A Unified Global Checklist of the World’s Birds

Created by experts in taxonomy, nomenclature, and biodiversity informatics from around the world, AviList provides the most current and authoritative taxonomy of the world's birds.

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Multicolored Tanager Chlorochrysa nitidissima by Johnnier Arango | theandeanbirder.com; Cornell Lab of Ornithology | Macaulay Library

AviList Partners

AviList is a collaborative global effort to produce a single current consensus taxonomy for the birds of the world, along with key information on taxonomy and nomenclature. The checklist is free for download by anyone, and we encourage its use by ornithologists, birders, biologists, conservation practitioners, administrators, legislators, and any other stakeholders in bird classification. Our hope is that a consistent standard for avian taxonomy will reduce confusion arising from incongruent taxonomic sources, make information easier to exchange and aggregate, and clarify species limits for professional and amateur students of birds alike. AviList provides a rationale for the adoption of specific arrangements in the case of controversial taxonomic complexes and points to species groups in which additional research is required, with the hope to assist taxonomists in prioritizing issues. AviList is a living document that is continually updated according to the most recent evidence. The first version was published in June 2025 and future revisions are planned once a year.

Summary Statistics for the AviList Checklist v2025

Species11,131
Subspecies19,879
Orders46
Families252
Genera2,376
Lichtenstein’s Sandgrouse Pterocles lichtensteinii by Luke Seitz; Cornell Lab of Ornithology | Macaulay Library

The AviList Checklist

The AviList checklist is free for anyone to use and available open access in several formats.

Ashy Drongo Dicrurus leucophaeus leucogenis by Ian Davies; Cornell Lab of Ornithology | Macaulay Library

About AviList

History, committees, team members, and other information to understand the process and teams that helped create the list.

Blackburnian Warbler
<i> Setophaga fusca </i> by Ryan Schain; <a href="https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/59207301">Cornell Lab of Ornithology | Macaulay Library</a>
Blackburnian Warbler Setophaga fusca by Ryan Schain; Cornell Lab of Ornithology | Macaulay Library

AviList Terms of Reference

Review the AviList Terms of Reference to understand its governance and structure.