Myanmar is recognized as having possibly the greatest diversity of bird species in Southeast Asia, with at least 1,096 avifauna species recorded including 6 endemic species and 46 bird species listed on the Red List. Although some of these species have not been recorded for decades they may be present in low numbers. Jerdon’s babbler (Chrysomma altirostre), was rediscovered in grassland near Yangon in 2014, with the first recorded sighting in 73 years.

Bird species endemic to Myanmar include Jerden’s minivet (Pericrocotus albifrons), hooded treepie (Crypsirina cucullata), Burmese bush lark (Mirafra microptera), Burmese tit (Aegithalos sharpie), white-throated babbler (Turdoides gularis) and white-browed nuthatch (Sitta victoriae).

Of the 45 globally threatened bird species in Myanmar, eight are listed as Critically Endangered. Of these, five have globally significant populations which depend on the country as a critical refuge or wintering area. These include the white-bellied heron (Ardea insignis), spoon-billed sandpiper (Calidris pygmaea), white-rumped vulture (Gyps bengalensis), slender-billed vulture (Gyps tenuirostris) and red-headed vulture (Sarcogyps calvus). Myanmar is home to the bulk of the world’s population of Gurney’s pitta (Pitta gurneyi), an endangered species, which, outside of Myanmar, is only known from very small populations in southern Thailand.