This is a list of the bird species recorded in Southern Africa. Southern Africa is defined as Africa south of a line between the Kunene and Zambezi rivers, encompassing Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, mainland South Africa, Lesotho, Eswatini and southern and central Mozambique, as well as oceanic waters within of the coast, covering approximately 3.5 million square kilometres.
Traditional boundaries
In Layard's 1867 treatise on the regional avifauna, he arbitrarily defined "South Africa" as the region south of 28° South. Sharpe's 1884 revision of Layard's work extended the boundary to the Cuanza and Zambezi rivers, believing that the latter is a natural avifaunal limit. Stark and Sclater, possibly influenced by national boundaries determined at the Berlin Conference, substituted the Cuanza with the Kunene River for the first of their volumes, which appeared in 1900. The latter definition became entrenched with many ornithological publications following suit.
Regional habitats
Southern Africa consists of eight major habitats: the Karoo, moist savannah, arid savannah, the Namib Desert, lowland forest, fynbos, grassland and montane forest.
Taxonomy
This list's taxonomic treatment (designation and sequence of orders, families and species) and nomenclature (common and scientific names) follow the conventions of Austin Roberts' Birds of Southern Africa 7th edition. The family accounts of the respective headers, and the species counts per family, reflect this taxonomy. Introduced, accidental, and extirpated species are included in the total species counts for Southern Africa.
The following tags have been used to highlight several categories, but not all species fall into one of these categories. Those that do not are commonly occurring native species.
Accidental - a species that rarely or accidentally occurs in the Southern Africa Endemic - a species endemic to Southern Africa Extirpated - a species that no longer occurs in Southern Africa though populations exist elsewhere Introduced - a species introduced to Southern Africa as a direct or indirect consequence of human actions Data deficient - a species with uncertain status due to lack of research or available information
Penguins Order: SphenisciformesFamily: Spheniscidae
The number of penguin species is a matter of debate. Depending on the authority, biodiversity varies between 17 and 20 living species. Four species occur in Southern Africa, though only one is resident or a breeder.
African penguin, Spheniscus demersus King penguin, Aptenodytes patagonicus - accidental Macaroni penguin, Eudyptes chrysolophus - accidental Rockhopper penguin, Eudyptes chrysocome - accidental
Grebes Order: PodicipediformesFamily: Podicipedidae
Grebes 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. There are 20 species worldwide and three species occur in Southern Africa.
Little grebe, Tachybaptus ruficollis Great crested grebe, Podiceps cristatus Black-necked grebe, Podiceps nigricollis
Albatrosses Order: ProcellariiformesFamily: Diomedeidae
The albatrosses comprise between 13 and 24 species (the number of species is still a matter of some debate, 21 being the most commonly accepted number) in 4 genera. The four genera are the great albatrosses (Diomedea), the mollymawks (Thalassarche), the North Pacific albatrosses (Phoebastria), and the sooty albatrosses or sooties (Phoebetria). Of the four genera, the North Pacific albatrosses are considered a sister taxon to the great albatrosses, while the sooty albatrosses are considered closer to the mollymawks.
Tristan albatross, Diomedea dabbenena Wandering albatross, Diomedea exulans Southern royal albatross, Diomedea epomophora Northern royal albatross, Diomedea sanfordi Shy albatross, Thalassarche cauta Black-browed albatross, Thalassarche melanophris Atlantic yellow-nosed albatross, Thalassarche chlororhynchos Grey-headed albatross, Thalassarche chrysostoma Salvin's albatross, Thalassarche salvini Chatham albatross, Thalassarche eremita Buller's albatross, Thalassarche bulleri - accidental Indian yellow-nosed albatross, Thalassarche carteri Light-mantled albatross, Phoebetria palpebrata - accidental Sooty albatross, Phoebetria fusca - accidental Laysan albatross, Phoebastria immutabilis - accidental
Shearwaters and petrels Order: ProcellariiformesFamily: Procellariidae
The Procellariids are the main group of medium-sized "true petrels", characterised by united nostrils with medium septum and a long outer functional primary.
Southern giant petrel, Macronectes giganteus Northern giant petrel, Macronectes halli Southern fulmar, Fulmarus glacialoides Antarctic petrel, Thalassoica antarctica - accidental Pintado petrel, Daption capense Great-winged petrel, Pterodroma macroptera White-headed petrel, Pterodroma lessonii Atlantic petrel, Pterodroma incerta - accidental Barau's petrel, Pterodroma baraui - accidental Soft-plumaged petrel, Pterodroma mollis Kerguelen petrel, Lugensa brevirostris Blue petrel, Halobaena caerulea Broad-billed prion, Pachyptila vittata Salvin's prion, Pachyptila salvini Antarctic prion, Pachyptila desolata Fulmar prion, Pachyptila crassirostris Slender-billed prion, Pachyptila belcheri - accidental Fairy prion, Pachyptila turtur Bulwer's petrel, Bulweria bulwerii - accidental Jouanin's petrel, Bulweria fallax White-chinned petrel, Procellaria aequinoctialis Spectacled petrel, Procellaria conspicillata Grey petrel, Procellaria cinerea Cory's shearwater, Calonectris diomedea Streaked shearwater, Calonectris leucomelas - accidental Great shearwater, Ardenna gravis Flesh-footed shearwater, Ardenna carneipes Sooty shearwater, Ardenna griseus Wedge-tailed shearwater, Ardenna pacificus Manx shearwater, Puffinus puffinus Balearic shearwater, Puffinus mauretanicus Tropical shearwater, Puffinus bailloni - accidental Little shearwater, Puffinus assimilis
Storm petrels Order: ProcellariiformesFamily: Hydrobatidae
The storm petrel, a relative of the petrel, is the smallest seabird. It feeds on planktonic crustaceans and small fish from the surface, typically while hovering. Its flight is fluttering and sometimes bat-like.
White-faced storm petrel, Pelagodroma marina - accidental Matsudaira's storm petrel, Oceanodroma matsudairae - accidental Wilson's storm petrel, Oceanites oceanicus Leach's storm petrel, Oceanodroma leucorhoa European storm petrel, Hydrobates pelagicus Black-bellied storm petrel, Fregetta tropica White-bellied storm petrel, Fregetta grallaria - accidental Grey-backed storm petrel, Garrodia nereis
Diving petrels Order: ProcellariiformesFamily: Pelecanoididae
Common diving petrel, Pelecanoides urinatrix
Tropicbirds Order: PhaethontiformesFamily: Phaethontidae
Tropicbirds are slender white birds of tropical oceans, with exceptionally long central tail feathers. Their long wings have black markings, as does the head.
Red-tailed tropicbird, Phaethon rubricauda Red-billed tropicbird, Phaethon aethereus - accidental White-tailed tropicbird, Phaethon lepturus - accidental
Boobies and gannets Order: SuliformesFamily: Sulidae
The sulids comprise the gannets and boobies with only boobies occurring in Southern Africa. Both groups are medium-large coastal seabirds that plunge-dive for fish.
Genus Sula Brown booby, Sula leucogaster Red-footed booby, Sula dactylatra
Genus Morus Cape gannet, Morus capensis Australian gannet, Morus serrator
Cormorants Order: SuliformesFamily: Phalacrocoracidae
Phalacrocoracidae is a family of medium to large coastal, fish-eating seabirds that includes cormorants and shags. Plumage colouration is varied with the majority having mainly dark plumage, some species being black-and-white and a few being quite colourful.
White-breasted cormorant, Phalacrocorax lucidus Cape cormorant, Phalacrocorax capensis - endemic Bank cormorant, Phalacrocorax neglectus Reed cormorant, Microcarbo africanus Crowned cormorant, Microcarbo coronatus
Darters Order: SuliformesFamily: Anhingidae
There are four living species, one of which is near-threatened. The 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.
African darter, Anhinga melanogaster
Frigatebirds Order: SuliformesFamily: Fregatidae
Frigatebirds are large seabirds usually found over tropical oceans. They are large, black or black-and-white, with long wings and deeply forked tails. The males have coloured inflatable throat pouches. They do not swim or walk and cannot take off from a flat surface. Having the largest wingspan-to-body-weight ratio of any bird, they are essentially aerial, able to stay aloft for more than a week.
Great frigatebird, Fregata minor Lesser frigatebird, Fregata ariel
Pelicans Order: PelecaniformesFamily: Pelecanidae
Pelicans are very large water birds with a distinctive pouch under their beak. Like other birds in the order Pelecaniformes, they have four webbed toes.
Eastern white pelican, Pelecanus onocrotalus Pink-backed pelican, Pelecanus rufescens
Herons, egrets, and bitterns Order: PelecaniformesFamily: Ardeidae
The family Ardeidae contains the bitterns, herons and egrets. Herons and egrets are medium to large wading birds with long necks and legs. Bitterns tend to be shorter necked and more secretive. Members of Ardeidae fly with their necks retracted, unlike other long-necked birds such as storks, ibises and spoonbills.
Herons Grey heron, Ardea cinerea Black-headed heron, Ardea melanocephala Goliath heron, Ardea goliath Purple heron, Ardea purpurea Squacco heron, Ardeola ralloides Madagascar heron, Ardeola idae Rufous-bellied heron, Ardeola rufiventris White-backed night heron, Gorsachius leuconotus Black-crowned night heron, Nycticorax nycticorax Green-backed heron, Butorides striata Little blue heron, Egretta caerulea - accidental Western reef heron, Egretta gularis - accidental
Egrets Yellow-billed egret, Egretta intermedia Great egret, Ardea alba Little egret, Egretta garzetta Cattle egret, Bubulcus ibis Black egret, Egretta ardesiaca Slaty egret, Egretta vinaceigula
Bitterns Great bittern, Botaurus stellaris Dwarf bittern, Ixobrychus sturmii Little bittern, Ixobrychus minutus
Ibises and spoonbills Order: PelecaniformesFamily: Threskiornithidae
Threskiornithidae is a family of large terrestrial and wading birds that includes the ibises and spoonbills. They have long, broad wings with 11 primary and about 20 secondary feathers. They are strong fliers and, rather surprisingly, given their size and weight, very capable soarers.
African spoonbill, Platalea alba Sacred ibis, Threskiornis aethiopicus Hadeda ibis, Bostrychia hagedash Glossy ibis, Plegadis falcinellus Southern bald ibis, Geronticus calvus - endemic
Hamerkop Order: PelecaniformesFamily: Scopidae
Hamerkop, Scopus umbretta
Storks Order: CiconiiformesFamily: Ciconiidae
Storks have no syrinx and are mute, giving no bird call; bill-clattering is an important mode of communication at the nest. Many species are migratory. Most storks eat frogs, fish, insects, earthworms, and small birds or mammals.
Black stork, Ciconia nigra White stork, Ciconia ciconia Abdim's stork, Ciconia abdimii Yellow-billed stork, Ciconia ibis Marabou stork, Leptoptilos crumeniferus Saddle-billed stork, Ephippiorhynchus senegalensis Open-billed stork, Anastomus lamelligerus Woolly-necked stork, Ciconia episcopus
Flamingoes Order: PhoenicopteriformesFamily: Phoenicopteridae