Birds in Suriname, South America Dutch text English text Vogels in Suriname/Birds in Suriname




Some well-known birds in Suriname
Eudocimus ruber, Rode Ibis, Korikori, Scarlet Ibis,
Scarlet Ibis
Harpia harpyja, Harpij arend, Gonini, Harpy Eagle,
Harpy Eagle
Ramphastos tucanus, Roodsnaveltoekan, Kuyake, White-throated Toucan,
White-throated Toucan
Egretta thula, Amerikaanse Kleine Zilverreiger, Sabaku, Snowy Egret,
Snowy Egret
Amazona amazonica, Oranjevleugelamazone, Kulekule, Orange-winged Parrot,
Orange-winged Parrot
Sporophila crassirostris, Dikbekzaadkraker, Twa Twa, Large-billed Seed-Finch,
Large-billed Seed-Finch
Sporophila angolensis, Zwartkopzaadkraker, Pikolet, Chestnut-bellied Seed-Finch,
Chestnut-bellied Seed-Finch
Rupicola rupicola, Oranje rotshaan, Guianan Cock-of-the-rock,
Guianan Cock-of-the-rock
Ara macao, Geelvleugelara, Bokraaf, Scarlet Macaw,
Scarlet Macaw
Pitangus sulphuratus, Grote kiskadie, Grikibi, Great Kiskadee,
Great Kiskadee

The fifty most common birds in Suriname
Ramphocelus carbo, Fluweeltangare, Redikin, Silver-beaked Tanager, Redikin, Rode Kieng, Tjieng
1. Silver-beaked Tanager
Pitangus sulphuratus, Grote kiskadie, Grikibi, Great Kiskadee, Grikibi, Grietjebie
2. Great Kiskadee
Thraupis episcopus, Blauwe Tangare, Blawki, Blue-gray Tanager, Blawforki, Blawki, Blauwtje
3. Blue-gray Tanager
Tyrannus melancholicus, Tropische Koningstiran, Krontogrikibi, Tropical Kingbird, Krontogrikibi/ Tontoli/ Vliegenvanger
4. Tropical Kingbird
Progne chalybea, Grijsborst purperzwaluw, Gray-breasted Martin,
5. Gray-breasted Martin
Myiozetetes cayanensis, Roestvleugeltiran, Marechaussee Grikibi, Rusty-margined Flycatcher, Marechaussee grikibi
6. Rusty-margined Flycatcher
Amazona amazonica, Oranjevleugelamazone, Kulekule, Orange-winged Parrot, Kule kule, Kulekule, Koelekoele
7. Orange-winged Parrot
Troglodytes aedon, Huiswinterkoning, Gadotjo, Gadotyo, House Wren, Gadotjo, Godsvogeltje
8. House Wren
Coereba flaveola, Suikerdiefje, Bakbatitri, Bananaquit, Bakbatitri
9. Bananaquit
Thraupis palmarum, Palmtangare, Krontoblawki, Palm Tanager, Krontoblawki
10. Palm Tanager
Coragyps atratus, Zwarte Gier, Blaka-ede Tingifowru, Black Vulture, Blaka-ede tingifowru
11. Black Vulture
Crotophaga ani, Kleine Ani, Kawfutuboi, Smooth-billed Ani, Kawfutuboi
12. Smooth-billed Ani
Columbina talpacoti, Steenduif, Stonka, Ruddy Ground-Dove, Stonka
13. Ruddy Ground-Dove
Turdus leucomelas, Vaalborstlijster, Bonkidif, Pale-breasted Thrush, Bonkidif, boontjedief
14. Pale-breasted Thrush
Mimus gilvus, Tropische spotlijster, Dagukafowru, Tropical Mockingbird, Dagukafowru, Dagufowru, Langatere
15. Tropical Mockingbird
Butorides striata, Mangrovereiger, Tjontjon, Striated Heron, Tjontjon
16. Striated Heron
Actitis macularius, Amerikaanse Oeverloper, Spotted Sandpiper, Snepi
17. Spotted Sandpiper
Psarocolius decumanus, Kuiforopendola, Ponpon, Crested Oropendola, Ponpon
18. Crested Oropendola
Ramphastos tucanus, Roodsnaveltoekan, Kuyake, White-throated Toucan, Kuyake
19. White-throated Toucan
Pandion haliaetus, Visarend, Bigi Fisi Aka, Osprey, Bigi Fisi Aka
20. Osprey
Jacana jacana, Leljacana, Kepanki, Wattled Jacana, Kepanki
21. Wattled Jacana
Megaceryle torquata, Amerikaanse Reuzenijsvogel, Bigi Fisman, Ringed Kingfisher, Bigi Fisman
22. Ringed Kingfisher
Bubulcus ibis, Koereiger, Cattle Egret, Koereiger/sabaku
23. Cattle Egret
Todirostrum cinereum, Geelbuikschoffelsnavel, Common Tody-Flycatcher, Bakbatitri
24. Common Tody-Flycatcher
Cacicus cela, Geelstuitbuidelspreeuw, Banabeki, Yellow-rumped Cacique, Banabeki
25. Yellow-rumped Cacique
Lipaugus vociferans, Schreeuwpiha, Pipiyo, Screaming Piha, Pipiyo, Paipaiyo, Busiskowtu, Kwetkwetyaba
26. Screaming Piha
Volatinia jacarina, Jacarina-gors, Srio, Blue-black Grassquit, Srio / Dansmeestertje
27. Blue-black Grassquit
Sakesphorus canadensis, Zwartkuifmierklauwier, Black-crested Antshrike, Mirafowru, Peprefowru
28. Black-crested Antshrike
Elaenia flavogaster, Geelbuikelenia, Tyarman, Yellow-bellied Elaenia, Tyarman
29. Yellow-bellied Elaenia
Sporophila americana, Bont dikbekje, Dyak, Wing-barred Seedeater, Dyak
30. Wing-barred Seedeater
Ramphastos vitellinus, Groefsnaveltoekan, Blakanoso, Channel-billed Toucan, Blakanoso
31. Channel-billed Toucan
Milvago chimachima, Geelkopcaracara, Tingifowru Aka, Yellow-headed Caracara, Tingifowru aka
32. Yellow-headed Caracara
Cathartes melambrotus, Grote Geelkopgier, Greater Yellow-headed Vulture, Tingifowru
33. Greater Yellow-headed Vulture
Brotogeris chrysoptera, Oranjevleugelparkiet, Kankantriprakiki, Golden-winged Parakeet, Kankantri prakiki
34. Golden-winged Parakeet
Tachycineta albiventer, Witbuikzwaluw, White-winged Swallow,
35. White-winged Swallow
Fluvicola pica, Bonte Watertiran, Katunfowru, Pied Water-Tyrant, Gotro motyo, Katunfowru
36. Pied Water-Tyrant
Certhiaxis cinnamomea, Geelkeelstekelstaart, Fityo, Yellow-chinned Spinetail, Fityo
37. Yellow-chinned Spinetail
Trogon viridis, Groenrugtrogon, Udulosofowru, Green-backed Trogon, Udulosofowru
38. Green-backed Trogon
Thamnophilus doliatus, Gebandeerde Mierklauwier, Koko, Barred Antshrike, Koko
39. Barred Antshrike
Cantochilus leucotis, Witoorwinterkoning, Busigadofowru, Buff-breasted Wren, Busi gadofowru
40. Buff-breasted Wren
Cathartes aura, Roodkopgier,  Redi-ede Tingifowru, Turkey Vulture, Redi-ede tingifowru
41. Turkey Vulture
Rupornis magnirostris, Wegbuizerd, Doifi Aka, Roadside Hawk, Doifi-aka
42. Roadside Hawk
Leptotila rufaxilla, Grijskruinduif, Pasidoifi, Gray-fronted Dove, Pasidoifi / Paskadoifi
43. Gray-fronted Dove
Piaya cayana, Eekhoornkoekoek, Pikan, Squirrel Cuckoo, Pikan (resembling the sound it makes)
44. Squirrel Cuckoo
Chelidoptera tenebrosa, Zwaluwbaardkoekoek, Gronman, Swallow-winged Puffbird, Gronman
45. Swallow-winged Puffbird
Polioptila plumbea, Amazone muggenvanger, Tropical Gnatcatcher,
46. Tropical Gnatcatcher
Todirostrum maculatum, Gevlekte Schoffelsnavel, Spotted Tody-Flycatcher,
47. Spotted Tody-Flycatcher
Egretta thula, Amerikaanse Kleine Zilverreiger, Sabaku, Snowy Egret, Sabakoe/Galin
48. Snowy Egret
Egretta caerulea, Kleine Blauwe Reiger, Blaw sabaku, Little Blue Heron, Blaw Sabaku
49. Little Blue Heron
Chaetura brachyura, Kortstaartgierzwaluw, Short-tailed Swift,
50. Short-tailed Swift


Above are the 50 most common birds of Suriname: They were most cited by birdwatchers in the last 50 years. For the order on this list, more birds of one species on the same day were counted as one observation. Otherwise a bird like the semipalmated sandpiper, which visits the coast each year with millions of birds, would have been number one.
Some 680 birds have their own page with pictures on this site (660+ of them with a photo made in Suriname). About 200 birds have their sound on this site. For all 759 birdspecies recognised for Suriname in November 2023 distribution maps for Suriname are available. Of these recognised species 15 have no physical evidence, as a photo, from Suriname: see account of new species and are indicated with HYP(othetical). The number of known bird species for Suriname changes and for many years now this number changes by on the average 2-3 species a year.

A Field Guide to the birds of Suriname

by A.L. Spaans, O.H. Ottema and J.H.J.M. Ribot is on the market, first published by Brill, Leiden in November 2015, and can be obtained via this publisher or via bookstores and webshops. It has 100+ pages with beautiful illustrations (1600+) by Ber van Perlo. In November 2018 a second revised edition has been published. I hear it is difficult to get or maybe sold out.

Fatbirder's Top 1000 Birding Websites Last update: November 2023 by Jan Hein Ribot. Please mail your comments, photos to: jhribot ( residing at ) gmail (point!) com.
observations can be uploaded to suriname.observation.org or ebird.org ).