List of birds of Fiji explained

The avifauna of Fiji is the richest in West Polynesia. Numerous families reach the farthest east of their range, and the island is home to several endemic species and genera, as well as sharing several more endemics with its close neighbours Tonga and Samoa.

The birds of Fiji have been heavily impacted by the arrival of humans. Several species (and some genera) were lost in prehistory and are known only from fossil remains. Other have become extinct more recently, and some species remain very close to extinction. It is certain that the current knowledge of the previous ranges of many species is incomplete and further research is needed.

This is a list of the bird species recorded in Fiji. The avifauna of Fiji include a total of 179 species, of which 31 are endemic, and 13 have been introduced by humans. Numerous species listed have been extirpated from Fiji.

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 Fiji. There are also a few species listed that have been recorded in Fiji, but not known to what specific island they were recorded at.

The following tags have been used to highlight several categories.

(V) Vagrant - a species that rarely or accidentally occurs in Fiji
(B) Breeder - a species that breeds in Fiji
(M) Migrant - a species that regularly migrates to Fiji
(P) Passage migrant - a species that neither breeds nor winters in Fiji but regularly passes through
(I) Introduced - a species introduced to Fiji as a consequence, direct or indirect, of human actions
(X) Extirpated - a species that no longer occurs here although populations may exist elsewhere
(*) Endemic - a species that is endemic to Fiji
(?) Uncertain - a species with uncertain records or current status

Ducks, geese, and waterfowl

Order: AnseriformesFamily: 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.

Species	Viti Levu	Vanua Levu	Taveuni	Kadavu	Lomaiviti
Wandering whistling-duck Dendrocygna arcuata	X
Pacific black duck Anas superciliosa	B	B	B	B	B
Eastern spot-billed duck Anas zonorhyncha
Mallard Anas platyrhynchos	V

Megapodes

Order: GalliformesFamily: Megapodiidae

The Megapodiidae are stocky, medium-large chicken-like birds with small heads and large feet. All but the malleefowl occupy jungle habitats and most have brown or black colouring.

Species	Viti Levu	Lau
Consumed scrubfowl Megapodius alimentum		X
Viti Levu scrubfowl Megapodius amissus *	X	X
Melanesian scrubfowl Megapodius eremita

Sylviornithids

PangalliformesFamily: Sylviornithidae

Sylviornithids are an extinct lineage of flightless birds related to modern Galliformes. They are represented by two species, one of them native to Fiji.

Pheasants, grouse, and allies

Order: GalliformesFamily: 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.

Species	Viti Levu	Vanua Levu	Taveuni	Kadavu	Lomaiviti	Lau	Rotuma
Brown quail Synoicus ypsilophorus	I	I
Red junglefowl Gallus gallus	IX	IX	I	I	I	I	I
Wild turkey Meleagris gallopavo	I

Pigeons and doves

Order: ColumbiformesFamily: Columbidae

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

Species	Viti Levu	Vanua Levu	Taveuni	Kadavu	Lomaiviti	Lau	Rotuma
Rock dove Columba livia	I	I	I
Metallic pigeon Columba vitiensis	B	B	B	B	B	B
Spotted dove Spilopelia chinensis	I	I	I			I
Shy ground dove Alopecoenas stairi	B	B	B	B	B	B
Many-colored fruit-dove Ptilinopus perousii	B	B	B	B	B	B
Crimson-crowned fruit dove Ptilinopus porphyraceus						B	B
Orange dove Ptilinopus victor*		B	B
Golden dove Ptilinopus luteovirens*	B				B
Velvet dove Ptilinopus layardi*				B
Pacific imperial-pigeon Ducula pacifica					B	B	B
Peale's imperial-pigeon Ducula latrans*	B	B	B	B	B	B
Lau imperial-pigeon Ducula lakeba	X					X
Viti Levu giant pigeon Natunaornis gigoura*	X

Cuckoos

Order: CuculiformesFamily: Cuculidae

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

Species	Viti Levu	Vanua Levu	Taveuni	Kadavu	Lomaiviti	Lau	Rotuma
Long-tailed koel Urodynamis taitensis	M	M	M	M	M	M
Fan-tailed cuckoo Cacomantis flabelliformis	B	B	B	B	B

Frogmouths

Order: CaprimulgiformesFamily: Podargidae

The frogmouths are a group of nocturnal birds related to the nightjars. They are named for their large flattened hooked bill and huge frog-like gape, which they use to take insects.

Swifts

Order: CaprimulgiformesFamily: 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.

Species	Viti Levu	Vanua Levu	Taveuni	Kadavu	Lomaiviti	Lau
White-throated needletail Hirundapus caudacutus	V
White-rumped swiftlet Aerodramus spodiopygius	B	B	B	B	B	B
Australian swiftlet Aerodramus terraereginae

Rails, gallinules, and coots

Order: GruiformesFamily: 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.

Species	Viti Levu	Vanua Levu	Taveuni	Kadavu	Lomaiviti	Lau	Rotuma
Buff-banded rail Gallirallus philippensis	X	X	B	B	B	B	B
Bar-winged rail Gallirallus poecilopterus*
Black-backed swamphen Porphyrio indicus
Australasian swamphen Porphyrio melanotus	X	X	B	B	B	B	B
Viti Levu rail Vitirallus watlingi*	X
White-browed crake Poliolimnas cinereus	B	B	B	B	B	B
Spotless crake Zapornia tabuensis	B	B	B	B	B	B

Plovers and lapwings

Order: CharadriiformesFamily: 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.

Species	Viti Levu	Vanua Levu	Taveuni	Kadavu	Lomaiviti	Lau	Rotuma
Black-bellied plover Pluvialis squatarola	V
Pacific golden-plover Pluvialis fulva	M	M	M	M	M	M	M
Masked lapwing Vanellus miles	V
Lesser sand-plover Charadrius mongolus	V
Caspian plover Charadrius asiaticus	V
Double-banded plover Charadrius bicinctus	V

Sandpipers and allies

Order: CharadriiformesFamily: 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.

Species	Viti Levu	Vanua Levu	Taveuni	Kadavu	Lomaiviti	Lau	Rotuma
Bristle-thighed curlew Numenius tahitiensis	M	M	M	M	M	M	M
Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus	M	M	M	M	M	M	M
Far Eastern curlew Numenius madagascariensis	V
Bar-tailed godwit Limosa lapponica	M	M	M	M	M	M	M
Hudsonian godwit Limosa haemastica	V
Ruddy turnstone Arenaria interpres	M	M	M	M	M	M	M
Red knot Calidris canutus	V
Ruff Calidris pugnax	V
Sharp-tailed sandpiper Calidris acuminata
Curlew sandpiper Calidris ferruginea	V
Red-necked stint Calidris ruficollis	V
Sanderling Calidris alba
Pectoral sandpiper Calidris melanotos	V
Terek sandpiper Xenus cinereus	V
Common sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos	V
Solitary sandpiper Tringa solitaria	V
Gray-tailed tattler Tringa brevipes	M	M	M	M	M	M	M
Wandering tattler Tringa incana	M	M	M	M	M	M	M
Lesser yellowlegs Tringa flavipes	V
Viti Levu snipe Coenocorypha miratropica*	X

Skuas and jaegers

Order: CharadriiformesFamily: 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.

Species	Viti Levu	Vanua Levu	Taveuni	Kadavu	Lomaiviti	Lau	Rotuma
South polar skua Stercorarius maccormicki	V
Pomarine jaeger Stercorarius pomarinus	V
Parasitic jaeger Stercorarius parasiticus	V
Long-tailed jaeger Stercorarius longicaudus	V

Gulls, terns, and skimmers

Order: CharadriiformesFamily: 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.

Species	Viti Levu	Vanua Levu	Taveuni	Kadavu	Lomaiviti	Lau	Rotuma
Silver gull Chroicocephalus novaehollandiae	V
Laughing gull Leucophaeus atricilla	V
Kelp gull Larus dominicanus	V
Brown noddy Anous stolidus	B	B	B	B	B	B	B
Black noddy Anous minutus	B	B	B	B	B	B	B
Blue-gray noddy Anous ceruleus	B	B	B	B	B	B	B
White tern Gygis alba	B	B	B	B	B	B	B
Sooty tern Onychoprion fuscatus	B	B	B	B	B	B	B
Gray-backed tern Onychoprion lunatus
Bridled tern Onychoprion anaethetus
Little tern Sternula albifrons	V
White-winged tern Chlidonias leucopterus	V
Black-naped tern Sterna sumatrana	B	B	B	B	B	B
Common tern Sterna hirundo	P	P	P	P	P
Great crested tern Thalasseus bergii	B	B	B	B	B	B	B

Tropicbirds

Order: PhaethontiformesFamily: Phaethontidae

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

Species	Viti Levu	Vanua Levu	Taveuni	Kadavu	Lomaiviti	Lau	Rotuma
White-tailed tropicbird Phaethon lepturus	B	B	B	B	B	B	B
Red-tailed tropicbird Phaethon rubricauda	B	B	B	B	B	B	B

Albatrosses

Order: ProcellariiformesFamily: 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.

Southern storm-petrels

Order: ProcellariiformesFamily: 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.

Species	Viti Levu	Vanua Levu	Taveuni	Kadavu	Lomaiviti
Wilson's storm-petrel Oceanites oceanicus	P
White-faced storm-petrel Pelagodroma marina	V
White-bellied storm-petrel Fregetta grallaria	V
New Zealand storm-petrel Fregetta maoriana	V
Black-bellied storm-petrel Fregetta tropica	V
Polynesian storm-petrel Nesofregatta fuliginosa	B	B	B	B	B

Northern storm-petrels

Order: ProcellariiformesFamily: Hydrobatidae

Though the members of this family are similar in many respects to the southern storm-petrels, including their general appearance and habits, there are enough genetic differences to warrant their placement in a separate family.

Species	Viti Levu	Vanua Levu	Taveuni	Kadavu	Lomaiviti	Lau	Rotuma
Leach's storm-petrel Hydrobates leucorhous	V
Matsudaira's storm-petrel Hydrobates matsudairae	V

Shearwaters and petrels

Order: ProcellariiformesFamily: 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.

Species	Viti Levu	Vanua Levu	Taveuni	Kadavu	Lomaiviti	Lau	Rotuma
Southern giant-petrel Macronectes giganteus	V
Cape petrel Daption capense	V
Gray-faced petrel Pterodroma gouldi
Kermadec petrel Pterodroma neglecta	V
Herald petrel Pterodroma heraldica	V
Murphy's petrel Pterodroma ultima	V
Providence petrel Pterodroma solandri	V
Mottled petrel Pterodroma inexpectata	P
White-necked petrel Pterodroma cervicalis
Black-winged petrel Pterodroma nigripennis
Gould's petrel Pterodroma leucoptera	V
Collared petrel Pterodroma brevipes	B	B	B	B	B	B
Phoenix petrel Pterodroma alba	V
Fiji petrel Pseudobulweria macgillivrayi*					B
Tahiti petrel Pseudobulweria rostrata			B		B
Parkinson's petrel Procellaria parkinsoni	V
Flesh-footed shearwater Ardenna carneipes	V
Wedge-tailed shearwater Ardenna pacifica	B	B	B	B	B	B	B
Buller's shearwater Ardenna bulleri	V
Sooty shearwater Ardenna grisea	V
Short-tailed shearwater Ardenna tenuirostris	V
Christmas shearwater Puffinus nativitatis	V
Newell's shearwater Puffinus newelli
Tropical shearwater Puffinus bailloni	B	B	B	B	B	B

Frigatebirds

Order: SuliformesFamily: 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.

Species	Viti Levu	Vanua Levu	Taveuni	Kadavu	Lomaiviti	Lau	Rotuma
Lesser frigatebird Fregata ariel	B	B	B	B	B	B	B
Great frigatebird Fregata minor	R	R	R	R	R	R	R

Boobies and gannets

Order: SuliformesFamily: Sulidae

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

Species	Viti Levu	Vanua Levu	Taveuni	Kadavu	Lomaiviti	Lau	Rotuma
Masked booby Sula dactylatra	B	B	B	B	B	B	B
Brown booby Sula leucogaster	B	B	B	B	B	B	B
Red-footed booby Sula sula	B	B	B	B	B	B	B

Pelicans

Order: PelecaniformesFamily: 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.

Herons, egrets, and bitterns

Order: PelecaniformesFamily: 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.

Species	Viti Levu	Vanua Levu	Taveuni	Kadavu	Lomaiviti	Lau	Rotuma
Great egret Ardea alba	V
White-faced heron Egretta novaehollandiae	B?
Pacific reef-egret Egretta sacra	B	B	B	B	B	B	B
Cattle egret Bubulcus ibis	V
Striated heron Butorides striata	B	B	B	B	B	B

Ibises and spoonbills

Order: PelecaniformesFamily: 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.

Hawks, eagles, and kites

Order: AccipitriformesFamily: 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.

Species	Viti Levu	Vanua Levu	Taveuni	Kadavu	Lomaiviti	Lau	Rotuma
Swamp harrier Circus approximans	B	B	B	B	B	B
Fiji goshawk Accipiter rufitorques*	B	B	B	B	B

Barn-owls

Order: StrigiformesFamily: Tytonidae

Barn owls are medium to large owls with large heads and characteristic heart-shaped faces. They have long strong legs with powerful talons. There are 16 species worldwide and 2 species which occur in Fiji.

Tytonidae
Species	Viti Levu	Vanua Levu	Taveuni	Kadavu	Lomaiviti	Lau	Rotuma
Australasian grass-owl Tyto longimembris	X
Barn owl Tyto alba	B	B	B	B	B	B

Kingfishers

Order: CoraciiformesFamily: Alcedinidae

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

Falcons

Order: FalconiformesFamily: 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.

Old World parrots

Order: PsittaciformesFamily: Psittaculidae

Characteristic features of parrots include a strong curved bill, an upright stance, strong legs, and clawed zygodactyl feet. Many parrots are vividly coloured, and some are multi-coloured. In size they range from 81NaN1 to 11NaN1 in length. Old World parrots are found from Africa east across south and southeast Asia and Oceania to Australia and New Zealand.

Species	Viti Levu	Vanua Levu	Taveuni	Kadavu	Lomaiviti	Lau
Crimson shining-parrot Prosopeia splendens*^[2]	I			B
Red shining-parrot Prosopeia tabuensis*^[3]		B	B
Masked shining-parrot Prosopeia personata*	B
Red-throated lorikeet Vini amabilis*	B?	B?	B?		X
Collared lory Vini solitarius*	B	B	B	B	B	B
Blue-crowned lorikeet Vini australis						B

Honeyeaters

Order: PasseriformesFamily: Meliphagidae

The honeyeaters are a large and diverse family of small to medium-sized birds most common in Australia and New Guinea. They are nectar feeders and closely resemble other nectar-feeding passerines.

Species	Viti Levu	Vanua Levu	Taveuni	Kadavu	Lomaiviti	Lau	Rotuma
Rotuma myzomela Myzomela chermesina*							B
Orange-breasted myzomela Myzomela jugularis*	B	B	B	B	B	B
Kadavu honeyeater Meliphacator provocator*				B
Chattering giant-honeyeater Gymnomyza viridis*		B	B
Duetting giant-honeyeater Gymnomyza brunneirostris*	B
Western wattled-honeyeater Foulehaio procerior	B
Eastern wattled-honeyeater Foulehaio carunculatus				B	B	B	B
Northern wattled-honeyeater Foulehaio taviunensis*		B	B

Cuckooshrikes

Order: PasseriformesFamily: Campephagidae

The cuckooshrikes are small to medium-sized passerine birds. They are predominantly greyish with white and black, although some species are brightly coloured.

Whistlers and allies

Order: PasseriformesFamily: Pachycephalidae

The family Pachycephalidae includes the whistlers, shrikethrushes, and some of the pitohuis.

Woodswallows, bellmagpies, and allies

Order: PasseriformesFamily: Artamidae

The woodswallows are soft-plumaged, somber-coloured passerine birds. They are smooth, agile flyers with moderately large, semi-triangular wings. The cracticids: currawongs, bellmagpies and butcherbirds, are similar to the other corvids. They have large, straight bills and mostly black, white or grey plumage. All are omnivorous to some degree.

Species	Viti Levu	Vanua Levu	Taveuni	Kadavu	Lomaiviti	Lau	Rotuma
Fiji woodswallow Artamus mentalis*	B	B	B		B
Australian magpie Gymnorhina tibicen			I

Fantails

Order: PasseriformesFamily: Rhipiduridae

The fantails are small insectivorous birds which are specialist aerial feeders.

Species	Viti Levu	Vanua Levu	Taveuni	Kadavu	Lomaiviti
Taveuni silktail Lamprolia victoriae*			B
Natewa silktail Lamprolia klinesmithi*		B
Streaked fantail Rhipidura verreauxi	B	B	B		B
Kadavu fantail Rhipidura personata*				B

Monarch flycatchers

Order: PasseriformesFamily: Monarchidae

The monarch flycatchers are small to medium-sized insectivorous passerines which hunt by flycatching.

Species	Viti Levu	Vanua Levu	Taveuni	Kadavu	Lomaiviti	Lau	Rotuma
Ogea monarch Mayrornis versicolor*						B
Slaty monarch Mayrornis lessoni*	B	B	B	B	B	B
Fiji shrikebill Clytorhynchus vitiensis	B	B	B	B	B	B	B
Black-throated shrikebill Clytorhynchus nigrogularis	B	B	B	B	B
Vanikoro flycatcher Myiagra vanikorensis	B	B	B	B	B	B
Azure-crested flycatcher Myiagra azureocapilla*			B
Chestnut-throated flycatcher Myiagra castaneigularis*	B	B

Australasian robins

Order: PasseriformesFamily: Petroicidae

Most species of Petroicidae have a stocky build with a large rounded head, a short straight bill and rounded wingtips. They occupy a wide range of wooded habitats, from subalpine to tropical rainforest, and mangrove swamp to semi-arid scrubland. All are primarily insectivores, although a few supplement their diet with seeds.

Grassbirds and allies

Order: PasseriformesFamily: 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.

Swallows

Order: PasseriformesFamily: 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.

Bulbuls

Order: PasseriformesFamily: 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.

Bush warblers and allies

Order: PasseriformesFamily: 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.^[4]

White-eyes, yuhinas, and allies

Order: PasseriformesFamily: Zosteropidae

The white-eyes are small and mostly undistinguished, their plumage above being generally some dull colour like greenish-olive, but some species have a white or bright yellow throat, breast or lower parts, and several have buff flanks. As their name suggests, many species have a white ring around each eye.

Species	Viti Levu	Vanua Levu	Taveuni	Kadavu	Lomaiviti
Layard's white-eye Zosterops explorator*	B	B	B	B	B
Silvereye Zosterops lateralis	B	B	B	B	B
Yellow-fronted white-eye Zosterops flavifrons

Starlings

Order: PasseriformesFamily: 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.

Species	Viti Levu	Vanua Levu	Taveuni	Kadavu	Lomaiviti	Lau	Rotuma
Polynesian starling Aplonis tabuensis	B	B	B	B	B	B	B
European starling Sturnus vulgaris						I
Common myna Acridotheres tristis	I	I	I	I	I
Jungle myna Acridotheres fuscus	I

Thrushes and allies

Order: PasseriformesFamily: 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.

Waxbills and allies

Order: PasseriformesFamily: 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.

Species	Viti Levu	Vanua Levu	Taveuni	Kadavu
Red avadavat Amandava amandava	I	I
Fiji parrotfinch Erythrura pealii	B	B	B	B
Pink-billed parrotfinch Erythrura kleinschmidti*	B
Java sparrow Padda oryzivora	I	I	I

Old World sparrows

Order: PasseriformesFamily: 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.

References

Web site: Lepage . Denis . Checklist of Birds of Fiji . Bird Checklists of the World . Avibase . 28 January 2020.
Book: Clements , James F. . Birds of the World: A Checklist . Cornell University Press . 2000 . 0-934797-16-1 . 880.
Pratt, H., Bruner, P & Berrett, D. (1987) The Birds of Hawaii and the Tropical Pacific Princeton University Press: Princeton
Steadman D, (2006). Extinction and Biogeography in Tropical Pacific Birds, University of Chicago Press.

Notes

Notes and References

Pratt et al. (1987) assigned most kingfishers in Fiji to the sacred kingfisher species, whereas most other authorities assign it to the collared kingfisher species.
Steadman (2006) treats this species as a race of the red shining parrot.
The red shining parrot is endemic to Fiji but was introduced in prehistoric times to Tonga (Steadman, 2006)
Gill, F. and D. Donsker (Eds). 2019. IOC World Bird List (v 9.2). . http://www.worldbirdnames.org/ retrieved 22 June 2019.