Birds of the Palearctic Realm

by c. artuso

The enormous Palearctic Realm stretches from Europe to Siberia and extends as far south as northern Africa in the west, whilst being separated by the Himalaya and the Yangtze River from the Oriental Realm in the east. Around 1000 species of birds are found in this realm. The Palearctic is often further subdivided into the "Eastern Palearctic" and "Western Palearctic" subrealms. The region shares quite a number of species in common with the Nearctic, especially in the more cosmopolitan families, although there have been a number of recent splits between similar Eurasian and North American taxa, e.g. Eurasian Magpie Pica pica (formerly called Black-billed Magpie and considered conspecific with the American taxon, Black-billed Magpie, now Pica hudsonia). Other recent splits include American Three-toed Woodpecker from Three-toed Woodpecker; Hudsonian Curlew from Whimbrel; Wilson's Snipe from Common Snipe, etc.

Unfortunately, I have birded very little in this realm, and my photographs are limited to a single recent visit to South Korea and a small amount of time in western Europe.

Species are placed in alphabetical order of their common names. Alternate names given in brackets. A species' status according to Birdlife International is given where appropriate.

Baikal Teal (vulnerable) evening flight	Baikal Teal (vulnerable) with Northern Pintail and Mallard	Bean Goose	Black Redstart
Black-backed Wagtail	Black-crowned Night Heron immature	Black-tailed Gull	Blue Rock-Thrush
Cetti's Warbler	Chaffinch	Common (Eurasian) Kestrel	Common (Ring-necked) Pheasant
Common Pochard	Daurian Redstart	Eurasian Curlew	Eurasian Nutatch
Eurasian Siskin	Eurasian Sparrowhawk	Eurasian Spoonbill	Eurasian Wigeon
Falcated Duck	Fieldfare	Firecrest	Great-crested Grebe
Great Spotted Woodpecker	Grey-capped Greenfinch	Grey-headed Woodpecker	Greylag Goose
Japanese Pygmy Woodpecker	Mistle Thrush	Mute Swan	Naumann's (Dusky) Thrush
Northern Lapwing	Orange-flanked Bush-Robin (Red-flanked Bluetail)	Oriental Stork (endangered)	Oriental Turtle Dove
Pacific Loon (Pacific Diver)	Pale Thrush	Pallas's Reed Bunting	Red-crowned Crane (Vulnerable)