Malawi bird checklist
635 bird species in 96 families have been recorded in Malawi, according to eBird; about 441 of them are seen regularly, and the rest are rarities, vagrants and escaped or introduced birds. Download the full list as a PDF, or tick birds off on your phone, with counts and notes, even without signal.
Species data: eBird.org, updated · How these lists are made
The most common birds in Malawi right now
1Pied Crow
2Emerald-spotted Wood-Dove
3Red-eyed Dove
4European Bee-eater
5Common Bulbul
6Violet-backed Starling
7Barn Swallow
8Great Egret
9Ring-necked Dove
10Fork-tailed Drongo
Malawi bird checklist
635 species · loading the checklist tools…
Ostriches
- Common Ostrich
Cassowaries and Emu
- Emu
Ducks, Geese, and Waterfowl
- White-faced Whistling-Duck
- Fulvous Whistling-Duck
- White-backed Duck
- Knob-billed Duck
- Egyptian Goose
- Spur-winged Goose
- African Pygmy-Goose
- Garganey
- Blue-billed Teal
- African Black Duck
- Yellow-billed Duck
- Cape Teal
- Red-billed Duck
- Southern Pochard
Guineafowl
- Helmeted Guineafowl
- Southern Crested Guineafowl
Pheasants, Grouse, and Allies
- Wild Turkey
- Indian Peafowl
- Red Junglefowl
- Crested Francolin
- Coqui Francolin
- Red-winged Francolin
- Shelley's Francolin
- Whyte's Francolin
- Blue Quail
- Common Quail
- Harlequin Quail
- Hildebrandt's Spurfowl
- Scaly Spurfowl
- Swainson's Spurfowl
- Red-necked Spurfowl
Pigeons and Doves
- Rock Pigeon
- Speckled Pigeon
- Rameron Pigeon
- Lemon Dove
- Dusky Turtle-Dove
- Mourning Collared-Dove
- Red-eyed Dove
- Ring-necked Dove
- Laughing Dove
- Emerald-spotted Wood-Dove
- Blue-spotted Wood-Dove
- Tambourine Dove
- Namaqua Dove
- African Green-Pigeon
Sandgrouse
- Double-banded Sandgrouse
Bustards
- Denham's Bustard
- Black-bellied Bustard
Turacos
- Gray Go-away-bird
- Bare-faced Go-away-bird
- Purple-crested Turaco
- Schalow's Turaco
- Livingstone's Turaco
Cuckoos
- Senegal Coucal
- Coppery-tailed Coucal
- White-browed Coucal
- Burchell's Coucal
- Black Coucal
- Green Malkoha
- Great Spotted Cuckoo
- Levaillant's Cuckoo
- Pied Cuckoo
- Thick-billed Cuckoo
- Dideric Cuckoo
- Klaas's Cuckoo
- African Emerald Cuckoo
- Barred Long-tailed Cuckoo
- Black Cuckoo
- Red-chested Cuckoo
- Lesser Cuckoo
- African Cuckoo
- Common Cuckoo
Nightjars and Allies
- Pennant-winged Nightjar
- Eurasian Nightjar
- Fiery-necked Nightjar
- Montane Nightjar
- Freckled Nightjar
- Square-tailed Nightjar
Swifts
- Mottled Spinetail
- Bat-like Spinetail
- Scarce Swift
- Alpine Swift
- Mottled Swift
- Common Swift
- African Swift
- Little Swift
- Horus Swift
- White-rumped Swift
- African Palm Swift
Flufftails
- Buff-spotted Flufftail
- Red-chested Flufftail
- Streaky-breasted Flufftail
- Striped Flufftail
Rails, Gallinules, and Coots
- African Rail
- African Crake
- Lesser Moorhen
- Eurasian Moorhen
- Red-knobbed Coot
- Allen's Gallinule
- African Swamphen
- Striped Crake
- Black Crake
Finfoots
- African Finfoot
Cranes
- Gray Crowned-Crane
- Wattled Crane
Thick-knees
- Spotted Thick-knee
- Water Thick-knee
Stilts and Avocets
- Black-winged Stilt
- Pied Avocet
Plovers and Lapwings
- Black-bellied Plover
- Common Ringed Plover
- Three-banded Plover
- Long-toed Lapwing
- Blacksmith Lapwing
- Spur-winged Lapwing
- White-crowned Lapwing
- Senegal Lapwing
- Crowned Lapwing
- Wattled Lapwing
- Caspian Plover
- Kittlitz's Plover
- White-fronted Plover
Painted-Snipes
- Greater Painted-Snipe
Jacanas
- Lesser Jacana
- African Jacana
Sandpipers and Allies
- Eurasian Whimbrel
- Great Snipe
- African Snipe
- Terek Sandpiper
- Common Sandpiper
- Green Sandpiper
- Marsh Sandpiper
- Wood Sandpiper
- Common Greenshank
- Ruddy Turnstone
- Ruff
- Curlew Sandpiper
- Sanderling
- Little Stint
Buttonquail
- Small Buttonquail
- Black-rumped Buttonquail
Pratincoles and Coursers
- Bronze-winged Courser
- Temminck's Courser
- Rock Pratincole
- Collared Pratincole
Gulls, Terns, and Skimmers
- Black-headed Gull
- Gray-hooded Gull
- Lesser Black-backed Gull
- African Skimmer
- Gull-billed Tern
- Whiskered Tern
- White-winged Tern
Flamingos
- Greater Flamingo
- Lesser Flamingo
Grebes
- Little Grebe
Storks
- African Openbill
- Black Stork
- Abdim's Stork
- African Woolly-necked Stork
- White Stork
- Saddle-billed Stork
- Marabou Stork
- Yellow-billed Stork
Anhingas
- African Darter
Cormorants and Shags
- Reed Cormorant
- Great Cormorant
Ibises and Spoonbills
- Glossy Ibis
- African Sacred Ibis
- Hadada Ibis
- African Spoonbill
Herons, Egrets, and Bitterns
- Dwarf Bittern
- Little Bittern
- Black-crowned Night Heron
- Black Heron
- Little Egret
- White-backed Night Heron
- Little Heron
- Rufous-bellied Heron
- Squacco Heron
- Malagasy Pond-Heron
- Western Cattle-Egret
- Great Egret
- Yellow-billed Egret
- Gray Heron
- Purple Heron
- Black-headed Heron
- Goliath Heron
Hamerkop
- Hamerkop
Pelicans
- Great White Pelican
- Pink-backed Pelican
Secretarybird
- Secretarybird
Osprey
- Osprey
Hawks, Eagles, and Kites
- Black-winged Kite
- African Harrier-Hawk
- Palm-nut Vulture
- African Cuckoo-Hawk
- European Honey-buzzard
- White-headed Vulture
- Lappet-faced Vulture
- Hooded Vulture
- White-backed Vulture
- Bateleur
- Western Banded Snake-Eagle
- Black-chested Snake-Eagle
- Brown Snake-Eagle
- Crowned Eagle
- Martial Eagle
- Long-crested Eagle
- Lesser Spotted Eagle
- Wahlberg's Eagle
- Ayres's Hawk-Eagle
- Booted Eagle
- Steppe Eagle
- Tawny Eagle
- Verreaux's Eagle
- African Hawk-Eagle
- Bat Hawk
- Gabar Goshawk
- Dark Chanting-Goshawk
- Lizard Buzzard
- African Goshawk
- Little Sparrowhawk
- Shikra
- Ovambo Sparrowhawk
- Rufous-breasted Sparrowhawk
- Black Goshawk
- Western Marsh Harrier
- African Marsh Harrier
- Pallid Harrier
- Montagu's Harrier
- Black Kite
- African Fish-Eagle
- Augur Buzzard
- Mountain Buzzard
- Common Buzzard
Barn-Owls
- African Grass-Owl
- Western Barn Owl
Owls
- African Scops-Owl
- Southern White-faced Owl
- Spotted Eagle-Owl
- Cape Eagle-Owl
- Verreaux's Eagle-Owl
- Pel's Fishing-Owl
- Pearl-spotted Owlet
- African Barred Owlet
- African Wood-Owl
- Marsh Owl
Mousebirds
- Speckled Mousebird
- Red-faced Mousebird
Trogons
- Narina Trogon
- Bar-tailed Trogon
Hoopoes
- Common Hoopoe
Woodhoopoes and Scimitarbills
- Green Woodhoopoe
- Common Scimitarbill
Hornbills
- Southern Ground-Hornbill
- Crowned Hornbill
- African Gray Hornbill
- Pale-billed Hornbill
- Southern Yellow-billed Hornbill
- Southern Red-billed Hornbill
- Silvery-cheeked Hornbill
- Trumpeter Hornbill
Bee-eaters
- White-fronted Bee-eater
- Little Bee-eater
- Swallow-tailed Bee-eater
- Böhm's Bee-eater
- Blue-cheeked Bee-eater
- Olive Bee-eater
- European Bee-eater
- Southern Carmine Bee-eater
Kingfishers
- Half-collared Kingfisher
- Malachite Kingfisher
- African Pygmy Kingfisher
- Gray-headed Kingfisher
- Woodland Kingfisher
- Brown-hooded Kingfisher
- Striped Kingfisher
- Giant Kingfisher
- Pied Kingfisher
Rollers
- European Roller
- Lilac-breasted Roller
- Racket-tailed Roller
- Purple Roller
- Broad-billed Roller
African Barbets
- Crested Barbet
- Green Barbet
- White-eared Barbet
- Whyte's Barbet
- Green Tinkerbird
- Moustached Tinkerbird
- Yellow-rumped Tinkerbird
- Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird
- Miombo Barbet
- Black-collared Barbet
- Brown-breasted Barbet
- Black-backed Barbet
Honeyguides
- Green-backed Honeybird
- Brown-backed Honeybird
- Pallid Honeyguide
- Lesser Honeyguide
- Scaly-throated Honeyguide
- Greater Honeyguide
Woodpeckers
- Bearded Woodpecker
- Cardinal Woodpecker
- Stierling's Woodpecker
- Olive Woodpecker
- Green-backed Woodpecker
- Bennett's Woodpecker
- Speckle-throated Woodpecker
- Golden-tailed Woodpecker
Falcons and Caracaras
- Lesser Kestrel
- Eurasian Kestrel
- Rock Kestrel
- Dickinson's Kestrel
- Red-necked Falcon
- Red-footed Falcon
- Amur Falcon
- Eurasian Hobby
- African Hobby
- Lanner Falcon
- Peregrine Falcon
- Taita Falcon
Old World Parrots
- Lilian's Lovebird
New World and African Parrots
- Brown-necked Parrot
- Meyer's Parrot
- Brown-headed Parrot
African and Green Broadbills
- African Broadbill
Pittas
- African Pitta
Cuckooshrikes
- Gray Cuckooshrike
- White-breasted Cuckooshrike
- Black Cuckooshrike
Old World Orioles
- Eurasian Golden Oriole
- African Golden Oriole
- Green-headed Oriole
- African Black-headed Oriole
Wattle-eyes and Batises
- Black-throated Wattle-eye
- Dark Batis
- Malawi Batis
- Chinspot Batis
- Pale Batis
Vangas, Helmetshrikes, and Allies
- White-crested Helmetshrike
- Retz's Helmetshrike
- Black-and-white Shrike-flycatcher
Bushshrikes and Allies
- Brubru
- Black-backed Puffback
- Marsh Tchagra
- Black-crowned Tchagra
- Brown-crowned Tchagra
- Tropical Boubou
- Fülleborn's Boubou
- Four-colored Bushshrike
- Sulphur-breasted Bushshrike
- Olive Bushshrike
- Black-fronted Bushshrike
- Gray-headed Bushshrike
Drongos
- Square-tailed Drongo
- Fork-tailed Drongo
Monarch Flycatchers
- African Crested Flycatcher
- African Paradise-Flycatcher
Shrikes
- Magpie Shrike
- Red-backed Shrike
- Lesser Gray Shrike
- Northern Fiscal
- Southern Fiscal
- Souza's Shrike
Crows, Jays, and Magpies
- Pied Crow
- White-necked Raven
Hyliotas
- Yellow-bellied Hyliota
- Southern Hyliota
Fairy Flycatchers
- White-tailed Blue Flycatcher
- White-tailed Crested Flycatcher
Tits, Chickadees, and Titmice
- White-winged Black-Tit
- Rufous-bellied Tit
- Southern Black-Tit
- Miombo Tit
Penduline-Tits
- African Penduline-Tit
Larks
- Chestnut-backed Sparrow-Lark
- Fischer's Sparrow-Lark
- Flappet Lark
- Plateau Lark
- Rufous-naped Lark
- Red-capped Lark
Nicators
- Eastern Nicator
African Warblers
- Red-capped Crombec
- Red-faced Crombec
- Long-billed Crombec
- Moustached Grass-Warbler
Cisticolas and Allies
- Yellow-bellied Eremomela
- Green-capped Eremomela
- Burnt-neck Eremomela
- Miombo Wren-Warbler
- Stierling's Wren-Warbler
- Green-backed Camaroptera
- Bar-throated Apalis
- Yellow-throated Apalis
- White-winged Apalis
- Yellow-breasted Apalis
- Chapin's Apalis
- Black-headed Apalis
- Brown-headed Apalis
- Tawny-flanked Prinia
- Red-winged Prinia
- Red-faced Cisticola
- Singing Cisticola
- Trilling Cisticola
- Black-lored Cisticola
- Rock-loving Cisticola
- Rattling Cisticola
- Tinkling Cisticola
- Wailing Cisticola
- Churring Cisticola
- Winding Cisticola
- Rufous-winged Cisticola
- Levaillant's Cisticola
- Croaking Cisticola
- Piping Cisticola
- Siffling Cisticola
- Zitting Cisticola
- Wing-snapping Cisticola
Reed Warblers and Allies
- African Yellow-Warbler
- Mountain Yellow-Warbler
- Olive-tree Warbler
- Icterine Warbler
- Sedge Warbler
- Marsh Warbler
- Common Reed Warbler
- Lesser Swamp Warbler
- Great Reed Warbler
Grassbirds and Allies
- Fan-tailed Grassbird
- Evergreen-forest Warbler
- Cinnamon Bracken-Warbler
- Little Rush Warbler
Swallows
- White-headed Sawwing
- Black Sawwing
- Gray-rumped Swallow
- Banded Martin
- Plain Martin
- Bank Swallow
- Red-throated Crag-Martin
- Montane Blue Swallow
- Pearl-breasted Swallow
- Barn Swallow
- Angola Swallow
- White-throated Swallow
- Wire-tailed Swallow
- Western House-Martin
- Greater Striped Swallow
- African Red-rumped Swallow
- Lesser Striped Swallow
- Rufous-chested Swallow
- Mosque Swallow
Bulbuls
- Sombre Greenbul
- Yellow-bellied Greenbul
- Shelley's Greenbul
- Black-browed Mountain Greenbul
- Olive-headed Greenbul
- Stripe-cheeked Greenbul
- Little Greenbul
- Yellow-streaked Greenbul
- Terrestrial Brownbul
- Gray-olive Greenbul
- Cabanis's Greenbul
- Common Bulbul
Leaf Warblers
- Willow Warbler
- Yellow-throated Woodland-Warbler
Yellow Flycatchers
- Livingstone's Flycatcher
Sylviid Warblers and Allies
- Eurasian Blackcap
- Garden Warbler
- African Hill Babbler
- Brown Parisoma
- Greater Whitethroat
White-eyes, Yuhinas, and Allies
- Southern Yellow White-eye
Ground Babblers and Allies
- Mountain Illadopsis
Laughingthrushes and Allies
- Arrow-marked Babbler
Spotted Creepers
- African Spotted Creeper
Oxpeckers
- Red-billed Oxpecker
- Yellow-billed Oxpecker
Starlings
- Wattled Starling
- Common Myna
- Violet-backed Starling
- Slender-billed Starling
- Red-winged Starling
- Waller's Starling
- Babbling Starling
- Meves's Starling
- Lesser Blue-eared Starling
- Greater Blue-eared Starling
Thrushes and Allies
- Boulder Chat
- Spotted Ground-Thrush
- Orange Ground-Thrush
- Groundscraper Thrush
- Kurrichane Thrush
- Olive Thrush
- Abyssinian Thrush
Old World Flycatchers
- African Dusky Flycatcher
- Spotted Flycatcher
- Böhm's Flycatcher
- Pale Flycatcher
- Gray Tit-Flycatcher
- Ashy Flycatcher
- Southern Black-Flycatcher
- White-eyed Slaty-Flycatcher
- Bearded Scrub-Robin
- Miombo Scrub-Robin
- White-browed Scrub-Robin
- Olive-flanked Robin-Chat
- Cape Robin-Chat
- White-browed Robin-Chat
- Red-capped Robin-Chat
- Collared Palm-Thrush
- White-starred Robin
- Thyolo Alethe
- White-chested Alethe
- Sharpe's Akalat
- East Coast Akalat
- Thrush Nightingale
- Collared Flycatcher
- Miombo Rock-Thrush
- Whinchat
- African Stonechat
- Mocking Cliff-Chat
- Arnot's Chat
- Northern Wheatear
- Capped Wheatear
- Familiar Chat
Dapple-throat and Allies
- Spot-throat
Sunbirds and Spiderhunters
- Anchieta's Sunbird
- Western Violet-backed Sunbird
- Collared Sunbird
- Green-headed Sunbird
- Olive Sunbird
- Mouse-colored Sunbird
- Amethyst Sunbird
- Scarlet-chested Sunbird
- Bronze Sunbird
- Malachite Sunbird
- Red-tufted Sunbird
- Western Miombo Sunbird
- Eastern Miombo Sunbird
- Montane Double-collared Sunbird
- Forest Double-collared Sunbird
- Shelley's Sunbird
- Purple-banded Sunbird
- White-bellied Sunbird
- Variable Sunbird
- Copper Sunbird
Weavers and Allies
- White-browed Sparrow-Weaver
- Chestnut-backed Sparrow-Weaver
- Red-headed Weaver
- Bertram's Weaver
- Baglafecht Weaver
- Spectacled Weaver
- African Golden-Weaver
- Holub's Golden-Weaver
- Southern Brown-throated Weaver
- Lesser Masked-Weaver
- Southern Masked-Weaver
- Village Weaver
- Dark-backed Weaver
- Olive-headed Weaver
- Cardinal Quelea
- Red-headed Quelea
- Red-billed Quelea
- Southern Red Bishop
- Black-winged Bishop
- Yellow Bishop
- White-winged Widowbird
- Yellow-mantled Widowbird
- Red-collared Widowbird
- Fan-tailed Widowbird
- Buff-shouldered Widowbird
- Grosbeak Weaver
Waxbills and Allies
- Bronze Mannikin
- Magpie Mannikin
- Black-and-white Mannikin
- Yellow-bellied Waxbill
- Green-backed Twinspot
- Red-faced Crimsonwing
- Black-tailed Waxbill
- Common Waxbill
- Crimson-rumped Waxbill
- Quailfinch
- Locustfinch
- Cut-throat
- Zebra Waxbill
- Southern Cordonbleu
- Lesser Seedcracker
- Green-winged Pytilia
- Orange-winged Pytilia
- Red-throated Twinspot
- Red-billed Firefinch
- African Firefinch
- Jameson's Firefinch
Whydahs and Indigobirds
- Pin-tailed Whydah
- Broad-tailed Paradise-Whydah
- Eastern Paradise-Whydah
- Village Indigobird
- Dusky Indigobird
- Purple Indigobird
- Green Indigobird
- Parasitic Weaver
Old World Sparrows
- House Sparrow
- Northern Gray-headed Sparrow
- Southern Gray-headed Sparrow
- Yellow-throated Bush Sparrow
Wagtails and Pipits
- Mountain Wagtail
- Gray Wagtail
- Western Yellow Wagtail
- African Pied Wagtail
- African Pipit
- Woodland Pipit
- Long-billed Pipit
- Plain-backed Pipit
- Buffy Pipit
- Striped Pipit
- Tree Pipit
- Bush Pipit
- Yellow-throated Longclaw
- Rosy-throated Longclaw
Finches, Euphonias, and Allies
- Oriole Finch
- Yellow-fronted Canary
- Southern Citril
- Lemon-breasted Seedeater
- Brimstone Canary
- Streaky Seedeater
- Yellow-browed Seedeater
- Black-eared Seedeater
- Reichard's Seedeater
- Yellow-crowned Canary
Old World Buntings
- Cabanis's Bunting
- Golden-breasted Bunting
- Cape Bunting
- Cinnamon-breasted Bunting
Most common birds in Malawi
Ranked by how recently and how widely each was reported to eBird in the 30 days to 2026-10-13, and whether it is one of Malawi’s regular birds. The list follows the seasons: migrants rise in spring and autumn.
- Pied CrowCorvus albus
- Emerald-spotted Wood-DoveTurtur chalcospilos
- Red-eyed DoveStreptopelia semitorquata
- European Bee-eaterMerops apiaster
- Common BulbulPycnonotus barbatus
- Violet-backed StarlingCinnyricinclus leucogaster
- Barn SwallowHirundo rustica
- Great EgretArdea alba
- Ring-necked DoveStreptopelia capicola
- Fork-tailed DrongoDicrurus adsimilis
- Speckled MousebirdColius striatus
- Spur-winged GoosePlectropterus gambensis
- Yellow-throated Bush SparrowGymnoris superciliaris
- Broad-billed RollerEurystomus glaucurus
- Red-billed FirefinchLagonosticta senegala
- Gray-rumped SwallowPseudhirundo griseopyga
- Knob-billed DuckSarkidiornis melanotos
- Hadada IbisBostrychia hagedash
- Lesser Masked-WeaverPloceus intermedius
- Yellow-fronted CanaryCrithagra mozambica
Largest bird families in Malawi
Among its regular birds.
- Hawks, Eagles, and Kites32
- Weavers and Allies23
- Cisticolas and Allies21
- Waxbills and Allies19
- Swallows18
- Old World Flycatchers18
- Sunbirds and Spiderhunters15
- Herons, Egrets, and Bitterns14
Reported in the last 30 days
382 species reported to eBird in Malawi in the 30 days to 2026-10-13. The 40 most recently reported:
Pied Crow, Yellow-throated Bush Sparrow, Purple-crested Turaco, Black-backed Puffback, Collared Sunbird, Tropical Boubou, Brown-hooded Kingfisher, White-browed Robin-Chat, Emerald-spotted Wood-Dove, Forest Double-collared Sunbird, Speckled Mousebird, Spectacled Weaver, Kurrichane Thrush, African Golden Oriole, Red-eyed Dove, Lizard Buzzard, Common Bulbul, White-eared Barbet, Fork-tailed Drongo, Striped Kingfisher, Violet-backed Starling, Broad-billed Roller, Red-throated Twinspot, Moustached Grass-Warbler, Miombo Rock-Thrush, African Pipit, Burchell's Coucal, Yellow-throated Longclaw, Blue-spotted Wood-Dove, Tawny-flanked Prinia, Sulphur-breasted Bushshrike, Common Scimitarbill, Square-tailed Drongo, Southern Citril, European Bee-eater, Scarlet-chested Sunbird, Yellow Bishop, Ring-necked Dove, Red-faced Crombec, Red-faced Cisticola, …
Get to know some of them
Gray Heron
Little Grebe
African Palm Swift
Wire-tailed Swallow
Laughing Dove
Little Egret
Western Cattle-Egret
White-faced Whistling-Duck
Black-winged Stilt
House Sparrow
Common Sandpiper
Reed Cormorant
Wood Sandpiper
Bronze Mannikin
Great Cormorant
Purple Heron
Squacco Heron
Glossy Ibis
Whiskered Tern