IOC English Name Scientific Name Comments
     
 
ORDER PELECANIFORMES
  
Ibises, Spoonbills (34)
Family Threskiornithidae
 PHY (1)
African Sacred Ibis Threskiornis aethiopicus ENG (2)
Malagasy Sacred Ibis Threskiornis bernieri AS (3)
Black-headed Ibis Threskiornis melanocephalus  
Australian White Ibis Threskiornis molucca  
Straw-necked Ibis Threskiornis spinicollis  
Red-naped Ibis Pseudibis papillosa  
White-shouldered Ibis Pseudibis davisoni  
Giant Ibis Pseudibis gigantea  
Northern Bald Ibis Geronticus eremita  
Southern Bald Ibis Geronticus calvus  
Crested Ibis Nipponia nippon  
Olive Ibis Bostrychia olivacea  
Sao Tome Ibis Bostrychia bocagei  
Spot-breasted Ibis Bostrychia rara  
Hadada Ibis Bostrychia hagedash  
Wattled Ibis Bostrychia carunculata  
Plumbeous Ibis Theristicus caerulescens  
Buff-necked Ibis Theristicus caudatus  
Black-faced Ibis Theristicus melanopis  
Sharp-tailed Ibis Cercibis oxycerca  
Green Ibis Mesembrinibis cayennensis  
Bare-faced Ibis Phimosus infuscatus  
American White Ibis Eudocimus albus  
Scarlet Ibis Eudocimus ruber  
Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus  
White-faced Ibis Plegadis chihi  
Puna Ibis Plegadis ridgwayi  
Madagascar Ibis Lophotibis cristata  
Eurasian Spoonbill Platalea leucorodia  
Black-faced Spoonbill Platalea minor  
African Spoonbill Platalea alba  
Royal Spoonbill Platalea regia  
Yellow-billed Spoonbill Platalea flavipes  
Roseate Spoonbill Platalea ajaja  
     
Herons, Bitterns (67)
Family Ardeidae
 PHY (4)
Forest Bittern Zonerodius heliosylus  
White-crested Tiger Heron Tigriornis leucolopha  
Rufescent Tiger Heron Tigrisoma lineatum  
Fasciated Tiger Heron Tigrisoma fasciatum  
Bare-throated Tiger Heron Tigrisoma mexicanum  
Agami Heron Agamia agami  
Boat-billed Heron Cochlearius cochlearius  
Zigzag Heron Zebrilus undulatus  
Eurasian Bittern Botaurus stellaris  
Australasian Bittern Botaurus poiciloptilus  
American Bittern Botaurus lentiginosus  
Pinnated Bittern Botaurus pinnatus  
Stripe-backed Bittern Ixobrychus involucris  
Least Bittern Ixobrychus exilis  
Little Bittern Ixobrychus minutus  
Black-backed Bittern Ixobrychus dubius AS (5)
Yellow Bittern Ixobrychus sinensis  
Von Schrenck's Bittern Ixobrychus eurhythmus  
Cinnamon Bittern Ixobrychus cinnamomeus  
Dwarf Bittern Ixobrychus sturmii  
Black Bittern Dupetor flavicollis  
White-eared Night Heron Gorsachius magnificus  
Japanese Night Heron Gorsachius goisagi  
Malayan Night Heron Gorsachius melanolophus  
White-backed Night Heron Gorsachius leuconotus  
Black-crowned Night Heron Nycticorax nycticorax  
Nankeen Night Heron Nycticorax caledonicus ENG (6)
Yellow-crowned Night Heron Nyctanassa violacea  
Green Heron Butorides virescens  
Lava Heron Butorides sundevalli AS (7)
Striated Heron Butorides striata  
Squacco Heron Ardeola ralloides  
Indian Pond Heron Ardeola grayii  
Chinese Pond Heron Ardeola bacchus  
Javan Pond Heron Ardeola speciosa  
Malagasy Pond Heron Ardeola idae  
Rufous-bellied Heron Ardeola rufiventris  
Western Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis ENG (8)
Eastern Cattle Egret Bubulcus coromandus AS (9)
Grey Heron Ardea cinerea  
Great Blue Heron Ardea herodias  
Cocoi Heron Ardea cocoi  
White-necked Heron Ardea pacifica  
Black-headed Heron Ardea melanocephala  
Humblot's Heron Ardea humbloti  
White-bellied Heron Ardea insignis  
Great-billed Heron Ardea sumatrana  
Goliath Heron Ardea goliath  
Purple Heron Ardea purpurea  
Western Great Egret Ardea alba ENG (10)
Eastern Great Egret Ardea modesta AS (11)
Capped Heron Pilherodius pileatus  
Whistling Heron Syrigma sibilatrix  
Intermediate Egret Egretta intermedia ENG (12)
Pied Heron Egretta picata  
White-faced Heron Egretta novaehollandiae  
Reddish Egret Egretta rufescens  
Black Heron Egretta ardesiaca  
Slaty Egret Egretta vinaceigula  
Tricolored Heron Egretta tricolor  
Little Blue Heron Egretta caerulea  
Snowy Egret Egretta thula  
Little Egret Egretta garzetta  
Western Reef Heron Egretta gularis  
Dimorphic Egret Egretta dimorpha  
Pacific Reef Heron Egretta sacra  
Chinese Egret Egretta eulophotes  
     
Frigatebirds (5)
Family Fregatidae
  
Ascension Frigatebird Fregata aquila  
Christmas Frigatebird Fregata andrewsi  
Magnificent Frigatebird Fregata magnificens  
Great Frigatebird Fregata minor  
Lesser Frigatebird Fregata ariel  
     
Hamerkop (1)
Family Scopidae
  
Hamerkop Scopus umbretta  
     
Shoebill (1)
Family Balaenicipitidae
  
Shoebill Balaeniceps rex  
     
Pelicans (8)
Family Pelecanidae
  
Great White Pelican Pelecanus onocrotalus  
Pink-backed Pelican Pelecanus rufescens  
Spot-billed Pelican Pelecanus philippensis  
Dalmatian Pelican Pelecanus crispus  
Australian Pelican Pelecanus conspicillatus  
American White Pelican Pelecanus erythrorhynchos  
Brown Pelican Pelecanus occidentalis  
Peruvian Pelican Pelecanus thagus  
     
Gannets, Boobies (10)
Family Sulidae
  
Northern Gannet Morus bassanus  
Cape Gannet Morus capensis  
Australasian Gannet Morus serrator  
Abbott's Booby Papasula abbotti  
Blue-footed Booby Sula nebouxii  
Peruvian Booby Sula variegata  
Masked Booby Sula dactylatra  
Nazca Booby Sula granti  
Red-footed Booby Sula sula  
Brown Booby Sula leucogaster  
     
Cormorants, shags (36)
Family Phalacrocoracidae
 TAX (13)
Little Pied Cormorant Microcarbo melanoleucos TAX (14)
Reed Cormorant Microcarbo africanus  
Crowned Cormorant Microcarbo coronatus  
Little Cormorant Microcarbo niger  
Pygmy Cormorant Microcarbo pygmeus  
Red-legged Cormorant Phalacrocorax gaimardi TAX; ENG (15)
Flightless Cormorant Phalacrocorax harrisi TAX (16)
Bank Cormorant Phalacrocorax neglectus  
Spotted Shag Phalacrocorax punctatus  
Pitt Shag Phalacrocorax featherstoni  
Brandt's Cormorant Phalacrocorax penicillatus  
Pelagic Cormorant Phalacrocorax pelagicus ENG (17)
Red-faced Cormorant Phalacrocorax urile ENG (18)
Neotropic Cormorant Phalacrocorax brasilianus  
Double-crested Cormorant Phalacrocorax auritus  
European Shag Phalacrocorax aristotelis  
Black-faced Cormorant Phalacrocorax fuscescens  
Indian Cormorant Phalacrocorax fuscicollis  
Little Black Cormorant Phalacrocorax sulcirostris  
Australian Pied Cormorant Phalacrocorax varius  
Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo  
White-breasted Cormorant Phalacrocorax lucidus  
Japanese Cormorant Phalacrocorax capillatus  
Cape Cormorant Phalacrocorax capensis  
Socotra Cormorant Phalacrocorax nigrogularis  
Rock Shag Phalacrocorax magellanicus  
Guanay Cormorant Leucocarbo bougainvillii TAX (19)
Imperial Shag Leucocarbo atriceps TAX (20)
King Shag Leucocarbo albiventer TAX (21)
Kerguelen Shag Leucocarbo verrucosus  
Rough-faced Shag Leucocarbo carunculatus  
Bronze Shag Leucocarbo chalconotus  
Chatham Shag Leucocarbo onslowi  
Campbell Shag Leucocarbo campbelli  
Auckland Shag Leucocarbo colensoi  
Bounty Shag Leucocarbo ranfurlyi  
     
Anhingas, darters (4)
Family Anhingidae
  
Oriental Darter Anhinga melanogaster ENG (22)
African Darter Anhinga rufa AS (23)
Australasian Darter Anhinga novaehollandiae AS (24)
Anhinga Anhinga anhinga  

Footnotes:

  1. Ibises and spoonbills (Threskiornithidae) and herons (Ardeidae) are sister taxa in the Order Pelecaniformes (Hackett et al. 2008)
  2. CHANGE: English name of Threskiornis aethiopicus to African Sacred Ibis with split of T.bernieri
  3. Threskiornis bernieri is split from T.aethiopicus; recognized by BLI
  4. The herons (Ardeidae) and ibises,spoonbills (Threskiornithidae) are sister taxa in the Order Pelecaniformes (Hackett et al. 2008)
  5. Ixobrychus dubius is split from I. minutus (Rasmussen & Anderton 2005, Christidis & Boles 2008).
  6. CHANGE English name of Nycticorax caledonicus to Nankeen Night Heron, preferred name in AU region and correct original color reference (Lecroy pers comm)
  7. Butorides sundevalli is split from B. striata (Harris 1982, Dickinson 2003); SACC needs new data
  8. CHANGE: English name of Bubulcus ibis to (Western) Cattle Egret with split of B. coromandus
  9. Bubulcus coromandus is split from B. ibis (Rasmussen & Anderton 2005).
  10. CHANGE: English name of Ardea alba to Western Great Egret with split of A. modesta
  11. Ardea modesta is split from A. alba (Sheldon 1987, Collar 2007, Christidis & Boles 2008).
  12. CHANGE: English name of Egretta intermedia to Intermediate Egret to conform to broadest usage.
  13. The genera of cormorants and the distinctions between "shags" and "cormorants" remain mostly unresolved due to conflicts among studies and missing taxa (Siegel-Causey 1988, Kennedy et al 2000, Christidis & Boles 2008). Except for species of Microcarbo, we include 21 species conservatively in Phalacrocorax, and 10 other species as core members of Leucocarbo.
  14. Microcarbo cormorants are split from Phalacrocorax (Siegel-Causey 1988, Kennedy et al 2000, Christidis & Boles 2008)
  15. Red-legged Cormorant likely represents a monotypic clade; default to Phalacrocorax for now (Kennedy et al 2000; Christidis and Boles 2008); CHANGE English name from Shag to Cormorant
  16. Flightless Cormorant is most closely related to Double-crested and Neotropic cormorants in Phalacrocorax (Kennedy et al.2009)
  17. CHANGE: English name of Phalacrocorax pelagicus to Pelagic Cormorant to follow AOU
  18. CHANGE: English name from Phalacrocorax urile to Red-faced Cormorant to follow AOU
  19. Genus Leucocarbo includes at least 10 core species (Kennedy et al. 2000; Christidis and Boles 2008)
  20. Species limits within Imperial Shag complex are uncertain (Orta 1992, Dickinson 2003, Jaramillo 2003); see Proposed Splits
  21. Sympatry of King Shag and Imperial Shag in s SA needs study to resolve status as species or color morph (Siegel-Causey 1986, Jaramillo 2003); see also Proposed Splits
  22. CHANGE: English name of Anhinga melanogaster from Darter to Oriental Darter with split of A. rufa and A. novaehollandiae
  23. Anhinga rufa is split from A. melanogaster (Rasmussen & Anderton 2005, Kennedy et al. 2005).
  24. Anhinga novaehollandiae is split from <A. melanogaster</i> (Rasmussen & Anderton 2005, Christidis & Boles 2008, Kennedy et al. 2005).