Library – Seatherny Birding

Birds of South Africa

The bird families are listed in the order they appear in the IOC World Bird List 14.1. Please use CTRL/CMD + F to search for a specific family or species. This page is a work in progress, and additional species will be added in due course.

Ostriches (Struthionidae)

common-ostrich-walking

Struthio camelus

Ducks, Geese & Swans (Anatidae)

egyptian-goose-bird-swimming

Alopochen aegyptiaca

African Black Duck standing next to a river.

African Black Duck

Guineafowl (Numididae)

helmeted-guineafowl-bird-in-flight-2

Helmeted Guineafowl

Numida meleagris

Pheasants & Allies (Phasianidae)

Swainson's Spurfowl standing on grass.

Swainson's Spurfowl

Pternistis swainsonii

red-necked-spurfowl-bird-portrait

Red-necked Spurfowl

Pternistis afer

Nightjars (Caprimulgidae)

square-tailed-nightjar-bird-on-ground

Square-tailed Nightjar

Caprimulgus fossii

Swifts (Apodidae)

African Black Swift in flight over a valley.

African Black Swift

Turacos (Musophagidae)

purple-crested-turaco-bird-perched

Purple-crested Turaco

Gallirex porphyreolophus

Bustards (Otididae)

white-bellied-bustard-bird-in-flight-2

White-bellied Bustard

Eupodotis senegalensis

Cuckoos (Cuculidae)

diederik-cuckoo-bird-perched-4

Diederik Cuckoo

Chrysococcyx caprius

Sandgrouse (Pteroclidae)

double-banded-sandgrouse-bird-walking

Double-banded Sandgrouse

Pterocles bicinctus

Pigeons & Doves (Columbidae)

African Olive Pigeon perched on the top of a tree.

African Olive Pigeon

Columba arquatrix

Finfoots (Heliornithidae)

African Finfoot swimming with a fish in its beak.

African Finfoot

Podica senegalensis

Rails, Crakes & Coots (Rallidae)

red-knobbed-coot-bird-feeding-9

Red-knobbed Coot

Fulica cristata

Cranes (Gruidae)

grey-crowned-crane-bird-displaying-4

Grey Crowned Crane

Balearica regulorum

Grebes (Podicipedidae)

little-grebe-bird-swimming-3

Tachybaptus ruficollis

Flamingos (Phoenicopteridae)

lesser-flamingo-flock

Lesser Flamingo

Phoeniconaias minor

Buttonquails (Turnicidae)

common-buttonquail-walking

Common Buttonquail

Turnix sylvaticus

Stone-curlews & Thick-knees (Burhinidae)

Spotted Thick-knee portrait.

Spotted Thick-knee

Burhinus capensis

water-thick-knee-bird-in-flight-10

Water Thick-knee

Burhinus vermiculatus

Oystercatchers (Haematopodidae)

African Oystercatcher in flight.

African Oystercatcher

Haematopus moquini

Stilts & Avocets (Recurvirostridae)

black-winged-stilt-bird-in-flight

Black-winged Stilt

Himantopus himantopus

Plovers (Charadriidae)

grey-plover-bird-walking

Pluvialis squatarola

Painted-snipes (Rostratulidae)

greater-painted-snipe-standing

Greater Painted-snipe

Rostratula benghalensis

Jacanas (Jacanidae)

african-jacana-in-flight

Actophilornis africanus

Sandpipers & Snipes (Scolopacidae)

Green Sandpiper standing on a rock.

Green Sandpiper

Tringa ochropus

curlew-sandpiper-bird-feeding

Curlew Sandpiper

Calidris ferruginea

Crab-plover (Dromadidae)

crab-plover-bird-walking-1

Coursers & Pratincoles (Glareolidae)

Temminck’s Courser – Polokwane

Temminck's Courser

Cursorius temminckii

collared-pratincole-bird-standing-4

Collared Pratincole

Glareola pratincola

Gulls, Terns & Skimmers (Laridae)

Grey-headed Gull standing.

Grey-headed Gull

Chroicocephalus cirrocephalus

Skuas (Stercorariidae)

brown-skua-bird-in-flight-6

Stercorarius antarcticus

Penguins (Spheniscidae)

African Penguin walking out of the ocean.

African Penguin

Spheniscus demersus

Albatrosses (Diomedeidae)

indian-yellow-nosed-albatross-bird-in-flight-3

Indian Yellow-nosed Albatross

Thalassarche carteri

Petrels, Shearwaters & Diving Petrels (Procellariidae)

white-chinned-petrel-bird-in-flight-1

White-chinned Petrel

Procellaria aequinoctialis

Storks (Ciconiidae)

saddle-billed-stork-bird-in-flight-2

Saddle-billed Stork

Ephippiorhynchus senegalensis

Frigatebirds (Fregatidae)

lesser-frigatebird-bird-in-flight-13

Lesser Frigatebird

Gannets & Boobies (Sulidae)

cape-gannet-bird-in-flight-3

Anhingas & Darters (Anhingidae)

African Darter perched on a pole.

Cormorants & Shags (Phalacrocoracidae)

reed-cormorant-bird-perched-2

Microcarbo africanus

Ibises & Spoonbills (Threskiornithidae)

African Spoonbill perched on a branch.

African Spoonbill

Herons & Bitterns (Ardeidae)

rufous-bellied-heron-bird-standing

Rufous-bellied Heron

Ardeola rufiventris

Hamerkop (Scopidae)

hamerkop-bird-in-flight-6

Scopus umbretta

Pelicans (Pelecanidae)

pink-backed-pelican-bird-swimming

Pink-backed Pelican

Pelecanus rufescens

Secretarybird (Sagittariidae)

secretarybird-bird-walking

Sagittarius serpentarius

Ospreys (Pandionidae)

western-osprey-bird-in-flight-1

Pandion haliaetus

Kites, Hawks & Eagles (Accipitridae)

Black-chested Snake Eagle in flight.

Black-chested Snake Eagle

Circaetus pectoralis

Verreauxs Eagle carrying nesting material.

Verreaux's Eagle

Aquila verreauxii

Ovambo Sparrowhawk flying.

Ovambo Sparrowhawk

Accipiter ovampensis

Owls (Strigidae)

spotted-eagle-owl-bird-perched-1

Spotted Eagle-owl

Mousebirds (Coliidae)

white-backed-mousebird-perched

White-backed Mousebird

Trogons (Trogonidae)

narina-trogon-perched

Apaloderma narina

Hoopoes (Upupidae)

african-hoopoe-feeding

Wood Hoopoes (Phoeniculidae)

green-wood-hoopoe-perched

Green Wood Hoopoe

Phoeniculus purpureus

Ground Hornbills (Bucorvidae)

southern-ground-hornbill-bird-portrait

Southern Ground Hornbill

Bucorvus leadbeateri

Hornbills (Bucerotidae)

southern-yellow-billed-hornbill-perched

Southern Yellow-billed Hornbill

Tockus leucomelas

Rollers (Coraciidae)

lilac-breasted-roller-bird-perched-11

Lilac-breasted Roller

Coracias caudatus

Kingfishers (Alcedinidae)

brown-hooded-kingfisher-bird-perched-2

Brown-hooded Kingfisher

Halcyon albiventris

half-collared-kingfisher-bird-perched

Half-collared Kingfisher

Alcedo semitorquata

Pied Kingfisher flying over rocks.

Pied Kingfisher

Bee-eaters (Meropidae)

blue-cheeked-bee-eater-bird-in-flight-2

Blue-cheeked Bee-eater

Merops persicus

African Barbets (Lybiidae)

white-eared-barbet-bird-perched-3

White-eared Barbet

Stactolaema leucotis

Honeyguides (Indicatoridae)

lesser-honeyguide-bird-perched

Lesser Honeyguide

Indicator minor

Woodpeckers (Picidae)

olive-woodpecker-bird-feeding

Olive Woodpecker

Dendropicos griseocephalus

Caracaras & Falcons (Falconidae)

amur-falcon-bird-in-flight

Falco amurensis

African & New World Parrots (Psittacidae)

brown-headed-parrot-perched

Brown-headed Parrot

Poicephalus cryptoxanthus

Wattle-eyes & Batises (Platysteiridae)

cape-batis-bird-perched-2

Bushshrikes (Malaconotidae)

grey-headed-bushshrike-bird-perched-8

Grey-headed Bushshrike

Malaconotus blanchoti

Cuckooshrikes (Campephagidae)

black-cuckooshrike-perched

Black Cuckooshrike

Campephaga flava

Figbirds, Orioles & Piopios (Oriolidae)

black-headed-oriole-bird-perched-1

Black-headed Oriole

Oriolus larvatus

Drongos (Dicruridae)

fork-tailed-drongo-bird-perched-2

Fork-tailed Drongo

Dicrurus adsimilis

Monarchs (Monarchidae)

African Paradise Flycatcher perched on a branch.

African Paradise Flycatcher

Terpsiphone viridis

Shrikes (Laniidae)

southern-white-crowned-shrike-bird-perched

Southern White-crowned Shrike

Eurocephalus anguitimens

Crows & Jays (Corvidae)

White-necked Raven in flight.

White-necked Raven

Corvus albicollis

Rockjumpers (Chaetopidae)

drakensberg-rockjumper-bird-portrait

Drakensberg Rockjumper

Chaetops aurantius

Fairy Flycatchers (Stenostiridae)

Fairy Flycatcher perched on a plant.

Fairy Flycatcher

Stenostira scita

Tits & Chickadees (Paridae)

southern-black-tit-bird-perched

Southern Black Tit

Melaniparus niger

Penduline Tits (Remizidae)

cape-penduline-tit-bird-perched-1

Cape Penduline Tit

Anthoscopus minutus

Larks (Alaudidae)

spike-heeled-lark-bird-standing

Spike-heeled Lark

Chersomanes albofasciata

Cape Clapper Lark calling.

Cape Clapper Lark

Bulbuls (Pycnonotidae)

dark-capped-bulbul-bird-perched

Dark-capped Bulbul

Pycnonotus tricolor

Swallows & Martins (Hirundinidae)

White-throated Swallow perched on a dead tree.

White-throated Swallow

Hirundo albigularis

south-african-cliff-swallow-bird-in-flight

South African Cliff Swallow

Petrochelidon spilodera

Crombecs & African Warblers (Macrosphenidae)

cape-grassbird-perched

Sphenoeacus afer

Leaf Warblers & Allies (Phylloscopidae)

yellow-throated-woodland-warbler-portrait

Yellow-throated Woodland Warbler

Phylloscopus ruficapilla

Reed Warblers, Grauer's Warbler & Allies (Acrocephalidae)

african-yellow-warbler-bird-perched-1

African Yellow Warbler

Iduna natalensis

Grassbirds & Allies (Locustellidae)

knysna-warbler-bird-perched-2

Bradypterus sylvaticus

Cisticolas & Allies (Cisticolidae)

drakensberg-prinia-bird-perched

Drakensberg Prinia

Prinia hypoxantha

namaqua-warbler-bird-perched

Namaqua Warbler

Phragmacia substriata

Rudds Apalis perched on a twig in a tree.

rufous-eared-warbler-bird-perched-2

Rufous-eared Warbler

Malcorus pectoralis

Sylviid Babblers (Sylviidae)

bush-blackcap-bird-perched-1

Sylvia nigricapillus

White-eyes (Zosteropidae)

cape-white-eye-bird-perched-1

Zosterops virens

Babblers & Scimitar Babblers (Timaliidae)

arrow-marked-babbler-bird-standing-2

Arrow-marked Babbler

Turdoides jardineii

Sugarbirds (Promeropidae)

cape-sugarbird-bird-perched-2

Promerops cafer

Starlings & Rhabdornises (Sturnidae)

burchells-starling-bird-perched-1

Burchell's Starling

Lamprotornis australis

Oxpeckers (Buphagidae)

yellow-billed-oxpecker-bird-portrait

Yellow-billed Oxpecker

Buphagus africanus

Thrushes (Turdidae)

olive-thrush-bird-perched

Turdus olivaceus

Chats & Old World Flycatchers (Muscicapidae)

Fiscal Flycatcher perched on a branch.

Fiscal Flycatcher

African Dusky Flycatcher perched on a branch.

African Dusky Flycatcher

Muscicapa adusta

Mocking Cliff Chat perched on a rock.

Mocking Cliff Chat

Thamnolaea cinnamomeiventris

Sunbirds (Nectariniidae)

White-bellied Sunbird calling.

White-bellied Sunbird

Cinnyris talatala

Old World Sparrows & Snowfinches (Passeridae)

cape-sparrow-perched

Passer melanurus

Weavers & Widowbirds (Ploceidae)

Cape Weaver on a nest.

Ploceus capensis

southern-brown-throated-weaver-bird-perched

Southern Brown-throated Weaver

Ploceus xanthopterus

Southern Masked Weaver perched on a branch.

Southern Masked Weaver

Ploceus velatus

Long-tailed Widowbird perched on grass.

Long-tailed Widowbird

Euplectes progne

Waxbills, Munias & Allies (Estrildidae)

swee-waxbill-bird-perched

Coccopygia melanotis

Indigobirds & Whydahs (Viduidae)

pin-tailed-whydah-bird-in-flight-1

Pin-tailed Whydah

Cuckoo-finch perched on a stem.

Anomalospiza imberbis

Wagtails & Pipits (Motacillidae)

African Pied Wagtail standing in shallow water.

African Pied Wagtail

Motacilla aguimp

Finches & Euphonias (Fringillidae)

forest-canary-bird-perched

Crithagra scotops

Streaky-headed Seedeater perched on a plant.

Streaky-headed Seedeater

Crithagra gularis

Buntings (Emberizidae)

golden-breasted-bunting-bird-perched-4

Golden-breasted Bunting

Emberiza flaviventris