Chapters
Birds
Guide to Halal Animals · Ali Abuqlam
Text and original illustrations from the published edition. Use “Original page” to view the corresponding PDF page.
Chapter Three: Birds
3. Birds
This chapter consists of the list of birds which have been divided into three main categories:
Category 1: halal to eat birds such as Galliformes
Category 2: Makruh to eat birds such as Crow family
Category 3: Haram to eat birds such Accipitriformes
Birds are a group of vertebrate animals with internal heat, characterized by their feathers, teeth-less beaks, high metabolism rate, quadruped heart, and light-weight skeleton.
All birds are egg layers, females lay hard-shelled eggs where the fetus grows inside and develops until it becomes ready to hatch and emerge as a bird into the worlds.
Birds are spread all over the world, including Antarctica and inhabit a variety of habitats, like natural habitats while some can survive in human-made habitats such as cities and villages.
Birds vary in shapes, colours, and sizes, from 5-centimetres Hummingbird to 2.75-meter ostrich, and from the common raven crow to the iris lorikeet.
Scientists have proven that birds are the only remaining taxa of dinosaurs, as they are their direct descendants. Birds are distinguished from most vertebrates for their ability to fly. This ability in vertebrates is shared by bats.
The most important of these birds are flightless birds such as ostriches and kiwis. Anseriformes such as ducks, geese and swans. Apodiformes such as Swifts, Treeswifts and Hummingbirds. Caprimulgiformes such as Owlet- nightjars. Charadriiforms such as waders, wulls and auks. Ciconiidae such as storks. Coliidae such as mousebird. Columbidae such as pigeons. Coraciiform
such as kingfishers, Bee-eaters, rollers, motmots, and todies. Cuculidae such as cuckoo. Accipitriformes such as hawks, eagles, and kites. Galbulidae such as nunlet and puffbird. Galliformes such as chickens, quails, partridges, pheasants, turkeys, peafowl and grouse. Gaviiformes, pelecaniformes, Gruiformes and passeriformes.
General Rule
“Every predator with talons (prey claws) is forbidden (to eat), whether it kills the prey on its own, such as hawks and some eagles, or it feeds mainly on the carcasses of other animals like some eagles. It is permissible to eat every bird - other than predators with talons - if its flapping is more than gliding during flight or are equal during flight. If the bird glides more than flaps during the flight, then it is forbidden (to eat). It is also permissible to eat every bird - other than predators with talons – even if it doesn’t fly if it has a gizzard, crop or spurs. As for birds’ eggs, all eggs of Halal birds are Halal, and all eggs of Haram birds are Haram” Imam Ahmed Alhasan (PBUH)
Clarifications regarding the rule above
Talon
A talon is a claw that is curved, pointed appendage found at the end of a toe or finger, which is the main hunting tool for birds of prey (Raptors) and without them these birds cannot catch their prey. Cassowaries also have claws but are used for defense only, while the Hoatzin birds use them to climb trees
Talon for Raptors
The way raptors use their talon
Cassowaries Talon
Spur
A spur is a bone covered in horn that grows out of an animal's body. While claws or nails grow from the toes, spurs grow on other parts of the foot.
These parts are usually connected with joints. Spurs are mostly found on the hindfeet, but some birds have spurs at the edge of their wings
Rooster spur
Gizzard &Crop
Gizzard
The gizzard, also referred to as the ventriculus, gastric mill, and gigerium, is an organ found in the digestive tract of some birds. This specialized stomach constructed of thick muscular walls is used for grinding up food, often aided by particles of stone or grit.
Crop
A crop, sometimes called a croup, a craw, or ingluvies, is a thin-walled expanded portion of the alimentary tract used for the storage of food prior to digestion. This anatomical structure is found in a wide variety of birds.
Flap & Glide
Birds that flap their wings during flight more than they glide, or are equal during flight, are considered o be permitted to eat (Halal). On the other hand, birds that glide more than they flap during flight are forbidden to eat (Haram)
Gliding birds
Jurisprudence Introduction - Tathkia of Birds:
Halal to eat birds must undergo Tathkia by Islamic law to become halal for human consumption
Birds’ Tathkia involves:
- Slaughter, and
- Cutting off the four trunks (arteries)
It is not permissible to split apart the bird's head from the neck, while still alive, the bird becomes haram to eat.
Tathkia requirements for birds are the same for terrestrial animals mention in the previous chapter. It is a condition to recite “Bismillah (In the name of God)” when hunting, firing a rifle or releasing the hunting animal. If the hunter didn’t recite, it is permissible to recite after firing or releasing of the hunting animal. However, if reciting has been omitted deliberately, the birds becomes haram to eat.
Whether hunting with a rifle, hunting animal, or with a sharp instrument, if the hunter recited “Bismillah (In the name of God)” and arrives to find that the bird has died, the animal is Halal to eat. If the hunter arrived to find that the bird is still alive, he must slaughter it, otherwise the bird will be haram to eat.
3.1. Birds - halal
English name: ostriches
Scientific name: Struthioniformes / Struthionidae
Halal
English name: Rhae
Scientific name: Rheidae
Halal
English name: Emu
Scientific name: Casuariiformes / Dromaius novaehollandiae
Halal
English name: Cassowary
Scientific name: Casuariiformes / Casuarius
Halal
English name: Kiwi
Scientific name: Apteryx and family Apterygidae
Halal
English name: Tinamou
Scientific name: Tinamiformes/ Tinamidae / Eudromia elegans
Halal
English name: Galliformes includes turkey, grouse, chicken, New World quail and Old-World quail, ptarmigan, partridge, pheasant, junglefowl and the Cracidae
Scientific name: Galliformes
Halal
English name: Helmeted guineafowl
Scientific name: Numida meleagris
Halal
English name: Turkey
Scientific name: Meleagris
Halal
English name: Grouse
Scientific name: Tetraoninae
Halal
English name: Chicken
Scientific name: Gallus gallus domesticus
Halal
English name: New World quails
Scientific name: Odontophoridae
Halal
English name: Old World quail
Scientific name: Phasianidae
Halal
English name: ptarmigan
Scientific name: Lagopus
Halal
English name: Partridge
Scientific name: Perdix
Halal
English name: Pheasants
Scientific name: Phasianinae / Phasianus colchicus
Halal
English name: Jungle fowl
Scientific name: Gallus
Halal
English name: chachalacas, guans and curassows
Scientific name: Cracidae
Halal
English name: waterfowl
Scientific name: Anseriformes, Anhimidae, Anseranatidae, Anatidae
Halal
English name: Screamers
Scientific name: Anhimidae
Halal
English name: magpie-geese
Scientific name: Anseranatidae
Halal
English name: ducks, geese and swans
Scientific name: Anatidae
Halal
English name: wood duck or Carolina duck
Scientific name: Aix sponsa
Halal
English name: Mallard/ wild duck
Scientific name: Anas platyrhynchos
Halal
English name: Muscovy duck
Scientific name: Cairina moschata
Halal
English name: Geese
Scientific name: Anserini
Halal
English name: Swan
Scientific name: Cygnus
Halal
English name: Grebe, Diving Ducks, Loons, and Mergansers
Scientific name: Podicipediformes
Halal
English name: Pigeons
Scientific name: Columbidae
Halal
English name: Laughing dove
Scientific name: Spilopelia senegalensis
Halal
English name: mesites
Scientific name: Mesitornithidae/ (Columbimorphae)
Halal
English name: Sandgrouse
Scientific name: Pteroclididae
Halal
English name: Nightjar
Scientific name: Caprimulgidae
Halal
English name: Menetries Warbler
Scientific name: Sylvia Mystaea
Halal
English name: Spotted Flycatcher
Scientific name: Muscicapidae/ Muscicapa striata
Halal
English name: Rufous Bush Robin
Scientific name: Muscicapidae/ Cercotrichas galactotes
Halal
English name: European bee-eater
Scientific name: Merops apiaster
Halal
English name: Common Rock Thrush
Scientific name: Muscicapidae / Monticola saxatilis
Halal
English name: swifts
Scientific name: Apodidae / Apodiformes
Halal
English name: Hummingbirds
Scientific name: Trochilidae
Halal
English name: Owlet-nightjars
Scientific name: Aegothelidae / Aegotheles
Halal
English name: cuckoos
Scientific name: Cuculidae
Halal
English name: Bustards, including floricans and korhaans
Scientific name: Otididae
Halal - Most of them are unable to fly
English name: Houbara Bustard
Scientific name: Chlamydotis undulata
Halal
English name: Turacos
Scientific name: Musophagidae
Halal
English name: Crested crane
Scientific name: Balearica regulorum/ Gruidae
Halal
English name: Semipalmated sandpiper /wader
Scientific name: Calidris pusilla
Halal
English name: common stilt
Scientific name: Himantopus himantopus
Halal
English name: cream-coloured courser
Scientific name: Cursorius cursor / Glareolidae
Halal
English name: black francolin
Scientific name: Francolinus francolinus
Halal
English name: Grey Francolin
Scientific name:
Halal
English name: Black Redstart
Scientific name: Phoenicurus Ochruros
Halal
English name: Isabelline Wheatear
Scientific name: Muscicapidae / Oenanthe isabellina
Halal
English name: wagtails, longclaws and pipits
Scientific name: Motacillidae
Halal
English name: Hoactzin /Stinkbird Canje Pheasant Hoatzin
Scientific name: Aequornithes / Opisthocomus hoazin
Halal
English name: loons
Scientific name: Gaviiformes
Halal
English name: Toucan
Scientific name: Ramphastida
Halal
English name: typical waders / Dunlin
Scientific name: Charadriiformes / Calidris / Calidris alpina
Halal
English name: Egyptian Plover
Scientific name: Pluvianus aegyptius
Halal
English name: golden Plover
Scientific name: Pluvialis fulva
Halal
English name: Crab Plover
Scientific name: Dromas Ardeola
Halal
English name: Auks
Scientific name: Charadriiformes / Alcidae
Halal
English name: Penguins
Scientific name: Sphenisciformes, family Spheniscidae
Halal
English name: cormorants and shags
Scientific name: Phalacrocoracidae
Halal
English name: Storks
Scientific name: Ciconiidae
Halal
English name: shoe-billed stork
Scientific name: Balaeniceps rex
Halal
English name: Herons, Bitterns, Egrets
Scientific name: Ardeidae
Detail as below
Halal
English name: Little Bittern
Scientific name: Ixobrychus minutus
Halal
English name: Pacific Reef Heron
Scientific name: Egretta sacra
Halal
English name: snowy egret
Scientific name: Egretta thula
Halal
English name: Brown pelican
Scientific name: Pelecaniformes / Pelecanus occidentalis
Halal
English name: flaming
Scientific name: Phoenicopteriformes
Halal
English name: ibises and spoonbills
Scientific name: Threskiornithidae
Halal
English name: oystercatchers
Scientific name: Haematopodidae /Haematopus
Halal
English name: kagu or cagou
Scientific name: Rhynochetos jubatus
Halal
English name: Tropicbirds
Scientific name: Phaethontidae/Phaethontiformes
Halal
English name: Mousebirds
Scientific name: Coliiformes
Halal
English name: Trogon
Scientific name: Trogoniformes
Halal
English name: Hornbills
Scientific name: Bucerotiformes / Bucerotidae
Halal
English name: Kingfishers
Scientific name: Alcedines
Halal
English name: Bee-eaters
Scientific name: Meropidae
Halal
English name: motmots
Scientific name: Momotidae
Halal
English name: todies
Scientific name: Todidae / Todus
Halal
English name: woodpeckers
Scientific name: Piciformes / Picidae
Halal
English name: Parrots / true parrots / cockatoos / New Zealand parrots
Scientific name: Psittaciformes/ Psittacoidea, the Cacatuoidea, Strigopoidea
Halal
English name: Blue-and-yellow Macaw
Scientific name: Ara ararauna
Halal
English name: New Zealand parrot / New Zealand kaka
Scientific name: Strigopoidea / Nestoridae
Halal
English name: cockatoo
Scientific name: Cacatuidae
Halal
English name: Cockatiel
Scientific name: Nymphicus hollandicus
Halal
English name: Palm Cockatoo / goliath cockatoo or great black cockatoo
Scientific name: Probosciger aterrimus
Halal
English name: African grey parrot
Scientific name: Psittacus erithacus
Halal
English name: budgerigar, parakeet or shell parakeet, budgie
Scientific name: Melopsittacus undulatus
Halal
English name: Passerine
Scientific name: Passeriformes
The detail is below
English name: New Zealand wrens
Scientific name: Acanthisitti/ Acanthisittidae
Halal
English name: Dusky-capped flycatcher
Scientific name: Tyranni / Myiarchus tuberculifer
Halal
English name: broadbills
Scientific name: Eurylaimidae
Halal
English name: asities
Scientific name: Philepittidae
Halal
English name: Manakins
Scientific name: Pipridae
Halal
English name: Antbirds
Scientific name: Thamnophilidae
Halal
English name: Tapaculo
Scientific name: Rhinocryptidae
Halal
English name: Ovenbirds
Scientific name: furnariids Furnaridae
Halal
English name: lyrebird
Scientific name: Menura /Menuridae
Halal
English name: Bowerbirds
Scientific name: Ptilonorhynchidae
Halal
English name: wrens
Scientific name: Maluridae
Halal
English name: honeyeaters
Scientific name: Meliphagidae
Halal
English name: Wattlebird
Scientific name: Anthochaera
Halal
English name: Spinebill
Scientific name: Acanthorhynchus
Halal
English name: Golden-winged warbler
Scientific name: Vermivora chrysoptera
Halal
English name: Old World orioles / Orioles
Scientific name: Oriolidae
Halal
English name: Vireos
Scientific name: Vireonidae
Halal
English name: woodswallows and butcherbirds. boatbills
Scientific name: Machaerirhynchus
Halal
English name: Ioras
Scientific name: Aegithinidae
Halal
English name: Vanga hook billed or Vanga
Scientific name: Vanga curvirostris
Halal
English name: Grey fantail
Scientific name: Rhipidura albiscapa
Halal
English name: Birds-of-paradise
Scientific name: Paradisaeidae
Halal
English name: Monarch flycatchers
Scientific name: Monarchidae
Halal
English name: berrypeckers and longbills
Scientific name: Melanocharitidae /Passeri
Halal
English name: Satinbirds
Scientific name: Cnemophilines, Cnemophilidae
Halal
English name: kōkako
Scientific name: Callaeidae /Callaeas wilsoni
Halal
English name: stitchbird or hihi
Scientific name: Notiomystis cincta
Halal
English name: Australasian robins / Scarlet Robin
Scientific name: Petroicidae / (Petroica boodang)
Halal
English name: rockfowl or bald crows / White-necked rockfowl
Scientific name: Picathartidae / picathartes / Picathartes gymnocephalus
Halal
English name: rockjumpers
Scientific name: Chaetops, Chaetopidae
Halal
English name: rail-babbler or Malaysian rail-babbler
Scientific name: Eupetes macrocerus
Halal
English name: fairy flycatchers
Scientific name: Stenostiridae
Halal
English name: Verdin / Penduline tit
Scientific name: Auriparus /Auriparus flaviceps
Halal
English name: Eastern nicator
Scientific name: Nicator gularis
Halal
English name: Bearded Reedling
Scientific name: Panurus biarmicus
Halal
English name: African warblers / Cape grassbird or Cape grass warbler
Scientific name: Macrosphenidae / Sphenoeacus afer
Halal
English name: wren-babblers or cupwings / Pygmy Wren-babbler
Scientific name: Pnoepyga /Pnoepyga pusilla
Halal
English name: Bulbuls
Scientific name: Pycnonotidae
Halal
English name: Tyrant flycatcher
Scientific name: Sylviidae
Halal
English name: Pin-striped tit-babbler
Scientific name: timaliids / Macronus gularis
Halal
English name: White-crested laughingthrush
Scientific name: Garrulax leucolophus
Halal
English name: Kinglet
Scientific name: Regulidae
Halal
English name: The waxwings / Bohemian waxwing
Scientific name: Bombycilla /Bombycilla garrulus
Halal
English name: Grey Hypocolius
Scientific name: Hypocolius ampelinus / Hypocoliidae
Halal
English name: nuthatches
Scientific name: Sitta, Sittidae
Halal
English name: Wren
Scientific name: Troglodytidae / Cisthorus palustris
Halal
English name: Dippers
Scientific name: Cinclus /Cinclidae
Halal
English name: Thrushes / American Robin
Scientific name: Turdidae / Turdus migratorius
Halal
English name: Old World flycatcher / White-eyed Slaty Flycatcher
Scientific name: Muscicapidae / Dioptrornis fischeri
Halal
English name: oxpeckers / red-billed oxpecker
Scientific name: Buphagidae / Buphagus erythrorhynchus
Halal
English name: Starlings
Scientific name: Sturnidae / Sturnus vulgaris
Halal
English name: Northern mockingbird
Scientific name: mimids, Mimidae / Mimus polyglottos
Halal
English name: Red-browed finch
Scientific name: Estrildidae / Neochmia temporalis
Halal
English name: true finches
Scientific name: Fringillidae
Halal
English name: American Tree Sparrow
Scientific name: Spizella arborea
Halal
English name: sunbirds, spiderhunters
Scientific name: Nectariniidae
Halal
English name: palmchat
Scientific name: Dulus / Dulidae / Dulus dominicus
Halal
English name: silky flycatchers
Scientific name: Ptilogonatidae
Halal
English name: tits, chickadees, and titmice
Scientific name: Paridae
Halal
English name: wallcreeper
Scientific name: Tichodroma/Tichodroma muraria
Halal
English name: sugarbirds
Scientific name: Promerops, Promeropidae
Halal
English name: Leafbirds
Scientific name: Chloropseidae
Halal
English name: Drongos
Scientific name: Dicrurinae
Halal
English name: Lark
Scientific name: Alaudidae
Halal
3.2. Birds - makruh
English name: crows, ravens, rooks, jackdaws, jays, magpies, treepies, choughs, and nutcrackers
Scientific name: Corvidae
Makruh to eat
English name: American crow
Scientific name: Corvus brachyrhynchos
Makruh to eat
English name: Raven
Scientific name: Corvus
Makruh to eat
English name: Rook
Scientific name: Corvus frugilegus
Makruh to eat
English name: jackdaw
Scientific name: Corvus monedula
Makruh to eat
English name: Magpies
Scientific name: Pica pica
Makruh to eat
English name: Jays
Scientific name: Corvidae
Makruh to eat
English name: piapia
Scientific name: Ptilostomus / Ptilostomus afer
Makruh to eat
English name: Blue Jay
Scientific name: Cyanocitta cristata
Makruh to eat
English name: Treepie
Scientific name: Corvidae /Dendrocitta/ Crypsirina/ Temnurus and Platysmurus
Makruh to eat
English name: Chough / red-billed chough / yellow-billed chough
Scientific name: Pyrrhocorax/ Corvidae
Makruh to eat
English name: Nutcrackers
Scientific name: Nucifraga Columbiana/ Corvidae
Makruh to eat
English name: Rollers
Scientific name: Coraciidae/ Coraciiformes
Makruh to eat
English name: Peafowl, Indian Peafowl, blue peafowl
Scientific name: Pavo cristatus
Makruh to eat
English name: Shrikes
Scientific name: Laniidae
Makruh to eat
English name: Cuckooshrikes
Scientific name: Campephagidae
Makruh to eat
English name: Bornean bristlehead / bristled shrike
Scientific name: Pityriasis gymnocephala
Makruh to eat
English name: Bush shrikes
Scientific name: Malaconotidae
Makruh to eat
English name: Swallow
Scientific name: Hirundinidae
Makruh to eat
English name: hoopoe and wood hoopoes
Scientific name: Bucerotiformes / Bucerotidae
Makruh to eat
3.3. Birds - haram
English name: Diurnal birds of prey: hawks, eagles and vultures
Scientific name: Accipitriformes
Haram to eat
English name: Andean condor
Scientific name: Cathartidae, Vultur gryphus
Haram to eat
English name: hawks, eagles, kites, harriers and Old World vulturees
Scientific name: Accipitridae
Haram to eat
English name: Bald eagle
Scientific name: Accipitridae / Haliaeetus leucocephalus
Haram to eat
English name: Vulture
Scientific name: Accipttridae
Haram to eat
English name: Egyptian vulture, white scavenger vulture or pharaoh's chicken
Scientific name: Neophron percnopterus
Haram to eat
English name: falcons and caracaras / Peregrine falcon
Scientific name: Falconidae / Falco peregrinus
Haram to eat
English name: Owls
Scientific name: Strigiformes
Haram to eat
English name: Gulls, seagulls
Scientific name: Laridae
Haram to eat
English name: Terns
Scientific name: Sternidae
Haram to eat
English name: Four families: The albatrosses, petrels & shearwaters, storm petrels, and diving petrels
Scientific name: Procellariiformes
Haram to eat
English name: Northern gannet
Scientific name: Suliformes / (Morus bassanus)
Haram to eat
English name: Bats
Scientific name: Chiroptera
Haram to eat
