Birds of Vietnam, Bird Species in Vietnam

Cuc Phuong National Park, Ninh Binh, Vietnam

Let's join AdventureGreen on our bird quests to learn about the different birds and bird species in Vietnam. Here you can find out more about the birding spots that these bird species are found.

Blue-eared barbet 
(Cu rốc đầu đen, Psilopogon cyanotis)

The blue-eared barbet (Psilopogon cyanotis) is a barbet in the Megalaimidae family native to mainland Southeast Asia. 

Megalaima means ‘large throat’ in Greek.
The name Psilopogon combines the Ancient Greek psilos meaning "bare" and pōgōn meaning "beard".
epithet 'Cyanotis' means 'blue' in Greek (kyanos).

Coppersmith Barbet 
also called crimson-breasted barbet and coppersmith
(Cu rôc cổ đỏ, Psilopogon haemacephalus)

The coppersmith barbet (Psilopogon haemacephalus), also called crimson-breasted barbet and coppersmith, is an Asian barbet with crimson forehead and throat, known for its metronomic call that sounds similar to a coppersmith striking metal with a hammer. 

Piciformes, picidae, picus: Latin woodpecker.
Megalaima means ‘large throat’ in Greek.
The name Psilopogon combines the Ancient Greek psilos meaning "bare" and pōgōn meaning "beard".
haemacephala, haemacephalus Greek haima blood; -kephalos -headed (kephale head).

Stork-Billed Kingfisher 
(Pelargopsis capensis)

The stork-billed kingfisher (Pelargopsis capensis), is a tree kingfisher which is widely but sparsely distributed in the tropical Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia, from India to Indonesia.

Coraciiformes: New Latin Coracias name of genus, from Greek korakias a chough + -i- + -form ; related to Greek korax raven.
Alcedinidae: From Alcedo Latin alcedo kingfisher.
Pelargopsis: Greek pelargos stork; opsis appearance.
capense, capensis: Cape of Good Hope, South Africa.

Brown Boobook
also known as the brown hawk-owl
(Cú vọ lưng nâu, Ninox scutulata)

The brown boobook (Ninox scutulata), also known as the brown hawk-owl, is an owl which is a resident breeder in south Asia from India, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Nepal east to western Indonesia and south China.

Strigiformes: All Owls are classified as members of this order. The name is formed from "Strig", the plural form of the Latin word "strix", meaning "owl" and "formes", meaning "forms".
Strigidae: The family for all Owls except Barn Owls, derived from "Strix", a Latin word for owl (also the same in Greek).
Ninox: 
- In Greek mythology, the Latin word, Nisus, is the king of Megara who turned into a hawk. 
- The Latin word, noctua, refers to owl. 
- Ninox: derived by Hodgson in 1837 to describe the hawk-like appearance of Ninox nipalensis; junior synonym for Ninox scutulata lugubris.
scutulata: derived from the Latin word 'scutulatus': meaning 'chequered'; "diamond-shaped".

Spotted owlet (Hù trán trắng, Athene brama)

The spotted owlet (Athene brama) is a small owl which breeds in tropical Asia from North Pakistan to Southeast Asia. 

Athene Greek mythology Athene, goddess of wisdom, war,... whose favourite bird was the owl.
brama Brama or Brahma, the supreme Hindu spirit.

Asian Barred Owlet
also known as the Cuckoo owlet
(Cú vọ, Glaucidium cuculoides) 

The Asian Barred Owlet (Glaucidium cuculoides) also known as the Cuckoo owlet is a species of pygmy owl native to the forests and shrublands of mainland Southeast Asia to the foothills of the Himalayas of northern Pakistan.


Strigiformes: All Owls are classified as members of this order. The name is formed from "Strig", the plural form of the Latin word "strix", meaning "owl" and "formes", meaning "forms".
Strigidae: The family for all Owls except Barn Owls, derived from "Strix", a Latin word for owl (also the same in Greek).
Glaucidium Greek: glaukidion little owl, owlet.

Collared scops owl
(Otus lettia) 
Cú mèo khoang cổ

The collared scops owl (Otus lettia) is an owl which is a resident breeder in south Asia from northern Pakistan, northern India, Nepal, Bangladesh, the Himalayas east to southern China, and Taiwan. 

Strigidae: derived from "Strix", a Latin word for owl (also the same in Greek).
Otus is from Greek meaning a eared owl.

Asian woolly-necked stork or Asian woollyneck 
(Hạc cổ trắng, Ciconia episcopus)

The Asian woolly-necked stork or Asian woollyneck (Ciconia episcopus) is a species of large wading bird in the stork family Ciconiidae.


Recently, the African and Asian populations are considered to be two different species: the African woolly-necked stork and the Asian woolly-necked stork. This is based purely on geographical isolation,yet there is no morphological or phylogenetic evidence yet to support this split.

Ciconiidae, Ciconia: the Latin word for "stork".
The specific epithet episcopus is Latin for "bishop".

Crested Honey Buzzard 
also known as the Oriental, Asiatic, or Eastern honey buzzard
(Diều ăn ong, Pernis ptilorhynchus)

The crested honey buzzard (Pernis ptilorhynchus) is a bird of prey in the family Accipitridae.

Accipitridae from Latin accipiter/accipitri- "hawk".
The genus name Pernis is derived from Ancient Greek pernes, a term used by Aristotle for a bird of prey.
ptilorhyncha / ptilorhynchus / ptilorhyncus Greek: ptilon feather; rhunkhos bill.

Great Eared Nightjar 
(Cú muỗi mào, Lyncornis macrotis)

The great eared nightjar (Lyncornis macrotis) is a species of nightjar in the family Caprimulgidae.

Caprimulgidae: from Caprimulgus Latin caprimulgus nightjar (capra nanny goat; mulgere to milk).
The genus name Lyncornis combines the Ancient Greek lunx/lunkos meaning "lynx" and ornis meaning "bird". 
The specific epithet macrotis is from the Ancient Greek makrotes, meaning "long-eared".

Javan Frogmouth
or Horsfield's frogmouth
(Cú muỗi mỏ quặp Java, Batrachostomus javensis)

The Javan frogmouth (Batrachostomus javensis), sometimes known as Horsfield's frogmouth, is a species of bird in the family Podargidae.
The bird is found in Southeast Asia, Vietnam, Indonesia and the Philippines.


Podargidae, Podargus: French name “Podarge” given to the frog-mouths by Cuvier.
The generic name Batrachostomus is a direct translation from the Greek for 'frogmouth': batracho for'frog' and stoma for 'mouth'.

Asian emerald cuckoo 
(Tìm vịt xanh, Chrysococcyx maculatus) 

The Asian emerald cuckoo (Chrysococcyx maculatus) is a species of cuckoo in the family Cuculidae. 
Bird is found in Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Vietnam.

The word Chrysococcyx combines the Ancient Greek khrusos meaning "gold" and kokkux "cuckoo".
The specific epithet maculatus is from Latin and means "spotted" or "blotched".

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