El Salvador’s mix of Pacific coast, mangroves, wetlands and higher forest fragments supports a surprising variety of birds, many of them easy to spot if you know where to look. From shorelines to rivers and remnant cloud forest, local habitats concentrate different species across a small country.
There are 69 Birds of El Salvador, ranging from Amazon Kingfisher to Wood Stork. For each species you’ll find below the Scientific name,Status,Main habitat/location in El Salvador so you can quickly see identification, conservation context and likely places to observe them — you’ll find the full list below.
When is the best time to see the most species in El Salvador?
The dry season (roughly November–April) is often best for access and visibility, with migrant species present in late fall and winter; early mornings at wetlands, river edges and coastal mangroves yield the highest diversity.
How should I use the list to plan a birding outing?
Use the Scientific name to confirm ID, check Status to prioritize rare or protected species, and focus on the Main habitat/location in El Salvador to pick sites; pair the list with a local guide or recent eBird reports for up-to-date sightings.
Birds of El Salvador
| Common name | Scientific name | Status | Main habitat/location in El Salvador |
|---|---|---|---|
| Great Egret | Ardea alba | Resident, common in wetlands | Mangroves, lagoons, Jiquilisco Bay, inland wetlands |
| Snowy Egret | Egretta thula | Resident, fairly common | Mangroves, tidal flats, estuaries, Jiquilisco Bay |
| Cattle Egret | Bubulcus ibis | Resident, common | Pastures, agricultural fields, roadside wetlands |
| Little Blue Heron | Egretta caerulea | Resident, fairly common | Marshes, ponds, mangroves, coastal lagoons |
| Tricolored Heron | Egretta tricolor | Resident, uncommon | Mangroves, estuaries, tidal flats |
| Great Blue Heron | Ardea herodias | Resident, uncommon to common | Freshwater wetlands, river edges, coastal bays |
| Green Heron | Butorides virescens | Resident, common | Brooks, canals, mangroves, small wetlands |
| Black-crowned Night-Heron | Nycticorax nycticorax | Resident, uncommon | Mangroves, estuaries, marshes, roost colonies |
| Boat-billed Heron | Cochlearius cochlearius | Resident, uncommon | Mangrove swamps, lowland streams, Jiquilisco Bay |
| Neotropic Cormorant | Nannopterum brasilianum | Resident, common | Lakes, reservoirs, coastal bays, mangroves |
| Anhinga | Anhinga anhinga | Resident, common | Freshwater lakes, canals, ponds with perches |
| Wood Stork | Mycteria americana | Resident, uncommon | Marshes, flooded fields, coastal wetlands |
| Brown Pelican | Pelecanus occidentalis | Resident, common on coasts | Coastal waters, seacoast, Gulf of Fonseca, fishing boats |
| Black Vulture | Coragyps atratus | Resident, common | Open areas, roadsides, landfills, near towns |
| Turkey Vulture | Cathartes aura | Resident, common | Open country, highways, ridgelines, thermal routes |
| Osprey | Pandion haliaetus | Migrant/resident, fairly common | Coastal bays, estuaries, reservoirs, river mouths |
| Snail Kite | Rostrhamus sociabilis | Resident, local uncommon | Freshwater marshes, emergent vegetation, El Salvador reservoirs |
| Swallow-tailed Kite | Elanoides forficatus | Migratory visitor, common in season | Forest edges, river corridors, coastal lowlands |
| Plumbeous Kite | Ictinia plumbea | Seasonal migrant, uncommon | Lowland forest canopy, river corridors |
| Roadside Hawk | Rupornis magnirostris | Resident, common | Open woodland, forest edges, near farmland |
| Common Black-Hawk | Buteogallus anthracinus | Resident, local common | Rivers, mangroves, coastal estuaries, wetlands |
| Gray Hawk | Buteo plagiatus | Resident, uncommon | Riparian woodland, dry forests, river corridors |
| Broad-winged Hawk | Buteo platypterus | Migratory, common passage | Forest interior, migration flyways, montane corridors |
| Red-tailed Hawk | Buteo jamaicensis | Resident, uncommon | Open country, agricultural areas, hillsides |
| American Kestrel | Falco sparverius | Resident, common | Open fields, farmland, roadside perches, grassland |
| Bat Falcon | Falco rufigularis | Resident, uncommon | Forest edges, river valleys, lowland forest |
| Peregrine Falcon | Falco peregrinus | Migratory/accidental, uncommon | Coastlines, cliffs, open country during passage |
| Ringed Kingfisher | Megaceryle torquata | Resident, common | Rivers, large streams, mangroves, reservoir shores |
| Belted Kingfisher | Megaceryle alcyon | Migratory/winter visitor, uncommon | Rivers, reservoirs, coastlines |
| Amazon Kingfisher | Chloroceryle amazona | Resident, uncommon | Slow rivers, forested streams, mangrove channels |
| Green Kingfisher | Chloroceryle americana | Resident, fairly common | Small rivers, canals, mangrove creeks |
| Turquoise-browed Motmot | Eumomota superciliosa | Resident, common | Open woodland, forest edge, gardens, El Imposible area |
| Keel-billed Toucan | Ramphastos sulfuratus | Resident, uncommon | Gallery forest, remnant lowland forest, Montecristo |
| Orange-fronted Parakeet | Eupsittula canicularis | Resident, local common | Pacific lowland dry forest, agricultural edges, flocks |
| Green-breasted Mango | Anthracothorax prevostii | Resident, common in lowlands | Gardens, flowering trees, mangroves, coastal vegetation |
| Rufous-tailed Hummingbird | Amazilia tzacatl | Resident, common | Gardens, edges, secondary growth, farm plots |
| Blue-gray Tanager | Thraupis episcopus | Resident, common | Gardens, forest edge, towns, El Imposible |
| Palm Tanager | Thraupis palmarum | Resident, common | Open woodland, palms, coastal scrub, gardens |
| Bananaquit | Coereba flaveola | Resident, common | Gardens, forest edges, mangroves, coffee plantations |
| Rufous-collared Sparrow | Zonotrichia capensis | Resident, very common | Gardens, open fields, towns, agricultural areas |
| Great-tailed Grackle | Quiscalus mexicanus | Resident, very common | Towns, wetlands, farmlands, coastal flats |
| Shiny Cowbird | Molothrus bonariensis | Resident, common | Open habitats, agricultural areas, pastures |
| Laughing Gull | Leucophaeus atricilla | Coastal resident, common | Beaches, bays, estuaries, Jiquilisco Bay |
| Royal Tern | Thalasseus maximus | Coastal resident, common | Beaches, surf zone, Gulf of Fonseca |
| Magnificent Frigatebird | Fregata magnificens | Coastal resident, fairly common | Coastal waters, Gulf of Fonseca, roosts on islets |
| Black-necked Stilt | Himantopus mexicanus | Resident, common | Shallow ponds, mudflats, salt pans, coastal lagoons |
| Killdeer | Charadrius vociferus | Migratory/resident, common in open areas | Mudflats, fields, shores, reservoirs |
| Spotted Sandpiper | Actitis macularius | Migratory/resident, common | Riverbanks, rocky shores, reservoirs, coastal edges |
| Whimbrel | Numenius phaeopus | Migratory, uncommon | Coastal mudflats, sandy beaches, Jiquilisco Bay |
| Sanderling | Calidris alba | Migratory, common on beaches | Sandy beaches, surf zone, tidal flats |
| Least Sandpiper | Calidris minutilla | Migratory, common on mudflats | Mudflats, estuaries, shallow ponds |
| Greater Yellowlegs | Tringa melanoleuca | Migratory, common | Mudflats, marshes, estuaries, coastal lagoons |
| Lesser Yellowlegs | Tringa flavipes | Migratory, fairly common | Shallow wetlands, mudflats, lagoons |
| Wood Stork | Mycteria americana | Resident, uncommon | Marshes and flooded wetlands |
| Groove-billed Ani | Crotophaga sulcirostris | Resident, common | Open scrub, farmland, edge habitats, towns |
| Common Pauraque | Nyctidromus albicollis | Resident, common | Open woodland, scrub, agricultural edges, gardens |
| Turquoise-browed Motmot | Eumomota superciliosa | Resident, common | Open woodland, forest edge, gardens, El Imposible |
| White-winged Dove | Zenaida asiatica | Resident, common | Towns, dry forest, agricultural areas, coastal lowlands |
| Green-fronted Hummingbird | Amazilia viridifrons | Resident, local uncommon | Dry forest, gardens on Pacific slope |
| Scaly-breasted Hummingbird | Phaeochroa cuvierii | Resident, uncommon | Forest edge, coffee plantations, foothills |
| Ruddy Ground Dove | Columbina talpacoti | Resident, common | Open country, gardens, agricultural fields |
| Vermilion Flycatcher | Pyrocephalus rubinus | Resident, common in open habitats | Open fields, riverbanks, scrub, coastal lowlands |
| Piratic Flycatcher | Legatus leucophaius | Resident, uncommon | Forest edges, secondary growth, riparian trees |
| Tropical Kingbird | Tyrannus melancholicus | Resident, common | Open areas, towns, farmland, perches on wires |
| Boat-billed Flycatcher | Megarynchus pitangua | Resident, common | Woodland edges, riparian forest, shade coffee |
| Baltimore Oriole | Icterus galbula | Migratory, uncommon winter visitor | Woodland edges, riparian trees, gardens in season |
| Orchard Oriole | Icterus spurius | Migratory, occasional | Woodland edge, gardens, riparian trees |
| Red-breasted Meadowlark (Caribbean) | Leistes militaris | Resident, common | Open grassland, pastures, agricultural fields |
| Common Black Hawk | Buteogallus anthracinus | Resident, local common | Rivers, mangroves, coastal estuaries |
Images and Descriptions
Great Egret
Tall white heron with a long yellow bill and slow graceful hunting stance. Often stands motionless fishing in shallow water; easy to spot in wetlands and coastal lagoons.
Snowy Egret
Small white heron with black bill, yellow lores and flashy black legs with yellow feet. Active feeder, runs through shallows stirring prey; common along coasts and muddy flats.
Cattle Egret
Stocky white heron often near livestock; yellow bill and buff plumes in breeding season. Frequently seen in open farmland and roadsides, following cattle and tractors.
Little Blue Heron
Slender slate-blue heron with a purplish head in adults; juveniles white. Patient hunter in shallow water; common in wetlands and estuaries.
Tricolored Heron
Slim heron with blue-gray body, white belly and streaked neck. Active, dashing feeder that stirs water to find fish; seen at coastal bays and lagoons.
Great Blue Heron
Large slate-gray heron with long neck and dagger bill. Stands or slowly stalks fish; solitary and unmistakable at lakes, rivers, and coasts.
Green Heron
Small, compact heron with greenish back and chestnut neck; uses baiting behavior to lure fish. Often secretive at edges of streams and ponds.
Black-crowned Night-Heron
Chunky nocturnal heron with black crown and back, red eyes. Crepuscular feeder that roosts in colonies; best found near quiet wetlands after dusk.
Boat-billed Heron
Unique broad bill and nocturnal habits; chunky, brownish heron that hunts at night in mangroves. Secretive but vocal at roosts.
Neotropic Cormorant
Smaller cormorant with slender silhouette and fish-eating behavior; often perches with wings spread. Seen widely on reservoirs and coastal shoals.
Anhinga
Long-necked “snakebird” that swims with body submerged and dries wings on perches. Common around calm freshwater with fish populations.
Wood Stork
Large white stork with bare black face that sweeps open bill through shallow water. Local and gregarious; appears in productive wetlands during feeding season.
Brown Pelican
Large coastal bird with plunging dive behavior and long bill pouch. Common along shoreline and over fishing grounds.
Black Vulture
Chunky black scavenger with short tail and unfeathered head. Common and bold around human habitations and roadkill.
Turkey Vulture
Large raptor with red head and V-shaped soaring silhouette. Frequently seen circling on thermals over open habitats.
Osprey
Fish-specialist raptor with white underparts and dark eye stripe. Hovering and plunging dives make it easy to identify over water.
Snail Kite
Specialized raptor with curved bill that extracts snails from shells. Local and patchily distributed in marshy wetlands.
Swallow-tailed Kite
Elegant black-and-white kite with deeply forked tail, spectacular aerial acrobat. Seen during migration and over lowland forest corridors.
Plumbeous Kite
Slender gray kite that hunts over forest canopy. Seen in migration and during passage through forested lowlands.
Roadside Hawk
Small, compact hawk with streaked belly and perched hunting style. Common along roads and edges, often near human settlements.
Common Black-Hawk
Stocky dark hawk with short tail and slow wingbeats. Often perches near rivers and mangroves hunting crabs and fish.
Gray Hawk
Slender gray-backed hawk that favors streamside trees. Secretive but a reliable resident along forested watercourses.
Broad-winged Hawk
Small broad-winged raptor that migrates in flocks; short, rounded wings and banded tail. Observed during spring and fall migrations.
Red-tailed Hawk
Large raptor with characteristic red tail in adults; perched and soaring behavior common. Scattered resident throughout varied landscapes.
American Kestrel
Small colorful falcon with vertical facial stripes and hovering hunting style. Often seen on wires and fenceposts hunting insects and small prey.
Bat Falcon
Small fast falcon with rufous underparts and dark head; hunts aerial insects and bats. Agile and often secretive near forest clearings.
Peregrine Falcon
World’s fastest bird in stoop; sleek gray back and barred underparts. Occasional migrant and coastal visitor during migration.
Ringed Kingfisher
Large flashy kingfisher with rufous belly and blue-gray back. Perches above water and dives for fish; common along rivers and coasts.
Belted Kingfisher
Stocky blue-gray kingfisher with shaggy crest and noisy rattling call. Winter visitor around freshwater and coastal areas.
Amazon Kingfisher
Large green kingfisher with white collar and spotted breast. Prefers shaded streams where it perches and plunges for fish.
Green Kingfisher
Small green kingfisher that flicks tail and rapidly dives for fish. Often seen on low perches over streams and mangrove channels.
Turquoise-browed Motmot
Colorful motmot with turquoise eyebrow and racket-tipped tail. Perches quietly, wagging tail; national favorite and easy to spot in open forests.
Keel-billed Toucan
Large colorful beak with black body and bright bill colors. Seen in forest patches and high canopy; conspicuous but patchily distributed.
Orange-fronted Parakeet
Small green parakeet with orange forehead; noisy and social in flocks. Common in disturbed dry forest and agricultural mosaics.
Green-breasted Mango
Large hummingbird with glossy green breast and iridescent throat. Bold feeder at flowers and sugar feeders in gardens and coastal areas.
Rufous-tailed Hummingbird
Common medium hummingbird with rufous tail and green back. Aggressive feeder defending flower patches and feeders in towns and countryside.
Blue-gray Tanager
Plump blue-gray songbird with pleasant song. Frequent at feeders and fruiting trees in gardens and edges; sociable and widespread.
Palm Tanager
Olive-green to grayish tanager often seen in pairs or small groups. Feeds on fruit and insects in palms and edge habitats.
Bananaquit
Small energetic nectar-feeder with curved bill and bright yellow underparts. Regular at flowers and feeders; common across habitats.
Rufous-collared Sparrow
Chunky sparrow with clear rufous nape and streaked back. Familiar backyard bird with lively song, abundant in towns and farmland.
Great-tailed Grackle
Large black icterid with keel-shaped tail and loud calls. Bold and conspicuous in plazas, fields and mangrove edges.
Shiny Cowbird
Small glossy icterid brood parasite that lays eggs in other birds’ nests. Common around human-modified landscapes in flocks.
Laughing Gull
Medium gull with black hood in breeding season and laughing call. Common along coasts and estuaries, often scavenging near fishermen.
Royal Tern
Large tern with black cap and orange bill; plunges for fish and often seen flying in flocks offshore.
Magnificent Frigatebird
Large black seabird with long forked wings and gular pouch in males. Often piratical, harassing other seabirds for food.
Black-necked Stilt
Long-legged, striking black-and-white wader with thin bill; elegant stilt-walking in shallow water and mudflats.
Killdeer
Noisy plover with double breast bands and broken-wing distraction display. Common on beaches, mudflats and open ground near water.
Spotted Sandpiper
Energetic shorebird that teeters while foraging along edges; spotted belly in breeding plumage. Seen on freshwater and coastal shores.
Whimbrel
Large curved-billed shorebird with distinct head stripes and rolling flight. Appears in flocks during migration along coastlines.
Sanderling
Small pale sandpiper that runs with waves chasing small crustaceans. Very common on sandy shores during migration and winter.
Least Sandpiper
Tiny sandpiper with short yellow legs, probing in mud for invertebrates. Abundant on mudflats and seasonal wetlands.
Greater Yellowlegs
Long-legged shorebird with loud teak-teak calls and spotted body. Seen probing shallow water for fish and invertebrates.
Lesser Yellowlegs
Smaller yellow-legged shorebird with quick probing movements. Often in mixed flocks with other peeps on mudflats.
Wood Stork
Large white stork with a bald black head and sweeping bill feeding by feel in shallow water. Appears in productive wetlands and seasonal floods.
Groove-billed Ani
Black cuckoo-like bird with long tail and unique corrugated bill. Social, often seen in loose flocks perched on wires.
Common Pauraque
Nocturnal nightjar with cryptic plumage and distinctive churring song at dusk. Often roosts on ground and blends into leaf litter.
Turquoise-browed Motmot
Brightly colored with a turquoise eyebrow and racket-tipped tail; sits still and wags tail when disturbed. Iconic and easily seen in many habitats.
White-winged Dove
Large dove with white wing patch and soft cooing. Common in town squares, gardens and dry scrub habitats.
Green-fronted Hummingbird
Small green-backed hummingbird with bright throat; favors dry forest and gardens. Localized but conspicuous where present.
Scaly-breasted Hummingbird
Small hummingbird with scaly breast pattern; visits epiphyte flowers and understory. Local in higher foothill sites.
Ruddy Ground Dove
Small doves with warm brown tones and spotted wings. Frequently seen on the ground in open and urban areas.
Vermilion Flycatcher
Flashy red male and plain female flycatcher that perches conspicuously and sallies out to catch insects. Easy to spot in open areas.
Piratic Flycatcher
Large tyrant flycatcher known to take over other birds’ nests and feed conspicuously from perches. Seen at forest edges and riparian zones.
Tropical Kingbird
Bold, large flycatcher with pale belly and assertive territorial calls. Perches conspicuously and hawks insects from exposed posts.
Boat-billed Flycatcher
Large broad-billed empid with massive bill and loud calls. Common in forest edge and semi-open habitats.
Baltimore Oriole
Colorful orange-and-black oriole that winters or passes through; attracted to fruiting trees and nectar feeders during passage.
Orchard Oriole
Small slim oriole with rich rufous underparts in males; a migrant that appears during passage and on wintering grounds.
Red-breasted Meadowlark (Caribbean)
Large icterid with streaked back and bold markings in male. Sings from fenceposts and enjoys open grassy habitats.
Common Black Hawk
(Duplicate removed)
