UPDATED NOVEMBER 01, 2024
Excepting Passeriformes and Trochilidae, South America has 356 genera, 247 breeding in Brazil and 109 absents in country (64 breeding in continent, 45 no breeding). Brazil includes, thus, 247 of 311 breeding genera in continent (79.42%).
Here we present a conspectus of the diversity of Avialia in South America, organized by orders and families, with an emphasis on Brazilian diversity. In each family we list the South American genera absent in Brazil, with the exception of Trochilidae, where we list all the genera in the family, and Passeriformes, whose data we imported from another blog by the same author. There are also some notes of Mexican diversity.
The survey carried out here is based on Birds of the World Online, with many specific notes from Wikipedia, and we focus exclusively on breeding species in each country, excluding vagrants and regular migrants. Inevitably, some numbers may contain non-breeding birds, so the data will eventually be updated and accurate.
According to the data collected here, Colombia has (81:682/)1,765 breeding birds, Brazil (80:646/)1,679 and Mexico (85/432)904.
1. RHEIFORMES
Rheidae ▸1; Brazil (1/)1 spp. absent in Colombia and Mexico.
2. TINAMIFORMES
Tinamidae ▸ 5 + Nothocercus (Costa Rica to Bolivia), Nothoprocta (Ecuador to Argentina and Paraguay), Eudromia (Paraguay to Chile), Tinamotis (Peru to Argentina and Chile). Colombia (4/)19 spp., Brazil (5/)23 and Mexico (2/)4.
3. ANSERIFORMES
Anhimidae ▸ 2; Brazil and Colombia (2/)2 spp. each. Absent in Mexico.
Anatidae (only breedings)▸ 13 + Chloephaga (breeding only in PR, BL, CH, AR, vagant in Brazil), Tachyeres (breeding only in AR, CH), Cygnus (southern South America), Lophonetta (PR, BL, CH, AR), Speculanas (breeding only in AR, CH), Merganetta (breeding in VZ, CL, EC, PR, BL, CH, AR), Mareca (breeding only in AR, CH, UR, vagant in Brazil), Oxyura (breeding in AR, CH, vagant in Brazil). Brazil has (12/)18 spp., Colombia (10/)13 and Mexico (8/)13.
Breeding in Mexico: Dendrocygna (2), Cairina (1), Spathula (2), Mareca (1), Anas (4), Aythya (1), Nomonyx (1) and Oxyura (1). Breeding in Colombia: Dendrocygna (3), Sarkidiornis (1), Oressochen (1), Amazonetta (1), Cairina (1), Merganetta (1), Spathula (1), Anas (2), Nomonyx (1) and Oxyura (1). Breeding in Brazil: Dendrocygna (3), Sarkidiornis (1), Oressochen (1), Amazonetta (1), Callonetta (1), Cairina (1), Spathula (2), Anas (3), Netta (2), Mergus (1), Heteronetta (1) and Nomonyx (1).
No breeding in South America: Aythya, Aix, Anser, Bucephala, Branta, and Tadorna.
4. GALLIFORMES
Cracidae ▸ 6 + Aburria (Venezuela to Bolivia), Pauxi (Venezuela to Bolivia), Chamaepetes (Costa Rica to Bolivia). Colombia has (9/)26 spp., Brazil (6/)25 and Mexico (5/)8.
Odontophoridae ▸2 + Rhynchothrix (AMC, CL, EC). Mexico has (8/)15 spp., Colombia (3/)10 and Brazil only (2/)4.
5. PHOENICOPTERIFORMES
Phoenicopteridae ▸ 0 + Phoenicopterus (breeding, in South America, only in Argentina for P. chilensis/SEE; Venezuela and Ecuador for P. ruber, SEE, vagant in Brazil), Phoenicoparrus (breeding from Peru to Argentina and Chile, vagant in Brazil). Mexico has one breeding species.
6. PODICIPEDIFORMES
Podicipedidae (only breedings)▸ 4; Mexico has (4/)5 spp., Colombia (3/)4 and Brazil (4/)4.
7. COLUMBIFORMES
Columbidae ▸ 9 + Metriopelia (Colombia to Argentina), Zentrygon (Mexico to Argentina); excludes Old World Streptopelia, Columba, Chalcophaps, Geopelia and Spilopelia; Leptotrygon now inside in Geotrygon. (10/)35 spp. in Colombia, (8/)21 in Brazil and (9/)23 in Mexico.
8. CUCULIFORMES
Cuculidae ▸ 8; Colombia has (7/)20 spp., Brazil (8/)18 and Mexico (7/)11.
9. CAPRIMULGIFORMES
Caprimulgidae ▸ 12 + Uropsalis (Venezuela to Argentina); Brazil has (12/)23 spp., Colombia (11/)22 and Mexico (7/)14.
Nyctibiidae ▸ 2; Colombia has (2/)6 spp, Brazil (2/)5 and Mexico (1/)2. Colombia has Nyctibius maculosus absent of Brazil.
Steatornithidae ▸ 1; a monotypic family, absent in Mexico.
Apodidae ▸ 6; excludes Old World Apus. Brazil has (6/)18 spp., Colombia (6/)17 and Mexico (5/)10.
Trochilidae ▸ 109 genera worldwide. Colombia has (65/)164 spp. (18 endemics), Brazil (33/)84 (18 endemics), Mexico (28/)59 (18 endemics). All genera listeds; Brazilian genera in black bold. Trochilidae has 9 lineages, all in Brazil except Patagoninae, monotypic with Patagona gigas Vieillot, 1824, from SW Colombia to NW Argentina and Chile (Wikipedia).
LIST OF GENERA:
AdelomyiaAbeilliaAglaiocercusAglaeactisAndrodonAmaziliaAnthocephalaAnopetiaAphantochroaAnthracothoraxAtthisArchilochusAvocettulaAugastesBoissonneauaBasilinnaCalothoraxCalliphloxCampylopterusCalypteChalcostigmaChaetocercusChionomesaChalybura
ChlorostilbonChlorestesChrysuroniaChrysolampisColibriCoeligenaCynanthusCyanophaiaDiscosuraDamophilaDoryferaDorichaElliotomyia
EnsiferaElviraEugenesEriocnemisEulidiaEulampisEupherusaEupetomenaFlorisugaEutoxeresGoethalsiaGlaucisHaplophaediaGoldmaniaHeliangelusHeliactinHeliomasterHeliodoxaHylocharisHeliothryxKlaisHylonymphaLampornisLafresnayaLepidopygaLamprolaimaLeucippusLesbiaLoddigesiaLeucochlorisMellisugaLophornisMicrocheraMetalluraMyrmiaMicrostilbonOcreatusMyrtisOreonymphaOpisthoproraOrthorhyncusOreotrochilusPanterpeOxypogonPhaeochroaPatagonaPhlogophilusPhaethornisPolytmusPolyonymusRamphodonPterophanesRhodopisRamphomicronSchistesSapphoSephanoidesSelasphorusSaucerottia
SternoclytaStephanoxisTaphrospilusTaphrolesbiaThalaphorus
ThaumasturaThaluraniaThrenetes
TilmaturaTrochilusTopazaUrosticteUrochroa
10. OPISTHOCOMIFORMES
Opisthocomidae ▸ 1; a single species from northern South America, absent in Mexico.
11. GRUIFORMES
Rallidae ▸ 16; excludes Crex (Old World). Brazil has (15/)30 spp., Colombia (15/)27 and Mexico (11/)18.
Heliornithidae ▸ 1; a single species from E Mexico to S Brazil, absent in Caribbean.
Aramidae ▸ 1; a single species from Florida and E Mexico to NE Argentina, including Caribbean.
Psophiidae ▸ 1; absent in Mexico. (1/)3 spp. in Brazil, only (1/)1 in Colombia.
12. CHARADRIIFORMES
Chionidae ▸ 0 + Chionis (breeding in southern waters off Argentina and Chile)
Pluvianellidae ▸ 0 + Pluvianellus (breeding only in Argentina and Chile).
Burhinidae ▸ 1; a single Neotropical species, from S Mexico to Costa Rica, E Colombia to Amapa state in Brazil, and Caribbean.
Recurvirostridae ▸ 1 + Recurvirostra (in South America, breeding only from central Andes). Brazil and Colombia one breeding spp. each, Mexico (2/)2.
Haematopodidae ▸ 1; Brazil and Colombia has a single breeding species, Mexico has (1/)2.
Charadriidae (only breedings) ▸ 2 + Oreopholus (breeding in AR, CH, vagant in Brazil), Phegornis (Peru to Argentina and Chile); excludes Pluvialis (non breeding in South America, regular migrant in Brazil). Mexico has (3/)6 spp., Brazil (3/)5 and Colombia (3/)4.
Breedings in Mexico are Charadrius (1), Venellus (1) and Anarhynchus (4). Brazil breedings are Venellus (1), Hoploxypterus (1) and Anarhynchus (3). Colombia breedings are Venellus (2), Hoploxypterus (1) and Anarhynchus (1).
Thinocoridae ▸ 0 + Thinocorus (breeding in Argentina and Chile) and Attagis (Ecuador to Argentina, Chile).
Rostratulidae ▸ 1; no breeds in Mexico neither in Colombia.
Jacanidae ▸ 1; a single species in each country: Brazil, Colombia and Mexico.
Scolopacidae ▸ 1 (Gallinago); excludes non South America breeding Bartramia (vagant in Brazil), Limosa (vagant in Brazil), Arenaria (vagant in Brazil), Xenus (accidental in Brazil), Calidris (vagant in Brazil), Limnodromus (vagant in Brazil), Phalaropus (vagant in Brazil), Actitis (vagant in Brazil), Tringa (vagant in Brazil). Brazil has (1/)2 spp., Colombia (1/)4 (two andean, two widely); none species breeds in Mexico.
Glareolidae ▸ 0; excludes Glareola (accidental records in Brazil, breeds only in Old World, mainly in Africa).
Stercorariidae ▸ 0 + Stercorarius (breeding in Northern Hemisphere, but two only in South America, in Argentina and Chile); none species breeds in Brazil, Colombia or Mexico.
Laridae (only breedings)▸ 11 + Creagrus (breeding only in Galapagos and Molpelo in Colombia), Leucophaeus (breeding only in Argentina, Chile, Galapagos and North America), Larosterna (breeds in Peru and Chile); excludes Chlidonias (no breeds in South America), Ichthyaetus (breeding only in Old World), Rissa (no breeding in South America, neither in Mexico), Xema (breeding only in Artic), Hydrocoloeus (breeds only in North America and Eurasia), Hydroprogne (no breeding in South America). Mexico has (9/)16 spp., Brazil also (11/)16, and Colombia (9/)11.
Brazilian breedings: Chroicocephalus (2), Larus (1), Rhynchops (1), Gygis (1), Anous (2), Onychoprion (1), Sternula (2), Phaetusa (2), Geolochelidon (1), Sterna (2) and Thalasseus (2). Colombia breedings: Creagrus (1), Rhynchops (1), Anous (2), Onychoprion (1), Sternula (1), Phaetusa (1), Geolochelidon (1), Sterna (1) and Thalasseus (2). Mexican breedings: Leucophaeus (1), Larus (3), Rhynchops (1), Anous (2), Onychoprion (2), Sternula (1), Geolochelidon (1), Sterna (2) and Thalasseus (3).
13. EURYPYGIFORMES
Eurypygidae ▸ 1; a single species from Guatemala to C Brazil.
14. PHAETHONTIFORMES
Phaethontidae ▸ 1; Brazil has (1/)3 breeding species, Mexico (1/)1 and Colombia (1/)2.
15. SPHENISCIFORMES
Spheniscidae ▸ 0 + Aptenodytes (breeding range includes AR, CH), Spheniscus (breeding range includes EC, PR, AR, CH), Pygoscelis (breeding range includes AR, CH), Eudyptes (breeding range includes AR, CH). None species breeds in Brazil, Colombia or Mexico.
16. PROCELLARIIFORMES
Diomedeidae ▸ 0 + Phoebastria (breeds only in Hawaii, Guadalupe island of Mexico, Japan, and Galapagos), Thalassarche (in South America breeds in Falklands and islands off Chile); excludes Diomedea (no breeds in South America), Phoebetria (no breeds in South America). No species breeds in Colombia neither Brazil, and only one breeds in Mexico.
Oceanitidae ▸ 0 + Oceanites (in South America breeds in Chile and some places in Tierra del Fuego; O. gracilis has only one nest known, is a remote island in Chile), Fregetta (breeds, in South America, only in islands off Chile), Garrodia (in South America, breeds only in Falklands); excludes Pelaagodroma (no breeds in South America), Nesofregetta (breeds in southern Pacific and islands off Chile). No species breeds in Brazil, Colombia or Mexico.
Hydrobatidae ▸ 0 + Hydrobates, with 7 spp. cited from South America: H. leucorhous (no breeds in South America/SEE), H. tethys (Ecuador and N Peru, SEE), H. hornbyi (Chile, expected from Peru, SEE), H. markhami (N Chile and Peru/SEE), H. castro (invalid by some sources), H. melania (no breeds in South America, SEE), and H. microsoma (breeds only in Mexico, SEE). None breed in Brazil neither Colombia. Mexico has 7 spp. breeding in Hydrobates.
Procellariidae ▸ 2 + Macronectes (in South America breeds only in Chile and Argentina), Pachyptila (in South America breeds in Falklands), Procellaria (in South America breeds in Falklands), Ardenna (breeds in Argentina and Chile at South America), Pelecanoides (breeds in Peru, Chile and Argentina in South America); excludes: Fulmarus (breeds only in north of 40º N parallel), Thalassoica (no breeds in South America), Daption (no breeds in South America), Aphrodroma (no breeds in South America), Holobaena (no breedings in South America), Calonectris (no breeds in New World), Pseudobulweria (no breeds in South America).
In Brazil only (2/)2 spp. breeds. Mexican breedings: Puffinus (3) and Ardenna (1). No species breeds in Colombia.
17. CICONIIFORMES
Ciconiidae ▸ 3; Brazil and Colombia has (3/)3 spp., Mexico (2/)2.
18. SULIFORMES
Fregatidae ▸ 1; Brazil has (1/)3 spp., Mexico (1/)2 and Colombia (1/)1.
Sulidae ▸ 1; excludes Morus (no breeds in New World). Mexico has (1/)5 breding species, Brazil (1/)3 and Colombia (1/)4.
Anhingidae ▸ 1; a single species in Neotropics, from Florida to S Brazil and NE Argentina.
Phalacrocoracidae ▸ 1 + Poikilocarbo (Peru to Argentina, SEE), Leucocarbo (breeds from Peru to Argentina, SEE); Mexico has (2/)3 breeding species, Brazil and Colombia one each.
19. PELECANIFORMES
Pelecanidae ▸ 0 + Pelecanus (P. occidentalis breeds in Colombia, Venezuela/SEE, and P. thagus breed from Ecuador to Chile/SEE). In Mexico breeds only Pelecanus occidentalis. None species breeds in Brazil.
Ardeidae ▸ 14; excludes Ardeola (breeds natively only in Old World). Colombia has (13/)23 spp., Brazil (13/)21 and Mexico (10/)16. Two Colombian species does not occur in Brzil: Tigrisoma mexicana and Butorides virescens.
Threskiornithidae ▸ 7; Brazil has (7/)8 spp., Colombia (7/)9 and Mexico has (3/)4. One Colombian species does not occur in Brazil, Endocimus albus.
20. CATHARTIFORMES
Cathartidae ▸ 3 + Vultur; Brazil has (3/)5 spp., Colombia one more (Andean condor) and Mexico one more (California condor), one less (Cathartes melambrotus).
21. ACCIPITRIFORMES
Pandionidae ▸ 0; excludes Pandion (breeds only in Canada, NW Mexico, U.S.A. and Eurasia).
Accipitridae ▸ 23 + Cryptoleucopteryx (Panama to Peru), Morphnarchus (Costa Rica to Ecuador); excludes Milvus (no breeding in New World). Colombia has (26/)46 spp. (excludes 5 migrants, 4 in Buteo, one in Ictinia), Brazil (24/)43 spp. (excludes 3 migrants, 2 in Buteo, one in Ictinia) and Mexico has (25/)34 spp. (excludes 4 migrants, 3 in Buteo, one in Ictinia).
22. STRIGIFORMES
Tytonidae ▸ 1; a single species in New World.
Strigidae ▸ 10 + Xenoglaux (endemic to Peru). Mexico has (11/)29 spp., Colombia (9/)27 and Brazil only (9/)20.
23. TROGONIFORMES
Trogonidae ▸ 2; Colombia has (2/)17 spp., Brazil (2/)11 and Mexico (3/)9.
24. CORACIIFORMES
Momotidae ▸ 3 + Hylomanes; Colombia has (4/)6 spp., Mexico (4/)6 and Brazil (3/)4.
Alcedinidae ▸ 2; Colombia has (2/)5 spp., Brazil (2/)5 and Mexico (2/)4. Exceludes Megaceryle alcyion, a no breeds species in America Latina.
25. GALBULIFORMES
Bucconidae ▸ 8 + Hapaloptila (Colombia to Peru) and Hypnelus (2, Colombia and Venezuela). Colombia has (10/)26 spp, Brazil (8/)26, Mexico only (2/)2.
Galbulidae ▸ 6; Brazil has (5/)15 spp., Colombia (4/)13 and Mexico (1/)1.
26. PICIFORMES
Capitonidae ▸ 2; Colombia has (2/)8 spp., Brazil (2/)7. Absent in Mexico.
Semnornithidae ▸ 0 + Semnornis (Costa Rica do Ecuador).
Ramphastidae ▸ 4 + Andigena (Venezuela to Bolivia). Colombia has (5/)21 spp., Brazil (4/)20 and Mexico (3/)3.
Picidae ▸ 8; excludes Sphyrapicus (no breeds in South America, vagant in San Andeas, Colombia). Brazil has (8/)49 spp., Colombia (8/)43 and Mexico (7/)27.
27. CARIAMIFORMES
Cariamidae ▸ 1 + Chunga (S Bolivia, N Argentina and W Paraguay). Brazil has (1/)1 sp. Absent in Mexico and Colombia.
28. FALCONIFORMES
Falconidae ▸ 7 + Spiziapteryx (Argentina, SE Bolivia, Paraguay, and Uruguay). Brazil has (6/)16 and Colombia (6/)16 (excluding, for both, Falco columbarius and F. peregrinus), and Mexico has (5/)12 (includes Ibycter americanus, excludes F. columbarius).
29. PSITTACIFORMES
Psittacidae ▸ 26 + Psilopsiagon (Peru to Argentina), Bolborgynchus (Mexico to Venezuela and Bolivia), Hapalopsittaca (Venezuela to Peru), Enicognathus (Argentina and Chile), Cyanoliseus (Argentina and Chile), Leptosittaca (Colombia to Peru), Ognorhynchus (endemic to Colombia). Brazil has (26/)83 spp., Colombia (20/)56 and Mexico has (13/)31.
30. PASSERIFORMES