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.
Canary Islands Chiffchaff Phylloscopus canariensis Tenerife. 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.
African Blue Tit Parus caeruleus teneriffae, Tenerife, Canary Islands. Some authorities raise this to species level. The dark blue crown and grey-blue mantle mentioned below are visible in this photo.
Country checklist and status
iGoTerra
We are delighted that our Corporate Sponsor iGoTerra has made its country checklists, including subspecies (IOC or Clements) as well as all other species groups like mammals, butterflies etc. available through the ABC website. The only thing required is a Basic membership / registration which is free of charge. Go to Canary Islands checklists. If you are already a member of iGoTerra, you will be taken directly to the country page. In case you are not a member, you will be redirected automatically to the registration form and from there can go straight to the country page.
ABC and other checklists
You can download and print an ABC / Dowsett checklist for Canary Islands. The ABC lists follow the taxonomic sequence and names of Birds of Africa Volumes I-VII and are kept up to date with published and peer-reviewed records.
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.
Endemic species
| Bolle's Pigeon | Columba bollii | Tenerife, La Palma, Gomera, El Hierro |
| Laurel Pigeon | Columba junoniae | Tenerife, La Palma, Gomera |
| Canary Islands Chat | Saxicola dacotiae | Fuerteventura |
| Canary Islands Chiffchaff | Phylloscopus canariensis | Tenerife and western islands |
| Blue Chaffinch | Fringilla teydea | Tenerife, Gran Canaria |
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
| Berthelot's Pipit | Anthus berthelotii | also Madeira |
| Island Canary | Serinus canaria | also Madeira and Azores |
| Plain Swift | Apus unicolor | also Madeira |
The subspecies of Houbara Bustard Chlamydotis undulata fuertaventurae is found only on the islands of Fuerteventura and Lanzarote.
Threatened species
| Marbled Teal | Marmaronetta angustirostris | Vulnerable |
| Lesser Kestrel | Falco naumanni | Vulnerable |
| Canary Islands Oystercatcher* | Haematopus meadewaldoi | Extinct |
| Laurel Pigeon | Columba junoniae | Vulnerable |
*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.
