Birds are regal symbols for many nations, and different national birds demonstrate the broad diversity of avifauna around the world, as well as birds' roles in culture and society. But what are the official birds of different countries?

How National Birds Are Chosen

National birds are more than just convenient symbols to put on stamps, currency, flags or other official emblems. These birds are often carefully selected because they represent something notable about the country itself – they may be part of the nation's history or culture, an endemic species found nowhere else or representative of qualities the nation values, such as strength, bravery and elegance.


Some birds are selected for their stunning beauty, others for their melodious voices. Still others may be ritualistic generalizations of birds rather than individual species.

Not all countries have national birds, and in some countries, a bird generally viewed as a national symbol may be widely recognized but lack the official government acknowledgement of its honorary status. National birds can change in several ways, often to better recognize a more appropriate species or to select a more unique symbolic bird that is not recognized in other countries. In some countries, official national birds are selected through legislative action or government appointments, while other countries have selected birds through popular votes, nominations or other means.

Regardless of how national birds are chosen or which species holds a country's honor in its talons, these avian ambassadors are important symbols for their respective nations, and help their country's pride take flight.

List of National Birds
(Alphabetical by Country)

List includes territories and similar political entries that recognize official birds.
* - Bird is not officially designated as a national symbol, but is widely recognized as such and may be used for symbolic purposes even without the official recognition.

• Angola – Red-Crested Turaco (Tauraco erythrolophus)
• Anguilla – Zenaida Dove (Zenaida aurita)
• Antigua and Barbuda – Magnificent Frigatebird (Fregata magnificens)
• Argentina – Rufous Hornero (Furnarius rufus)
• Aruba – Aruba Burrowing Owl (subspecies of the Burrowing Owl) (Athene cunicularia arubensis)
• *Australia – Emu (Dromaius novaehollandiae)
• Austria – Barn swallow (Hirundo rustica)
• Bahamas – American Flamingo (Phoenicopterus ruber)
• Bahrain – Himalayan Bulbul (Pycnonotus leucogenys)
• Bangladesh – Oriental Magpie-Robin (Copsychus saularis)
• *Belarus – White Stork (Ciconia ciconia)
• Belgium – Common Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus)
• Belize – Keel-Billed Toucan (Ramphastos sulfuratus)
• Bermuda – Bermuda Petrel (Pterodroma cahow)
• Bhutan – Common Raven (Corvus corax)
• Bolivia – Andean Condor (Vultur gryphus)
• *Botswana – Lilac-Breasted Roller (Coracias caudatus)
• Brazil – Rufous-Bellied Thrush (Turdus rufiventris)
• Cambodia – Giant Ibis (Thaumatibis gigantean)
• Cayman Islands – Cayman Parrot (subspecies of the Cuban Parrot) (Amazona leucocephala caymanensis)
• Chile – Andean Condor (Vultur gryphus)
• Colombia – Andean Condor (Vultur gryphus)
• Costa Rica – Clay-Colored Thrush (Turdus grayi)
• Cuba – Cuban Trogon (Priotelus temnurus)
• Denmark – Mute Swan (Cygnus olor)
• Dominica – Imperial Amazon (Amazona imperialis)
• Dominican Republic – Palmchat (Dulus dominicus)
• Ecuador – Andean Condor (Vultur gryphus)
• *Egypt – Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos)
• El Salvador – Turquoise-Browed Motmot (Eumomota superciliosa)
• Estonia – Barn swallow (Hirundo rustica)
• Faroe Islands – Eurasian Oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus)
• Finland – Whooper Swan (Cygnus cygnus)
• France – Red Junglefowl (Gallic Rooster) (Gallus gallus)
• Gibraltar – Barbary Partridge (Alectoris Barbara)
• Grenada – Grenada Dove (Leptotila wellsi)
• Guatemala – Resplendent Quetzal (Pharomachrus mocinno)
• Guyana – Hoatzin (Opisthocomus hoazin)
• Haiti – Hispaniolan Trogon (Priotelus roseigaster)
• Honduras – Scarlet Macaw (Ara macao)
• *Iceland – Gyrfalcon (Falco rusticolus)
• India – Indian Peafowl (Pavo cristatus)
• Indonesia – Javan Hawk-Eagle (Nisaetus bartelsi)
• Iran – Common Nightingale (Luscinia megarhynchos)
• Iraq – Chukar Partridge (Alectoris chukar)
• Israel – Hoopoe (Upupa epops)
• Jamaica – Red-Billed Streamertail (Trochilus polytmus)
• Japan – Green Pheasant (Phasianus versicolor)
• Jordan – Pale Rosefinch (Carpodacus synoicus)
• *Kenya – Lilac-Breasted Roller (Coracias caudatus)
• Latvia – White Wagtail (Motacilla alba)
• Lithuania – White Stork (Ciconia ciconia)
• Luxembourg – Goldcrest (Regulus regulus)
• *Malaysia – Rhinoceros Hornbill (Buceros rhinoceros)
• Malta – Blue Rock Thrush (Monticola solitaries)
• *Mauritius – Dodo (Raphus cucullatus)
• Mexico – Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos)
• Mongolia – Saker Falcon (Falco cherrug)
• Montserrat – Montserrat Oriole (Icterus oberi)
• Myanmar – Grey Peacock-Pheasant (Polyplectron bicalcaratum)
• Namibia – African Fish Eagle (Haliaeetus vocifer)
• Nepal – Himalayan Monal (Lophophorus impejanus)
• *New Zealand – Northern Brown Kiwi (Apteryx mantelli)
• Nicaragua – Turquoise-Browed Motmot (Eumomota superciliosa)
• Nigeria – Black Crowned Crane (Balearica pavonina)
• Norway – White-Throated Dipper (Cinclus cinclus)
• Pakistan – Chukar Partridge (Alectoris chukar)
• Panama – Harpy Eagle (Harpia harpyja)
• Papua New Guinea – Raggiana Bird-of-Paradise (Paradisaea raggiana)
• Paraguay – Bare-Throated Bellbird (Procnias nudicollis)
• Peru – Andean Cock-of-the-Rock (Rupicola peruvianus)
• Philippines – Philippine Eagle (Pithecophaga jefferyi)
• Puerto Rico – Puerto Rican Spindalis (Spindalis portoricensis)
• Romania – Great White Pelican (Pelecanus onocrotalus)
• Saint Kitts and Nevis – Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis)
• Saint Vincent and the Grenadines – St. Vincent Amazon (Amazona guildingii)
• *Scotland – Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos)
• *Singapore – Crimson Sunbird (Aethopyga siparaja)
• South Africa – Blue Crane (Anthropoides paradisea)
• *South Korea – Korean Magpie (subspecies of the Black-Billed Magpie) (Pica pica serieca)
• South Sudan – African Fish Eagle (Haliaeetus vocifer)
• *Spain – Spanish Imperial Eagle (Aquila adalberti)
• Sri Lanka – Sri Lanka Junglefowl (Gallus lafayetii)
• St. Lucia – St. Lucia Amazon (Amazona versicolor)
• Sudan – Secretary Bird (Sagittarius serpentarius)
• Swaziland – Purple-Crested Turaco (Tauraco porphyreolophus)
• Sweden – Common Blackbird (Turdus merula)
• *Taiwan – Taiwan Magpie (Urocissa caerulea)
• Thailand – Siamese Fireback (Lophura diardi)
• Trinidad and Tobago – Scarlet Ibis (Trinidad) (Eudocimus ruber) / Cocrico (Tobago) (Ortalis ruficauda)
• Turkey – Redwing (Turdus iliacus)
• Uganda – Crested Crane (subspecies of the Grey Crowned-Crane) (Balearica regulorum gibbericeps)
• United Arab Emirates – Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus)
• *United Kingdom – European Robin (Erithacus rubecula)
• United States – Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)
• *Uruguay – Southern Lapwing (Vanellus chilensis)
• U.S. Virgin Islands – Bananaquit (Coereba flaveola)
• Venezuela – Venezuelan Troupial (Icterus icterus)
• Zambia – African Fish Eagle (Haliaeetus vocifer)

Countries without officially designated or widely recognized symbolic birds are not listed above, but designations can change as more countries recognize their avifauna. Email me to add an official bird to the list!

Photo – Flags © Casper Zoethout