Mauritania’s coastlines, wetlands and Sahelian edges support a surprising mix of waterbirds, raptors and migratory passerines. From tidal flats to inland pools, the country offers distinct habitats that birdwatchers and researchers use to track seasonal movements and resident populations.
There are 70 Birds of Mauritania, ranging from African Fish Eagle to Yellow-billed Kite. For each species you’ll find below the Scientific name, Status, Where to see — arranged to help you spot, identify, and understand each entry you’ll find below.
Where are the best places in Mauritania to see these species?
Banc d’Arguin National Park is the top site for coastal and wader species, while the Senegal River valley and its wetlands attract both residents and winter migrants; inland, oases and Sahelian pools hold waterbirds and raptors. Visit during peak migration (roughly November–March) for the widest variety.
How current and reliable is this list, and how are statuses assigned?
The list compiles recent field records and regional checklists; statuses (resident, migrant, winter visitor, etc.) reflect published observations and community databases. For the latest changes check local conservation reports or platforms like eBird and national ornithological groups before planning a trip.
Birds of Mauritania
| Common name | Scientific name | Status | Where to see |
|---|---|---|---|
| Greater Flamingo | Phoenicopterus roseus | Winter visitor and local breeder; large flocks in cold months | Coastal flats,Banc d’Arguin |
| Northern Gannet | Morus bassanus | Winter visitor offshore; large seabird flocks | Atlantic coast,offshore currents |
| Grey Heron | Ardea cinerea | Resident and winter visitor year-round | Wetlands,estuaries,rivers |
| Great Egret | Ardea alba | Winter visitor and resident locally | Marshes,water edges,Banc d’Arguin |
| Little Egret | Egretta garzetta | Resident and winter visitor | Coastal flats,estuaries,wetlands |
| Purple Heron | Ardea purpurea | Passage migrant and winter visitor | Reeds,mangroves,riverine marshes |
| Western Reef Heron | Egretta gularis | Resident along rocky/coastal areas | Rocky shores,tidal pools,Banc d’Arguin |
| Great Cormorant | Phalacrocorax carbo | Winter visitor and offshore resident | Rocky coasts,estuaries,islands |
| Long-tailed Cormorant | Microcarbo africanus | Resident in coastal and inland waters | Lagoons,river mouths,estuaries |
| Osprey | Pandion haliaetus | Passage migrant and winter visitor | Coast,river mouths,estuaries |
| Grey-headed Gull | Chroicocephalus cirrocephalus | Resident coastal species year-round | Coastal mudflats,Banc d’Arguin,ports |
| Slender-billed Gull | Chroicocephalus genei | Resident and winter visitor to mudflats | Coastal flats,saline lagoons |
| Sandwich Tern | Thalasseus sandvicensis | Winter visitor and passage migrant | Coastal beaches,islands,Banc d’Arguin |
| Royal Tern | Thalasseus maximus | Regular winter visitor and local breeder | Sandy beaches,islands,estuaries |
| Common Tern | Sterna hirundo | Passage migrant and winter visitor | Coastal lagoons,estuaries,islands |
| Little Tern | Sternula albifrons | Passage migrant and winter visitor | Sandy beaches,tidal flats,islands |
| Sooty Tern | Onychoprion fuscatus | Pelagic visitor offshore | Offshore waters,islands |
| Ruddy Turnstone | Arenaria interpres | Common winter visitor and passage migrant | Rocky shores,tidal flats,banks |
| Sanderling | Calidris alba | Abundant winter visitor on sandy shores | Sandy beaches,tidal flats,Banc d’Arguin |
| Red Knot | Calidris canutus | Regular winter visitor on migration | Mudflats,sandy shores,Banc d’Arguin |
| Dunlin | Calidris alpina | Common winter visitor and passage migrant | Mudflats and estuaries |
| Curlew Sandpiper | Calidris ferruginea | Passage migrant and winter visitor | Mudflats,sandy flats |
| Little Stint | Calidris minuta | Passage migrant and winter visitor | Mudflats,saline pans,lagoons |
| Grey Plover | Pluvialis squatarola | Regular winter visitor and passage migrant | Coastline,mudflats,tidal flats |
| Common Ringed Plover | Charadrius hiaticula | Winter visitor and passage migrant | Sandy shores,tidal flats,estuaries |
| Kentish Plover | Charadrius alexandrinus | Resident and winter visitor on coast | Sandy beaches,salt pans,lagoons |
| Pied Avocet | Recurvirostra avosetta | Regular winter visitor and local breeder | Shallow coastal lagoons,salt pans |
| Black-winged Stilt | Himantopus himantopus | Resident and winter visitor | Shallow lagoons,salt pans,estuaries |
| Eurasian Oystercatcher | Haematopus ostralegus | Winter visitor and passage migrant | Rocky shores,tidal flats,estuaries |
| Whimbrel | Numenius phaeopus | Winter visitor and passage migrant | Coastal flats,mudbanks |
| Bar-tailed Godwit | Limosa lapponica | Winter visitor and passage migrant | Mudflats,estuaries,sandy shores |
| Common Sandpiper | Actitis hypoleucos | Winter visitor and migrant | Riverbanks,estuaries,coastal pools |
| Common Greenshank | Tringa nebularia | Winter visitor and passage migrant | Marshes,mudflats,estuaries |
| Marsh Sandpiper | Tringa stagnatilis | Passage migrant and winter visitor | Shallow wetlands,salt pans |
| Little Grebe | Tachybaptus ruficollis | Resident in freshwater wetlands | Lagoons,river pools,reservoirs |
| Glossy Ibis | Plegadis falcinellus | Passage migrant and winter visitor | Marshes,mangroves,coastal flats |
| White Stork | Ciconia ciconia | Passage migrant and winter visitor | Wetlands,agricultural areas,south regions |
| Black Stork | Ciconia nigra | Passage migrant and occasional winter visitor | Wetlands,riverine areas |
| African Sacred Ibis | Threskiornis aethiopicus | Resident and regular at wetlands | Marshes,floodplains,coastal lagoons |
| Barn Swallow | Hirundo rustica | Summer migrant; passage and winter visitor | Open country,wetlands,towns |
| Sand Martin | Riparia riparia | Passage migrant and summer visitor | Riverbanks,wetlands,sand cliffs |
| European Bee-eater | Merops apiaster | Passage migrant and summer visitor | Open country,Sahel edges,river valleys |
| Common Kestrel | Falco tinnunculus | Resident and migrant across the country | Open habitats,desert margins,coast |
| Lesser Kestrel | Falco naumanni | Passage migrant and occasional breeder | Open plains,towns,Sahelian areas |
| Peregrine Falcon | Falco peregrinus | Resident and passage migrant | Coastal cliffs,open country,towns |
| Barbary Falcon | Falco pelegrinoides | Rare resident/visitor in rocky deserts | Cliffs,escarpments,arid zones |
| Tawny Eagle | Aquila rapax | Resident and winter visitor in Sahel | Open savanna,Sahelian zones,wetlands |
| Steppe Eagle | Aquila nipalensis | Winter visitor and passage migrant | Sahelian plains,wetlands |
| Desert Wheatear | Oenanthe deserti | Resident breeder in arid zones | Stony desert,dunes,rocky areas |
| White-crowned Wheatear | Oenanthe leucopyga | Resident of rocky desert areas | Rocky outcrops,plateaus,dunes |
| Northern Wheatear | Oenanthe oenanthe | Passage migrant and winter visitor | Open ground,coastal dunes,desert edges |
| Cream-coloured Courser | Cursorius cursor | Resident and local breeder in deserts | Open dunes,gravel plains,Sahara |
| Greater Hoopoe-Lark | Alaemon alaudipes | Resident desert specialist | Sand dunes,stony plains,erg areas |
| Desert Lark | Ammomanes deserti | Resident in sandy/rocky deserts | Stony plains,dunes,desert margins |
| Trumpeter Finch | Bucanetes githagineus | Resident in arid regions | Desert,rocky hills,oasis edges |
| Desert Sparrow | Passer simplex | Resident in Sahara, often near oases | Oases,wadis,villages in desert |
| House Sparrow | Passer domesticus | Introduced resident in towns and villages | Towns,ports,villages across Mauritania |
| Laughing Dove | Spilopelia senegalensis | Resident in Sahel and southern areas | Town gardens,scrub,farmland near rivers |
| Namaqua Dove | Oena capensis | Resident in open dry habitats | Scrub,arid plains,Sahel edges |
| Senegal Thick-knee | Burhinus senegalensis | Resident in wetlands and drylands | Mudflats,dry lagoons,river edges |
| White Wagtail | Motacilla alba | Passage migrant and winter visitor | Riverbanks,wetlands,agricultural areas |
| Yellow Wagtail | Motacilla flava | Passage migrant and winter visitor | Wet grasslands,floodplains,rice fields |
| Little Ringed Plover | Charadrius dubius | Passage migrant and local breeder on freshwater | River gravel,roadside pools,reservoirs |
| White-winged Tern | Chlidonias leucopterus | Passage migrant and winter visitor | Freshwater lagoons,marshes,rice fields |
| Whiskered Tern | Chlidonias hybrida | Passage migrant and winter visitor | Freshwater marshes,reservoirs |
| Black-tailed Godwit | Limosa limosa | Passage migrant and winter visitor | Marshes,estuaries,mudflats |
| Black Kite | Milvus migrans | Resident and migrant scavenger | Open country,wetlands,towns |
| Yellow-billed Kite | Milvus aegyptius | Resident in Sahelian and southern zones | Sahel plains,wetlands,river valleys |
| African Fish Eagle | Haliaeetus vocifer | Resident near large rivers and reservoirs | Senegal River,reservoirs,wetlands |
| Caspian Tern | Hydroprogne caspia | Passage migrant and winter visitor | Coasts,large lagoons,estuaries |
Images and Descriptions
Greater Flamingo
Tall pink wader, about 1.2 m, feeds by filter-feeding on brine shrimp and algae. Forms vast flocks on coastal mudflats and shallow lagoons, very visible during winter and occasional breeding at protected sites.
Northern Gannet
Large white diving seabird, 75–90 cm, with long narrow wings and pointed bill. Plunges from height to catch fish, forms tight feeding rafts offshore in productive coastal waters during winter months.
Grey Heron
Large grey heron, roughly 90–100 cm, often stands motionless to ambush fish. Solitary or loose groups frequent estuaries and inland wetlands; common and widespread across Mauritania’s suitable water bodies.
Great Egret
Elegant all-white heron, 95–110 cm, with long neck and yellow bill. Hunts fish and amphibians in shallow water, often seen in small groups at lagoons, mangroves and river margins.
Little Egret
Small white egret, 55–65 cm, with black legs and fine bill, often sporting plumes in breeding season. Active on mudflats and shallow pools, catching invertebrates and small fish.
Purple Heron
Slender, secretive heron around 80–90 cm, with chestnut and purple tones. Prefers dense wetland vegetation; skulks among reeds and mangroves, feeding quietly on fish and amphibians.
Western Reef Heron
Coastal egret occurring in dark and white morphs, 45–55 cm. Skulks along tidal rocks and shallow pools hunting crabs and small fish, common along Mauritania’s shoreline.
Great Cormorant
Large black seabird, 70–90 cm, strong diver that pursues fish underwater. Often seen perched drying wings, occurring along rocky shores, jetties and islands in coastal waters.
Long-tailed Cormorant
Small cormorant, 45–55 cm, with slender build and long tail. Dives for fish in shallow water, common in southern wetlands and coastal lagoons where sheltered feeding is available.
Osprey
Distinctive fish-eating raptor, 50–60 cm, white underparts and dark eye stripe. Hovers then plunges talons-first to capture fish, seen along coasts and major river mouths during migration and winter.
Grey-headed Gull
Medium gull, 35–40 cm, with a grey head in breeding season and white body. Feeds on fish, invertebrates and refuse, common around mudflats, ports and coastal lagoons.
Slender-billed Gull
Elegant gull, 40–45 cm, with a slim bill and long wings. Prefers shallow coastal lagoons and salt pans, often seen feeding on small fish and invertebrates in calm waters.
Sandwich Tern
Medium tern, 40–45 cm, with black cap and dagger-like bill. Agile plunge-diver for small fish, seen in coastal flocks and at breeding islands during favorable seasons.
Royal Tern
Large tern, 45–48 cm, with orange bill and black cap. Cruises coastal waters and plunges for fish, often seen singly or in loose groups along Mauritania’s shoreline.
Common Tern
Slim elegant tern, 32–35 cm, with forked tail and agile flight. Catches small fish by surface plunges, common on migration and in winter along the coast.
Little Tern
Small delicate tern, 20–25 cm, with short bill and yellow base. Hunts insects and tiny fish close to shore; nests on open sandy beaches and islands during passage.
Sooty Tern
Dark seabird, 36–40 cm, spends most of its life at sea. Long-winged and fast, occasionally seen far offshore from Mauritania, often among feeding seabird flocks.
Ruddy Turnstone
Stout wader, 20–25 cm, mottled plumage and bright orange legs. Flips stones and debris to find invertebrates, very conspicuous on rocky coasts and jetties.
Sanderling
Small, plump sandpiper, 18–20 cm, famous for running with retreating waves. Probes sand for crustaceans, forming extensive flocks on exposed beaches.
Red Knot
Stocky sandpiper, 22–25 cm, long-distance migrant that feeds on bivalves and worms on tidal flats. Gathers in large concentrations at prime mudflat feeding sites.
Dunlin
Small sandpiper, 17–21 cm, with slightly decurved bill. Probes soft mud for invertebrates, forming mixed flocks with other calidrids on coastal flats.
Curlew Sandpiper
Small sandpiper, 18–20 cm, reddish in breeding plumage. Probes mud and sand for small prey, often forms large flocks during migration stopovers on Mauritanian coasts.
Little Stint
Tiny sandpiper, 12–15 cm, very active and quick on shallow mud. Feeds on minute invertebrates and often occurs in mixed flocks with other small waders.
Grey Plover
Chunky plover, 30–33 cm, striking black-and-white breeding plumage. Forages on exposed mud and sand for worms and crustaceans, often in conspicuous flocks.
Common Ringed Plover
Small plover, 18–20 cm, with a clear black breast band. Forages along the waterline for small invertebrates, common on exposed beaches and estuaries.
Kentish Plover
Small pale plover, 14–16 cm, prefers open sandy habitat. Quick and alert, it picks tiny invertebrates from the surface of sand and salt flats.
Pied Avocet
Striking black-and-white wader, 40–45 cm, with upcurved bill that sweeps water to capture crustaceans. Nests in colonies on exposed flats.
Black-winged Stilt
Elegant long-legged wader, 35–40 cm, with very long pink legs and thin bill. Picks small invertebrates from shallow water; often seen in pairs or loose groups.
Eurasian Oystercatcher
Bold black-and-white shorebird, 40–46 cm, with robust orange bill used to pry open shellfish. Common on rocky coastlines and productive tidal flats.
Whimbrel
Large curlew-like wader, 45–50 cm, with strongly decurved bill and distinctive head stripe. Probes deep for worms and crustaceans along coasts and mudflats.
Bar-tailed Godwit
Large wader, 40–45 cm, with long slightly upturned bill. Feeds on bivalves and worms in soft mud, often forming large coastal flocks.
Common Sandpiper
Small brown-and-white wader, 20–23 cm, characteristically bobs tail while picking insects and small crustaceans along water edges and rocky shores.
Common Greenshank
Tall green-legged wader, 30–34 cm, runs through shallow water probing for fish and aquatic invertebrates. Often seen at estuaries and inland wetlands during migration.
Marsh Sandpiper
Slender wader, 23–26 cm, with delicate legs and bill. Forages in shallow water for insects and small crustaceans, favoring quiet saline and freshwater pans.
Little Grebe
Small diving waterbird, 20–30 cm, with short neck and bill. Swims low on the water and dives frequently for small fish and aquatic invertebrates in sheltered waters.
Glossy Ibis
Dark iridescent ibis, 60–70 cm, with long decurved bill. Probes soft mud for invertebrates in shallow wetlands and is often seen in small flocks.
White Stork
Large black-and-white stork, 100–115 cm, long legs and bill. Often seen on migration and wintering in Sahelian wetlands and agricultural floodplains.
Black Stork
Shy black-and-white stork, 95–100 cm, prefers less disturbed wetlands and river valleys. Seen during migration and occasionally in winter in suitable habitats.
African Sacred Ibis
White ibis with bare black head and long decurved bill, 65–75 cm. Probes mud for invertebrates, often in flocks at wetlands and lagoon margins.
Barn Swallow
Familiar swallow, 17–20 cm, glossy blue upperparts and forked tail. Agile aerial insectivore, common during migration and summer in open habitats across Mauritania.
Sand Martin
Small brown-and-white swallow, 12–14 cm, nests colonially in riverbanks. Feeds on flying insects low over water and in open countryside during migration.
European Bee-eater
Vividly colored bird, 25–30 cm, with green, chestnut and blue plumage. Hunts flying insects from perches, notable migrant that passes through in spring and autumn.
Common Kestrel
Small falcon, 30–35 cm, often hovers while hunting for small mammals and large insects. Widespread across varied open habitats, including desert edges and farmland.
Lesser Kestrel
Smaller, warmer-toned falcon, 27–33 cm, feeds mainly on insects and small vertebrates. Colonial breeder locally and migratory through Mauritania.
Peregrine Falcon
Powerful falcon, 34–58 cm, famed for high-speed stoops to catch birds. Adaptable, uses cliffs and tall structures along coasts and urban areas.
Barbary Falcon
Compact desert falcon, ~33–36 cm, paler than Peregrine and adapted to arid cliffs. Specialised predator on desert birds, seen in remote rocky areas of the Sahara.
Tawny Eagle
Large brown raptor, 60–75 cm, a versatile scavenger and hunter. Soars over open Sahel, takes small mammals and carrion, common in dryer southern regions.
Steppe Eagle
Large migratory eagle, 60–80 cm, dark plumage with long wings. Soars over open country during migration and winters in Sahel habitats of Mauritania.
Desert Wheatear
Small chat, 14–16 cm, pale sandy plumage with darker wings and distinctive tail pattern. Perches on rocks and posts, feeding on insects across the Sahara.
White-crowned Wheatear
Striking wheatear, 16–18 cm, black body with white crown and rump. Bold and vocal, commonly seen on rocks and ridgelines in arid landscapes.
Northern Wheatear
Small migratory chat, 13–15 cm, pale underparts and upright posture. Arrives during migration and forages for insects on open ground and dunes.
Cream-coloured Courser
Slender ground bird, 25–30 cm, pale buff plumage and long legs. Runs swiftly across sand hunting insects, often seen singly or in small groups.
Greater Hoopoe-Lark
Large lark, 30–36 cm, with a long downcurved bill and erectile crest. Sings from sand hummocks and survives in extreme heat, feeding on insects and seeds.
Desert Lark
Stout lark, 14–17 cm, streaked brown plumage for camouflage. Ground-dwelling and territorial, forages for seeds and insects across arid habitats.
Trumpeter Finch
Small finch, 12–15 cm, with a thick bill and warm pinkish tones. Travels in small noisy flocks feeding on desert seeds and sparse vegetation.
Desert Sparrow
Small sparrow, 12–14 cm, sandy plumage and subtle markings. Often associated with palm groves and settlements in arid areas, feeding on seeds and insects.
House Sparrow
Familiar commensal sparrow, 14–16 cm, sociable and hardy. Lives closely with humans, feeds on scraps and seeds, abundant in urban and agricultural areas.
Laughing Dove
Small, graceful dove, 22–25 cm, soft cooing call and cinnamon tones. Common around settlements and gardens in southern Mauritania and along the Senegal River.
Namaqua Dove
Tiny dove, 15–18 cm, with a peaked tail and fragile build. Tends to be solitary or in small groups, feeding on seeds near sparse vegetation and water.
Senegal Thick-knee
Nocturnal large-eyed wader, 40–45 cm, cryptic plumage and strong legs. Often stands motionless by day and feeds on insects and small vertebrates at night.
White Wagtail
Slim, long-tailed passer, 16–19 cm, bobs tail while feeding on insects along water margins and cultivated land, common during migration periods.
Yellow Wagtail
Migratory wagtail, 15–17 cm, often in colorful subspecies plumages. Feeds on insects in moist fields and floodplain habitats during passage and winter.
Little Ringed Plover
Small plover, 14–16 cm, with a yellow eye-ring and quick runs. Prefers freshwater shores and small gravelly pools for feeding and nesting.
White-winged Tern
Slender tern, 20–25 cm, smoky breeding plumage with contrasting white wings. Hovers and snatches insects or tiny fish over shallow waters in marshy areas.
Whiskered Tern
Small tern, 22–24 cm, with dark cap and wispy whiskers in breeding plumage. Agile aerial insectivore over wetlands, often seen quartering shallow waters.
Black-tailed Godwit
Large elegant wader, 42–46 cm, with long straight bill and black-and-white wing pattern in flight. Probes soft mud for worms and crustaceans on coastal wetlands.
Black Kite
Medium dark raptor, 50–60 cm, commonly seen soaring near towns and wetlands. Opportunistic scavenger and hunter, feeds on carrion, small vertebrates and insects.
Yellow-billed Kite
Common kite in the Sahel, similar to Black Kite but with a paler bill. Agile and often seen near water and settlements feeding on carrion and small prey.
African Fish Eagle
Large, unmistakable eagle, 63–75 cm, white head and chest with rich brown body. Powerful fish-hunter, frequently seen perched near major waterways and reservoirs.
Caspian Tern
Large robust tern, 45–50 cm, with thick red bill and heavy flight. Dives for fish nearshore, solitary or in small groups along coastal wetlands and estuaries.
