Species

On the cliffs of NW coast of Fuerteventura, there is an important colony of Cory's Shearwater Calonectris diomedea, and it is also a breeding place of Little Shearwater Puffinus assimilis (the only one known so far on this island). Some raptors breed on this area, and is possible to find also Pallid Swift Apus pallidus and Rock Dove Columba livia.

Photo: Rubén Barone Tosco

Country checklist and status

You can download and print a checklist for Canary Islands.

The Checklist of the Birds of the Canary Islands covering 355 species can be purchased at NHBS or at any local bookshop in the Canary Islands.

Canary Islands Chiffchaff Phylloscopus canariensis Tenerife. Photo: John Caddick. This species is common on Tenerife and the photo shows some of the key identification features: long bill, long tail, short wings, dark brown upperparts and pale supercilium.

Endemic species

African Blue Tit Parus caeruleus teneriffae, Tenerife, Canary Islands, Photo: John Caddick. Some authorities raise this to species level. The dark blue crown and grey-blue mantle mentioned below are visible in this photo.

The status of Blue Tit Parus caeruleus is somewhat more complex. Some authorities raise the following to species level: Fuerteventura Blue Tit Parus caeruleus degener; Tenerife Blue Tit P.c.teneriffae; Hierro Blue Tit P.c.ombriosus; Palma Blue Tit P.c.palmensis. Other authorities suggest there are two species. The following is taken from ABC Bulletin Vol 11 No 1 March 2004: "analyses of molecular data from Blue Tits Parus caeruleus undertaken by W. Salzburger, J.Martens and C. Sturmbauer, suggest that it actually comprises two species: Eurasian Blue Tit P. caeruleus (Europe and Middle Asia) and African Blue Tit P. teneriffae (North Africa and Canary Islands). The latter can be distinguished from their European relatives by differences in plumage (darker blue crown, grey-blue mantle), morphology (e.g. wing / tail ratio) and call."

Near endemic species

The subspecies of Houbara Bustard Chlamydotis undulata fuertaventurae is found only on the islands of Fuerteventura and Lanzarote.

Threatened species

*The islands once sheltered the Canary Islands Oystercatcher Haematopus meadewaldoi, a species probably now extinct with no confirmed sightings since 1968 despite extensive searches. Note that Lesser Kestrel Falco naumanni is a rare passage migrant.

The lists of endemic, near endemic and threatened species have been compiled from a number of sources including the African Bird Club, BirdLife International, and Birds of the World Version 2.0 ® 1994-1996, Dr. Charles Sibley and Thayer Birding Software, Ltd. For further information on the Canary Islands threatened species, see BirdLife International and follow the links for Spain.

Last page update 24th March 2011