Mali bird checklist

450 bird species in 86 families have been recorded in Mali, according to eBird; about 296 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 13 Oct 2026 · How these lists are made

Common birds in Mali

The top 20, and how they are ranked

Mali bird checklist

450 species · loading the checklist tools…

Ducks, Geese, and Waterfowl

White-faced Whistling-Duck
Fulvous Whistling-Duck
Knob-billed Duck
Spur-winged Goose
African Pygmy-Goose
Garganey
Northern Shoveler
Northern Pintail
Green-winged Teal
Ferruginous Duck

Guineafowl

Helmeted Guineafowl

New World Quail

Stone Partridge

Pheasants, Grouse, and Allies

Coqui Francolin
White-throated Francolin
Double-spurred Spurfowl

Pigeons and Doves

Rock Pigeon
Speckled Pigeon
European Turtle-Dove
Adamawa Turtle-Dove
African Collared-Dove
Mourning Collared-Dove
Red-eyed Dove
Vinaceous Dove
Laughing Dove
Black-billed Wood-Dove
Blue-spotted Wood-Dove
Namaqua Dove
Bruce's Green-Pigeon
African Green-Pigeon

Sandgrouse

Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse
Four-banded Sandgrouse

Bustards

Arabian Bustard
Denham's Bustard
Black-bellied Bustard

Turacos

Western Plantain-eater
Violet Turaco

Cuckoos

Senegal Coucal
Black Coucal
Great Spotted Cuckoo
Levaillant's Cuckoo
Pied Cuckoo
Dideric Cuckoo
Klaas's Cuckoo
Black Cuckoo
African Cuckoo
Common Cuckoo

Nightjars and Allies

Standard-winged Nightjar
Plain Nightjar
Freckled Nightjar
Long-tailed Nightjar

Swifts

Mottled Spinetail
Common Swift
Pallid Swift
Little Swift
White-rumped Swift
African Palm Swift

Rails, Gallinules, and Coots

Lesser Moorhen
Eurasian Moorhen
Allen's Gallinule
African Swamphen
Black Crake

Finfoots

African Finfoot

Cranes

Black Crowned-Crane

Thick-knees

Spotted Thick-knee
Senegal Thick-knee

Egyptian Plover

Egyptian Plover

Stilts and Avocets

Black-winged Stilt
Pied Avocet

Plovers and Lapwings

Common Ringed Plover
Forbes's Plover
Little Ringed Plover
Spur-winged Lapwing
Black-headed Lapwing
White-crowned Lapwing
Senegal Lapwing
Wattled Lapwing
Kittlitz's Plover
White-fronted Plover
Kentish Plover

Painted-Snipes

Greater Painted-Snipe

Jacanas

Lesser Jacana
African Jacana

Sandpipers and Allies

Black-tailed Godwit
Great Snipe
Common Snipe
Common Sandpiper
Green Sandpiper
Marsh Sandpiper
Wood Sandpiper
Common Redshank
Spotted Redshank
Common Greenshank
Ruff
Curlew Sandpiper
Temminck's Stint
Sanderling
Dunlin
Little Stint

Pratincoles and Coursers

Bronze-winged Courser
Temminck's Courser
Cream-colored Courser
Rock Pratincole
Gray Pratincole
Collared Pratincole

Gulls, Terns, and Skimmers

Lesser Black-backed Gull
African Skimmer
Little Tern
Gull-billed Tern
Caspian Tern
Whiskered Tern
White-winged Tern
Common Tern

Grebes

Little Grebe

Storks

African Openbill
Abdim's Stork
African Woolly-necked Stork
White Stork
Marabou Stork
Yellow-billed Stork

Anhingas

African Darter

Cormorants and Shags

Reed 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
Western Reef-Heron
White-backed Night Heron
Little Heron
Squacco 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

Scissor-tailed Kite
Black-winged Kite
African Harrier-Hawk
Palm-nut Vulture
Egyptian Vulture
African Cuckoo-Hawk
White-headed Vulture
Lappet-faced Vulture
Hooded Vulture
White-backed Vulture
Rüppell's Griffon
Eurasian Griffon
Bateleur
Western Banded Snake-Eagle
Beaudouin's Snake-Eagle
Short-toed Snake-Eagle
Brown Snake-Eagle
Martial Eagle
Wahlberg's Eagle
Booted Eagle
Tawny Eagle
African Hawk-Eagle
Bat Hawk
Gabar Goshawk
Dark Chanting-Goshawk
Lizard Buzzard
Shikra
Ovambo Sparrowhawk
Western Marsh Harrier
Pallid Harrier
Montagu's Harrier
Black Kite
African Fish-Eagle
Grasshopper Buzzard
Red-necked Buzzard
Long-legged Buzzard

Barn-Owls

Western Barn Owl

Owls

African Scops-Owl
Northern White-faced Owl
Grayish Eagle-Owl
Pharaoh Eagle-Owl
Pearl-spotted Owlet
Marsh Owl

Mousebirds

Blue-naped Mousebird

Trogons

Narina Trogon

Hoopoes

Common Hoopoe

Woodhoopoes and Scimitarbills

Green Woodhoopoe
Black Scimitarbill

Hornbills

Abyssinian Ground-Hornbill
African Gray Hornbill
Western Red-billed Hornbill
Northern Red-billed Hornbill

Bee-eaters

Red-throated Bee-eater
Little Bee-eater
White-throated Bee-eater
African Green Bee-eater
Blue-cheeked Bee-eater
European Bee-eater
Northern Carmine Bee-eater

Kingfishers

Shining-blue Kingfisher
Malachite Kingfisher
White-bellied Kingfisher
African Pygmy Kingfisher
Gray-headed Kingfisher
Woodland Kingfisher
Blue-breasted Kingfisher
Striped Kingfisher
Giant Kingfisher
Pied Kingfisher

Rollers

European Roller
Abyssinian Roller
Purple Roller
Blue-bellied Roller
Broad-billed Roller

African Barbets

Yellow-breasted Barbet
Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird
Vieillot's Barbet
Bearded Barbet

Honeyguides

Lesser Honeyguide
Greater Honeyguide

Woodpeckers

Little Gray Woodpecker
Cardinal Woodpecker
Brown-backed Woodpecker
African Gray Woodpecker
Fine-spotted Woodpecker
Golden-tailed Woodpecker

Falcons and Caracaras

Lesser Kestrel
Eurasian Kestrel
Fox Kestrel
Gray Kestrel
Red-necked Falcon
Red-footed Falcon
Eurasian Hobby
African Hobby
Lanner Falcon
Peregrine Falcon

Old World Parrots

Rose-ringed Parakeet
Red-headed Lovebird

New World and African Parrots

Senegal Parrot

Cuckooshrikes

White-breasted Cuckooshrike
Red-shouldered Cuckooshrike

Old World Orioles

African Golden Oriole

Wattle-eyes and Batises

Brown-throated Wattle-eye
Senegal Batis

Vangas, Helmetshrikes, and Allies

White-crested Helmetshrike

Bushshrikes and Allies

Brubru
Northern Puffback
Black-crowned Tchagra
Tropical Boubou
Yellow-crowned Gonolek
Sulphur-breasted Bushshrike
Gray-headed Bushshrike

Drongos

Sharpe's Drongo
Fork-tailed Drongo

Monarch Flycatchers

African Paradise-Flycatcher

Shrikes

Yellow-billed Shrike
Emin's Shrike
Great Gray Shrike
Gray-backed Fiscal
Masked Shrike
Woodchat Shrike

Crows, Jays, and Magpies

Piapiac
Pied Crow
Brown-necked Raven

Hyliotas

Yellow-bellied Hyliota

Fairy Flycatchers

African Blue Flycatcher

Tits, Chickadees, and Titmice

White-shouldered Black-Tit

Penduline-Tits

Sennar Penduline-Tit
Yellow Penduline-Tit

Larks

Rufous-rumped Lark
Chestnut-backed Sparrow-Lark
Black-crowned Sparrow-Lark
Singing Bushlark
Flappet Lark
Highland Lark
Sun Lark
Crested Lark
Greater Short-toed Lark

African Warblers

Northern Crombec
Moustached Grass-Warbler

Cisticolas and Allies

Yellow-bellied Eremomela
Senegal Eremomela
Green-backed Camaroptera
Cricket Longtail
Yellow-breasted Apalis
Tawny-flanked Prinia
Red-winged Prinia
Oriole Warbler
Singing Cisticola
Whistling Cisticola
Rock-loving Cisticola
Dorst's Cisticola
Winding Cisticola
Croaking Cisticola
Siffling Cisticola
Rufous Cisticola
Zitting Cisticola
Desert Cisticola
Black-backed Cisticola

Reed Warblers and Allies

Eastern Olivaceous Warbler
Western Olivaceous Warbler
Melodious Warbler
Sedge Warbler
Common Reed Warbler
Great Reed Warbler

Swallows

Fanti Sawwing
Gray-rumped Swallow
Banded Martin
Plain Martin
Bank Swallow
Eurasian Crag-Martin
Red-throated Crag-Martin
Pied-winged Swallow
Barn Swallow
Red-chested Swallow
Ethiopian Swallow
Wire-tailed Swallow
Western House-Martin
African Red-rumped Swallow
Lesser Striped Swallow
Rufous-chested Swallow
Mosque Swallow
Preuss's Swallow

Bulbuls

Yellow-gorgeted Greenbul
Simple Greenbul
Common Bulbul

Leaf Warblers

Wood Warbler
Western Bonelli's Warbler
Willow Warbler
Common Chiffchaff
Iberian Chiffchaff

Sylviid Warblers and Allies

Eurasian Blackcap
Garden Warbler
Western Orphean Warbler
Western Subalpine Warbler
Greater Whitethroat

White-eyes, Yuhinas, and Allies

Northern Yellow White-eye

Laughingthrushes and Allies

Fulvous Chatterer
Brown Babbler
Blackcap Babbler

Spotted Creepers

African Spotted Creeper

Oxpeckers

Yellow-billed Oxpecker

Starlings

Violet-backed Starling
Neumann's Starling
Long-tailed Glossy Starling
Chestnut-bellied Starling
Lesser Blue-eared Starling
Greater Blue-eared Starling
Purple Starling
Bronze-tailed Starling

Thrushes and Allies

African Thrush

Old World Flycatchers

Spotted Flycatcher
Swamp Flycatcher
Pale Flycatcher
Gray Tit-Flycatcher
Northern Black-Flycatcher
Black Scrub-Robin
Rufous-tailed Scrub-Robin
Snowy-crowned Robin-Chat
White-crowned Robin-Chat
Common Nightingale
European Pied Flycatcher
Common Redstart
Rufous-tailed Rock-Thrush
Whinchat
Mocking Cliff-Chat
Northern Anteater-Chat
Northern Wheatear
Heuglin's Wheatear
Desert Wheatear
Western Black-eared Wheatear
White-fronted Black-Chat
Familiar Chat

Sunbirds and Spiderhunters

Mouse-brown Sunbird
Western Violet-backed Sunbird
Collared Sunbird
Pygmy Sunbird
Green-headed Sunbird
Scarlet-chested Sunbird
Beautiful Sunbird
Splendid Sunbird
Variable Sunbird
Copper Sunbird

Weavers and Allies

White-billed Buffalo-Weaver
Speckle-fronted Weaver
Chestnut-crowned Sparrow-Weaver
Red-headed Weaver
Little Weaver
Olive-naped Weaver
Vitelline Masked-Weaver
Heuglin's Masked-Weaver
Village Weaver
Black-headed Weaver
Red-headed Quelea
Red-billed Quelea
Northern Red Bishop
Black-winged Bishop
Yellow-crowned Bishop
Red-collared Widowbird

Waxbills and Allies

Bronze Mannikin
Magpie Mannikin
African Silverbill
Gray-headed Oliveback
Lavender Waxbill
Orange-cheeked Waxbill
Common Waxbill
Black-rumped Waxbill
Quailfinch
Cut-throat
Zebra Waxbill
Red-cheeked Cordonbleu
Green-winged Pytilia
Red-winged Pytilia
Red-billed Firefinch
Mali Firefinch
Black-bellied Firefinch
Bar-breasted Firefinch
Black-faced Firefinch

Whydahs and Indigobirds

Pin-tailed Whydah
Sahel Paradise-Whydah
Exclamatory Paradise-Whydah
Village Indigobird
Barka Indigobird

Old World Sparrows

House Sparrow
Northern Gray-headed Sparrow
Desert Sparrow
Sudan Golden Sparrow
Yellow-spotted Bush Sparrow
Sahel Bush Sparrow

Wagtails and Pipits

Gray Wagtail
Western Yellow Wagtail
African Pied Wagtail
White Wagtail
Tawny Pipit
Plain-backed Pipit
Tree Pipit
Red-throated Pipit

Finches, Euphonias, and Allies

Trumpeter Finch
White-rumped Seedeater
Yellow-fronted Canary

Old World Buntings

Brown-rumped Bunting
Golden-breasted Bunting
Gosling's Bunting
House Bunting

Most common birds in Mali

Mali’s regular birds, ranked by how widespread they are. Recent sightings for Mali aren’t in our data yet.

Western Cattle-EgretArdea ibis
Western House-MartinDelichon urbicum
White-faced Whistling-DuckDendrocygna viduata
Laughing DoveSpilopelia senegalensis
Barn SwallowHirundo rustica
Little SwiftApus affinis
Common SwiftApus apus
Black KiteMilvus migrans
Pied CrowCorvus albus
Village WeaverPloceus cucullatus
Black-headed WeaverPloceus melanocephalus
Rose-ringed ParakeetPsittacula krameri
Purple StarlingLamprotornis purpureus
Spur-winged LapwingVanellus spinosus
Chestnut-backed Sparrow-LarkEremopterix leucotis
Red-billed QueleaQuelea quelea
Speckled PigeonColumba guinea
Little EgretEgretta garzetta
Black-winged StiltHimantopus himantopus
African Palm SwiftCypsiurus parvus

Largest bird families in Mali

Among its regular birds.

Hawks, Eagles, and Kites19
Weavers and Allies14
Waxbills and Allies14
Pigeons and Doves13
Herons, Egrets, and Bitterns11
Plovers and Lapwings11
Cisticolas and Allies11
Swallows9

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