Namibia Species Trip List

 

Bird	Species	Comment
Ostrich	Struthio camelus	Surprisingly difficult to find, despite it's size
Jackass Penguin	Spheniscus demersus	One only seen; at Walvis Bay on the shore
Little Grebe	Tachybaptus ruficollis	Noted at sewage ponds and open water
Black-necked Grebe	Podiceps nigricollis	Great numbers wherever there was water
White-chinned Petrel	Procellaria aequinoctialis	Commonest petrel out from Walvis Bay
Wilson's Storm-petrel	Oceanites oceanicus	A few at close range out from Walvis Bay
European Storm-petrel	Hydrobates pelagicus	A few around the boat at Walvis Bay
Cape Gannet	Morus capensis	A single bird only; due to calm conditions
Eastern White Pelican	Pelecanus onocrotalus	A few in the Walvis Bay area
White-breasted Cormorant	Phalacrocorax carbo lucidus	Present on coast and fresh waters
Cape Cormorant	Phalacrocorax capensis	Common at Walvis Bay
Crowned Cormorant	Phalacrocorax coronatus	Difficult to pick out amongst Cape Cormorants
African Darter	Anhinga melanogaster rufa	A few noted at the Windhoek sewage ponds
Grey Heron	Ardea cinerea	Noted where there was permanent water bodies
Black-headed Heron	Ardea melanocephala	One only seen at a sewage pond near Karibib
Great Egret	Ardea alba	Common throughout the area
Intermediate Egret	Egretta intermedia	Common on all water bodies
Little Egret	Egretta garzetta	Common at all water bodies
Squacco Heron	Ardeola ralloides	Only one seen on Little Etosha
Cattle Egret	Bubulcus ibis	Common
Green-backed Heron	Butorides striata	Noted at the waterhole in Namutoni
Abdim's Stork	Ciconia abdimii	A flock of about 15 noted at Omaruru
Eurasian White Stork	Ciconia ciconia	Odd birds noted but not seen often
Black Stork	Ciconia nigra	Occasionally seen flying over
Saddle-billed Stork	Ephippiorhynchus senegalensis	A single bird at Etosha
Marabou Stork	Leptoptilos crumeniferus	A few noted feeding in fields near Windhoek
Glossy Ibis	Plegadis falcinellus	Two birds seen at sewage ponds by Walvis Bay
Greater Flamingo	Phoenicopterus   ruber	Several flocks seen at Little Etosha
Lesser Flamingo	Phoenicopterus minor	Noted in fair numbers at Walvis Bay
Egyptian Goose	Alopochen aegyptiacus	Common at waterholes etc
South African Shelduck	Tadorna cana	A few at sewage ponds near Windhoek
Comb Duck	Sarkidiornis melanotos	Good numbers at Little Etosha
White-faced Duck	Dendrocygna viduata	A few at Little Etosha
Cape Teal	Anas capensis	Common on all water bodies
Red-billed Duck	Anas erythrorhyncha	Common on all water bodies
Hottentot Teal	Anas hottentota	A few on Windhoek sewage pools only
Cape Shoveler	Anas smithii	A few at Windhoek sewage pools
Southern Pochard	Netta erythrophthalma	Common on Little Etosha
Black-shouldered Kite	Elanus caeruleus	One seen by main road east of Windhoek
Black Kite	Milvus migrans	Common; but less so than Yellow-billed Kite
Yellow-billed Kite	Milvus migrans parasitus	Commonest Kite of the region
White-backed Vulture	Gyps africanus	Common throughout
Lappet-faced Vulture	Torgos tracheliotus	Common throughout
Black-breasted Snake-eagle	Circaetus pectoralis	Common throughout
Brown Snake-eagle	Circaetus cinereus	Common throughout
Bateleur	Terathopius ecaudatus	One sighting in Etosha area
Pallid Harrier	Circus macrourus	One only seen near Waterberg plateau
Southern Pale Chanting-goshawk	Melierax canorus	Common throughout
Shikra	Accipiter badius	One only seen south of Tsumeb
Steppe Buzzard	Buteo vulpinus	Commonly uses telegraph poles as perch
Augur Buzzard	Buteo augur	One only seen east of Walvis bay
Tawny Eagle	Aquila rapax	Seen mostly in the Etosha area
Steppe Eagle	Aquila nipalensis	Noted mostly between Windhoek and Waterberg park
Wahlberg's Eagle	Aquila wahlbergi	Seen regularly with kites and vultures
Verreaux's Eagle	Aquila verreauxii	One only on cliffs of Waterberg plateau
African Hawk-eagle	Aquila spilogaster	Only two sightings both at west end of Etosha
Secretary-bird	Sagittarius serpentarius	One sighting only, at distance at Etosha
Pygmy Falcon	Polihierax semitorquatus	Most commonly seen around Omaruru
Rock Kestrel	Falco tinnunculus rupicolis	Looks like a Common Kestrel and is common
Greater Kestrel	Falco rupicoloides	Most were seen in the Omaruru area
Red-necked Falcon	Falco chicquera	One only seen, roosting in tree at Namutoni, Etosha
Red-footed Falcon	Falco vespertinus	Several birds seen south of Umaruru
Lanner Falcon	Falco biarmicus	One only seen at Okakarara
Peregrine Falcon	Falco peregrinus	Commonly seen throughout
Hartlaub's Francolin	Francolinus hartlaubi	Rare; but found on the cliff face at Waterberg
Red-billed Francolin	Francolinus adspersus	A near endemic; found in Etosha area regularly
Swainson's Francolin	Francolinus swainsonii	Another near endemic but common at Etosha
Helmeted Guineafowl	Numida meleagris	Common throughout the whole region
Blue Crane	Anthropoides paradisea	Only two sightings, at distance near Etosha
African Purple Swamphen	Porphyrio madagascariensis	Common at water bodies
Moorhen	Gallinula chloropus	Common where there is water
Red-knobbed Coot	Fulica cristata	The coot of the region; abundant at water bodies
Kori Bustard	Ardeotis kori	Commonly seen and displaying at Etosha
Ludwig's Bustard	Neotis ludwigii	One sighting only near Karibib
Rueppell's Korhaan	Eupodotis rueppellii	A few seen between Usakos and Swakopmund
Red-crested Korhaan	Eupodotis ruficrista	Fairly common throughout
Northern Black Korhaan	Eupodotis afraoides	Very common especially around Etosha
African Jacana	Actophilornis africanus	Only two sightings, both at sewage ponds
African Black Oystercatcher	Haematopus moquini	A few seen at Walvis Bay
Black-winged Stilt	Himantopus himantopus	Seen at Little Etosha and at Walvis Bay
Pied Avocet	Recurvirostra avosetta	Widespread at water bodies. Common
Temminck's Courser	Cursorius temminckii	A few seen by game trails
Double-banded Courser	Smutsornis africanus	Common in desert around Omaruru
Greater Painted Snipe	Rostratula benghalensis	At least three pairs at Little Etosha
Blacksmith Plover	Vanellus armatus	Invariably a pair at every waterhole
Crowned Lapwing	Vanellus coronatus	Found commonly in dry areas
Grey Plover	Pluvialis squatarola	Abundant at Walvis Bay
Ringed Plover	Charadrius hiaticula	Stated to be common; but we only saw one at Walvis
Kittlitz's Plover	Charadrius pecuarius	Present at Little Etosha in good numbers
Three-banded Plover	Charadrius tricollaris	Only seen in small numbers at Little Etosha
White-fronted Plover	Charadrius marginatus	Abundant at Walvis Bay
Chestnut-banded Plover	Charadrius pallidus	Only seen at Walvis Bay, but plenty
Whimbrel	Numenius phaeopus	A few noted at Walvis Bay
Curlew	Numenius arquata	A few at Walvis Bay
Marsh Sandpiper	Tringa stagnatilis	Common at Little Etosha
Common Greenshank	Tringa nebularia	Common at Little Etosha
Wood Sandpiper	Tringa glareola	Common at Little Etosha
Common Sandpiper	Actitis hypoleucos	Common at Little Etosha
Turnstone	Arenaria interpres	Abundant at Walvis Bay
Sanderling	Calidris alba	Common at the salt pans at Walvis Bay
Little Stint	Calidris minuta	Only one seen at Little Etosha
Ruff	Philomachus pugnax	A common bird at Little Etosha
Curlew Sandpiper	Calidris ferruginea	Common at Walvis Bay
Green Sandpiper	Tringa ochropus	A few at Little Etosha
Spotted Dikkop	Burhinus capensis	Frequently seen along the game trails
Water Dikkop	Burhinus vermiculatus	Seen at some waterholes
Subantarctic Skua	Catharacta antarctica	Commonest Skua out from Walvis Bay
Pomarine Skua	Stercorarius pomarinus	At least two around the boat at Walvis
Kelp Gull	Larus dominicanus	Largest gull, common along the coast
Grey-headed Gull	Larus cirrocephalus	Only one at Walvis Bay sewage ponds
Hartlaub's Gull	Larus hartlaubii	Common endemic at the coast
Caspian Tern	Sterna caspia	Hard to see amongst all the Walvis terns
Sandwich Tern	Sterna sandvicensis	With the multitude at Walvis Bay
Great Crested Tern	Sterna bergii	Look in the Walvis Bay tern colony
Common Tern	Sterna hirundo	Look in the Walvis Bay tern colony
Damara Tern	Sterna balaenarum	Common at Walvis Bay tern colony
Whiskered Tern	Chlidonias hybrida	A group of about 15 at Little Etosha
Black Tern	Chlidonias niger	A few at the Walvis Bay tern colony
Namaqua Sandgrouse	Pterocles namaqua	A common near-endemic
Cape Turtle Dove	Streptopelia capicola	Common; looked like Collared Dove
Laughing Dove	Streptopelia senegalensis	Common throughout
Emerald-spotted Wood-dove	Turtur chalcospilos	One only seen near Usakos
Namaqua Dove	Oena capensis	A few pairs in the Omaruru area
Rosy-faced Lovebird	Agapornis roseicollis	Near endemic, difficult to see when still
Rueppell's Parrot	Poicephalus rueppellii	Occasional sightings around tall trees
Grey Lourie	Corythaixoides concolor	Common, favours tall trees
Great Spotted Cuckoo	Clamator glandarius	Common in wooded areas
Black Cuckoo	Cuculus clamosus	One only seen, at Windhoek sewerage
Klaas' Cuckoo	Chrysococcyx klaas	Common in parks and gardens etc
Jacobin Cuckoo	Oxylophus jacobinus	One only seen, near Karibib
Diederik Cuckoo	Chrysococcyx caprius	Common in woods and grassland
African Scops-owl	Otus senegalensis	One only at Omaruru rest camp
Pearl-spotted Owlet	Glaucidium perlatum	Common in thornveld and woods
African Palm-swift	Cypsiurus parvus	Usually around palm trees; common
Common Swift	Apus apus	Large flocks throughout the region
Bradfield's Swift	Apus bradfieldi	Common around cliffs where it breeds
Little Swift	Apus affinis	Common everywhere, resident
White-rumped Swift	Apus caffer	Common summer visitor throughout
Red-faced Mousebird	Urocolius indicus	Said to be common but I only saw two
White-backed Mousebird	Colius colius	Scrub and semi-desert, near endemic
Grey-headed Kingfisher	Halcyon leucocephala	Scarce, two sightings, at sewage ponds
Swallow-tailed Bee-eater	Merops hirundineus	Common on woodland edges and scrub
European Bee-eater	Merops apiaster	Common around Omaruru
Lilac-breasted Roller	Coracias caudata	Common throughout
Purple Roller	Coracias naevia	Scarce resident, broadleaf woodland
African Hoopoe	Upupa epops africana	Virtually identical to European Hoopoe
Violet Woodhoopoe	Phoeniculus damarensis	Uncommon, Noted only at Okaukuejo
Common Scimitar-bill	Rhinopomastus cyanomelas	Found in open dry woodland edges
Monteiro's Hornbill	Tockus monteiri	Common on woodland edges
Red-billed Hornbill	Tockus erythrorhynchus	Common in thornveld and savannah
Southern Yellow-billed Hornbill	Tockus leucomelas	Common resident, dry woodland edges
African Grey Hornbill	Tockus nasutus	Common in dry broadleaf woodland
Damara Hornbill	Tockus damarensis	Endemic to North Namibia, scrub etc
Acacia Pied Barbet	Tricholaema leucomelas	Parks, town suburbs and dry woodland
Golden-tailed Woodpecker	Campethera abingoni	Common in open woods near the coast
Cardinal Woodpecker	Dendropicos fuscescens	Common wherever there are tall trees
Monotonous Lark	Mirafra passerina	Thornveld; common near endemic
Rufous-naped Lark	Mirafra africana	Cultivated areas, open grassland, scrub
Sabota Lark	Calendulauda sabota	Arid savannah; resident near endemic
Fawn-coloured Lark	Calendulauda africanoides	Scrub, savannah and thornveld; common
Dune Lark	Calendulauda erythrochlamys	Said to be common; in the Namib Desert
Dusky Lark	Pinarocorys nigricans	Open grassy areas; uncommon visitor
Karoo Long-billed Lark	Certhilauda subcoronata	Endemic to the west of Namibia, scrub
Spike-heeled Lark	Chersomanes albofasciata	Gravel plains of Karoo; in small groups
Chestnut-backed Sparrow-lark	Eremopterix leucotis	Found mostly along road verges etc
Grey-backed Sparrow-lark	Eremopterix verticalis	Desert, scrub and also on cultivation
Gray's Lark	Ammomanopsis grayi	Uncommon; found on coastal strip
Red-capped Lark	Calandrella cinerea	Common, open areas with short grass
Pink-billed Lark	Spizocorys conirostris	Near endemic, prefers desert scrub areas
Stark's Lark	Spizocorys starki	Near endemic, Namib and Karoo desert
Banded Martin	Riparia cincta	Noted over areas of low vegetation
Rock Martin	Ptyonoprogne fuligula	Common around cliffs and quarries
Barn Swallow	Hirundo rustica	Abundant visitor
White-throated Swallow	Hirundo albigularis	Common near waterholes etc
Greater Striped Swallow	Cecropis cucullata	Common over grassland
Lesser Striped-swallow	Cecropis abyssinica	Common near waterholes etc
Red-breasted Swallow	Hirunda semirufa	Common over grassland
South African Cliff Swallow	Hirunda spilodera	Common near road bridges
House Martin	Delichon urbica	Common summer visitor
Cape Wagtail	Motacilla capensis	A greyish brown wag that inhabits gardens & town streets
Buffy Pipit	Anthus vaalensis	Uncommon; prefers hillsides with short grass.
African Pipit	Anthus cinnamomeus	Common on open grassland
Long-billed Pipit	Anthus similis	Prefers boulder strewn hillsides etc
African Red-eyed Bulbul	Pycnonotus nigricans	Common; bush and gardens etc
Short-toed Rock-thrush	Monticola brevipes	Rocky slopes; near endemic
Groundscraper Thrush	Psophocichla litsipsirupa	Thornveld, parks and gardens
Rattling Cisticola	Cisticola chiniana	Common; most obvious of the group. Frequents bushveld
Zitting Cisticola	Cisticola juncidis	Common in long thick grass
Desert Cisticola	Cisticola aridulus	Arid areas and old discontinued cultivation; common
Black-chested Prinia	Prinia flavicans	Common in gardens and plantations
Barred Wren-warbler	Calamonastes fasciolatus	Common resident of thornveld and woods
Sedge Warbler	Acrocephalus schoenobaenus	Reeds at various sewage ponds
Lesser Swamp-warbler	Acrocephalus gracilirostris	Found at Windhoek sewage ponds
Long-billed Crombec	Sylvietta rufescens	Common in woodland; looks as though it has no tail
Willow Warbler	Phylloscopus trochilus	Woodland habitat, common visitor
Chat Flycatcher	Bradornis infuscatus	Common in desert scrub; a large flycatcher
Marico Flycatcher	Bradornis mariquensis	Plentiful; particularly in thornveld.
White-browed Scrub Robin	Cercotrichas leucophrys	Prefers dense thickets etc
Kalahari Scrub-robin	Cercotrichas paena	Near endemic, thickets around water
Mountain Wheatear	Oenanthe monticola	Common in mountain terrain
Capped Wheatear	Oenanthe pileata	Common on flat stony areas
Tractrac Chat	Cercomela tractrac	A desert dweller, seen in the Namib
Familiar Chat	Cercomela familiaris	Rocky areas, also around habitation
Southern Anteating-chat	Myrmecocichla formicivora	Endemic, found by termite mound
Pririt Batis	Batis pririt	A near endemic that frequents dry thornveld & woodland
Rockrunner	Achaetops pycnopygius	Found at foot of Waterberg cliffs in the rest camp area
Black-faced Babbler	Turdoides melanops	Forages on ground below trees etc
Southern Pied-babbler	Turdoides bicolor	Common; seems to prefer thornveld
Carp's Tit	Melaniparus carpi	As for Ashy Tit
Chestnut-vented Tit Babbler	Parisoma subcaeruleum	Diverse, especially in thorn thickets
Ashy Tit	Melaniparus cinerascens	Common endemic of   scrubby areas
Scarlet-chested Sunbird	Chalcomitra senegalensis	Common in woodland and suburban gardens
Marico Sunbird	Cinnyris mariquensis	Common in thornveld and open woodland
White-bellied Sunbird	Cinnyris talatala	Common in woodland, parks and gardens
Dusky Sunbird	Cinnyris fuscus	Common in rocky areas and scrub
Orange River White-eye	Zosterops pallidus	Locally common endemic, supposed to inhabit desert scrub; we found it in a Walvis Bay garden
Eurasian Golden Oriole	Oriolus oriolus	Fairly common around tall woodland
Red-backed Shrike	Lanius collurio	Summer visitor to thornveld and savannah
Crimson-breasted Shrike	Laniarius atrococcineus	Near endemic; dry river courses, semi arid scrub
Lesser Grey Shrike	Lanius minor	Summer visitor to semi desert scrub
Common Fiscal	Lanius collaris	Common resident in virtually all habitats
White-tailed Shrike	Lanioturdus torquatus	Near endemic of thornveld and scrub
Southern White-crowned Shrike	Eurocephalus anguitimens	Near endemic of dry woodland
Brubru	Nilaus afer	Open broad-broadleaved woodland
Brown-crowned Tchagra	Tchagra australis	Common in thick undergrowth
White Helmetshrike	Prionops plumatus	Common in mixed woodland
Fork-tailed Drongo	Dicrurus adsimilis	Common around plantations etc
Cape Crow	Corvus capensis	Found south of Omaruru
Pied Crow	Corvus albus	Found between Usakos and the coast
Cape Glossy-starling	Lamprotornis nitens	Common in woodland and suburbia
Burchell's Starling	Lamprotornis australis	Near endemic in dry broadleaved woods
Violet-backed Starling	Cinnyricinclus leucogaster	Summer visitor to open woodland
Pale-winged Starling	Onychognathus nabouroup	Near endemic; ravines and cliffs
House Sparrow	Passer domesticus	Common in towns and cities
Great Sparrow	Passer motitensis	Locally common thornveld. Not associated with human habitat
Southern Grey-headed Sparrow	Passer diffusus	Common in mixed Woodland
Cape Sparrow	Passer melanurus	Common in Etosha National Park
Red-billed Buffalo-weaver	Bubalornis niger	Common; nests communally in trees and electricity pylons
Scaly-feathered Finch	Sporopipes squamifrons	Near endemic of near desert with scattered bushes
White-browed Sparrow-weaver	Plocepasser mahali	Nests on the outside branches of trees
Sociable Weaver	Philetairus socius	Common in thornveld and broad-leaved trees
Lesser Masked Weaver	Ploceus intermedius	Locally common where trees overhang water
Southern Masked-weaver	Ploceus velatus	Common in Thornveld and suburbia
Chestnut Weaver	Ploceus rubiginosus	Locally common in dry open woodland
Red Bishop	Euplectes orix	Found only at Windhoek sewage ponds
Red-billed Firefinch	Lagonosticta senegala	Found at Windhoek sewage ponds only
Blue Waxbill	Uraeginthus angolensis	Common in dry areas of mixed woods
Violet-eared Waxbill	Uraeginthus granatina	Common in woodland and savannah
Common Waxbill	Estrilda astrild	Common in long grass in damp areas
Black-cheeked Waxbill	Estrilda erythronotos	Common in thick tangles and thornveld
Red-headed Finch	Amadina erythrocephala	Near endemic of dry grassland etc
Green-winged Pytilia	Pytilia melba	Common in thornveld and dry woodland
Shaft-tailed Whydah	Vidua regia	Common in grassy areas in thornveld
Long-tailed Paradise Whydah	Vidua paradisaea	Common in mixed woodland
Yellow Canary	Serinus flaviventris	Near endemic in Karoo and coastal scrub
Lark-like Bunting	Emberiza impetuani	Near endemic of Karoo scrub and dry rocky valleys

 

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