinctive pouch under their beak. As with other members of the order Pelecaniformes, they have webbed feet with four toes.

• Great white pelican, Pelecanus onocrotalus
• Pink-backed pelican, Pelecanus rufescens (A)
• Dalmatian pelican, Pelecanus crispus (A)

Order: Pelecaniformes   Family: Ardeidae

The family Ardeidae contains the bitterns, herons and egrets. Herons and egrets are medium to large wading birds with long necks and legs. Bitterns tend to be shorter necked and more wary. Members of Ardeidae fly with their necks retracted, unlike other long-necked birds such as storks, ibises and spoonbills.

Order: Pelecaniformes   Family: Threskiornithidae

Threskiornithidae is a family of large terrestrial and wading birds which includes the ibises and spoonbills. They have long, broad wings with 11 primary and about 20 secondary feathers. They are strong fliers and despite their size and weight, very capable soarers.

• Glossy ibis, Plegadis falcinellus
• Northern bald ibis, Geronticus eremita (Ex/A)^[8]
• Eurasian spoonbill, Platalea leucorodia

Order: Accipitriformes   Family: Pandionidae

The family Pandionidae contains only one species, the osprey. The osprey is a medium-large raptor which is a specialist fish-eater with a worldwide distribution.

• Osprey, Pandion haliaetus

Order: Accipitriformes   Family: Accipitridae

Accipitridae is a family of birds of prey, which includes hawks, eagles, kites, harriers and Old World vultures. These birds have powerful hooked beaks for tearing flesh from their prey, strong legs, powerful talons and keen eyesight.

Order: Strigiformes   Family: Tytonidae

Barn owls are medium to large owls with large heads and characteristic heart-shaped faces. They have long strong legs with powerful talons.

• Barn owl, Tyto alba

Order: Strigiformes   Family: Strigidae

The typical owls are small to large solitary nocturnal birds of prey. They have large forward-facing eyes and ears, a hawk-like beak and a conspicuous circle of feathers around each eye called a facial disk.

• Eurasian scops-owl, Otus scops
• Pallid scops-owl, Otus brucei
• Eurasian eagle-owl, Bubo bubo
• Pharaoh eagle-owl, Bubo ascalaphus
• Brown fish-owl, Ketupa zeylonensis (Ex)
• Little owl, Athene noctua
• Tawny owl, Strix aluco
• Desert owl, Strix hadorami
• Long-eared owl, Asio otus
• Short-eared owl, Asio flammeus

Order: Bucerotiformes   Family: Upupidae

Hoopoes have black, white and orangey-pink colouring with a large erectile crest on their head.

• Eurasian hoopoe, Upupa epops

Order: Coraciiformes   Family: Alcedinidae

Kingfishers are medium-sized birds with large heads, long, pointed bills, short legs and stubby tails.

• Common kingfisher, Alcedo atthis
• White-throated kingfisher, Halcyon smyrnensis
• Pied kingfisher, Ceryle rudis

Order: Coraciiformes   Family: Meropidae

The bee-eaters are a group of near passerine birds in the family Meropidae. Most species are found in Africa but others occur in southern Europe, Madagascar, Australia and New Guinea. They are characterised by richly coloured plumage, slender bodies and usually elongated central tail feathers. All are colourful and have long downturned bills and pointed wings, which give them a swallow-like appearance when seen from afar.

• White-throated bee-eater, Merops albicollis (A)
• Arabian green bee-eater, Merops cyanophrys
• Blue-cheeked bee-eater, Merops persicus
• European bee-eater, Merops apiaster

Order: Coraciiformes   Family: Coraciidae

Rollers resemble crows in size and build, but are more closely related to the kingfishers and bee-eaters. They share the colourful appearance of those groups with blues and browns predominating. The two inner front toes are connected, but the outer toe is not.

• European roller, Coracias garrulus
• Broad-billed roller, Eurystomus glaucurus (A)

Order: Piciformes   Family: Picidae

Woodpeckers are small to medium-sized birds with chisel-like beaks, short legs, stiff tails and long tongues used for capturing insects. Some species have feet with two toes pointing forward and two backward, while several species have only three toes. Many woodpeckers have the habit of tapping noisily on tree trunks with their beaks.

• Eurasian wryneck, Jynx torquilla
• Syrian woodpecker, Dendrocopos syriacus

Order: Falconiformes   Family: Falconidae

Falconidae is a family of diurnal birds of prey. They differ from hawks, eagles and kites in that they kill with their beaks instead of their talons.

• Lesser kestrel, Falco naumanni
• Eurasian kestrel, Falco tinnunculus
• Red-footed falcon, Falco vespertinus
• Eleonora's falcon, Falco eleonorae
• Sooty falcon, Falco concolor
• Merlin, Falco columbarius
• Eurasian hobby, Falco subbuteo
• Lanner falcon, Falco biarmicus
• Saker falcon, Falco cherrug
• Peregrine falcon, Falco peregrinus
• Barbary falcon, Falco (peregrinus) pelgerinoides

Order: Psittaciformes   Family: Psittaculidae

Characteristic features of parrots include a strong curved bill, an upright stance, strong legs, and clawed zygodactyl feet. Many parrots are vividly colored, and some are multi-colored. In size they range from 8 cm (3.1 in) to 1 m (3.3 ft) in length. Old World parrots are found from Africa east across south and southeast Asia and Oceania to Australia and New Zealand.

• Rose-ringed parakeet, Psittacula krameri (I)
• Alexanderine parakeet, Psittacula eupatria (I)

Order: Psittaciformes   Family: Psittacidae

Parrots are small to large birds with a characteristic curved beak. Their upper mandibles have slight mobility in the joint with the skull and they have a generally erect stance. All parrots are zygodactyl, having the four toes on each foot placed two at the front and two to the back. Most of the species in this family are found in the New World.

• Monk parakeet, Myiopsitta monachus (I)
• Nanday parakeet, Aratinga nenday (I)
• Senegal parrot, Poicephalus senegalus (I)

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Oriolidae

The Old World orioles are colourful passerine birds. They are not related to the New World orioles.

• Eurasian golden oriole, Oriolus oriolus

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Dicruridae

The drongos are mostly black or dark grey in colour, sometimes with metallic tints. They have long forked tails, and some Asian species have elaborate tail decorations. They have short legs and sit very upright when perched, like a shrike. They flycatch or take prey from the ground.

• Ashy drongo, Dicrurus leucophaeus (A)

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Laniidae

Shrikes are passerine birds known for their habit of catching other birds and small animals and impaling the uneaten portions of their bodies on thorns. A typical shrike's beak is hooked, like a bird of prey.

• Red-backed shrike, Lanius collurio
• Red-tailed shrike, Lanius phoenicuroides (A)
• Isabelline shrike, Lanius isabellinus
• Long-tailed shrike, Lanius schach (A)
• Great gray shrike, Lanius excubitor
• Lesser gray shrike, Lanius minor
• Masked shrike, Lanius nubicus
• Woodchat shrike, Lanius senator

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Corvidae

The family Corvidae includes crows, ravens, jays, choughs, magpies, treepies, nutcrackers and ground jays. Corvids are above average in size among the Passeriformes, and some of the larger species show high levels of intelligence.

• Eurasian jay, Garrulus glandarius
• Red-billed chough, Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax (A)
• Yellow-billed chough, Pyrrhocorax graculus (A)
• Eurasian jackdaw, Corvus monedula
• House crow, Corvus splendens (I)
• Rook, Corvus frugilegus
• Hooded crow, Corvus cornix
• Brown-necked raven, Corvus ruficollis
• Fan-tailed raven, Corvus rhipidurus
• Common raven, Corvus corax

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Paridae

The Paridae are mainly small stocky woodland species with short stout bills. Some have crests. They are adaptable birds, with a mixed diet including seeds and insects.

• Coal tit, Periparus ater (A)
• Sombre tit, Poecile lugubris
• Great tit, Parus major

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Remizidae

The penduline tits are a group of small passerine birds related to the true tits. They are insectivores. There are 13 species worldwide and 1 species which occurs in Israel.

• Eurasian penduline-tit, Remiz pendulinus

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Alaudidae

Larks are small terrestrial birds with often extravagant songs and display flights. Most larks are fairly dull in appearance. Their food is insects and seeds.

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Panuridae

This species, the only one in its family, is found in reed beds throughout temperate Europe and Asia.

• Bearded reedling, Panurus biarmicus (A)

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Cisticolidae

The Cisticolidae are warblers found mainly in warmer southern regions of the Old World. They are generally very small birds of drab brown or grey appearance found in open country such as grassland or scrub.

• Graceful prinia, Prinia gracilis
• Zitting cisticola, Cisticola juncidis

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Acrocephalidae

The members of this family are usually rather large for "warblers". Most are rather plain olivaceous brown above with much yellow to beige below. They are usually found in open woodland, reedbeds, or tall grass. The family occurs mostly in southern to western Eurasia and surroundings, but it also ranges far into the Pacific, with some species in Africa.

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Locustellidae

Locustellidae are a family of small insectivorous songbirds found mainly in Eurasia, Africa, and the Australian region. They are smallish birds with tails that are usually long and pointed, and tend to be drab brownish or buffy all over.

• Pallas's grasshopper warbler, Helopsaltes certhiola (A)
• River warbler, Locustella fluviatilis
• Savi's warbler, Locustella luscinioides
• Common grasshopper-warbler, Locustella naevia (A)

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Hirundinidae

The family Hirundinidae is adapted to aerial feeding. They have a slender streamlined body, long pointed wings and a short bill with a wide gape. The feet are adapted to perching rather than walking, and the front toes are partially joined at the base.

• Gray-throated martin, Riparia chinensis (A)
• Bank swallow, Riparia riparia
• Eurasian crag-martin, Ptyonoprogne rupestris
• Rock martin, Ptyonoprogne fuligula
• Barn swallow, Hirundo rustica
• Ethiopian swallow, Hirundo aethiopica (A)
• Red-rumped swallow, Cecropis daurica
• Common house-martin, Delichon urbicum
• Asian house-martin, Delichon dasypus (A)

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Pycnonotidae

Bulbuls are medium-sized songbirds. Some are colourful with yellow, red or orange vents, cheeks, throats or supercilia, but most are drab, with uniform olive-brown to black plumage. Some species have distinct crests.

• White-spectacled bulbul, Pycnonotus xanthopygos
• White-eared bulbul, Pycnonotus leucotis (A)

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Phylloscopidae

Leaf warblers are a family of small insectivorous birds found mostly in Eurasia and ranging into Wallacea and Africa. The species are of various sizes, often green-plumaged above and yellow below, or more subdued with greyish-green to greyish-brown colours.

• Wood warbler, Phylloscopus sibilatrix
• Eastern Bonelli's warbler, Phylloscopus orientalis
• Yellow-browed warbler, Phylloscopus inornatus
• Hume's warbler, Phylloscopus humei
• Pallas's leaf warbler, Phylloscopus proregulus (A)
• Radde's warbler, Phylloscopus schwarzi (A)
• Dusky warbler, Phylloscopus fuscatus (A)
• Willow warbler, Phylloscopus trochilus
• Mountain chiffchaff, Phylloscopus sindianus (A)
• Common chiffchaff, Phylloscopus collybita
• Green warbler, Phylloscopus nitidus (A)
• Arctic warbler, Phylloscopus borealis (A)

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Scotocercidae

The members of this family are found throughout Africa, Asia, and Polynesia. Their taxonomy is in flux, and some authorities place some genera in other families.^[9]

• Scrub warbler, Scotocerca inquieta
• Cetti's warbler, Cettia cetti

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Sylviidae

The family Sylviidae is a group of small insectivorous passerine birds. They mainly occur as breeding species, as the common name implies, in Europe, Asia and, to a lesser extent, Africa. Most are of generally undistinguished appearance, but many have distinctive songs.

• Eurasian blackcap, Sylvia atricapilla
• Garden warbler, Sylvia borin
• African desert warbler, Curruca deserti (A)
• Asian desert warbler, Curruca nana
• Barred warbler, Curruca nisoria
• Lesser whitethroat, Curruca curruca
• Arabian warbler, Curruca leucomelaena
• Eastern Orphean warbler, Curruca crassirostris
• Cyprus warbler, Curruca melanothorax
• Menetries's warbler, Curruca mystacea (A)
• Rüppell's warbler, Curruca ruppeli
• Eastern subalpine warbler, Curruca cantillans
• Sardinian warbler, Curruca melanocephala
• Greater whitethroat, Curruca communis
• Spectacled warbler, Curruca conspicillata

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Leiothrichidae

The members of this family are diverse in size and colouration, though those of genus Turdoides tend to be brown or greyish. The family is found in Africa, India, and southeast Asia.

• Arabian babbler, Argya squamiceps

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Regulidae

The kinglets, also called crests, are a small group of birds often included in the Old World warblers, but frequently given family status because they also resemble the titmice.

• Goldcrest, Regulus regulus
• Common firecrest, Regulus ignicapilla (A)

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Tichodromidae

The wallcreeper is a small bird related to the nuthatch family, which has stunning crimson, grey and black plumage.

• Wallcreeper, Tichodroma muraria

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Sittidae

Nuthatches are small woodland birds. They have the unusual ability to climb down trees head first, unlike other birds which can only go upwards. Nuthatches have big heads, short tails and powerful bills and feet.

• Western rock nuthatch, Sitta neumayer

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Troglodytidae

The wrens are mainly small and inconspicuous except for their loud songs. These birds have short wings and thin down-turned bills. Several species often hold their tails upright. All are insectivorous.

• Eurasian wren, Troglodytes troglodytes

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Sturnidae

Starlings are small to medium-sized passerine birds. Their flight is strong and direct and they are very gregarious. Their preferred habitat is fairly open country. They eat insects and fruit. Plumage is typically dark with a metallic sheen.

• European starling, Sturnus vulgaris
• Rosy starling, Pastor roseus
• Common myna, Acridotheres tristis (I)
• Vinous-breasted myna, Acridotheres leucocephalus (I)
• Tristram's starling, Onychognathus tristramii

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Turdidae

The thrushes are a group of passerine birds that occur mainly in the Old World. They are plump, soft plumaged, small to medium-sized insectivores or sometimes omnivores, often feeding on the ground. Many have attractive songs.

• Mistle thrush, Turdus viscivorus
• Song thrush, Turdus philomelos
• Redwing, Turdus iliacus
• Eurasian blackbird, Turdus merula
• Eyebrowed thrush, Turdus obscurus (A)
• Fieldfare, Turdus pilaris
• Ring ouzel, Turdus torquatus
• Black-throated thrush, Turdus atrogularis (A)
• Dusky thrush, Turdus eunomus (A)

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Muscicapidae

Old World flycatchers are a large group of small passerine birds native to the Old World. They are mainly small arboreal insectivores. The appearance of these birds is highly varied, but they mostly have weak songs and harsh calls.

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Bombycillidae

The waxwings are a group of birds with soft silky plumage and unique red tips to some of the wing feathers. In the Bohemian and cedar waxwings, these tips look like sealing wax and give the group its name. These are arboreal birds of northern forests. They live on insects in summer and berries in winter.

• Bohemian waxwing, Bombycilla garrulus (A)

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Hypocoliidae

The grey hypocolius is a small Middle Eastern bird with the shape and soft plumage of a waxwing. They are mainly a uniform grey colour except the males have a black triangular mask around their eyes.

• Hypocolius, Hypocolius ampelinus (A)

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Nectariniidae

The sunbirds and spiderhunters are very small passerine birds which feed largely on nectar, although they will also take insects, especially when feeding young. Flight is fast and direct on their short wings. Most species can take nectar by hovering like a hummingbird, but usually perch to feed.

• Palestine sunbird, Cinnyris oseus

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Estrildidae

The estrildid finches are small passerine birds of the Old World tropics and Australasia. They are gregarious and often colonial seed eaters with short thick but pointed bills. They are all similar in structure and habits, but have wide variation in plumage colours and patterns.

• Common waxbill, Estrilda astrild (I)
• Indian silverbill, Euodice malabarica (I)

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Prunellidae

The accentors are in the only bird family, Prunellidae, which is completely endemic to the Palearctic. They are small, fairly drab species superficially similar to sparrows.

• Alpine accentor, Prunella collaris (A)
• Radde's accentor, Prunella ocularis
• Black-throated accentor, Prunella atrogularis (A)
• Dunnock, Prunella modularis

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Passeridae

Old World sparrows are small passerine birds. In general, sparrows tend to be small, plump, brown or grey birds with short tails and short powerful beaks. Sparrows are seed eaters, but they also consume small insects.

• House sparrow, Passer domesticus
• Spanish sparrow, Passer hispaniolensis
• Dead Sea sparrow, Passer moabiticus
• Eurasian tree sparrow, Passer montanus (A)
• Yellow-throated sparrow, Gymnoris xanthocollis (A)
• Rock sparrow, Petronia petronia
• Pale rockfinch, Carpospiza brachydactyla

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Motacillidae

Motacillidae is a family of small passerine birds with medium to long tails. They include the wagtails, longclaws and pipits. They are slender, ground feeding insectivores of open country.

• Gray wagtail, Motacilla cinerea
• Western yellow wagtail, Motacilla flava
• Citrine wagtail, Motacilla citreola
• White wagtail, Motacilla alba
• Richard's pipit, Anthus richardi
• Long-billed pipit, Anthus similis
• Blyth's pipit, Anthus godlewskii (A)
• Tawny pipit, Anthus campestris
• Meadow pipit, Anthus pratensis
• Tree pipit, Anthus trivialis
• Olive-backed pipit, Anthus hodgsoni
• Red-throated pipit, Anthus cervinus
• Water pipit, Anthus spinoletta
• American pipit, Anthus rubescens

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Fringillidae

Finches are seed-eating passerine birds, that are small to moderately large and have a strong beak, usually conical and in some species very large. All have twelve tail feathers and nine primaries. These birds have a bouncing flight with alternating bouts of flapping and gliding on closed wings, and most sing well.

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Calcariidae

The Calcariidae are a group of passerine birds which had been traditionally grouped with the New World sparrows, but differ in a number of respects and are usually found in open grassy areas.

• Snow bunting, Plectrophenax nivalis (A)

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Emberizidae

The emberizids are a large family of passerine birds. They are seed-eating birds with distinctively shaped bills. Many emberizid species have distinctive head patterns.

• List of birds
• Lists of birds by region

• Clements, James F. (2000). Birds of the World: A Checklist. Cornell University Press. p. 880. ISBN 0-934797-16-1.
• Arnold, Paula (1962). Birds of Israel (in Hebrew and English). Shalit Publishers Ltd., Haifa, Israel pp. 106.