Species

Country checklist and status

You can download and print a checklist for Cape Verde Islands.

The total species list reliably recorded in the islands is 178. These include 36 breeding species of which 9 are seabirds. The main ornithological importance lies in its seabird colonies and its endemic land birds. There are about 40 species of passage migrants mainly of Palearctic origin (HAZEVOET 1995 etc).

Cape Verde Shearwater Calonectris (diomedea) edwardsii

Photo: by Beneharo Rodríguez Martín taken off the coast of Mauritania

Cape Verde Warbler Acrocephalus brevipennis, Sao Jorge dos Orgaos, Santiago Island, Cape Verde. Photo: Rubén Barone Tosco, November 2010

Iago Sparrows Passer iagoensis

Santa Maria, Sal Island, Cape Verde

Photo: Liz Anderson

Note: this species is common around the hotels in the south of Sal Island

Cape Verde Swift Apus alexandri

Praia cliffs, Santiago Island, Cape Verde

Photo: Stefan Cherrug, November 2010

Endemic species

An additional seven land birds are recognized by Hazevoet as being endemic phylogenetic species, and these forms contribute significantly to the uniqueness of the islands: Cape Verde Purple Heron Ardea (purpurea) bournei, Cape Verde Kite Milvus (milvus) fasciicauda (HILLE, S, & THIOLLAY, J.-M. 2000), Cape Verde Buzzard Buteo (buteo) bannermani, Alexander's Kestrel Falco (tinnunculus) alexandri, Neglected Kestrel Falco (tinnunculus) neglectus, Cape Verde Peregrine Falco (peregrinus) madens and Cape Verde Barn Owl Tyto (alba) detorta. Fea's Petrel Pterodroma feae is a seabird which is largely endemic to Cape Verde when breeding. The population of P.feae on Cape Verde is also recognized as a phylogenetic species by Hazevoet as are two other seabirds Cape Verde Shearwater Calonectris (diomedea) edwardsii and Cape Verde Little Shearwater Puffinus (assimilis) boydi.

Fea’s Petrel Pterodroma feae

Cha das Caldeiras, Fogo, Cape Verde

Photo: Pascual Calabuig, March 2011

Near endemic species

The breeding population in Cape Verde is estimated to be a minimum of 310 pairs. This species also breeds on Bugio island in the Desertas off Madeira.

Threatened species

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.

Last page update 19th December 2011