This is a list of the bird species recorded in Botswana. The avifauna of

Botswana Botswana (, ), officially the Republic of Botswana ( tn, Lefatshe la Botswana, label=Setswana, ), is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. Botswana is topographically flat, with approximately 70 percent of its territory being the Kalahar ...

included a total of 614 species, as of August 2021, according to BirdLife Botswana's ''Checklist of Birds in Botswana'', supplemented by Avibase. Of them, three have been introduced by humans. None are

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsew ...

. This list's

taxonomic Taxonomy is the practice and science of categorization or classification. A taxonomy (or taxonomical classification) is a scheme of classification, especially a hierarchical classification, in which things are organized into groups or types. ...

treatment (designation and sequence of orders, families and species) and nomenclature (English and scientific names) are those of '' The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World'', 2022 edition.Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, S. M. Billerman, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2022. The eBird/Clements Checklist of Birds of the World: v2022. Downloaded from https://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/updateindex/october-2022/ Retrieved November 1, 2022 Differences in common and scientific names between the Clements taxonomy and that of BirdLife Botswana are frequent but not noted here. The following tags highlight several categories of occurrence other than regular migrants and residents; the tags follow the BirdLife Botswana list usage. *(A) Accidental - a species which has been recorded 10 or fewer times in Botswana *(B) Uncommon - a species which has been recorded more than 10 times but for which BirdLife Botswana wishes to receive more records so as to better assess their status *(I) Introduced - a species introduced to Botswana as a consequence, direct or indirect, of human actions, and which has a self-sustaining population.

Ostriches

Order: StruthioniformesFamily:

Struthionidae Struthionidae (; ) is a family of flightless birds, containing the extant ostriches and their extinct relatives. The two extant species of ostrich are the common ostrich and Somali ostrich, both in the genus ''Struthio'', which also contains seve ...

The ostriches are flightless birds native to Africa, and are the largest living species of bird. They are distinctive in their appearance, with a long neck and legs with the ability to run at high speeds. *

Common ostrich The common ostrich (''Struthio camelus''), or simply ostrich, is a species of flightless bird native to certain large areas of Africa and is the largest living bird species. It is one of two extant species of ostriches, the only living members o ...

, ''Struthio camelus'' **

South African ostrich The South African ostrich (''Struthio camelus australis''), also known as the black-necked ostrich, Cape ostrich or southern ostrich is a subspecies of the common ostrich endemic to Southern Africa. It is widely farmed for its meat, eggs and feat ...

, ''S. c. australis''

Ducks, geese, and waterfowl

Order:

Anseriformes Anseriformes is an order of birds also known as waterfowl that comprises about 180 living species of birds in three families: Anhimidae (three species of screamers), Anseranatidae (the magpie goose), and Anatidae, the largest family, which in ...

Family:

Anatidae The Anatidae are the biological family of water birds that includes ducks, geese, and swans. The family has a cosmopolitan distribution, occurring on all the world's continents except Antarctica. These birds are adapted for swimming, floating ...

Anatidae includes the

duck Duck is the common name for numerous species of waterfowl in the family Anatidae. Ducks are generally smaller and shorter-necked than swans and geese, which are members of the same family. Divided among several subfamilies, they are a form t ...

s and most duck-like waterfowl, such as geese and

swan Swans are birds of the family (biology), family Anatidae within the genus ''Cygnus''. The swans' closest relatives include the goose, geese and ducks. Swans are grouped with the closely related geese in the subfamily Anserinae where they form t ...

s. These birds are adapted to an aquatic existence with webbed feet, flattened bills, and feathers that are excellent at shedding water due to an oily coating. * White-faced whistling-duck, ''Dendrocygna viduata'' * Fulvous whistling-duck, ''Dendrocygna bicolor'' (B) *

White-backed duck The white-backed duck (''Thalassornis leuconotus'') is a waterbird of the family Anatidae. It is distinct from all other ducks, but most closely related to the whistling ducks in the subfamily Dendrocygninae, though also showing some similarities ...

, ''Thalassornis leuconotus'' (B) * Knob-billed duck, ''Sarkidiornis melanotos'' *

Egyptian goose The Egyptian goose (''Alopochen aegyptiaca'') is a member of the duck, goose, and swan family Anatidae. It is native to Africa south of the Sahara and the Nile Valley. Egyptian geese were considered sacred by the Ancient Egyptians, and appeared ...

, ''Alopochen aegyptiacus'' *

South African shelduck The South African shelduck or Cape shelduck (''Tadorna cana'') is a species of shelduck, a group of large goose-like birds which are part of the bird family Anatidae, which also includes the swans, geese and ducks. This is a common species nativ ...

, ''Tadorna cana'' * Spur-winged goose, ''Plectropterus gambensis'' *

African pygmy-goose The African pygmy goose (''Nettapus auritus'') is a perching duck from sub-Saharan Africa. It is the smallest of Africa's waterfowl Anseriformes is an order of birds also known as waterfowl that comprises about 180 living species of birds ...

, ''Nettapus auritus'' * Garganey, ''Spatula querquedula'' (A) *

Blue-billed teal The blue-billed teal, spotted teal or Hottentot teal (''Spatula hottentota'') is a species of dabbling duck of the genus ''Spatula''. It is migratory resident in eastern and southern Africa, from Sudan and Ethiopia west to Niger and Nigeria and ...

, ''Spatula hottentota'' *

Cape shoveler The Cape shoveler or Cape shoveller (''Spatula smithii'') is a species of dabbling duck of the genus ''Spatula''. It is resident in South Africa, and uncommon further north in Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, southern Angola, Lesotho, Mozambique, ...

, ''Spatula smithii'' *

African black duck The African black duck (''Anas sparsa'') is a species of duck of the genus ''Anas''. It is genetically closest to the mallard group, but shows some peculiarities in its behavior and (as far as they can be discerned) plumage; it is accordingly pla ...

, ''Anas sparsa'' (B) * Yellow-billed duck, ''Anas undulata'' * Cape teal, ''Anas capensis'' *

Red-billed duck The red-billed teal or red-billed duck (''Anas erythrorhyncha'') is a dabbling duck which is an abundant resident breeder in southern and eastern Africa typically south of 10° S. This duck is not migratory, but will fly great distances to fin ...

, ''Anas erythrorhyncha'' *

Northern pintail The pintail or northern pintail (''Anas acuta'') is a duck species with wide geographic distribution that breeds in the northern areas of Europe and across the Palearctic and North America. It is migratory and winters south of its breeding ra ...

, ''Anas acuta'' (A) * Southern pochard, ''Netta erythrophthalma'' *

Maccoa duck The Maccoa duck (''Oxyura maccoa'') is a stiff-tailed diving duck found across Eastern and Southern Africa. Description As members of the stiff-tailed duck group, Maccoas are often found wading in the water with their tail feathers cocked upwar ...

, ''Oxyura maccoa'' (B)

Guineafowl

Numida meleagris -Serengeti National Park, Tanzania-8 (1)

Order:

Galliformes Galliformes is an order of heavy-bodied ground-feeding birds that includes turkeys, chickens, quail, and other landfowl. Gallinaceous birds, as they are called, are important in their ecosystems as seed dispersers and predators, and are often ...

Family: Numididae Guineafowl are a group of African, seed-eating, ground-nesting birds that resemble partridges, but with featherless heads and spangled grey plumage. * Helmeted guineafowl, ''Numida meleagris'' * Western crested guineafowl, ''Guttera verreauxi'' (A)

Pheasants, grouse, and allies

Order:

Family:

Phasianidae The Phasianidae are a family (biology), family of heavy, ground-living birds, which includes pheasants, partridges, junglefowl, chickens, Turkey bird, turkeys, Old World quail, and peafowl. The family includes many of the most popular Game (hunti ...

The Phasianidae are a family of terrestrial birds which consists of quails, partridges, snowcocks, francolins,

spurfowl Spurfowl are two genera of birds: * ''Galloperdix'', from India and Sri Lanka * ''Pternistis ''Pternistis'' is a genus of galliform birds formerly classified in the spurfowl group of the partridge subfamily of the pheasant family. They are d ...

tragopan ''Tragopan'' is a bird genus in the pheasant family Phasianidae. Member of the genus are commonly called "horned pheasants" because males have two brightly colored, fleshy horns on their head that can be erected during courtship displays. The ha ...

s, monals, pheasants, peafowls, and jungle fowls. In general, they are plump (although they vary in size) and have broad, relatively short wings. *

Crested francolin The crested francolin (''Ortygornis sephaena'') is a species of bird in the family Phasianidae. It is found in southern Africa. One of its subspecies, ''Ortygornis sephaena rovuma'', is sometimes considered a separate species, Kirk's francolin. ...

, ''Ortygornis sephaena'' * Coqui francolin, ''Campocolinus coqui'' *

Orange River francolin The Orange River francolin (''Scleroptila gutturalis'') is a species of bird in the family Phasianidae found in grassland and woodland in Africa.McGowan, P. J. K. (1994). Orange River Francolin (''Francolinus levaillantoides''). Pp. 494-495 in: d ...

, ''Scleroptila gutturalis'' * Blue quail, ''Synoicus adansonii'' * Common quail, ''Coturnix coturnix'' (B) *

Harlequin quail The harlequin quail (''Coturnix delegorguei'') is a species of bird in the family Phasianidae. It occurs in sub-Saharan Africa and in the Arabian Peninsula.Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sull ...

, ''Coturnix delegorguei'' * Red-billed francolin, ''Pternistis adspersus'' *

Natal francolin The Natal spurfowl or Natal francolin (''Pternistis natalensis'') is a species of bird in the family Phasianidae. It is found in Botswana, Eswatini, Mozambique, South Africa, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Taxonomy The Natal spurfowl was described in 1833 ...

, ''Pternistis natalensis'' *

Swainson's francolin Swainson's spurfowl or Swainson's francolin (''Pternistis swainsonii'') is a species of bird in the family Phasianidae. It is found in Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Eswatini, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. In the Sh ...

, ''Pternistis swainsonii''

Flamingos

Order: PhoenicopteriformesFamily: Phoenicopteridae Flamingos are gregarious wading birds, usually tall, found in both the Western and Eastern Hemispheres. Flamingos filter-feed on shellfish and algae. Their oddly shaped beaks are specially adapted to separate mud and silt from the food they consume and, uniquely, are used upside-down. * Greater flamingo, ''Phoenicopterus roseus'' * Lesser flamingo, ''Phoeniconaias minor'' (B)

Grebes

Order: PodicipediformesFamily: Podicipedidae

Grebe Grebes () are aquatic diving birds in the order Podicipediformes . Grebes are widely distributed freshwater birds, with some species also found in marine habitats during migration and winter. Some flightless species exist as well, most notably ...

s are small to medium-large freshwater diving birds. They have lobed toes and are excellent swimmers and divers. However, they have their feet placed far back on the body, making them quite ungainly on land. * Little grebe, ''Tachybaptus ruficollis'' * Great crested grebe, ''Podiceps cristatus'' *

Eared grebe The black-necked grebe or eared grebe (''Podiceps nigricollis'') is a member of the grebe family of water birds. It was described in 1831 by Christian Ludwig Brehm. There are currently three accepted subspecies, including the nominate subspeci ...

, ''Podiceps nigricollis'' (B)

Pigeons and doves

Order:

Columbiformes Columbidae () is a bird family consisting of doves and pigeons. It is the only family in the order Columbiformes. These are stout-bodied birds with short necks and short slender bills that in some species feature fleshy ceres. They primarily ...

Family:

Columbidae Columbidae () is a bird family consisting of doves and pigeons. It is the only family in the order Columbiformes. These are stout-bodied birds with short necks and short slender bills that in some species feature fleshy ceres. They primarily ...

Pigeons and doves are stout-bodied birds with short necks and short slender bills with a fleshy cere. * Rock pigeon, ''Columba livia'' (I) *

Speckled pigeon The speckled pigeon (''Columba guinea''), or (African) rock pigeon, is a pigeon that is a resident breeding bird in much of Africa south of the Sahara. It is a common and widespread species in open habitats over much of its range, although there ...

, ''Columba guinea'' * European turtle-dove, ''Streptopelia turtur'' (A) * Mourning collared-dove, ''Streptopelia decipiens'' *

Red-eyed dove The red-eyed dove (''Streptopelia semitorquata'') is a dove that is a widespread and common in Sub-Saharan Africa. It has been listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List since 2004. Taxonomy The red-eyed dove was formally described by the G ...

, ''Streptopelia semitorquata'' *

Ring-necked dove The ring-necked dove (''Streptopelia capicola''), also known as the Cape turtle dove or half-collared dove, is a widespread and often abundant dove species in East and southern Africa. It is a mostly sedentary bird, found in a variety of open ha ...

, ''Streptopelia capicola'' * Laughing dove, ''Streptopelia senegalensis'' * Emerald-spotted wood-dove, ''Turtur chalcospilos'' *

Namaqua dove The Namaqua dove (''Oena capensis'') is a small pigeon. It is the only species in the genus ''Oena.'' It is found over much of Sub-Saharan Africa as well as Arabia and Madagascar. Taxonomy The Namaqua dove is the only species in the monotypic g ...

, ''Oena capensis'' * African green-pigeon, ''Treron calva''

Sandgrouse

Order:

Pterocliformes Sandgrouse is the common name for Pteroclidae , a family of sixteen species of bird, members of the order Pterocliformes . They are traditionally placed in two genera. The two central Asian species are classified as '' Syrrhaptes'' and the othe ...

Family:

Pteroclidae Sandgrouse is the common name for Pteroclidae , a family of sixteen species of bird, members of the order Pterocliformes . They are traditionally placed in two genera. The two central Asian species are classified as '' Syrrhaptes'' and the other ...

Sandgrouse have small pigeon-like heads and necks, but sturdy compact bodies. They have long pointed wings and sometimes tails and a fast direct flight. Flocks fly to watering holes at dawn and dusk. Their legs are feathered down to the toes. * Namaqua sandgrouse, ''Pterocles namaqua'' *

Yellow-throated sandgrouse The yellow-throated sandgrouse (''Pterocles gutturalis'') is a species of bird in the family Pteroclidae. Range It is found in Angola, Botswana, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe Zimbabwe ( ...

, ''Pterocles gutturalis'' * Double-banded sandgrouse, ''Pterocles bicinctus'' *

Burchell's sandgrouse Burchell's sandgrouse (''Pterocles burchelli'') is a species of bird in the family Pteroclidae. It is found in arid and semi-arid regions of southern Africa. The name of this bird commemorates the English naturalist William John Burchell. Descri ...

, ''Pterocles burchelli''

Bustards

Order: OtidiformesFamily: Otididae Bustards are large terrestrial birds mainly associated with dry open country and steppes in the Old World. They are omnivorous and nest on the ground. They walk steadily on strong legs and big toes, pecking for food as they go. They have long broad wings with "fingered" wingtips and striking patterns in flight. Many have interesting mating displays. * Kori bustard, ''Ardeotis kori'' (B) *

Ludwig's bustard Ludwig's bustard (''Neotis ludwigii'') is a species of bird in the bustard family, and named after Baron von Ludwig. It is a medium-to-large sized species. Description The Ludwig's bustard can weigh from , with a mean of for the much larger ma ...

, ''Neotis ludwigii'' (A) *

Denham's bustard Denham's bustard, Stanley bustard or Stanley's bustard (''Neotis denhami'') is a large bird in the bustard family. It breeds in much of Sub-Saharan Africa. It is a species of open ground, including agricultural land, grassland, flood-plains and ...

, ''Neotis denhami'' (B) *

White-bellied bustard The white-bellied bustard or white-bellied korhaan (''Eupodotis senegalensis'') is an African species of bustard. It is widespread in sub-Saharan Africa in grassland and open woodland habitats. Description It is rather small for a bustard, ...

, ''Eupodotis senegalensis'' (A) * Red-crested bustard, ''Eupodotis ruficrista'' * White-quilled Bustard, ''Eupodotis afraoides'' * Black-bellied bustard, ''Lissotis melanogaster''

Turacos

Order: MusophagiformesFamily: Musophagidae The turacos, plantain eaters, and go-away-birds make up the bird family Musophagidae. They are medium-sized arboreal birds. The turacos and plantain eaters are brightly coloured, usually in blue, green, or purple. The go-away birds are mostly grey and white. * Schalow's turaco, ''Tauraco schalowi'' (A) * Purple-crested turaco, ''Tauraco porphyreolophus'' (A) * Ross's turaco, ''Musophaga rossae'' (A) * Gray go-away-bird, ''Corythaixoides concolor''

Cuckoos

Order: CuculiformesFamily: Cuculidae The family Cuculidae includes

cuckoo Cuckoos are birds in the Cuculidae family, the sole taxon in the order Cuculiformes . The cuckoo family includes the common or European cuckoo, roadrunners, koels, malkohas, couas, coucals and anis. The coucals and anis are sometimes separ ...

s, roadrunners, and

anis Anis ( ar, أنيس) is a masculine given name. The meaning of the name Anis is "genial" or "close friend". People In arts * Anis Mohamed Youssef Ferchichi, German rapper known as Bushido * Anis Haffar, educational theorist, teacher, columnist ...

. These birds are of variable size with slender bodies, long tails, and strong legs. *

Senegal coucal The Senegal coucal (''Centropus senegalensis'') is a member of the cuckoo order of birds, the Cuculiformes, which also includes the roadrunners, the anis, and the hoatzin. It is a medium-sized member of its genus and is found in lightly-wooded c ...

, ''Centropus senegalensis'' *

Coppery-tailed coucal The coppery-tailed coucal (''Centropus cupreicaudus'') is a species of cuckoo in the family Cuculidae. It is found in Angola, Botswana, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Malawi, Namibia, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. It was first described ...

, ''Centropus cupreicaudus'' * White-browed coucal, ''Centropus superciliosus'' * Black coucal, ''Centropus grillii'' (B) *

Great spotted cuckoo The great spotted cuckoo (''Clamator glandarius'') is a member of the cuckoo order of birds, the Cuculiformes, which also includes the roadrunners, the anis and the coucals. It is widely spread throughout Africa and the Mediterranean Basin. It i ...

, ''Clamator glandarius'' *

Levaillant's cuckoo Levaillant's cuckoo (''Clamator levaillantii'') is a cuckoo which is a resident breeding species in Africa south of the Sahara. It is found in bushy habitats. It is a brood parasite, using the nests of bulbuls and babblers. It was named in h ...

, ''Clamator levaillantii'' *

Pied cuckoo The Jacobin cuckoo (''Clamator jacobinus''), also pied cuckoo or pied crested cuckoo, is a member of the cuckoo order of birds that is found in Africa and Asia. It is partially migratory and in India, it has been considered a harbinger of the mons ...

, ''Clamator jacobinus'' * Thick-billed cuckoo, ''Pachycoccyx audeberti'' (B) *

Dideric cuckoo The diederik cuckoo (''Chrysococcyx caprius''), formerly dideric cuckoo or didric cuckoo is a member of the cuckoo order of birds, the Cuculiformes, which also includes the roadrunners and the anis. Taxonomy The diederik cuckoo was described ...

, ''Chrysococcyx caprius'' * Klaas's cuckoo, ''Chrysococcyx klaas'' *

African emerald cuckoo The African emerald cuckoo (''Chrysococcyx cupreus'') is a species of cuckoo that is native to Africa. Taxonomy and phylogeny As a member of the family Cuculidae, the African emerald cuckoo is an Old World cuckoo. There are four subspecies, name ...

, ''Chrysococcyx cupreus'' (B) * Black cuckoo, ''Cuculus clamosus'' *

Red-chested cuckoo The red-chested cuckoo (''Cuculus solitarius'') is a species of cuckoo in the family Cuculidae. It is a medium-sized bird found in Africa south of the Sahara. In Afrikaans, it is known as "Piet-my-vrou", after its call. Description The red-ches ...

, ''Cuculus solitarius'' *

African cuckoo The African cuckoo (''Cuculus gularis'') is a species of cuckoo in the family Cuculidae. It is found in Sub-Saharan Africa where it migrates within the continent, generally arriving and breeding in any one locality during the rainy season. A fair ...

, ''Cuculus gularis'' * Common cuckoo, ''Cuculus canorus'' (B)

Nightjars and allies

Order: CaprimulgiformesFamily: Caprimulgidae Nightjars are medium-sized nocturnal birds that usually nest on the ground. They have long wings, short legs, and very short bills. Most have small feet, of little use for walking, and long pointed wings. Their soft plumage is camouflaged to resemble bark or leaves. *

Pennant-winged nightjar The pennant-winged nightjar (''Caprimulgus vexillarius'') is a species of nightjar that occurs from Nigeria to northern South Africa. It is an intra-African migrant and displays remarkable sexual dimorphism in the breeding season. Range and ha ...

, ''Caprimulgus vexillarius'' (B) *

Eurasian nightjar The European nightjar (''Caprimulgus europaeus''), common goatsucker, Eurasian nightjar or just nightjar, is a crepuscular and nocturnality, nocturnal bird in the nightjar family that breeds across most of Europe and the Palearctic to Mongolia ...

, ''Caprimulgus europaeus'' (A) *

Rufous-cheeked nightjar The rufous-cheeked nightjar (''Caprimulgus rufigena'') is a species of nightjar in the family Caprimulgidae. It is an intra-African migrant that breeds in the south of its range. It spends the non-breeding season in eastern Nigeria, Cameroon, so ...

, ''Caprimulgus rufigena'' * Fiery-necked nightjar, ''Caprimulgus pectoralis'' *

Swamp nightjar The swamp nightjar or Natal nightjar (''Caprimulgus natalensis'') is a crepuscular and nocturnal bird in the nightjar family found in Africa. Distribution and habitat It is found in Angola, Botswana, Burundi, Cameroon, Chad, Republic of the Cong ...

, ''Caprimulgus natalensis'' (B) *

Freckled nightjar The freckled nightjar or freckled rock nightjar (''Caprimulgus tristigma'') is a species of nightjar in the family Caprimulgidae. It has a wide yet patchy distribution throughout the Afrotropics. Range and habitat This species occurs throughout ...

, ''Caprimulgus tristigma'' * Square-tailed nightjar, ''Caprimulgus fossii''

Swifts

Order: CaprimulgiformesFamily: Apodidae Swifts are small birds which spend the majority of their lives flying. These birds have very short legs and never settle voluntarily on the ground, perching instead only on vertical surfaces. Many swifts have long swept-back wings which resemble a crescent or boomerang. * Bat-like spinetail, ''Neafrapus boehmi'' (A) *

Alpine swift The alpine swift (''Tachymarptis melba'') formerly ''Apus melba'', is a species of swift found in Africa, southern Europe and Asia. They breed in mountains from southern Europe to the Himalaya. Like common swifts, they are migratory; the souther ...

, ''Apus melba'' (B) *

Common swift The common swift (''Apus apus'') is a medium-sized bird, superficially similar to the barn swallow or house martin but somewhat larger, though not stemming from those passerine species, being in the order Apodiformes. The resemblances between th ...

, ''Apus apus'' *

African swift The African black swift (''Apus barbatus''), also known as the African swift or black swift, is a medium-sized bird in the swift family. It breeds in Africa discontinuously from Liberia, Cameroon, Zaire, Uganda and Kenya southwards to South Afri ...

, ''Apus barbatus'' (B) *

Bradfield's swift Bradfield's swift (''Apus bradfieldi'') is a species of swift in the family Apodidae. It is found in Angola, Botswana, Namibia, and South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southern ...

, ''Apus bradfieldi'' (A) *

Little swift The little swift (''Apus affinis''), is a small species of swift found in Africa and southwestern Asia, and are vagrants and local breeders in southern Europe. They are found both in urban areas and at rocky cliffs where they build nests in a way ...

, ''Apus affinis'' *

Horus swift The Horus swift (''Apus horus'') is a small bird in the Swift (bird), swift family. Horus, whose name this bird commemorates, was the ancient Egyptian god of the sun, son of Osiris and Isis. Description The Horus swift is 13–15 cm long an ...

, ''Apus horus'' (B) *

White-rumped swift The white-rumped swift (''Apus caffer'') is a species of swift. Although this small bird is superficially similar to a house martin, it is not closely related to that passerine species. The resemblances between the swallows and swifts are due to ...

, ''Apus caffer'' * African palm-swift, ''Cypsiurus parvus''

Flufftails

Order:

Gruiformes The Gruiformes are an order (biology), order containing a considerable number of living and extinct bird family (biology), families, with a widespread geographical diversity. Gruiform means "crane-like". Traditionally, a number of wading and t ...

Family: Sarothruridae The flufftails are a small family of ground-dwelling birds found only in Madagascar and sub-Saharan Africa. *

Buff-spotted flufftail The buff-spotted flufftail (''Sarothrura elegans'') is a species of bird in the family Sarothruridae. It is found in Angola, Botswana, Burundi, Cameroon, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Equatorial Guinea, Eswa ...

, ''Sarothrura elegans'' (A) *

Red-chested flufftail The red-chested flufftail (''Sarothrura rufa'') is a species of bird in the family Sarothruridae Sarothruridae is a family of small- to medium-sized ground-living birds found mostly in Madagascar and sub-Saharan Africa, with the genus ''Rallic ...

, ''Sarothrura rufa'' (B)

Rails, gallinules, and coots

Order:

Family:

Rallidae The rails, or Rallidae, are a large cosmopolitan family of small- to medium-sized, ground-living birds. The family exhibits considerable diversity and includes the crakes, coots, and gallinules. Many species are associated with wetlands, althoug ...

Rallidae is a large family of small to medium-sized birds which includes the rails,

crake The rails, or Rallidae, are a large cosmopolitan family of small- to medium-sized, ground-living birds. The family exhibits considerable diversity and includes the crakes, coots, and gallinules. Many species are associated with wetlands, althoug ...

coot Coots are medium-sized water birds that are members of the rail family, Rallidae. They constitute the genus ''Fulica'', the name being the Latin term for "coot". Coots have predominantly black plumage, and—unlike many rails—they are usually ...

s, and gallinules. Typically they inhabit dense vegetation in damp environments near lakes, swamps, or rivers. In general they are shy and secretive birds, making them difficult to observe. Most species have strong legs and long toes which are well adapted to soft uneven surfaces. They tend to have short, rounded wings and to be weak fliers. *

African rail The African rail (''Rallus caerulescens'') is a small wetland bird of the rail family that is found in eastern and southern Africa. Taxonomy The African rail was formally described in 1789 by the German naturalist Johann Friedrich Gmelin in ...

, ''Rallus caerulescens'' (B) * Corn crake, ''Crex crex'' (A) *

African crake The African crake (''Crecopsis egregia'') is a small- to medium-size ground-living bird in the rail family, found in most of central to southern Africa. It is seasonally common in most of its range other than the rainforests and areas that have ...

, ''Crex egregia'' (B) * Spotted crake, ''Porzana porzana'' (B) * Lesser moorhen, ''Paragallinula angulata'' *

Eurasian moorhen The common moorhen (''Gallinula chloropus''), also known as the waterhen or swamp chicken, is a bird species in the rail family (Rallidae). It is distributed across many parts of the Old World. The common moorhen lives around well-vegetated mars ...

, ''Gallinula chloropus'' * Red-knobbed coot, ''Fulica cristata'' *

Allen's gallinule Allen's gallinule (''Porphyrio alleni''), formerly known as the lesser gallinule, is a small waterbird of the family Rallidae. Its former binomial name is ''Porphyrula alleni''. ''Porphyrio'' is the Latin for "swamphen", and ''alleni'', like the ...

, ''Porphyrio alleni'' *

African swamphen The African swamphen (''Porphyrio madagascariensis'') is a species of swamphen occurring in Egypt, Sub-Saharan Africa and Madagascar. It used to be considered a subspecies of the purple swamphen, which it resembles, but with bronze green or gre ...

, ''Porphyrio madagascariensis'' * Striped crake, ''Amaurornis marginalis'' (B) *

Black crake The black crake (''Zapornia flavirostra'') is a waterbird in the rail and crake family, Rallidae. It breeds in most of sub-Saharan Africa except in very arid areas. It undertakes some seasonal movements in those parts of its range which are subj ...

, ''Zapornia flavirostra'' *

Baillon's crake Baillon's crake (''Zapornia pusilla''), also known as the marsh crake, is a small waterbird of the family Rallidae. Distribution Their breeding habitat is Cyperaceae, sedge beds in Europe, mainly in the east, and across the Palearctic. They used ...

, ''Zapornia pusilla'' (

Finfoots

Order:

Family:

Heliornithidae The Heliornithidae are a small family of tropical birds with webbed lobes on their feet like those of grebes and coots. The family overall are known as finfoots, although one species is known as a sungrebe. The family is composed of three speci ...

Heliornithidae is a small family of tropical birds with webbed lobes on their feet similar to those of grebes and coots. *

African finfoot The African finfoot (''Podica senegalensis'') is an aquatic bird from the family Heliornithidae (the finfoots and sungrebe). The species lives in the rivers and lakes of western, central, and southern Africa. Description The African finfoot is ...

, ''Podica senegalensis'' (B)

Cranes

Order:

Family: Gruidae Cranes are large, long-legged, and long-necked birds. Unlike the similar-looking but unrelated herons, cranes fly with necks outstretched, not pulled back. Most have elaborate and noisy courting displays or "dances". * Gray crowned-crane, ''Balearica regulorum'' (B) * Wattled crane, ''Bugeranus carunculatus'' (B)

Thick-knees

Order:

Charadriiformes Charadriiformes (, from ''Charadrius'', the type genus of family Charadriidae) is a diverse order of small to medium-large birds. It includes about 390 species and has members in all parts of the world. Most charadriiform birds live near water an ...

Family:

Burhinidae The stone-curlews, also known as dikkops or thick-knees, consist of 10 species within the family Burhinidae, and are found throughout the tropical and temperate parts of the world, with two or more species occurring in some areas of Africa, Asia, ...

The thick-knees are a group of waders found worldwide within the tropical zone, with some species also breeding in temperate Europe and Australia. They are medium to large waders with strong black or yellow-black bills, large yellow eyes, and cryptic plumage. Despite being classed as waders, most species have a preference for arid or semi-arid habitats. *

Water thick-knee The water thick-knee or water dikkop (''Burhinus vermiculatus'') is a species of bird in the thick-knee family Burhinidae. The species is found across sub-Saharan Africa, usually close to water. Distribution and habitat The water thick-knee has ...

, ''Burhinus vermiculatus'' *

Spotted thick-knee The spotted thick-knee (''Burhinus capensis''), also known as the spotted dikkop or Cape thick-knee, is a wader in the family Stone-curlew, Burhinidae. It is native to tropical regions of central and southern Africa. Description The spotted thic ...

, ''Burhinus capensis''

Stilts and avocets

Order:

Family: Recurvirostridae Recurvirostridae is a family of large wading birds, which includes the avocets and

stilt Stilt is a common name for several species of birds in the family Recurvirostridae, which also includes those known as avocets. They are found in brackish or saline wetlands in warm or hot climates. They have extremely long legs, hence the grou ...

s. The avocets have long legs and long up-curved bills. The stilts have extremely long legs and long, thin, straight bills. * Black-winged stilt, ''Himantopus himantopus'' * Pied avocet, ''Recurvirostra avosetta''

Plovers and lapwings

Order:

Family: Charadriidae The family Charadriidae includes the

plover Plovers ( , ) are a widely distributed group of wading birds belonging to the subfamily Charadriinae. Description There are about 66 species in the subfamily, most of them called "plover" or "dotterel". The closely related lapwing subfa ...

s, dotterels, and lapwings. They are small to medium-sized birds with compact bodies, short thick necks, and long, usually pointed, wings. They are found in open country worldwide, mostly in habitats near water. * Black-bellied plover, ''Pluvialis squatarola'' (B) *

Long-toed lapwing The long-toed lapwing (''Vanellus crassirostris'') is a species of bird in the family Charadriidae. It is found in Angola, Botswana, Burundi, Cameroon, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, ...

, ''Vanellus crassirostris'' * Blacksmith lapwing, ''Vanellus armatus'' *

Spur-winged lapwing The spur-winged lapwing or spur-winged plover (''Vanellus spinosus'') is a lapwing species, one of a group of largish waders in the family Charadriidae. It is one of several species of wader supposed to be the "trochilus" bird said by Herodotus ...

, ''Vanellus spinosus'' (A) *

White-headed lapwing The white-crowned lapwing, white-headed lapwing, white-headed plover or white-crowned plover (''Vanellus albiceps'') is a medium-sized wader. It is resident throughout tropical Africa, usually near large rivers. Description This lapwing is unmi ...

, ''Vanellus albiceps'' (B) * Senegal lapwing, ''Vanellus lugubris'' *

Crowned lapwing The crowned lapwing (''Vanellus coronatus''), or crowned plover, is a bird of the lapwing subfamily that occurs contiguously from the Red Sea coast of Somalia to southern and southwestern Africa. It is an adaptable and numerous species, with bold ...

, ''Vanellus coronatus'' * Wattled lapwing, ''Vanellus senegallus'' * Greater sand-plover, ''Charadrius leschenaultii'' (A) *

Caspian plover The Caspian plover (''Charadrius asiaticus'') is a wader in the plover family of birds. The genus name ''Charadrius'' is a Late Latin word for a yellowish bird mentioned in the fourth-century Vulgate. It derives from Ancient Greek ''kharadrios'' ...

, ''Charadrius asiaticus'' * Kittlitz's plover, ''Charadrius pecuarius'' * Common ringed plover, ''Charadrius hiaticula'' * Three-banded plover, ''Charadrius tricollaris'' *

White-fronted plover The white-fronted plover or white-fronted sandplover (''Charadrius marginatus'') is a small (45-50 g) shorebird of the family Charadriidae that inhabits sandy beaches, dunes, mudflats and the shores of rivers and lakes in sub-saharan Africa and M ...

, ''Charadrius marginatus'' (B) * Chestnut-banded plover, ''Charadrius pallidus'' (B)

Painted-snipes

Order:

Family:

Rostratulidae The Rostratulidae, commonly known as the painted-snipes, are a family of wading birds that consists of two genera: ''Rostratula'' and '' Nycticryphes''. Description The painted-snipes are short-legged, long-billed birds similar in shape to the t ...

Painted-snipe are short-legged, long-billed birds similar in shape to the true snipes, but more brightly coloured. *

Greater painted-snipe The greater painted-snipe (''Rostratula benghalensis'') is a species of wader in the family Rostratulidae. It is found in marshes in Africa, South Asia and South-east Asia. Description Medium-sized, plump wading bird. Long reddish-brown bill, s ...

, ''Rostratula benghalensis''

Jacanas

Order:

Family:

Jacanidae The jacanas (sometimes referred to as Jesus birds or lily trotters) are a group of tropical waders in the family Jacanidae. They are found in the tropical regions around the world. They are noted for their elongated toes and toenails that allow ...

The jacanas are a group of waders which are found throughout the tropics. They are identifiable by their huge feet and claws which enable them to walk on floating vegetation in the shallow lakes that are their preferred habitat. *

Lesser jacana The lesser jacana (''Microparra capensis'') is a species of bird in the family Jacanidae. It is monotypic within the genus ''Microparra''. It is found in Angola, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Democrat ...

, ''Microparra capensis'' * African jacana, ''Actophilornis africanus''

Sandpipers and allies

Order:

Family:

Scolopacidae Sandpipers are a large family, Scolopacidae, of waders. They include many species called sandpipers, as well as those called by names such as curlew and snipe. The majority of these species eat small invertebrates picked out of the mud or soil. ...

Scolopacidae is a large diverse family of small to medium-sized shorebirds including the

sandpiper Sandpipers are a large family, Scolopacidae, of waders. They include many species called sandpipers, as well as those called by names such as curlew and snipe. The majority of these species eat small invertebrates picked out of the mud or soil. ...

s, curlews, godwits, shanks, tattlers,

woodcock The woodcocks are a group of seven or eight very similar living species of wading birds in the genus ''Scolopax''. The genus name is Latin for a snipe or woodcock, and until around 1800 was used to refer to a variety of waders. The English name ...

snipe A snipe is any of about 26 wading bird species in three genera in the family Scolopacidae. They are characterized by a very long, slender bill, eyes placed high on the head, and cryptic/camouflaging plumage. The ''Gallinago'' snipes have a near ...

s, dowitchers, and

phalarope __NOTOC__ A phalarope is any of three living species of slender-necked shorebirds in the genus ''Phalaropus'' of the bird family Scolopacidae. Phalaropes are close relatives of the shanks and tattlers, the ''Actitis'' and Terek sandpipers, a ...

s. The majority of these species eat small invertebrates picked out of the mud or soil. Variation in length of legs and bills enables multiple species to feed in the same habitat, particularly on the coast, without direct competition for food. * Whimbrel, ''Numenius phaeopus'' (B) *

Eurasian curlew The Eurasian curlew or common curlew (''Numenius arquata'') is a very large wader in the family Scolopacidae. It is one of the most widespread of the curlews, breeding across temperate Europe and Asia. In Europe, this species is often referred t ...

, ''Numenius arquata'' (B) * Bar-tailed godwit, ''Limosa lapponica'' (A) *

Black-tailed godwit The black-tailed godwit (''Limosa limosa'') is a large, long-legged, long-billed shorebird first described by Carl Linnaeus in 1758. It is a member of the godwit genus, ''Limosa''. There are four subspecies, all with orange head, neck and chest ...

, ''Limosa limosa'' (B) * Ruddy turnstone, ''Arenaria interpres'' (B) * Red knot, ''Calidris canutus'' (A) *

Ruff Ruff may refer to: Places *Ruff, Virginia, United States, an unincorporated community *Ruff, Washington, United States, an unincorporated community Other uses *Ruff (bird) (''Calidris pugnax'' or ''Philomachus pugnax''), a bird in the wader fami ...

, ''Calidris pugnax'' * Curlew sandpiper, ''Calidris ferruginea'' (B) * Temminck's stint, ''Calidris temminckii'' (A) * Long-toed stint, ''Calidris subminuta'' (A) * Sanderling, ''Calidris alba'' (B) * Little stint, ''Calidris minuta'' *

Buff-breasted sandpiper The buff-breasted sandpiper (''Calidris subruficollis'') is a small wader, shorebird. The species name ''subruficollis'' is from Latin ''subrufus'', "reddish" (from ''sub'', "somewhat", and ''rufus'', "rufous") and ''collis'', "-necked/-throated" ...

, ''Calidris subruficollis'' (A) * Pectoral sandpiper, ''Calidris melanotos'' (B) *

Great snipe The great snipe (''Gallinago media'') is a small stocky wader in the genus ''Gallinago''. This bird's breeding habitat is marshes and wet meadows with short vegetation in north-eastern Europe, including north-western Russia. Great snipes are mig ...

, ''Gallinago media'' (A) *

African snipe The African snipe (''Gallinago nigripennis'') also known as the Ethiopian snipe, is a small stocky wader. It breeds in eastern and southern Africa in wet mountain moorland and swamps at altitudes of . When not breeding it disperses widely, includ ...

, ''Gallinago nigripennis'' * Terek sandpiper, ''Xenus cinereus'' (B) * Red-necked phalarope, ''Phalaropus lobatus'' (A) * Red phalarope, ''Phalaropus fulicarius'' (A) *

Common sandpiper The common sandpiper (''Actitis hypoleucos'') is a small Palearctic wader. This bird and its American sister species, the spotted sandpiper (''A. macularia''), make up the genus ''Actitis''. They are parapatric and replace each other geographic ...

, ''Actitis hypoleucos'' * Green sandpiper, ''Tringa ochropus'' (B) * Spotted redshank, ''Tringa erythropus'' (A) * Greater yellowlegs, ''Tringa melanoleuca'' (A) *

Common greenshank The common greenshank (''Tringa nebularia'') is a wader in the large family Scolopacidae, the typical waders. The genus name ''Tringa'' is the New Latin name given to the green sandpiper by Aldrovandus in 1599 based on Ancient Greek ''trungas'' ...

, ''Tringa nebularia'' *

Lesser yellowlegs The lesser yellowlegs (''Tringa flavipes'') is a medium-sized shorebird. It breeds in the boreal forest region of North America. Taxonomy The lesser yellowlegs was formally described in 1789 by the German naturalist Johann Friedrich Gmelin in ...

, ''Tringa flavipes'' (A) *

Marsh sandpiper The marsh sandpiper (''Tringa stagnatilis'') is a small wader. It is a rather small shank, and breeds in open grassy steppe and taiga wetlands from easternmost Europe to the Russian Far East. The genus name ''Tringa'' is the New Latin name given ...

, ''Tringa stagnatilis'' *

Wood sandpiper The wood sandpiper (''Tringa glareola'') is a small wader. This Eurasian species is the smallest of the shanks, which are mid-sized long-legged waders of the family Scolopacidae. The genus name ''Tringa'' is the New Latin name given to the green ...

, ''Tringa glareola'' * Common redshank, ''Tringa totanus'' (A)

Buttonquails

Order:

Family: Turnicidae The buttonquails are small, drab, running birds which resemble the true quails. The female is the brighter of the sexes and initiates courtship. The male incubates the eggs and tends the young. *

Small buttonquail The common buttonquail (''Turnix sylvaticus''), also called Kurrichane buttonquail, small buttonquail, or Andalusian hemipode is a buttonquail, one of a small family of birds which resemble but are unrelated to the true of quails. Description Th ...

, ''Turnix sylvatica''

Pratincoles and coursers

Rhinoptilus cinctus -near Lake Baringo, Kenya-8

Order:

Family:

Glareolidae Glareolidae is a family of birds in the wader suborder Charadrii. It contains two distinct groups, the pratincoles and the coursers. The atypical Egyptian plover (''Pluvianus aegyptius''), traditionally placed in this family, is now known to be ...

Glareolidae is a family of wading birds comprising the

pratincole The pratincoles or greywaders are a group of birds which together with the coursers make up the family Glareolidae. They have short legs, very long pointed wings and long forked tails. Description Their most unusual feature for birds classed as ...

s, which have short legs, long pointed wings, and long forked tails, and the

courser The coursers are a group of birds which together with the pratincoles make up the family Glareolidae. They have long legs, short wings and long pointed bills which curve downwards. Their most unusual feature for birds classed as waders is that ...

s, which have long legs, short wings, and long, pointed bills which curve downwards. *

Burchell's courser Burchell's courser (''Cursorius rufus'') is a wader in the pratincole and courser family, Glareolidae. The name of this bird commemorates the English naturalist William John Burchell. Native to Africa, Burchell's courser is a small, diurnal, an ...

, ''Cursorius rufus'' (A) *

Temminck's courser Temminck's courser (''Cursorius temminckii'') is a bird in the pratincole and courser family, Glareolidae. It is a wader which lives in sub-Saharan Africa. It is noted for laying its dark ash-black eggs in the burnt bushes and grass of the Africa ...

, ''Cursorius temminckii'' *

Double-banded courser The double-banded courser (''Rhinoptilus africanus''), also known as the two-banded courser, is a species of bird in the family Glareolidae. Description The bird's crown is pale and streaked with brown/black feathers. A narrow black stripe exte ...

, ''Smutsornis africanus'' *

Three-banded courser The three-banded courser (''Rhinoptilus cinctus'') is a species of bird in the family Glareolidae. It is found in Angola, Botswana, Ethiopia, Kenya, Namibia, Rwanda, Somalia, Somaliland, South Africa, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zi ...

, ''Rhinoptilus cinctus'' (B) *

Bronze-winged courser The bronze-winged courser or violet-tipped courser (''Rhinoptilus chalcopterus'') is a species of bird in the family Glareolidae. This species is named for its characteristic bronze-tipped feathers that are visible during flight. It is found livi ...

, ''Rhinoptilus chalcopterus'' *

Collared pratincole The collared pratincole (''Glareola pratincola''), also known as the common pratincole or red-winged pratincole, is a wader in the pratincole family, Glareolidae. As with other pratincoles, it is native to the Old World. Taxonomy The collared pr ...

, ''Glareola pratincola'' *

Black-winged pratincole The black-winged pratincole (''Glareola nordmanni'') is a wader in the pratincole bird family, Glareolidae. The genus name is a diminutive of Latin ''glarea'', "gravel", referring to a typical nesting habitat for pratincoles. The species name ...

, ''Glareola nordmanni'' (B) *

Rock pratincole The rock pratincole (''Glareola nuchalis'') is a species of bird in the family Glareolidae. Distribution and habitat There are two subspecies of rock pratincole: *''G. n. liberiae'' (Schlegel, 1881), – ''Rufous-collared pratincole'' – from ...

, ''Glareola nuchalis'' (A)

Skuas and jaegers

Order:

Family: Stercorariidae The family Stercorariidae are, in general, medium to large birds, typically with grey or brown plumage, often with white markings on the wings. They nest on the ground in temperate and arctic regions and are long-distance migrants. *

Long-tailed jaeger The long-tailed skua or long-tailed jaeger (''Stercorarius longicaudus'') is a seabird in the skua family Stercorariidae. Etymology The word "jaeger" is derived from the German word ''Jäger'', meaning "hunter". The English word "skua" comes fr ...

, ''Stercorarius longicaudus'' (A)

Gulls, terns, and skimmers

Order:

Family: Laridae Laridae is a family of medium to large

seabird Seabirds (also known as marine birds) are birds that are adapted to life within the marine environment. While seabirds vary greatly in lifestyle, behaviour and physiology, they often exhibit striking convergent evolution, as the same enviro ...

s, the

gull Gulls, or colloquially seagulls, are seabirds of the family Laridae in the suborder Lari. They are most closely related to the terns and skimmers and only distantly related to auks, and even more distantly to waders. Until the 21st century, m ...

s, terns, and

skimmer Skimmer may refer to: Animals *Skimmer (bird), a common name for birds in the genus ''Rynchops'' *Skimmer (dragonfly), a common name for dragonflies in the family Libellulidae *Water strider or skimmer, a common name for insects in the family Ge ...

s. Gulls are typically grey or white, often with black markings on the head or wings. They have stout, longish bills and webbed feet. Terns are a group of generally medium to large seabirds typically with grey or white plumage, often with black markings on the head. Most terns hunt fish by diving but some pick insects off the surface of fresh water. Terns are generally long-lived birds, with several species known to live in excess of 30 years. Skimmers are a small family of tropical tern-like birds. They have an elongated lower mandible which they use to feed by flying low over the water surface and skimming the water for small fish. * Gray-hooded gull, ''Chroicocephalus cirrocephalus'' *

Black-headed gull The black-headed gull (''Chroicocephalus ridibundus'') is a small gull that breeds in much of the Palearctic including Europe and also in coastal eastern Canada. Most of the population is migratory and winters further south, but some birds res ...

, ''Chroicocephalus ridibundus'' (A) * Lesser black-backed gull, ''Larus fuscus'' (B) * Gull-billed tern, ''Gelochelidon nilotica'' (A) * Caspian tern, ''Hydroprogne caspia'' (B) * Black tern, ''Chlidonias niger'' * White-winged tern, ''Chlidonias leucopterus'' *

Whiskered tern The whiskered tern (''Chlidonias hybrida'') is a tern in the family Laridae. The genus name is from Ancient Greek ''khelidonios'', "swallow-like", from ''khelidon'', "swallow". The specific ''hybridus'' is Latin for ''hybrid''; Peter Simon Palla ...

, ''Chlidonias hybrida'' *

African skimmer The African skimmer (''Rynchops flavirostris'') is a species of bird belonging to the skimmer genus ''Rynchops'' in the family Laridae. It is found along rivers, lakes and lagoons in Sub-Saharan Africa. Description African skimmers have long w ...

, ''Rynchops flavirostris'' (B)

Storks

Order: CiconiiformesFamily: Ciconiidae Storks are large, long-legged, long-necked, wading birds with long, stout bills. Storks are mute, but bill-clattering is an important mode of communication at the nest. Their nests can be large and may be reused for many years. Many species are migratory. *

African openbill The African openbill (''Anastomus lamelligerus'') is a species of stork from the family Ciconiidae.Kahl, M. P. (1972). Comparative ethology of the ''Ciconiidae'': part 5. The Openbill Storks (genus ''Anastomus''). ''Journal Für Ornithologie'', ...

, ''Anastomus lamelligerus'' * Black stork, ''Ciconia nigra'' (B) *

Abdim's stork Abdim's stork (''Ciconia abdimii''), also known as the white-bellied stork, is a stork belonging to the family Ciconiidae. It is the smallest species of stork, feeds mostly on insects, and is found widely in open habitats in Sub-Saharan Africa an ...

, ''Ciconia abdimii'' *

African woolly-necked stork The African woolly-necked stork or African woollyneck (''Ciconia microscelis'') is a species of large wading bird in the stork family Ciconiidae. It breeds singly, or in small loose colonies. It is distributed in a wide variety of habitats inclu ...

, ''Ciconia microscelis'' (B) *

White stork The white stork (''Ciconia ciconia'') is a large bird in the stork family, Ciconiidae. Its plumage is mainly white, with black on the bird's wings. Adults have long red legs and long pointed red beaks, and measure on average from beak tip to en ...

, ''Ciconia ciconia'' * Saddle-billed stork, ''Ephippiorhynchus senegalensis'' (B) *

Marabou stork The marabou stork (''Leptoptilos crumenifer'') is a large wading bird in the stork family Ciconiidae native to sub-Saharan Africa. It breeds in both wet and arid habitats, often near human habitation, especially landfill sites. It is someti ...

, ''Leptoptilos crumenifer'' *

Yellow-billed stork The yellow-billed stork (''Mycteria ibis''), sometimes also called the wood stork or wood ibis, is a large African wading stork species in the family Ciconiidae. It is widespread in regions south of the Sahara and also occurs in Madagascar. Taxo ...

, ''Mycteria ibis''

Anhingas

Order: SuliformesFamily: Anhingidae Anhingas or darters are often called "snake-birds" because of their long thin neck, which gives a snake-like appearance when they swim with their bodies submerged. The males have black and dark-brown plumage, an erectile crest on the nape and a larger bill than the female. The females have much paler plumage especially on the neck and underparts. The darters have completely webbed feet and their legs are short and set far back on the body. Their plumage is somewhat permeable, like that of cormorants, and they spread their wings to dry after diving. *

African darter The African darter (''Anhinga rufa''), sometimes called the snakebird, is a water bird of sub-Saharan Africa and Iraq. Taxonomy The African darter is a member of the darter family, Anhingidae, and is closely related to American (''Anhinga anhin ...

, ''Anhinga rufa''

Cormorants and shags

Great Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo) -park in London

Order: SuliformesFamily: Phalacrocoracidae Phalacrocoracidae is a family of medium to large coastal, fish-eating seabirds that includes cormorants and shags. Plumage colouration varies, with the majority having mainly dark plumage, some species being black-and-white, and a few being colourful. *

Long-tailed cormorant The reed cormorant (''Microcarbo africanus''), also known as the long-tailed cormorant, is a bird in the cormorant family Phalacrocoracidae. It breeds in much of Africa south of the Sahara, and Madagascar. It is resident but undertakes some se ...

, ''Microcarbo africanus'' *

Great cormorant The great cormorant (''Phalacrocorax carbo''), known as the black shag in New Zealand and formerly also known as the great black cormorant across the Northern Hemisphere, the black cormorant in Australia, and the large cormorant in India, is a w ...

, ''Phalacrocorax carbo''

Pelicans

Order: PelecaniformesFamily: Pelecanidae

Pelican Pelicans (genus ''Pelecanus'') are a genus of large water birds that make up the family Pelecanidae. They are characterized by a long beak and a large throat pouch used for catching prey and draining water from the scooped-up contents before s ...

s are large water birds with a distinctive pouch under their beak. They have webbed feet with four toes. *

Great white pelican The great white pelican (''Pelecanus onocrotalus'') also known as the eastern white pelican, rosy pelican or white pelican is a bird in the pelican family. It breeds from southeastern Europe through Asia and Africa, in swamps and shallow lakes. ...

, ''Pelecanus onocrotalus'' *

Pink-backed pelican The pink-backed pelican (''Pelecanus rufescens'') is a bird of the pelican family. It is a resident breeder in the swamps and shallow lakes of Africa and southern Arabia; it has also apparently extirpated in Madagascar. Taxonomy The pink-backe ...

, ''Pelecanus rufescens''

Hamerkop

Order: PelecaniformesFamily:

Scopidae ''Scopus'' is a genus of wading birds containing the hamerkop ''(Scopus umbretta)'' and its extinct Pliocene relative, ''Scopus xenopus''. This genus is the sole representative of the family Scopidae. Taxonomy Hamerkops were traditionally includ ...

The hamerkop is a medium-sized bird with a long shaggy crest. The shape of its head with a curved bill and crest at the back is reminiscent of a hammer, hence its name. Its plumage is drab-brown all over. * Hamerkop, ''Scopus umbretta''

Herons, egrets, and bitterns

Order: PelecaniformesFamily: Ardeidae The family Ardeidae contains the bitterns,

heron The herons are long-legged, long-necked, freshwater and coastal birds in the family Ardeidae, with 72 recognised species, some of which are referred to as egrets or bitterns rather than herons. Members of the genera ''Botaurus'' and ''Ixobrychus ...

s, and

egret Egrets ( ) are herons, generally long-legged wading birds, that have white or buff plumage, developing fine plumes (usually milky white) during the breeding season. Egrets are not a biologically distinct group from herons and have the same build ...

s. Herons and egrets are medium to large wading birds with long necks and legs. Bitterns tend to be shorter necked and more wary. Members of Ardeidae fly with their necks retracted, unlike other long-necked birds such as storks, ibises, and spoonbills. *

Great bittern The Eurasian bittern or great bittern (''Botaurus stellaris'') is a wading bird in the bittern subfamily (Botaurinae) of the heron family Ardeidae. There are two subspecies, the northern race (''B. s. stellaris'') breeding in parts of Europe and ...

, ''Botaurus stellaris'' *

Little bittern The little bittern or common little bittern (''Ixobrychus minutus'') is a wading bird in the heron family, Ardeidae. ''Ixobrychus'' is from Ancient Greek ''ixias'', a reed-like plant and ''brukhomai'', to bellow, and ''minutus'' is Latin for "sm ...

, ''Ixobrychus minutus'' * Dwarf bittern, ''Ixobrychus sturmii'' *

Gray heron The grey heron (''Ardea cinerea'') is a long-legged wading bird of the heron family, Ardeidae, native throughout temperate Europe and Asia and also parts of Africa. It is resident in much of its range, but some populations from the more northern ...

, ''Ardea cinerea'' *

Black-headed heron The black-headed heron (''Ardea melanocephala'') is a wading bird of the heron family Ardeidae, common throughout much of sub-Saharan Africa and Madagascar. It is mainly resident, but some west African birds move further north in the rainy sea ...

, ''Ardea melanocephala'' *

Goliath heron The Goliath heron (''Ardea goliath''), also known as the giant heron, is a very large wading bird of the heron family, Ardeidae. It is found in sub-Saharan Africa, with smaller, declining numbers in Southwest and South Asia. Description This i ...

, ''Ardea goliath'' * Purple heron, ''Ardea purpurea'' *

Great egret The great egret (''Ardea alba''), also known as the common egret, large egret, or (in the Old World) great white egret or great white heron is a large, widely distributed egret. The four subspecies are found in Asia, Africa, the Americas, and ...

, ''Ardea alba'' * Intermediate egret, ''Ardea intermedia'' (B) * Little egret, ''Egretta garzetta'' *

Slaty egret The slaty egret (''Egretta vinaceigula'') is a small, dark egret. It is one of the species to which the ''Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds'' (AEWA) applies. It is classified as Vulnerable, the biggest thre ...

, ''Egretta vinaceigula'' (B) *

Black heron The black heron (''Egretta ardesiaca''), also known as the black egret, is an African heron. It is well known for its habit of using its wings to form a canopy when fishing. Description The black heron is a medium-sized (42.5–66 cm ...

, ''Egretta ardesiaca'' *

Cattle egret The cattle egret (''Bubulcus ibis'') is a cosmopolitan species of heron (family Ardeidae) found in the tropics, subtropics, and warm-temperate zones. It is the only member of the monotypic genus ''Bubulcus'', although some authorities regard it ...

, ''Bubulcus ibis'' * Squacco heron, ''Ardeola ralloides'' *

Rufous-bellied heron The rufous-bellied heron (''Ardeola rufiventris'') is a species of heron in the genus ''Ardeola'', the pond herons, of the family Ardeidae. Identification This is a small dark species of heron with a dark grey head, back and breast contrasting ...

, ''Ardeola rufiventris'' * Striated heron, ''Butorides striata'' *

Black-crowned night-heron The black-crowned night heron (''Nycticorax nycticorax''), or black-capped night heron, commonly shortened to just night heron in Eurasia, is a medium-sized heron found throughout a large part of the world, including parts of Europe, Asia, and ...

, ''Nycticorax nycticorax'' * White-backed night-heron, ''Gorsachius leuconotus'' (B)

Ibises and spoonbills

Plegadis falcinellus (aka) background blurred

Order: PelecaniformesFamily:

Threskiornithidae The family Threskiornithidae includes 36 species of large wading birds. The family has been traditionally classified into two subfamilies, the ibises and the spoonbills; however recent genetic studies have cast doubt on this arrangement, and hav ...

Threskiornithidae is a family of large terrestrial and wading birds which includes the

ibis The ibises () (collective plural ibis; classical plurals ibides and ibes) are a group of long-legged wading birds in the family Threskiornithidae, that inhabit wetlands, forests and plains. "Ibis" derives from the Latin and Ancient Greek word f ...

es and

spoonbill Spoonbills are a genus, ''Platalea'', of large, long-legged wading birds. The spoonbills have a global distribution, being found on every continent except Antarctica. The genus name ''Platalea'' derives from Ancient Greek and means "broad", refe ...

s. They have long, broad wings with 11 primary and about 20 secondary feathers. They are strong fliers and despite their size and weight, very capable soarers. * Glossy ibis, ''Plegadis falcinellus'' *

African sacred ibis The African sacred ibis (''Threskiornis aethiopicus'') is a species of ibis, a wading bird of the family Threskiornithidae. It is native to much of Africa, as well as small parts of Iraq, Iran and Kuwait. It is especially known for its role in ...

, ''Threskiornis aethiopicus'' * Southern bald ibis, ''Geronticus calvus'' (A) *

Hadada ibis The hadeda ibis (''Bostrychia hagedash'') is an ibis native to Sub-Saharan Africa. It is named for its loud three to four note calls uttered in flight especially in the mornings and evenings when they fly out or return to their roost trees. Altho ...

, ''Bostrychia hagedash'' *

African spoonbill The African spoonbill (''Platalea alba'') is a long-legged wading birdAccipitriformesFamily:

Sagittariidae Sagittariidae is a family of raptor with one living species—the secretarybird (''Sagittarius serpentarius'') native to Africa. This single extant species, has effected the fossil record of the group by ‘pulling’ the temporal range of the fam ...

The secretarybird is a bird of prey but is easily distinguished from other raptors by its long crane-like legs. * Secretarybird, ''Sagittarius serpentarius'' (B)

Osprey

Order: AccipitriformesFamily:

Pandionidae ''Pandion'' is a genus of birds of prey, known as ospreys, the only genus of family Pandionidae. Most taxonomic treatments have regarded this genus as describing a single extant species, separated to subspecies or races, while some treatments rec ...

The family Pandionidae contains only one species, the osprey. The osprey is a medium-large

raptor Raptor or RAPTOR may refer to: Animals The word "raptor" refers to several groups of bird-like dinosaurs which primarily capture and subdue/kill prey with their talons. * Raptor (bird) or bird of prey, a bird that primarily hunts and feeds on v ...

which is a specialist fish-eater with a worldwide distribution. *

Osprey The osprey (''Pandion haliaetus''), , also called sea hawk, river hawk, and fish hawk, is a diurnal, fish-eating bird of prey with a cosmopolitan range. It is a large raptor reaching more than in length and across the wings. It is brown o ...

, ''Pandion haliaetus'' (B)

Hawks, eagles, and kites

Order: AccipitriformesFamily: Accipitridae Accipitridae is a family of birds of prey which includes

hawk Hawks are bird of prey, birds of prey of the family Accipitridae. They are widely distributed and are found on all continents except Antarctica. * The subfamily Accipitrinae includes goshawks, sparrowhawks, sharp-shinned hawks and others. Th ...

eagle Eagle is the common name for many large birds of prey of the family Accipitridae. Eagles belong to several groups of genera, some of which are closely related. Most of the 68 species of eagle are from Eurasia and Africa. Outside this area, just ...

s, kites, harriers, and

Old World vulture Old World vultures are vultures that are found in the Old World, i.e. the continents of Europe, Asia and Africa, and which belong to the family Accipitridae, which also includes eagles, buzzards, kites, and hawks. Old World vultures are not clos ...

s. These birds have powerful hooked beaks for tearing flesh from their prey, strong legs, powerful talons, and keen eyesight. * Black-winged kite, ''Elanus caeruleus'' * African harrier-hawk, ''Polyboroides typus'' *

Palm-nut vulture The palm-nut vulture (''Gypohierax angolensis'') or vulturine fish eagle, is a large bird of prey in the family Accipitridae (which also includes many other diurnal raptors such as kites, buzzards and harriers, vultures, and eagles). It is the o ...

, ''Gypohierax angolensis'' (A) *

Egyptian vulture The Egyptian vulture (''Neophron percnopterus''), also called the white scavenger vulture or pharaoh's chicken, is a small Old World vulture and the only member of the genus ''Neophron''. It is widely distributed from the Iberian Peninsula and ...

, ''Neophron percnopterus'' (A) * European honey-buzzard, ''Pernis apivorus'' (B) *

African cuckoo-hawk The African cuckoo-hawk, or African baza, (''Aviceda cuculoides'') is a medium-sized raptor in the family Accipitridae so named because it resembles the common cuckoo. It is found in sub-Saharan Africa and along the eastern parts of Southern Afri ...

, ''Aviceda cuculoides'' (A) *

White-headed vulture The white-headed vulture (''Trigonoceps occipitalis'') is an Old World vulture endemic to Africa. Populations have been declining steeply in recent years due to habitat degradation and poisoning of vultures at carcasses. An extinct relative was a ...

, ''Trigonoceps occipitalis'' (B) *

Lappet-faced vulture The lappet-faced vulture or Nubian vulture (''Torgos tracheliotos'') is an Old World vulture belonging to the bird order Accipitriformes, which also includes eagles, kites, buzzards and hawks. It is the only member of the genus ''Torgos''. It ...

, ''Torgos tracheliotos'' (B) *

Hooded vulture The hooded vulture (''Necrosyrtes monachus'') is an Old World vulture in the order Accipitriformes, which also includes eagles, kites, buzzards and hawks. It is the only member of the genus ''Necrosyrtes,'' which is sister to the larger ''Gyps ...

, ''Necrosyrtes monachus'' (B) * White-backed vulture, ''Gyps africanus'' (B) *

Cape griffon The Cape vulture (''Gyps coprotheres''), also known as Cape griffon and Kolbe's vulture, is an Old World vulture in the family ''Accipitridae''. It is endemic to southern Africa, and lives mainly in South Africa, Lesotho, Botswana, and in some p ...

, ''Gyps coprotheres'' (B) * Bateleur, ''Terathopius ecaudatus'' (B) * Black-chested snake-eagle, ''Circaetus pectoralis'' * Brown snake-eagle, ''Circaetus cinereus'' *

Banded snake-eagle ''Circaetus'', the snake eagles, is a genus of medium-sized eagles in the bird of prey family Accipitridae. They are mainly resident African species, but the migratory short-toed snake eagle breeds from the Mediterranean basin into Russia, the M ...

, ''Circaetus cinerascens'' *

Bat hawk The bat hawk (''Macheiramphus alcinus'') is a raptor found in sub-Saharan Africa and south Asia to New Guinea. It is named for its diet, which consists mainly of bats. It requires open space in which to hunt, but will live anywhere from dense r ...

, ''Macheiramphus alcinus'' (B) * Crowned eagle, ''Stephanoaetus coronatus'' (A) *

Martial eagle The martial eagle (''Polemaetus bellicosus'') is a large eagle native to sub-Saharan Africa.Ferguson-Lees & Christie, ''Raptors of the World''. Houghton Mifflin Company (2001), . It is the only member of the genus ''Polemaetus''. A species of t ...

, ''Polemaetus bellicosus'' (B) *

Long-crested eagle The long-crested eagle (''Lophaetus occipitalis'') is an African bird of prey. Like all eagles, it is in the family Accipitridae. It is currently placed in a monotypic genus ''Lophaetus''. It is characterized by the feathers making up the shaggy ...

, ''Lophaetus occipitalis'' (B) * Lesser spotted eagle, ''Clanga pomarina'' (B) * Wahlberg's eagle, ''Hieraaetus wahlbergi'' *

Booted eagle The booted eagle (''Hieraaetus pennatus'', also classified as ''Aquila pennata'') is a medium-sized mostly migratory bird of prey with a wide distribution in the Palearctic and southern Asia, wintering in the tropics of Africa and Asia, with a ...

, ''Hieraaetus pennatus'' (B) *

Ayres's hawk-eagle Ayres's hawk-eagle (''Hieraaetus ayresii''), also referred to as Ayres' eagle,Newman, K (1998) Newman's Birds of Southern Africa. Halfway House: Southern Book Publishers. . is a medium-sized bird of prey in the family Accipitridae. It is native t ...

, ''Hieraaetus ayresii'' (B) * Tawny eagle, ''Aquila rapax'' * Steppe eagle, ''Aquila nipalensis'' (B) *

Verreaux's eagle Verreaux's eagle (''Aquila verreauxii'') is a large, mostly African, bird of prey. It is also called the black eagle, especially in southern Africa, not to be confused with the Indian black eagle (''Ictinaetus malayensis''), which lives far to t ...

, ''Aquila verreauxii'' * African hawk-eagle, ''Aquila spilogaster'' *

Lizard buzzard The lizard buzzard (''Kaupifalco monogrammicus'') or lizard hawk, is a bird of prey in the family Accipitridae. It is native to Sub-Saharan Africa. Despite its name, it may be more closely related to the ''Accipiter'' hawks than the ''Buteo'' bu ...

, ''Kaupifalco monogrammicus'' (B) * Dark chanting-goshawk, ''Melierax metabates'' * Pale chanting-goshawk, ''Melierax canorus'' *

Gabar goshawk The gabar goshawk (''Micronisus gabar'') is a small species of African and Arabian bird of prey in the family Accipitridae. Description The gabar goshawk is polymorphic and occurs in two distinct forms which fluctuate in relative abundance acro ...

, ''Micronisus gabar'' *

Eurasian marsh-harrier The western marsh harrier (''Circus aeruginosus'') is a large harrier, a bird of prey from temperate and subtropical western Eurasia and adjacent Africa. It is also known as the Eurasian marsh harrier. Formerly, a number of relatives were includ ...

, ''Circus aeruginosus'' (B) * African marsh-harrier, ''Circus ranivorus'' (B) *

Black harrier The black harrier (''Circus maurus'') is a medium-sized African Harrier (bird), harrier whose range extends from South Africa to Botswana and Namibia. It has a wingspan of and a body length of . When perched, this bird appears all black. However, ...

, ''Circus maurus'' (A) * Pallid harrier, ''Circus macrourus'' (B) *

Montagu's harrier Montagu's harrier (''Circus pygargus'') is a migratory bird of prey of the harrier family. Its common name commemorates the British naturalist George Montagu. Taxonomy The first formal description of Montagu's harrier was by the Swedish na ...

, ''Circus pygargus'' *

African goshawk The African goshawk (''Accipiter tachiro'') is an African species of bird of prey in the genus ''Accipiter'' which is the type genus of the family Accipitridae. Description The African goshawk is a medium-sized to large ''Accipiter'' which is m ...

, ''Accipiter tachiro'' (A) * Shikra, ''Accipiter badius'' *

Little sparrowhawk The little sparrowhawk (''Accipiter minullus'') is a species of Afrotropical bird of prey in the family Accipitridae. It is the smallest member of the genus ''Accipiter'' and forms a superspecies with the red-thighed sparrowhawk (''Accipiter ery ...

, ''Accipiter minullus'' *

Ovambo sparrowhawk The Ovambo or Ovampo sparrowhawk, also known as Hilgert's sparrowhawk, (''Accipiter ovampensis'') is a species of sub-Saharan African bird of prey in the family Accipitridae. It takes its name from the Ovamboland in northern Namibia. Description ...

, ''Accipiter ovampensis'' *

Black goshawk The black sparrowhawk (''Accipiter melanoleucus''), sometimes known as the black goshawk or great sparrowhawk, is the largest African member of the genus ''Accipiter''.Arkive. Black goshawk (''Accipiter melanoleucus''). In: Arkive: Images of Lif ...

, ''Accipiter melanoleucus'' (B) * Black kite, ''Milvus migrans'' * African fish-eagle, ''Haliaeetus vocifer'' *

Common buzzard The common buzzard (''Buteo buteo'') is a medium-to-large bird of prey which has a large range. A member of the genus ''Buteo'', it is a member of the family Accipitridae. The species lives in most of Europe and extends its breeding range across ...

, ''Buteo buteo'' * Long-legged buzzard, ''Buteo rufinus'' (A) * Red-necked buzzard, ''Buteo auguralis'' (A) * Augur buzzard, ''Buteo augur'' (A) * Jackal buzzard, ''Buteo rufofuscus'' (B) File:White-backed Vulture Metrozoo 1.jpg, White-backed vulture File:Black shouldered kite samcem.jpg, Black-winged kite File:Pale Chanting Goshawk .jpg, Pale chanting-goshawk File:Tawny eagle in closeup arp.jpg, Tawny eagle

Barn-owls

Order: StrigiformesFamily: Tytonidae Barn-owls are medium to large owls with large heads and characteristic heart-shaped faces. They have long strong legs with powerful talons. * African grass-owl, ''Tyto capensis'' (A) *

Barn owl The barn owl (''Tyto alba'') is the most widely distributed species of owl in the world and one of the most widespread of all species of birds, being found almost everywhere except for the polar and desert regions, Asia north of the Himalaya ...

, ''Tyto alba''

Owls

Order: StrigiformesFamily: Strigidae The

typical owl The true owls or typical owls (family Strigidae) are one of the two generally accepted families of owls, the other being the barn owls (Tytonidae). This large family comprises 230 living or recently extinct species in 24 genera. The typical owl ...

s are small to large solitary nocturnal birds of prey. They have large forward-facing eyes and ears, a hawk-like beak, and a conspicuous circle of feathers around each eye called a facial disk. *

Eurasian scops-owl The Eurasian scops owl (''Otus scops''), also known as the European scops owl or just scops owl, is a small owl in the typical owl family Strigidae. Its breeding range extends from southern Europe eastwards to southern Siberia and the western Hima ...

, ''Otus scops'' *

African scops-owl The African scops owl (''Otus senegalensis'') is a small owl which is widespread in sub-Saharan Africa. Taxonomy William John Swainson first described the species in 1837 from a specimen collected in Senegal, and initially assigned it to the no ...

, ''Otus senegalensis'' *

Southern white-faced owl The southern white-faced owl (''Ptilopsis granti'') is a fairly small owl in the family Strigidae. It is native to the southern half of Africa. It was formerly regarded as a subspecies of the northern white-faced owl (''P. leucopsis'') but the tw ...

, ''Ptilopsis granti'' *

Spotted eagle-owl The spotted eagle-owl (''Bubo africanus'') also known as the African spotted eagle-owl and the African eagle-owl, is a medium-sized species of owl, one of the smallest of the eagle owls. Its length is and its weight is from . It has a wingspan. ...

, ''Bubo africanus'' *

Verreaux's eagle-owl Verreaux's eagle-owl (''Bubo lacteus''), also commonly known as the milky eagle owl or giant eagle owl, is a member of the family Strigidae. This species is widespread in sub-Saharan Africa. A member of the genus ''Bubo'', it is the largest Afric ...

, ''Bubo lacteus'' * Pel's fishing-owl, ''Scotopelia peli'' *

Pearl-spotted owlet The pearl-spotted owlet (''Glaucidium perlatum'') is a small bird of prey found in sub-Saharan Africa. They belong to the Strigidae family, otherwise known as the typical owls or the true owls, which contains most species of owl. As part of the ...

, ''Glaucidium perlatum'' *

African barred owlet The African barred owlet (''Glaucidium capense'') is a species of small owl in the family Strigidae found in much of southern, central and eastern Africa. The taxon may be four species rather than a single species. Description The African barred ...

, ''Glaucidium capense'' * African wood-owl, ''Strix woodfordii'' *

Marsh owl The marsh owl (''Asio capensis'') is a medium to large species of owl in the family Strigidae. Description Medium-sized, dark brown with a pumpkin-shaped head with small 'ear' tufts. The facial disc is pale buff, with a distinct dark brown ri ...

, ''Asio capensis''

Mousebirds

Colius White-backed mousebird feeding on Duranta berries 9860s

Order: ColiiformesFamily:

Coliidae The mousebirds are birds in the order Coliiformes. They are the sister group to the clade Eucavitaves, which includes the Leptosomiformes (the cuckoo roller), Trogoniformes (trogons), Bucerotiformes (hornbills and hoopoes), Piciformes (woodpeck ...

The mousebirds are slender greyish or brown birds with soft, hairlike body feathers and very long thin tails. They are arboreal and scurry through the leaves like rodents in search of berries, fruit, and buds. They are acrobatic and can feed upside down. All species have strong claws and reversible outer toes. They also have crests and stubby bills. * Speckled mousebird, ''Colius striatus'' * White-backed mousebird, ''Colius colius'' * Red-faced mousebird, ''Urocolius indicus''

Trogons

Order: TrogoniformesFamily:

Trogonidae The trogons and quetzals are birds in the order Trogoniformes which contains only one family, the Trogonidae. The family Trogonidae contains 46 species in seven genera. The fossil record of the trogons dates back 49 million years to the Early E ...

The family Trogonidae includes trogons and quetzals. Found in tropical woodlands worldwide, they feed on insects and fruit, and their broad bills and weak legs reflect their diet and arboreal habits. Although their flight is fast, they are reluctant to fly any distance. Trogons have soft, often colourful, feathers with distinctive male and female plumage. *

Narina trogon __NOTOC__ The Narina trogon (''Apaloderma narina'') is a largely green and red, medium-sized (32–34 cm long), bird of the family Trogonidae. It is native to forests and woodlands of the Afrotropics. Though it is the most widespread and cat ...

, ''Apaloderma narina'' (B)

Hoopoes

Order: BucerotiformesFamily: Upupidae Hoopoes have black, white, and orangey-pink colouring with a large erectile crest on their head. * Eurasian hoopoe, ''Upupa epops''

Woodhoopoes and scimitarbills

Order: BucerotiformesFamily:

Phoeniculidae The wood hoopoes or scimitarbills are a small African family, Phoeniculidae, of near passerine birds. They live south of the Sahara Desert and are not migratory. While the family is now restricted to Sub-Saharan Africa, fossil evidence shows th ...

The woodhoopoes and scimitarbills are related to the hoopoes, ground-hornbills, and

hornbill Hornbills (Bucerotidae) are a family (biology), family of bird found in tropical and subtropical Africa, Asia and Melanesia. They are characterized by a long, down-curved bill which is frequently brightly coloured and sometimes has a Casque (an ...

s. They most resemble the hoopoes with their long curved bills, used to probe for insects, and short rounded wings. However, they differ in that they have metallic plumage, often blue, green, or purple, and lack an erectile crest. * Green woodhoopoe, ''Phoeniculus purpureus'' *

Common scimitarbill The common scimitarbill (''Rhinopomastus cyanomelas'') is a species of bird in the family Phoeniculidae. It is found in Angola, Botswana, Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Eswatini, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda, Somalia, So ...

, ''Rhinopomastus cyanomelas''

Ground-hornbills

Order: BucerotiformesFamily: Bucorvidae The ground-hornbills are terrestrial birds which feed almost entirely on insects, other birds, snakes, and amphibians. *

Southern ground-hornbill The southern ground hornbill (''Bucorvus leadbeateri''; formerly known as ''Bucorvus cafer'') is one of two species of ground hornbill, both of which are found solely within Africa, and is the largest species in the Bucerotiformes, hornbill order ...

, ''Bucorvus leadbeateri'' (B)

Hornbills

Order: BucerotiformesFamily: Bucerotidae Hornbills are a group of birds whose bill is shaped like a cow's horn, but without a twist, sometimes with a casque on the upper mandible. Frequently, the bill is brightly coloured. *

Crowned hornbill The crowned hornbill (''Lophoceros alboterminatus'') is an African hornbill. Description It is a medium-sized bird, in length, and is characterized by its white belly and black back and wings. The tips of the long tail feathers are white. Th ...

, ''Lophoceros alboterminatus'' (A) *

Bradfield's hornbill Bradfield's hornbill (''Lophoceros bradfieldi'') is an African hornbill. It is a medium-sized bird, in length, characterized by black back and wings and a white belly. The tip feathers of the long tail are white. Females are smaller than males ...

, ''Lophoceros bradfieldi'' *

African gray hornbill The African grey hornbill (''Lophoceros nasutus'') is a member of the hornbill family of mainly tropical near-passerine birds found in the Old World. It is a widespread resident breeder in much of sub-Saharan Africa and the southwest of the Arabi ...

, ''Lophoceros nasutus'' *

Southern yellow-billed hornbill The southern yellow-billed hornbill (''Tockus leucomelas'') is a hornbill found in southern Africa. Yellow-billed hornbills feed mainly on the ground, where they forage for seeds, small insects, spiders and scorpions. This hornbill species is a ...

, ''Tockus leucomelas'' * Southern red-billed hornbill, ''Tockus rufirostris'' * Trumpeter hornbill, ''Bycanistes bucinator''

Kingfishers

Order:

Coraciiformes The Coraciiformes are a group of usually colourful birds including the kingfishers, the bee-eaters, the rollers, the motmots, and the todies. They generally have syndactyly, with three forward-pointing toes (and toes 3 & 4 fused at their base) ...

Family: Alcedinidae Kingfishers are medium-sized birds with large heads, long pointed bills, short legs, and stubby tails. *

Half-collared kingfisher The half-collared kingfisher (''Alcedo semitorquata'') is a kingfisher in the subfamily Alcedininae that is found in southern and eastern Africa. It feeds almost exclusively on fish and frequents streams, rivers and larger bodies of water. The h ...

, ''Alcedo semitorquata'' (A) * Malachite kingfisher, ''Corythornis cristatus'' *

African pygmy kingfisher The African pygmy kingfisher (''Ispidina picta'') is a small insectivorous kingfisher found in the Afrotropics, mostly in woodland habitats. Taxonomy The African pygmy kingfisher was described by the French polymath Georges-Louis Leclerc, Comt ...

, ''Ispidina picta'' (B) *

Gray-headed kingfisher The grey-headed kingfisher (''Halcyon leucocephala'') is a species of kingfisher that has a wide distribution from the Cape Verde Islands off the north-west coast of Africa to Mauritania, Senegal and Gambia, east to Ethiopia, Somalia and southern ...

, ''Halcyon leucocephala'' (B) *

Woodland kingfisher The woodland kingfisher (''Halcyon senegalensis'') is a tree kingfisher that is widely distributed in Africa south of the Sahara. Taxonomy The Southern Africa naturalist Carl Linnaeus included the woodland kingfisher with the binomial name ...

, ''Halcyon senegalensis'' *

Brown-hooded kingfisher The brown-hooded kingfisher (''Halcyon albiventris'') is a species of bird in the subfamily Halcyoninae, the tree kingfishers. It has a brown head and blackish and turquoise wings. It is found in Sub-Saharan Africa, living in woodland, scrubland, ...

, ''Halcyon albiventris'' *

Striped kingfisher The striped kingfisher (''Halcyon chelicuti'') is a species of bird in the tree kingfisher subfamily. It was first described by Edward, Lord Stanley, in ''Salt's Voyage to Abyssinia''Salt (1816) in 1814 as "Chelicut kingfisher" ''Alaudo Chelic ...

, ''Halcyon chelicuti'' *

Giant kingfisher The giant kingfisher (''Megaceryle maxima'') is the largest kingfisher in Africa, where it is a resident breeding bird over most of the continent south of the Sahara Desert, other than the arid southwest. Taxonomy The first Species description, ...

, ''Megaceryle maximus'' * Pied kingfisher, ''Ceryle rudis''

Bee-eaters

Order:

Family:

Meropidae The bee-eaters are a group of non-passerine birds in the family Meropidae, containing three genera and thirty species. Most species are found in Africa and Asia, with a few in southern Europe, Australia, and New Guinea. They are characterised by ...

The bee-eaters are a group of near passerine birds; most species are found in Africa but others occur in southern Europe, Madagascar, Australia, and New Guinea. They are characterised by richly coloured plumage, slender bodies, and usually elongated central tail feathers. All are colourful and have long downturned bills and pointed wings, which give them a swallow-like appearance when seen from afar. *

White-fronted bee-eater The white-fronted bee-eater (''Merops bullockoides'') is a species of bee-eater widely distributed in sub-equatorial Africa. They have a distinctive white forehead, a square tail and a bright red patch on their throat. They nest in small coloni ...

, ''Merops bullockoides'' *

Little bee-eater The little bee-eater (''Merops pusillus'') is a bird species in the bee-eater family, Meropidae. They are found in Sub-Saharan Africa. They should not be confused with the little green bee-eater (''Merops orientalis''). Migration is limited to se ...

, ''Merops pusillus'' *

Swallow-tailed bee-eater The swallow-tailed bee-eater (''Merops hirundineus'') is a near passerine bird in the bee-eater family (biology), family, Meropidae. Description This species, like other bee-eaters, is a richly coloured, slender bird. Its colours and readily ...

, ''Merops hirundineus'' *

Blue-cheeked bee-eater The blue-cheeked bee-eater (''Merops persicus'') is a near passerine bird in the bee-eater family, Meropidae. The genus name ''Merops'' is Ancient Greek for "bee-eater", and ''persicus'' is Latin for "Persian". It breeds in Northern Africa, and ...

, ''Merops persicus'' * Madagascar bee-eater, ''Merops superciliosus'' (A) * European bee-eater, ''Merops apiaster'' *

Southern carmine bee-eater The southern carmine bee-eater (''Merops nubicoides'') (formerly carmine bee-eater) occurs across sub-equatorial Africa. Description This species, like other bee-eaters, is richly coloured and is predominantly carmine in colouration, but the c ...

, ''Merops nubicoides''

Rollers

Order:

Family:

Coraciidae Coraciidae is a family of Old World birds, which is known as rollers because of the aerial acrobatics some of these birds perform during courtship or territorial flights. Rollers resemble crows in size and build, and share the colourful appearan ...

Rollers resemble crows in size and build, but are more closely related to the kingfishers and bee-eaters. They share the colourful appearance of those groups with blues and browns predominating. The two inner front toes are connected, but the outer toe is not. * European roller, ''Coracias garrulus'' (B) * Lilac-breasted roller, ''Coracias caudata'' * Racket-tailed roller, ''Coracias spatulata'' (B) * Rufous-crowned roller, ''Coracias naevia'' *

Broad-billed roller The broad-billed roller (''Eurystomus glaucurus'') is a member of the roller family of birds which breeds across tropical Africa and Madagascar in all but the driest regions. It is a wet season breeder, which migrates from the northern and south ...

, ''Eurystomus glaucurus''

African barbets

Order: PiciformesFamily: Lybiidae The African barbets are plump birds with short necks and large heads. They get their name from the bristles which fringe their heavy bills. Most species are brightly coloured. *

Crested barbet The crested barbet (''Trachyphonus vaillantii'') ('trachys'=rough, 'phone'=voice, sound') is a sub-Saharan bird in the Lybiidae family. Its specific name commemorates François Levaillant, a famed French naturalist. Description With its thick b ...

, ''Trachyphonus vaillantii'' * Yellow-fronted tinkerbird, ''Pogoniulus chrysoconus'' * Pied barbet, ''Tricholaema leucomelas'' * Black-collared barbet, ''Lybius torquatus''

Honeyguides

Order: PiciformesFamily: Indicatoridae Honeyguides are among the few birds that feed on

wax Waxes are a diverse class of organic compounds that are lipophilic, malleable solids near ambient temperatures. They include higher alkanes and lipids, typically with melting points above about 40 °C (104 °F), melting to give low ...

. They are named for the

greater honeyguide The greater honeyguide (''Indicator indicator'') is a bird in the family Indicatoridae, paleotropical near passerine birds related to the woodpeckers. Its English and scientific names refer to its habit of guiding people to bee colonies. Claims t ...

which leads traditional honey-hunters to bees' nests and, after the hunters have harvested the honey, feeds on the remaining contents of the hive. *

Green-backed honeyguide The green-backed honeybird (''Prodotiscus zambesiae''), also known as the eastern green-backed honeyguide, green-backed honeyguide and slender-billed honeyguide, is a species of bird in the family Indicatoridae. Range It is found in Angola, Bots ...

, ''Prodotiscus zambesiae'' (A) *

Wahlberg's honeyguide The brown-backed honeybird (''Prodotiscus regulus''), also known as Wahlberg's honeybird, Wahlberg's honeyguide and sharp-billed honeyguide, is a species of bird in the family Indicatoridae. This bird is named after the Swedish naturalist Johan A ...

, ''Prodotiscus regulus'' (B) *

Lesser honeyguide The lesser honeyguide (''Indicator minor'') is a species of bird in the family Indicatoridae. Range It is found in Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Rep ...

, ''Indicator minor'' *

Greater honeyguide The greater honeyguide (''Indicator indicator'') is a bird in the family Indicatoridae, paleotropical near passerine birds related to the woodpeckers. Its English and scientific names refer to its habit of guiding people to bee colonies. Claims t ...

, ''Indicator indicator''

Woodpeckers

Order: PiciformesFamily:

Picidae Woodpeckers are part of the bird family Picidae, which also includes the piculets, wrynecks, and sapsuckers. Members of this family are found worldwide, except for Australia, New Guinea, New Zealand, Madagascar, and the extreme polar regions. M ...

Woodpeckers are small to medium-sized birds with chisel-like beaks, short legs, stiff tails, and long tongues used for capturing insects. Some species have feet with two toes pointing forward and two backward, while several species have only three toes. Many woodpeckers have the habit of tapping noisily on tree trunks with their beaks. * Cardinal woodpecker, ''Chloropicus fuscescens'' *

Bearded woodpecker The bearded woodpecker (''Chloropicus namaquus'') is a species of bird in the family Picidae. It has a distinctive black and white head and brownish barred body. It is native to tropical central Africa. It has an extremely wide range and is a fa ...

, ''Chloropicus namaquus'' *

Olive woodpecker The olive woodpecker (''Dendropicos griseocephalus'') is a species of bird in the woodpecker family Picidae. Taxonomy The olive woodpecker was described by the French polymath Georges-Louis Leclerc, Comte de Buffon in 1780 in his ''Histoire Natu ...

, ''Chloropicus griseocephalus'' (A) * Bennett's woodpecker, ''Campethera bennettii'' *

Golden-tailed woodpecker The golden-tailed woodpecker (''Campethera abingoni'') is a species of bird in the family Picidae. Its specific name commemorates the 5th Earl of Abingdon. It belongs to a species complex that includes the Knysna woodpecker to the south of its ...

, ''Campethera abingoni''

Falcons and caracaras

Falco biarmicus -near Tugela Ferry, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa -flying-8a

Order: FalconiformesFamily:

Falconidae The falcons and caracaras are around 60 species of diurnal birds of prey that make up the family Falconidae (representing all extant species in the order Falconiformes). The family is divided into three subfamilies, Herpetotherinae, which inclu ...

Falconidae is a family of diurnal birds of prey. They differ from hawks, eagles, and kites in that they kill with their beaks instead of their talons. *

Pygmy falcon The pygmy falcon (''Polihierax semitorquatus'') or African pygmy falcon is a bird species native to eastern and southern Africa. It is the smallest bird of prey on the continent. Description Adult pygmy falcons are white below and on the face, ...

, ''Polihierax semitorquatus'' * Lesser kestrel, ''Falco naumanni'' (B) *

Eurasian kestrel The common kestrel (''Falco tinnunculus'') is a bird of prey species belonging to the kestrel group of the falcon family Falconidae. It is also known as the European kestrel, Eurasian kestrel, or Old World kestrel. In the United Kingdom, where no ...

, ''Falco tinnunculus'' *

Rock kestrel The rock kestrel (''Falco rupicolus'') is a bird of prey species belonging to the kestrel group of the falcon family (biology), family Falconidae. It was previously considered a subspecies of the common kestrel (''Falco tinnunculus''). This spec ...

, ''Falco rupicolus'' *

Greater kestrel The greater kestrel (''Falco rupicoloides'') or white-eyed kestrel, is a bird of prey belonging to the falcon family Falconidae. It is one of the largest kestrels and is found in open country in southern and eastern Africa. Description The pl ...

, ''Falco rupicoloides'' *

Dickinson's kestrel Dickinson's kestrel (''Falco dickinsoni'') is a bird of prey of southern and eastern Africa belonging to the falcon family Falconidae. It is named after John Dickinson, an English physician and missionary who collected the type specimen. It is a ...

, ''Falco dickinsoni'' * Red-necked falcon, ''Falco chicquera'' *

Red-footed falcon The red-footed falcon (''Falco vespertinus''), formerly the western red-footed falcon, is a bird of prey. It belongs to the family Falconidae, the falcons. This bird is found in eastern Europe and Asia although its numbers are dwindling rapidly ...

, ''Falco vespertinus'' (B) *

Amur falcon The Amur falcon (''Falco amurensis'') is a small raptor of the falcon family. It breeds in south-eastern Siberia and Northern China before migrating in large flocks across India and over the Arabian Sea to winter in Southern and East Africa. ...

, ''Falco amurensis'' (B) * Eleonora's falcon, ''Falco eleonorae'' (A) *

Sooty falcon The sooty falcon (''Falco concolor'') is a medium-sized falcon breeding from northeastern Africa to the southern Persian Gulf region. The word sooty means to be covered in soot (ash), and is used to describe the color of the Sooty Falcon. Hence, ...

, ''Falco concolor'' (A) *

Eurasian hobby The Eurasian hobby (''Falco subbuteo'') or just hobby, is a small, slim falcon. It belongs to a rather close-knit group of similar falcons often considered a subgenus '' Hypotriorchis''. Taxonomy and systematics The first formal description of ...

, ''Falco subbuteo'' (B) *

African hobby The African hobby (''Falco cuvierii'') is a small species of bird of prey in the family Falconidae. Description A small, slim falcon with blackish upperparts and deep rufous underparts with rufous cheek, nape and throat. At close range black st ...

, ''Falco cuvierii'' (B) * Lanner falcon, ''Falco biarmicus'' *

Peregrine falcon The peregrine falcon (''Falco peregrinus''), also known as the peregrine, and historically as the duck hawk in North America, is a Cosmopolitan distribution, cosmopolitan bird of prey (Bird of prey, raptor) in the family (biology), family Falco ...

, ''Falco peregrinus'' (B)

Old World parrots

Order: PsittaciformesFamily:

Psittaculidae Psittaculidae is a family containing Old World parrots. It consists of five subfamilies: Agapornithinae, Loriinae, Platycercinae, Psittacellinae and Psittaculinae. This family has been accepted into ''The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World' ...

. Characteristic features of parrots include a strong curved bill, an upright stance, strong legs, and clawed zygodactyl feet. Many parrots are vividly colored, and some are multi-colored. In size they range from to in length. Old World parrots are found from Africa east across south and southeast Asia and Oceania to Australia and New Zealand. *

Rosy-faced lovebird The rosy-faced lovebird (''Agapornis roseicollis''), also known as the rosy-collared or peach-faced lovebird, is a species of lovebird native to arid regions in southwestern Africa such as the Namib Desert. Loud and constant chirpers, these bir ...

, ''Agapornis roseicollis'' (A)

African and New World parrots

Order: PsittaciformesFamily: Psittacidae. Characteristic features of parrots include a strong curved bill, an upright stance, strong legs, and clawed zygodactyl feet. Many parrots are vividly coloured, and some are multi-coloured. In size they range from to in length. Most of the more than 150 species in this family are found in the New World. *

Brown-necked parrot The brown-necked parrot (''Poicephalus fuscicollis''), sometimes known in aviculture as the uncape parrot, is a large ''Poicephalus'' parrot species endemic to Africa. It consists of two subspecies: the savanna-dwelling brown-necked parrot ('' ...

, ''Poicephalus fuscicollis'' (A) *

Meyer's parrot Meyer's parrot (''Poicephalus meyeri''), also known as the brown parrot, is a species of parrot native to Africa. A Meyer's parrot has grey feathers, turquoise belly, blue rump, and bright yellow markings on the carpal joint of the wings. Most ...

, ''Poicephalus meyeri''

African and green broadbills

Order: PasseriformesFamily:

Calyptomenidae Calyptomenidae is a family of passerine birds found in Africa, the Malay Peninsula and Borneo. There are six species in two genera. The species in this family were formerly included in the broadbill family Eurylaimidae The Eurylaimidae are a ...

The broadbills are small, brightly coloured birds which feed on fruit and also take insects in flycatcher fashion, snapping their broad bills. Their habitat is canopies of wet forests. *

African broadbill The African broadbill (''Smithornis capensis''), also known as the black-capped broadbill or Delacour's broadbill, is a species of bird in the sub-oscine family Calyptomenidae. Description The African broadbill is a boldly streaked, largely br ...

, ''Smithornis capensis''

Cuckooshrikes

Order: PasseriformesFamily: Campephagidae The cuckooshrikes are small to medium-sized passerine birds. They are predominantly greyish with white and black, although some species are brightly coloured. *

White-breasted cuckooshrike The white-breasted cuckooshrike (''Ceblepyris pectoralis'') is a species of bird in the family Campephagidae. It is found in Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Iv ...

, ''Coracina pectoralis'' *

Black cuckooshrike The black cuckooshrike (''Campephaga flava'') is a species of bird in the cuckooshrike family Campephagidae. The species is closely related to Petit's cuckooshrike and the red-shouldered cuckooshrike, and forms a superspecies with them. It is ...

, ''Campephaga flava''

Old World orioles

Order: PasseriformesFamily: Oriolidae The Old World orioles are colourful passerine birds which are not related to the similar-appearing New World orioles. * Eurasian golden oriole, ''Oriolus oriolus'' * African golden oriole, ''Oriolus auratus'' * African black-headed oriole, ''Oriolus larvatus''

Wattle-eyes and batises

Order: PasseriformesFamily:

Platysteiridae Platysteiridae is a family of small, stout passerine birds of the African tropics. The family contains the wattle-eyes, batises and shrike-flycatchers. They were previously classed as a subfamily of the Old World flycatchers, Muscicapidae. These ...

The wattle-eyes, or puffback flycatchers, are small stout passerine birds of the African tropics. They get their name from the brightly coloured fleshy eye decorations found in most species in this group. *

Cape batis The Cape batis (''Batis capensis'') is a small, stout insect-eating passerine bird in the wattle-eye family. It is endemic to the Afromontane forests of southern Africa. Taxonomy In 1760 the French zoologist Mathurin Jacques Brisson included a ...

, ''Batis capensis'' (A) *

Chinspot batis The chinspot batis (''Batis molitor'') is a small songbird of the genus '' Batis'' in the family Platysteiridae which is a common and widespread species in the woodlands of southern Africa from the Eastern Cape north to 3°N in southern Kenya a ...

, ''Batis molitor'' *

Pririt batis The pririt batis (''Batis pririt'') also known as the pririt puff-back flycatcher or pririt puffback, is a small passerine bird in the wattle-eye family. It is resident in Southern Africa and southwestern Angola. It is a small stout insect-eat ...

, ''Batis pririt''

Vangas, helmetshrikes, and allies

Order: PasseriformesFamily: Vangidae The helmetshrikes are similar in build to the shrikes, but tend to be colourful species with distinctive crests or other head ornaments, such as wattles, from which they get their name. * White helmetshrike, ''Prionops plumatus'' *

Retz's helmetshrike Retz's helmetshrike (''Prionops retzii'') is a species of bird in the helmetshrike family Vangidae, formerly usually included in the Malaconotidae. Subspecies Four subspecies are recognized: * ''P. r. nigricans'' (Neumann, 1899) – south centr ...

, ''Prionops retzii''

Bushshrikes and allies

Order: PasseriformesFamily: Malaconotidae Bushshrikes are similar in habits to shrikes, hunting insects and other small prey from a perch on a bush. Although similar in build to the shrikes, these tend to be either colourful species or largely black; some species are quite secretive. * Brubru, ''Nilaus afer'' *

Black-backed puffback The black-backed puffback (''Dryoscopus cubla'') is a species of passerine bird in the family Malaconotidae. They are common to fairly common sedentary bushshrikes in various wooded habitats in Africa south of the equator. They restlessly move ...

, ''Dryoscopus cubla'' *

Black-crowned tchagra The black-crowned tchagra (''Tchagra senegalus'') is a bushshrike. This family of passerine birds is closely related to the true shrikes in the family Laniidae, and was once included in that group. This species is found in the Arabian peninsu ...

, ''Tchagra senegala'' * Brown-crowned tchagra, ''Tchagra australis'' * Tropical boubou, ''Laniarius major'' * Gabon boubou, ''Laniarius bicolor'' *

Southern boubou The southern boubou (''Laniarius ferrugineus'') ('ferrugineus' - rust-coloured) is a bushshrike. Though these passerine birds and their relations were once included with true shrikes in the Laniidae, they are not closely related to that family ...

, ''Laniarius ferrugineus'' * Crimson-breasted gonolek, ''Laniarius atrococcineus'' *

Bokmakierie The bokmakierie (''Telophorus zeylonus'') is a bushshrike. This family of passerine birds is closely related to the true shrikes in the family Laniidae, and was once included in that group. This species is endemic to southern Africa, mainly in ...

, ''Telophorus zeylonus'' (B) * Sulphur-breasted bushshrike, ''Telophorus sulfureopectus'' * Gray-headed bushshrike, ''Malaconotus blanchoti''

Drongos

Order: PasseriformesFamily: Dicruridae The drongos are mostly black or dark grey in colour, sometimes with metallic tints. They have long forked tails, and some Asian species have elaborate tail decorations. They have short legs and sit very upright when perched, like a shrike. They flycatch or take prey from the ground. * Fork-tailed drongo, ''Dicrurus adsimilis''

Monarch flycatchers

Terpsiphone viridis - African Paradise Flycatcher

Order: PasseriformesFamily:

Monarchidae The monarchs (family Monarchidae) comprise a family of over 100 passerine birds which includes shrikebills, paradise flycatchers, and magpie-larks. Monarchids are small insectivorous songbirds with long tails. They inhabit forest or woodland a ...

The monarch flycatchers are small to medium-sized insectivorous passerines which hunt by flycatching. * African paradise-flycatcher, ''Terpsiphone viridis''

Shrikes

Order: PasseriformesFamily: Laniidae Shrikes are passerine birds known for their habit of catching other birds and small animals and impaling the uneaten portions of their bodies on thorns. A shrike's beak is hooked, like that of a typical bird of prey. * Red-backed shrike, ''Lanius collurio'' * Isabelline shrike, ''Lanius isabellinus'' (A) * Lesser gray shrike, ''Lanius minor'' *

Magpie shrike The magpie shrike (''Urolestes melanoleucus''), also known as the African long-tailed shrike, is a species of bird in the family Laniidae. It is monotypic within the genus ''Urolestes''. It is native to the grasslands of eastern and southeastern ...

, ''Lanius melanoleucus'' *

Northern fiscal The northern fiscal (''Lanius humeralis'') is a member of the shrike family found through most of Sub-Saharan Africa. It used to be grouped with the southern fiscal (''Lanius collaris''). Together they were called the common fiscal. The fisca ...

, ''Lanius humeralis'' *

Southern fiscal The southern fiscal or fiscal shrike (''Lanius collaris'') is a member of the shrike family found through most of southern Africa. It is also sometimes named jackie hangman or butcher bird due to its habit of impaling its prey on acacia thorn ...

, ''Lanius collaris'' * Souza's shrike, ''Lanius souzae'' (A) * White-crowned shrike, ''Eurocephalus anguitimens''

Crows, jays, and magpies

Order: PasseriformesFamily: Corvidae The family Corvidae includes crows,

raven A raven is any of several larger-bodied bird species of the genus ''Corvus''. These species do not form a single taxonomic group within the genus. There is no consistent distinction between "crows" and "ravens", common names which are assigned t ...

jay A jay is a member of a number of species of medium-sized, usually colorful and noisy, passerine birds in the Crow family (biology), family, Corvidae. The evolutionary relationships between the jays and the magpies are rather complex. For examp ...

chough There are two species of passerine birds commonly called chough ( ) that constitute the genus ''Pyrrhocorax'' of the Corvidae (crow) family of birds. These are the red-billed chough (''Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax''), and the Alpine chough (or yellow- ...

magpie Magpies are birds of the Corvidae family. Like other members of their family, they are widely considered to be intelligent creatures. The Eurasian magpie, for instance, is thought to rank among the world's most intelligent creatures, and is one ...

s, treepies, nutcrackers, and

ground jay The ground jays or ground choughs belong to a distinct group of the passerine order of birds in the genus ''Podoces'' of the crow family Corvidae. They inhabit high altitude semi-desert areas from central Asia to Mongolia. Ground jays show adapt ...

s. Corvids are above average in size among the Passeriformes, and some of the larger species show high levels of intelligence. *

Cape crow The Cape crow or black crow (''Corvus capensis'') is slightly larger (48–50 cm in length) than the carrion crow and is completely black with a slight gloss of purple in its feathers. It has proportionately longer legs, wings and tail too an ...

, ''Corvus capensis'' * Pied crow, ''Corvus albus'' *

White-necked raven The white-necked raven (''Corvus albicollis'') is somewhat smaller (50–54 cm in length) than the common raven or its nearest relative, the thick-billed raven ''C. crassirostris''. It is native to eastern and southern Africa. Descriptio ...

, ''Corvus albicollis'' (A)

Fairy flycatchers

Order: PasseriformesFamily:

Stenostiridae Stenostiridae, or the fairy flycatchers, are a family of small passerine birds proposed as a result of recent discoveries in molecular systematics.Beresford ''et al.'' (2005) They are also referred to as stenostirid warblers. Taxonomy and system ...

Most of the species of this small family are found in Africa, though a few inhabit tropical Asia. They are not closely related to other birds called "flycatchers". *

Fairy flycatcher The fairy flycatcher or fairy warbler (''Stenostira scita'') is a small passerine bird. Formerly placed in the Old World flycatcher family, Muscicapidae, it is now separated with some other "odd flycatchers" as the new family Stenostiridae (Bere ...

, ''Stenostira scita'' (B)

Tits, chickadees, and titmice

Order: PasseriformesFamily: Paridae The Paridae are mainly small stocky woodland species with short stout bills. Some have crests. They are adaptable birds, with a mixed diet including seeds and insects. *

Rufous-bellied tit The rufous-bellied tit (''Melaniparus rufiventris'') is a species of bird in the tit family. It is found in Africa from the Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo and northern Namibia east to Tanzania and northern Mozambique. ...

, ''Melaniparus rufiventris'' * Southern black-tit, ''Melaniparus niger'' *

Ashy tit The ashy tit (''Melaniparus cinerascens'') is a species of bird in the family Paridae. It is found in Angola, Botswana, Namibia, South Africa, and Zimbabwe. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests and dry savanna. The ashy t ...

, ''Melaniparus cinerascens''

Penduline-tits

Order: PasseriformesFamily: Remizidae The penduline-tits are a group of small passerine birds related to the true tits. They are insectivores. * African penduline-tit, ''Anthoscopus caroli'' * Southern penduline-tit, ''Anthoscopus minutus''

Larks

Order: PasseriformesFamily: Alaudidae Larks are small terrestrial birds with often extravagant songs and display flights. Most larks are fairly dull in appearance. Their food is insects and seeds. *

Spike-heeled lark The spike-heeled lark (''Chersomanes albofasciata'') is a species of lark in the family Alaudidae. It is found in southern Africa. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry shrubland and subtropical or tropical seasonally wet or fl ...

, ''Chersomanes albofasciata'' *

Short-clawed lark The short-clawed lark (''Certhilauda chuana'') or short-clawed bush-lark, is a species of lark in the family Alaudidae. It is found in Botswana and South Africa. Its natural habitat is dry savannah. Taxonomy and systematics Originally, the short ...

, ''Certhilauda chuana'' *

Dusky lark The dusky lark (''Pinarocorys nigricans''), also known as the dusky bush lark or rufous-rumped bush lark, is a species of migratory lark in the family Alaudidae. It is native to the southern Afrotropics. Range It is found in southern Central Afr ...

, ''Pinarocorys nigricans'' *

Black-eared sparrow-lark The black-eared sparrow-lark (''Eremopterix australis'') or black-eared finch lark is a species of lark in the family Alaudidae. It is found in southern Botswana, Namibia, and South Africa. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry s ...

, ''Eremopterix australis'' (A) *

Chestnut-backed sparrow-lark The chestnut-backed sparrow-lark (''Eremopterix leucotis'') is a passerine bird which is a resident breeder in Africa south of the Sahara Desert. Taxonomy and systematics The chestnut-backed sparrow-lark was originally placed in the genus ''Loxi ...

, ''Eremopterix leucotis'' *

Gray-backed sparrow-lark The grey-backed sparrow-lark (''Eremopterix verticalis'') or grey-backed finch-lark is a species of lark in the family Alaudidae. It is found in southern and south-central Africa. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry shrubland and ...

, ''Eremopterix verticalis'' *

Sabota lark The sabota lark (''Calendulauda sabota'') is a species of lark in the family Alaudidae. It is found in southern Africa in its natural habitats of dry savannah, moist savannah, and subtropical or tropical dry shrubland. Taxonomy and systematics ...

, ''Calendulauda sabota'' *

Fawn-colored lark The fawn-coloured lark (''Calendulauda africanoides'') or fawn-coloured bush-lark is a species of lark in the family Alaudidae. It is found in south-central Africa. Taxonomy and systematics Formerly, the fawn-coloured lark was classified as belo ...

, ''Calendulauda africanoides'' *

Red lark The red lark (''Calendulauda burra''), also known as the ferruginous lark or ferruginous sand-lark, is a species of lark in the family Alaudidae. It is found in western South Africa and possibly Namibia. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tr ...

, ''Calendulauda burra'' *

Eastern clapper lark The eastern clapper lark (''Mirafra fasciolata'') is a small passerine bird which breeds in southern Africa. It derives its name from the wing clapping which forms part of its display flight. Taxonomy and systematics The Eastern clapper lark was ...

, ''Mirafra fasciolata'' *

Rufous-naped lark The rufous-naped lark (''Mirafra africana'') or rufous-naped bush lark is a widespread and conspicuous species of lark in the lightly wooded grasslands, open savannas and farmlands of the Afrotropics. Males attract attention to themselves by a bo ...

, ''Mirafra africana'' *

Flappet lark The flappet lark (''Mirafra rufocinnamomea'') is a species of lark in the family Alaudidae, widespread across Sub-Saharan Africa. The name flappet originates from the distinctive wing flapping sound made during its breeding season. Taxonomy an ...

, ''Mirafra rufocinnamomea'' *

Monotonous lark The monotonous lark (''Mirafra passerina'') is a species of lark in the family Alaudidae found in southern Africa. Taxonomy and systematics The alternate names "white-tailed lark" and "white-tailed bush-lark" should not be confused with the sp ...

, ''Mirafra passerina'' * Latakoo lark, ''Mirafra cheniana'' (A) *

Red-capped lark The red-capped lark (''Calandrella cinerea'') is a small passerine bird. This lark breeds in the highlands of eastern Africa southwards from Ethiopia and Somaliland. In the south, its range stretches across the continent to Angola and south to t ...

, ''Calandrella cinerea'' *

Stark's lark Stark's lark (''Spizocorys starki'') is a species of lark in the family Alaudidae. It is found in Angola, Botswana, Namibia, and South Africa. Its natural habitats are dry savannah and subtropical or tropical dry shrubland. Captain George Shelley ...

, ''Spizocorys starki'' (B) * Pink-billed lark, ''Spizocorys conirostris''

Nicators

Order: PasseriformesFamily:

Nicatoridae The nicators are a genus, ''Nicator'', and family, Nicatoridae, of songbirds endemic to Africa. The genus and family contain three species. Taxonomy The systematic affinities of the genus have been a long-standing mystery. The group was origina ...

The nicators are shrike-like, with hooked bills. They are endemic to sub-Saharan Africa. *

Eastern nicator The eastern nicator (''Nicator gularis'') is a species of songbird in the family Nicatoridae. It is found in Eswatini, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Somalia, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Its natural habitats are subtropical or trop ...

, ''Nicator gularis'' (A)

African warblers

Order: PasseriformesFamily: Macrosphenidae The African warblers are small to medium-sized insectivores which are found in a wide variety of habitats south of the Sahara. * Cape crombec, ''Sylvietta rufescens''

Cisticolas and allies

Order: PasseriformesFamily: Cisticolidae The Cisticolidae are warblers found mainly in warmer southern regions of the Old World. They are generally very small birds of drab brown or grey appearance found in open country such as grassland or scrub. *

Yellow-bellied eremomela The yellow-bellied eremomela (''Eremomela icteropygialis'') is an Old World warbler. However, the taxonomy of the "African warblers", an assemblage of usually species-poor and apparently rather ancient "odd warblers" from Africa is currently in ...

, ''Eremomela icteropygialis'' *

Greencap eremomela The green-capped eremomela or greencap eremomela (''Eremomela scotops'') is a species of bird formerly placed in the "Old World warbler" assemblage, but now placed in the family Cisticolidae. Range and habitat It is found in Angola, Botswana, Bu ...

, ''Eremomela scotops'' *

Burnt-necked eremomela The burnt-necked eremomela (''Eremomela usticollis'') is a species of bird formerly placed in the "Old World warbler" assemblage, but now placed in the family Cisticolidae. It is found in Angola, Botswana, Eswatini, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, ...

, ''Eremomela usticollis'' *

Miombo wren-warbler The miombo wren-warbler (''Calamonastes undosus''), also known as the miombo barred warbler or pale wren-warbler, is a species of bird in the family Cisticolidae The family Cisticolidae is a group of about 160 warblers, small passerine birds ...

, ''Calamonastes undosus'' * Stierling's wren-warbler, ''Calamonastes stierlingi'' * Barred wren-warbler, ''Calamonastes fasciolatus'' * Green-backed camaroptera, ''Camaroptera brachyura'' *

Bar-throated apalis The bar-throated apalis (''Apalis thoracica'') is a small African passerine bird belonging to the genus ''Apalis'' of the family Cisticolidae. It is native to the eastern and southern Afrotropics. Range and habitat It inhabits forest and scrub ...

, ''Apalis thoracica'' *

Yellow-breasted apalis The yellow-breasted apalis (''Apalis flavida'') is a species of bird in the family Cisticolidae. Taxonomy The brown-tailed apalis (''A. flavocincta'') was formerly considered conspecific, but was split as a distinct species by the IOC in 2021 ...

, ''Apalis flavida'' * Tawny-flanked prinia, ''Prinia subflava'' *

Black-chested prinia The black-chested prinia (''Prinia flavicans'') is a species of bird in the family Cisticolidae. It is found in Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Its natural habitat is dry savanna. Prinias are small warble ...

, ''Prinia flavicans'' * Rufous-eared warbler, ''Malcorus pectoralis'' * Red-faced cisticola, ''Cisticola erythrops'' * Rock-loving cisticola, ''Cisticola aberrans'' *

Rattling cisticola The rattling cisticola (''Cisticola chiniana'') is a species of bird in the family Cisticolidae which is native to Africa south of the equator, and parts of East Africa. It is a common to abundant species in open savanna and scrubland habitats, w ...

, ''Cisticola chiniana'' *

Tinkling cisticola The tinkling cisticola or grey cisticola (''Cisticola rufilatus'') is a species of bird in the family Cisticolidae. It is found in Angola, Botswana, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Malawi, Namibia, South Africa, ...

, ''Cisticola rufilatus'' * Luapula cisticola, ''Cisticola luapula'' * Chirping cisticola, ''Cisticola pipiens'' * Rufous-winged cisticola, ''Cisticola galactotes'' *

Levaillant's cisticola Levaillant's cisticola (''Cisticola tinniens''), also known as the tinkling cisticola, is a small passerine bird which is native to marshlands in the uplands of Africa, southwards of the equator. Description Levaillant's cisticola is a small, 12 ...

, ''Cisticola tinniens'' * Croaking cisticola, ''Cisticola natalensis'' * Piping cisticola, ''Cisticola fulvicapilla'' *

Zitting cisticola The zitting cisticola or streaked fantail warbler (''Cisticola juncidis'') is a widely distributed Old World warbler whose breeding range includes southern Europe, Africa (outside the deserts and rainforest), and southern Asia down to northern Aus ...

, ''Cisticola juncidis'' * Desert cisticola, ''Cisticola aridulus'' *

Cloud cisticola The cloud cisticola or tink-tink cisticola (''Cisticola textrix'') is a species of bird in the family Cisticolidae. It is found in Angola, Eswatini, Lesotho, Mozambique, South Africa, and Zambia, and its natural habitat is subtropical or tropica ...

, ''Cisticola textrix'' (A) * Pale-crowned cisticola, ''Cisticola cinnamomeus'' (A)

Reed warblers and allies

Order: PasseriformesFamily: Acrocephalidae The members of this family are usually rather large for "warblers". Most are rather plain olivaceous brown above with much yellow to beige below. They are usually found in open woodland, reedbeds, or tall grass. The family occurs mostly in southern to western Eurasia and surroundings, but it also ranges far into the Pacific, with some species in Africa. * African yellow-warbler, ''Iduna natalensis'' (A) * Olive-tree warbler, ''Hippolais olivetorum'' (B) *

Icterine warbler The icterine warbler (''Hippolais icterina'') is an Old World warbler in the tree warbler genus ''Hippolais''. It breeds in mainland Europe except the southwest, where it is replaced by its western counterpart, the melodious warbler. It is migr ...

, ''Hippolais icterina'' * Sedge warbler, ''Acrocephalus schoenobaenus'' *

Marsh warbler The marsh warbler (''Acrocephalus palustris'') is an Old World warbler currently classified in the family Acrocephalidae. It breeds in temperate Europe and the western Palearctic and winters mainly in southeast Africa. It is notable for incorpora ...

, ''Acrocephalus palustris'' *

Common reed warbler The common reed warbler (''Acrocephalus scirpaceus'') is an Old World warbler in the genus '' Acrocephalus''. It breeds across Europe into the temperate western Palaearctic where it is migratory, wintering in sub-Saharan Africa. It is also a res ...

, ''Acrocephalus scirpaceus'' *

Basra reed warbler The Basra reed warbler (''Acrocephalus griseldis'') is a "warbler" of the genus '' Acrocephalus''. It is an endemic breeder in Southwestern Iran, East and southern Iraq, Kuwait, and Israel in extensive beds of papyrus and reeds. It is easily mis ...

, ''Acrocephalus griseldis'' (A) *

Lesser swamp warbler The lesser swamp warbler or Cape reed warbler (''Acrocephalus gracilirostris'') is an Old World warbler in the genus '' Acrocephalus''. It is a resident breeder in Africa from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Chad and Ethiopia south to S ...

, ''Acrocephalus gracilirostris'' *

Greater swamp warbler The greater swamp warbler (''Acrocephalus rufescens'') is a species of Old World warbler in the family Acrocephalidae. It is found in Angola, Botswana, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republ ...

, ''Acrocephalus rufescens'' * Great reed warbler, ''Acrocephalus arundinaceus''

Grassbirds and allies

Order: PasseriformesFamily:

Locustellidae Locustellidae is a newly recognized family of small insectivorous songbirds ("warblers"), formerly placed in the Old World warbler "wastebin" family. It contains the grass warblers, grassbirds, and the ''Bradypterus'' "bush warblers". These bird ...

Locustellidae are a family of small insectivorous songbirds found mainly in Eurasia, Africa, and the Australian region. They are smallish birds with tails that are usually long and pointed, and tend to be drab brownish or buffy all over. *River warbler, ''Locustella fluviatilis'' (B) *Little rush warbler, ''Bradypterus baboecala''

Swallows

Order: PasseriformesFamily: Hirundinidae The family Hirundinidae is adapted to aerial feeding. They have a slender streamlined body, long pointed wings, and a short bill with a wide gape. The feet are adapted to perching rather than walking, and the front toes are partially joined at the base. *Brown-throated martin, Plain martin, ''Riparia paludicola'' (B) *Bank swallow, ''Riparia riparia'' *Banded martin, ''Neophedina cincta'' *Rock martin, ''Ptyonoprogne fuligula'' *Barn swallow, ''Hirundo rustica'' *Red-chested swallow, ''Hirundo lucida'' (A) *Angola swallow, ''Hirundo angolensis'' (A) *White-throated swallow, ''Hirundo albigularis'' *Wire-tailed swallow, ''Hirundo smithii'' *Pearl-breasted swallow, ''Hirundo dimidiata'' (B) *Greater striped swallow, ''Cecropis cucullata'' *Lesser striped swallow, ''Cecropis abyssinica'' *Rufous-chested swallow, ''Cecropis semirufa'' *Mosque swallow, ''Cecropis senegalensis'' (B) *South African swallow, ''Petrochelidon spilodera'' (B) *Common house-martin, ''Delichon urbicum'' *Black sawwing, ''Psalidoprocne pristoptera'' (A) *Gray-rumped swallow, ''Pseudhirundo griseopyga''

Bulbuls

Order: PasseriformesFamily: Pycnonotidae Bulbuls are medium-sized songbirds. Some are colourful with yellow, red, or orange vents, cheeks, throats, or supercilia, but most are drab, with uniform olive-brown to black plumage. Some species have distinct crests. *Yellow-bellied greenbul, ''Chlorocichla flaviventris'' *Terrestrial brownbul, ''Phyllastrephus terrestris'' *Common bulbul, ''Pycnonotus barbatus'' *Black-fronted bulbul, ''Pycnonotus nigricans''

Leaf warblers

Order: PasseriformesFamily: Phylloscopidae Leaf warblers are a family of small insectivorous birds found mostly in Eurasia and ranging into Wallacea and Africa. The species are of various sizes, often green-plumaged above and yellow below, or more subdued with greyish-green to greyish-brown colours. *Willow warbler, ''Phylloscopus trochilus''

Sylviid warblers, Parrotbills, and allies

Order: PasseriformesFamily: Sylviidae The family Sylviidae ("Old World warblers") is a group of small insectivorous passerine birds. They mainly occur as breeding species, as the common name implies, in Europe, Asia and, to a lesser extent, Africa. Most are of generally undistinguished appearance, but many have distinctive songs. *Eurasian blackcap, ''Sylvia atricapilla'' (A) *Garden warbler, ''Sylvia borin'' (B) *Barred warbler, ''Curruca nisoria'' *Chestnut-vented warbler, ''Curruca subcoerulea'' *Greater whitethroat, ''Curruca communis''

White-eyes, yuhinas, and allies

Order: PasseriformesFamily: Zosteropidae The white-eyes are small and mostly undistinguished, their plumage above being generally some dull colour like greenish-olive, but some species have a white or bright yellow throat, breast or lower parts, and several have buff flanks. As their name suggests, many species have a white ring around each eye. *Orange River white-eye, ''Zosterops pallidus'' *Cape white-eye, ''Zosterops virens'' *Southern yellow white-eye, ''Zosterops anderssoni''

Laughingthrushes and allies

Order: PasseriformesFamily: Leiothrichidae The members of this family are diverse in size and colouration, though those of genus ''Turdoides'' tend to be brown or greyish. The family is found in Africa, India, and southeast Asia. *Arrow-marked babbler, ''Turdoides jardineii'' *Southern pied-babbler, ''Turdoides bicolor'' *Hartlaub's babbler, ''Turdoides hartlaubii'' *Black-faced babbler, ''Turdoides melanops''

Treecreepers

Order: PasseriformesFamily: Certhiidae Treecreepers are small woodland birds, brown above and white below. They have thin pointed down-curved bills, which they use to extricate insects from bark. They have stiff tail feathers, like woodpeckers, which they use to support themselves on vertical trees. *African spotted creeper, ''Salpornis salvadori'' (A)

Oxpeckers

Order: PasseriformesFamily: Buphagidae As both the English and scientific names of these birds imply, they feed on ectoparasites, primarily ticks, found on large mammals. *Red-billed oxpecker, ''Buphagus erythrorynchus'' *Yellow-billed oxpecker, ''Buphagus africanus''

Starlings

Order: PasseriformesFamily: Sturnidae Starlings are small to medium-sized passerine birds. Their flight is strong and direct and they are very gregarious. Their preferred habitat is fairly open country. They eat insects and fruit. Plumage is typically dark with a metallic sheen. *European starling, ''Sturnus vulgaris'' (A) *Wattled starling, ''Creatophora cinerea'' *Common myna, ''Acridotheres tristis'' (I) *Violet-backed starling, ''Cinnyricinclus leucogaster'' *Pale-winged starling, ''Onychognathus nabouroup'' (A) *Red-winged starling, ''Onychognathus morio'' *Burchell's starling, ''Lamprotornis australis'' *Meves's starling, ''Lamprotornis mevesii'' *Lesser blue-eared starling, ''Lamprotornis chloropterus'' (A) *Sharp-tailed starling, ''Lamprotornis acuticaudus'' (B) *Greater blue-eared starling, ''Lamprotornis chalybaeus'' *Cape starling, ''Lamprotornis nitens''

Thrushes and allies

Order: PasseriformesFamily: Turdidae The Thrush (bird), thrushes are a group of passerine birds that occur mainly in the Old World. They are plump, soft plumaged, small to medium-sized insectivores or sometimes omnivores, often feeding on the ground. Many have attractive songs. *Groundscraper thrush, ''Turdus litsitsirupa'' *Kurrichane thrush, ''Turdus libonyana'' *Olive thrush, ''Turdus olivaceus'' *Karoo thrush, ''Turdus smithi''

Old World flycatchers

Order: PasseriformesFamily: Muscicapidae Old World flycatchers are a large group of small passerine birds native to the Old World. They are mainly small arboreal insectivores. The appearance of these birds is highly varied, but they mostly have weak songs and harsh calls. *Spotted flycatcher, ''Muscicapa striata'' *Mariqua flycatcher, ''Bradornis mariquensis'' *Pale flycatcher, ''Agricola pallidus'' *Chat flycatcher, ''Agricola infuscatus'' *Gray tit-flycatcher, ''Fraseria plumbea'' *Ashy flycatcher, ''Fraseria caerulescens'' *Fiscal flycatcher, ''Melaenornis silens'' *Southern black-flycatcher, ''Melaenornis pammelaina'' *Bearded scrub-robin, ''Cercotrichas quadrivirgata'' (B) *Kalahari scrub-robin, ''Cercotrichas paena'' *Red-backed scrub-robin, ''Cercotrichas leucophrys'' *Cape robin-chat, ''Cossypha caffra'' (A) *White-throated robin-chat, ''Cossypha humeralis'' *White-browed robin-chat, ''Cossypha heuglini'' *Red-capped robin-chat, ''Cossypha natalensis'' (A) *Collared palm-thrush, ''Cichladusa arquata'' (A) *Thrush nightingale, ''Luscinia luscinia'' (B) *Short-toed rock-thrush, ''Monticola brevipes'' *Miombo rock-thrush, ''Monticola angolensis'' *Cape rock-thrush, ''Monticola rupestris'' (A) *Whinchat, ''Saxicola rubetra'' (A) *African stonechat, ''Saxicola torquatus'' *Sickle-winged chat, ''Emarginata sinuata'' (A) *Mocking cliff-chat, ''Thamnolaea cinnamomeiventris'' *Southern anteater-chat, ''Myrmecocichla formicivora'' *Mountain wheatear, ''Myrmecocichla monticola'' (A) *Arnot's chat, ''Myrmecocichla arnotti'' *Northern wheatear, ''Oenanthe oenanthe'' (A) *Capped wheatear, ''Oenanthe pileata'' *Isabelline wheatear, ''Oenanthe isabellina'' (A) *Pied wheatear, ''Oenanthe pleschanka'' (A) *Familiar chat, ''Oenanthe familiaris'' *Boulder chat, ''Pinarornis plumosus''

Sunbirds and spiderhunters

Order: PasseriformesFamily: Nectariniidae The sunbirds and spiderhunters are very small passerine birds which feed largely on nectar, although they will also take insects, especially when feeding young. Flight is fast and direct on their short wings. Most species can take nectar by hovering like a hummingbird, but usually perch to feed. *Collared sunbird, ''Hedydipna collaris'' *Amethyst sunbird, ''Chalcomitra amethystina'' *Scarlet-chested sunbird, ''Chalcomitra senegalensis'' *Mariqua sunbird, ''Cinnyris mariquensis'' *Purple-banded sunbird, ''Cinnyris bifasciatus'' (B) *White-breasted sunbird, ''Cinnyris talatala'' *Dusky sunbird, ''Cinnyris fuscus'' (B) *Copper sunbird, ''Cinnyris cupreus'' (A)

Weavers and allies

Order: PasseriformesFamily: Ploceidae The weavers are small passerine birds related to the finches. They are seed-eating birds with rounded conical bills. The males of many species are brightly coloured, usually in red or yellow and black, and some species show variation in colour only in the breeding season. *Red-billed buffalo-weaver, ''Bubalornis niger'' *Scaly weaver, ''Sporopipes squamifrons'' *White-browed sparrow-weaver, ''Plocepasser mahali'' *Sociable weaver, ''Philetairus socius'' *Red-headed weaver, ''Anaplectes rubriceps'' *Spectacled weaver, ''Ploceus ocularis'' *Holub's golden-weaver, ''Ploceus xanthops'' *Southern brown-throated weaver, ''Ploceus xanthopterus'' *Lesser masked-weaver, ''Ploceus intermedius'' *Southern masked-weaver, ''Ploceus velatus'' *Village weaver, ''Ploceus cucullatus'' (B) *Chestnut weaver, ''Ploceus rubiginosus'' (B) *Red-headed quelea, ''Quelea erythrops'' (A) *Red-billed quelea, ''Quelea quelea'' *Southern red bishop, ''Euplectes orix'' *Yellow-crowned bishop, ''Euplectes afer'' *White-winged widowbird, ''Euplectes albonotatus'' *Red-collared widowbird, ''Euplectes ardens'' (A) *Fan-tailed widowbird, ''Euplectes axillaris'' *Long-tailed widowbird, ''Euplectes progne'' *Grosbeak weaver, ''Amblyospiza albifrons''

Waxbills and allies

Order: PasseriformesFamily: Estrildidae The estrildid finches are small passerine birds of the Old World tropics and Australasia. They are gregarious and often colonial seed eaters with short thick but pointed bills. They are all similar in structure and habits, but have wide variation in plumage colours and patterns. *Bronze mannikin, ''Spermestes cucullata'' *Magpie mannikin, ''Spermestes fringilloides'' (A) *Black-faced waxbill, ''Brunhilda erythronotos'' *Common waxbill, ''Estrilda astrild'' *Quailfinch, ''Ortygospiza fuscocrissa'' *Locust finch, ''Paludipasser locustella'' (A) *Cut-throat finch, Cut-throat, ''Amadina fasciata'' *Red-headed finch, ''Amadina erythrocephala'' *Zebra waxbill, ''Amandava subflava'' (B) *Violet-eared waxbill, ''Uraeginthus granatina'' *Southern cordonbleu, ''Uraeginthus angolensis'' *Green-winged pytilia, ''Pytilia melba'' *Orange-winged pytilia, ''Pytilia afra'' (B) *Peters's twinspot, ''Hypargos niveoguttatus'' (A) *Red-billed firefinch, ''Lagonosticta senegala'' *Jameson's firefinch, ''Lagonosticta rhodopareia'' *Brown firefinch, ''Lagonosticta nitidula''

Indigobirds

Order: PasseriformesFamily: Viduidae The indigobirds are finch-like species which usually have black or indigo predominating in their plumage. All are brood parasites, which lay their eggs in the nests of estrildid finches. *Pin-tailed whydah, ''Vidua macroura'' *Broad-tailed paradise-whydah, ''Vidua obtusa'' (B) *Eastern paradise-whydah, ''Vidua paradisaea'' *Shaft-tailed whydah, ''Vidua regia'' *Village indigobird, ''Vidua chalybeata'' *Purple indigobird, ''Vidua purpurascens'' *Parasitic weaver, ''Anomalospiza imberbis'' (B)

Old World sparrows

Order: PasseriformesFamily: Passeridae Old World sparrow, Sparrows are small passerine birds. In general, sparrows tend to be small, plump, brown or grey birds with short tails and short powerful beaks. Sparrows are seed eaters, but they also consume small insects. *House sparrow, ''Passer domesticus'' (I) *Great rufous sparrow, ''Passer motitensis'' *Cape sparrow, ''Passer melanurus'' *Northern gray-headed sparrow, ''Passer griseus'' (A) *Southern gray-headed sparrow, ''Passer diffusus'' *Yellow-throated bush sparrow, ''Gymnoris superciliaris''

Wagtails and pipits

Order: PasseriformesFamily: Motacillidae Motacillidae is a family of small passerine birds with medium to long tails. They include the wagtails, longclaws, and pipits. They are slender ground-feeding insectivores of open country. *Cape wagtail, ''Motacilla capensis'' *Mountain wagtail, ''Motacilla clara'' (A) *Gray wagtail, ''Motacilla cinerea'' (A) *Western yellow wagtail, ''Motacilla flava'' *African pied wagtail, ''Motacilla aguimp'' *African pipit, ''Anthus cinnamomeus'' *Mountain pipit, ''Anthus hoeschi'' *Woodland pipit, ''Anthus nyassae'' (A) *Nicholson's pipit, ''Anthus nicholsoni'' (B) *Plain-backed pipit, ''Anthus leucophrys'' *Buffy pipit, ''Anthus vaalensis'' *Striped pipit, ''Anthus lineiventris'' (B) *Tree pipit, ''Anthus trivialis'' *Red-throated pipit, ''Anthus cervinus'' (A) *Bush pipit, ''Anthus caffer'' (B) *Orange-throated longclaw, ''Macronyx capensis'' (B) *Rosy-throated longclaw, ''Macronyx ameliae''

Finches, euphonias, and allies

Order: PasseriformesFamily: Fringillidae Finches are seed-eating passerine birds that are small to moderately large and have a strong beak, usually conical and in some species very large. All have twelve tail feathers and nine primaries. These birds have a bouncing flight with alternating bouts of flapping and gliding on closed wings, and most sing well. *Yellow-fronted canary, ''Crithagra mozambica'' *Black-throated canary, ''Crithagra atrogularis'' *Yellow canary, ''Crithagra flaviventris'' *Black-eared seedeater, ''Crithagra mennelli'' (A) *Streaky-headed seedeater, ''Crithagra gularis'' (B) *Cape canary, ''Serinus canicollis'' *Black-headed canary, ''Serinus alario'' (A)

Old World buntings

Order: PasseriformesFamily: Emberizidae The emberizids are a large family of passerine birds. They are seed-eating birds with distinctively shaped bills. Many emberizid species have distinctive head patterns. *Golden-breasted bunting, ''Emberiza flaviventris'' *Cape bunting, ''Emberiza capensis'' (A) *Lark-like bunting, ''Emberiza impetuani'' *Cinnamon-breasted bunting, ''Emberiza tahapisi''

References

* *

External links

Birds of Botswana
- World Institute for Conservation and Environment {{Africa topic, List of birds of Lists of birds by country, Botswana Birds of Southern Africa, 'Botswana Lists of birds of Africa, Botswana Lists of biota of Botswana, birds