This is a list of the bird species recorded in Africa. The area covered by this list is the Africa region defined by the American Birding Association's listing rules.Description of the Listing Areas and Regions from the American Birding Association. In addition to the continent itself, the area includes Madagascar, Mauritius, Rodrigues, Seychelles, Cape Verde, the Comoro Islands, Zanzibar and the Canary Islands, São Tomé and Príncipe and Annobón in the Gulf of Guinea. It does not include Socotra in the Arabian Sea, Madeira or the Azores.
This list is that of the African Bird Club (ABC) supplemented by Bird Checklists of the World (Avibase).
This list's taxonomic treatment (designation and sequence of orders, families, and species) and nomenclature (common and scientific names) are those of the IOC World Bird List. Taxonomic changes are ongoing. As more research is gathered from studies of distribution, behaviour, and DNA, the names, sequence, and number of families and species change every year. Differences in common and scientific names between the Clements taxonomy and that of the ABC are frequent but are seldom noted here.
By the numbers
This list contains 2712 species. Individual endemic species found in a single country are tagged (E-country); the rest of the endemics are tagged (E) or noted in text. The countries that have endemics and the number in each are listed below.
Places with endemic species:
Algeria (1) Aldabra (4) Angola (10) Ascension (2) Cameroon (7) Canary Islands (7) Cape Verde (5) Comoros (18) Democratic Republic of the Congo (11) Djibouti (1) Equatorial Guinea (3) Ethiopia (9) Gough Island (2) Inaccessible Island (2) Kenya (11) Madagascar (109) Mauritius (28) Mayotte (4) Namibia (1) Nigeria (2) Nightingale Islands (1) Réunion (17) Rodrigues (11) Saint Helena (17) São Tomé and Príncipe (25) Seychelles (14) Somalia (8) South Africa (15) Sudan (2) Tanzania (29) Tristan da Cunha (1) Uganda (1) Zambia (1)
The sources classify vagrants; they are tagged (V). Some of them occur fairly frequently but are far outside their normal ranges; several have only a single record.
Ostriches Order: StruthioniformesFamily: Struthionidae
The ostriches are flightless birds native to Africa. They are the largest living species of bird and are distinctive in appearance, with a long neck and legs and the ability to run at high speeds.
Common ostrich, Struthio camelus Somali ostrich, Struthio molybdophanes (E)
Ducks, geese, and waterfowl
Order: AnseriformesFamily: Anatidae
Anatidae includes the ducks and most duck-like waterfowl, such as geese and swans. 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 White-backed duck, Thalassornis leuconotus Bar-headed goose, Anser indicus Snow goose, Anser caerulescens (V) Greylag goose, Anser anser Greater white-fronted goose, Anser albifrons Lesser white-fronted goose, Anser erythropus (V) Taiga bean goose, Anser fabalis Tundra bean goose, Anser serrirostris Brent goose, Branta bernicla (V) Barnacle goose, Branta leucopsis (V) Red-breasted goose, Branta ruficollis (V) Blue-winged goose, Cyanochen cyanoptera (E-Ethiopia) Mute swan, Cygnus olor Tundra swan, Cygnus columbianus (V) Whooper swan, Cygnus cygnus (V) Knob-billed duck, Sarkidiornis melanotos Hartlaub's duck, Pteronetta hartlaubii (E) Egyptian goose, Alopochen aegyptiaca Mauritius shelduck, Alopochen mauritiana (E-Mauritius) extinct Réunion shelduck, Alopochen kervazoi (E-Reunion) extinct Ruddy shelduck, Tadorna ferruginea South African shelduck, Tadorna cana (E) Australian shelduck, Tadorna tadornoides Common shelduck, Tadorna tadorna Spur-winged goose, Plectropterus gambensis (E) Muscovy duck, Cairina moschata (I) Cotton pygmy-goose, Nettapus coromandelianus (V) African pygmy-goose, Nettapus auritus Mandarin duck, Aix galericulata Garganey, Spatula querquedula Blue-billed teal, Spatula hottentota (E) Blue-winged teal, Spatula discors (V) Cinnamon teal, Spatula cyanoptera (V) Cape shoveler, Spatula smithii (E) Northern shoveler, Spatula clypeata Gadwall, Mareca strepera Eurasian wigeon, Mareca penelope American wigeon, Mareca americana (V) African black duck, Anas sparsa (E) Yellow-billed duck, Anas undulata (E) Meller's duck, Anas melleri (E-Madagascar) Mallard, Anas platyrhynchos American black duck, Anas rubripes (V) Cape teal, Anas capensis (E) Red-billed duck, Anas erythrorhyncha (E) Northern pintail, Anas acuta Eurasian teal, Anas crecca Green-winged teal, Anas carolinensis (V) Mauritius duck, Anas theodori (E-Mauritius) extinct Bernier's teal, Anas bernieri (E-Madagascar) Marbled teal, Marmaronetta angustirostris Red-crested pochard, Netta rufina Southern pochard, Netta erythrophthalma Common pochard, Aythya ferina Ring-necked duck, Aythya collaris (V) Ferruginous duck, Aythya nyroca Madagascar pochard, Aythya innotata (E-Madagascar) Tufted duck, Aythya fuligula Greater scaup, Aythya marila Lesser scaup, Aythya affinis (V) Common eider, Somateria mollissima (V) Velvet scoter, Melanitta fusca White-winged scoter, Melanitta deglandi (V) Common scoter, Melanitta nigra Long-tailed duck, Clangula hyemalis (V) Bufflehead, Bucephala albeola (V) Common goldeneye, Bucephala clangula (V) Smew, Mergellus albellus (V) Common merganser, Mergus merganser (V) Red-breasted merganser, Mergus serrator (V) Ruddy duck, Oxyura jamaicensis (V, I) White-headed duck, Oxyura leucocephala Maccoa duck, Oxyura maccoa (E)
Guineafowl
Order: GalliformesFamily: 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 (E) White-breasted guineafowl, Agelastes meleagrides (E) Black guineafowl, Agelastes niger (E) Vulturine guineafowl, Acryllium vulturinum (E) Plumed guineafowl, Guttera plumifera (E) Eastern crested guineafowl, Guttera pucherani (E) Western crested guineafowl, Guttera verreauxi (E) Southern crested guineafowl, Guttera edouardi (E)
New World quail Order: GalliformesFamily: Odontophoridae
Despite their family's common name, two species are native to Africa.
Stone partridge, Ptilopachus petrosus (E) Nahan's partridge, Ptilopachus nahani (E) Northern bobwhite, Colinus virginianus (I) California quail, Callipepla californica (I)
Pheasants and allies
Order: GalliformesFamily: Phasianidae
The Phasianidae are a family of terrestrial birds. In general, they are plump (although they vary in size) and have broad, relatively short wings.
Udzungwa partridge, Xenoperdix udzungwensis (E-Tanzania) Rock ptarmigan, Lagopus muta (A) Reeves's pheasant, Syrmaticus reevesii (I) Common pheasant, Phasianus colchicus (I) Congo peacock, Afropavo congensis (E-Democratic Republic of the Congo) Indian peafowl, Pavo cristatus (I) Red junglefowl, Gallus gallus (I) Latham's francolin, Peliperdix lathami (E) Crested francolin, Ortygornis sephaena (E) Grey francolin, Ortygornis pondicerianus (I) Chinese francolin, Francolinus pintadeanus (I) Coqui francolin, Campocolinus coqui (E) White-throated francolin, Campocolinus albogularis (E) Schlegel's francolin, Campocolinus schlegelii (E) Ring-necked francolin, Scleroptila streptophora (E) Red-winged francolin, Scleroptila levaillantii (E) Finsch's francolin, Scleroptila finschi (E) Moorland francolin, Scleroptila psilolaema (E) Elgon francolin, Scleroptila elgonensis Grey-winged francolin, Scleroptila afra (E) Orange River francolin, Scleroptila gutturalis (E) Shelley's francolin, Scleroptila shelleyi (E) Whyte's francolin, Scleroptila whytei (E) Sand partridge, Ammoperdix heyi Blue-breasted quail, Synoicus chinensis (I) Blue quail, Synoicus adansonii (E) Madagascar partridge, Margaroperdix madagarensis (E-Madagascar) Common quail, Coturnix coturnix Harlequin quail, Coturnix delegorguei Barbary partridge, Alectoris barbara Arabian partridge, Alectoris melanocephala (I) Red-legged partridge, Alectoris rufa (I) Chukar, Alectoris chukar (I) Rock partridge, Alectoris graeca (I) Jungle bush-quail, Perdicula asiatica (I) Hartlaub's francolin, Pternistis hartlaubi (E) Cameroon francolin, Pternistis camerunensis (E-Cameroon) Handsome francolin, Pternistis nobilis (E) Chestnut-naped francolin, Pternistis castaneicollis (E) Erckel's francolin, Pternistis erckelii Djibouti francolin, Pternistis ochropectus (E-Djibouti) Swierstra's francolin, Pternistis swierstrai (E-Angola) Ahanta francolin, Pternistis ahantensis (E) Grey-striped francolin, Pternistis griseostriatus (E-Angola) Jackson's francolin, Pternistis jacksoni (E-Kenya) Red-billed francolin, Pternistis adspersus (E) Cape francolin, Pternistis capensis (E-South Africa) Natal francolin, Pternistis natalensis (E) Hildebrandt's francolin, Pternistis hildebrandti (E) Double-spurred francolin, Pternistis bicalcaratus (E) Scaly francolin, Pternistis squamatus (E) Heuglin's francolin, Pternistis icterorhynchus (E) Clapperton's francolin, Pternistis clappertoni (E) Harwood's francolin, Pternistis harwoodi (E-Ethiopia) Swainson's francolin, Pternistis swainsonii (E) Yellow-necked francolin, Pternistis leucoscepus (E) Grey-breasted francolin, Pternistis rufopictus (E-Tanzania) Red-necked francolin, Pternistis afer (E)
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
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.
Alaotra grebe, Tachybaptus rufolavatus (E-Madagascar) extinct Little grebe, Tachybaptus ruficollis Madagascar grebe, Tachybaptus pelzelnii (E-Madagascar) Slavonian grebe, Podiceps auritus (V) Red-necked grebe, Podiceps grisegena (V) Great crested grebe, Podiceps cristatus Black-necked grebe, Podiceps nigricollis
Pigeons and doves
Order: ColumbiformesFamily: Columbidae
Pigeons and doves are stout-bodied birds with short necks and short slender bills with a fleshy cere.
Rock pigeon, Columba livia Speckled pigeon, Columba guinea (E) White-collared pigeon, Columba albitorques (E) Stock dove, Columba oenas Somali pigeon, Columba oliviae (E-Somalia) Common wood pigeon, Columba palumbus Bolle's pigeon, Columba bollii (E) Afep pigeon, Columba unicincta (E) Laurel pigeon, Columba junoniae (E) Rameron pigeon, Columba arquatrix Cameroon pigeon, Columba sjostedti (E) Maroon pigeon, Columba thomensis (E-São Tomé and Príncipe) Delegorgue's pigeon, Columba delegorguei (E) Bronze-naped pigeon, Columba iriditorques (E) Sao Tome pigeon, Columba malherbii (E) Mauritian wood pigeon, Columba thiriouxi (E-Mauritius) extinct Lemon dove, Columba larvata (E) Comoro pigeon, Columba pollenii White-naped pigeon, Columba albinucha (E) Pink pigeon, Nesoenas mayeri (E-Mauritius) Reunion pigeon, Nesoenas duboisi extinct Mauritian turtle dove, Nesoenas cicur (E-Mauritius) extinct Rodrigues pigeon, Nesoenas rodericanus (E-Rodrigues) extinct European turtle dove, Streptopelia turtur Dusky turtle dove, Streptopelia lugens Adamawa turtle dove, Streptopelia hypopyrrha (E) Oriental turtle dove, Streptopelia orientalis (A) Eurasian collared dove, Streptopelia decaocto African collared dove, Streptopelia roseogrisea