Somalia bird checklist

546 bird species in 89 families have been recorded in Somalia, according to eBird; about 298 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

The most common birds in Somalia right now

The top 20, and how they are ranked

Somalia bird checklist

546 species · loading the checklist tools…

Ostriches

Somali Ostrich

Ducks, Geese, and Waterfowl

White-faced Whistling-Duck
Knob-billed Duck
Egyptian Goose
African Pygmy-Goose
Garganey
Southern Pochard

Guineafowl

Helmeted Guineafowl
Vulturine Guineafowl
Eastern Crested Guineafowl

Pheasants, Grouse, and Allies

Red Junglefowl
Crested Francolin
Orange River Francolin
Harlequin Quail
Chestnut-naped Spurfowl
Yellow-necked Spurfowl

Pigeons and Doves

Rock Pigeon
Speckled Pigeon
Somali Pigeon
Rameron Pigeon
European Turtle-Dove
Dusky Turtle-Dove
African Collared-Dove
White-winged Collared-Dove
Mourning Collared-Dove
Red-eyed Dove
Ring-necked Dove
Laughing Dove
Emerald-spotted Wood-Dove
Tambourine Dove
Namaqua Dove
Bruce's Green-Pigeon

Sandgrouse

Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse
Spotted Sandgrouse
Black-faced Sandgrouse
Lichtenstein's Sandgrouse

Bustards

Arabian Bustard
Kori Bustard
Denham's Bustard
Heuglin's Bustard
White-bellied Bustard
Little Brown Bustard
Buff-crested Bustard
Black-bellied Bustard
Hartlaub's Bustard

Turacos

White-bellied Go-away-bird

Cuckoos

White-browed Coucal
Great Spotted Cuckoo
Pied Cuckoo
Dideric Cuckoo
Klaas's Cuckoo
African Cuckoo
Common Cuckoo

Nightjars and Allies

Eurasian Nightjar
Nubian Nightjar
Donaldson Smith's Nightjar
Plain Nightjar
Slender-tailed Nightjar

Swifts

Alpine Swift
Common Swift
Nyanza Swift
Little Swift
Horus Swift
White-rumped Swift
African Palm Swift

Rails, Gallinules, and Coots

Eurasian Moorhen
Red-knobbed Coot
Black Crake

Thick-knees

Spotted Thick-knee
Water Thick-knee
Eurasian Thick-knee
Senegal Thick-knee

Stilts and Avocets

Black-winged Stilt
Pied Avocet

Oystercatchers

Eurasian Oystercatcher

Plovers and Lapwings

Black-bellied Plover
Pacific Golden-Plover
Common Ringed Plover
Three-banded Plover
Little Ringed Plover
Spur-winged Lapwing
Black-headed Lapwing
Senegal Lapwing
Crowned Lapwing
Tibetan Sand-Plover
Greater Sand-Plover
Kittlitz's Plover
White-fronted Plover
Kentish Plover

Painted-Snipes

Greater Painted-Snipe

Jacanas

African Jacana

Sandpipers and Allies

Eurasian Whimbrel
Eurasian Curlew
Bar-tailed Godwit
Common Snipe
Red-necked Phalarope
Terek Sandpiper
Common Sandpiper
Green Sandpiper
Marsh Sandpiper
Wood Sandpiper
Common Redshank
Common Greenshank
Ruddy Turnstone
Ruff
Broad-billed Sandpiper
Curlew Sandpiper
Temminck's Stint
Sanderling
Dunlin
Little Stint

Buttonquail

Small Buttonquail

Crab-Plover

Crab-Plover

Pratincoles and Coursers

Double-banded Courser
Three-banded Courser
Temminck's Courser
Cream-colored Courser
Somali Courser
Madagascar Pratincole
Collared Pratincole

Skuas and Jaegers

Parasitic Jaeger
Pomarine Jaeger

Gulls, Terns, and Skimmers

Black-headed Gull
Sooty Gull
White-eyed Gull
Caspian Gull
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Brown Noddy
Lesser Noddy
Sooty Tern
Bridled Tern
Little Tern
Saunders's Tern
Gull-billed Tern
Caspian Tern
White-winged Tern
Common Tern
White-cheeked Tern
Roseate Tern
Lesser Crested Tern
Great Crested Tern

Flamingos

Greater Flamingo
Lesser Flamingo

Grebes

Little Grebe

Tropicbirds

White-tailed Tropicbird
Red-billed Tropicbird

Southern Storm-Petrels

Wilson's Storm-Petrel

Shearwaters and Petrels

Jouanin's Petrel
Wedge-tailed Shearwater
Persian Shearwater

Storks

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

Frigatebirds

Great Frigatebird

Boobies and Gannets

Brown Booby
Masked Booby

Anhingas

African Darter

Cormorants and Shags

Reed Cormorant
Great Cormorant

Ibises and Spoonbills

Glossy Ibis
African Sacred Ibis
Hadada Ibis
Eurasian Spoonbill
African Spoonbill

Herons, Egrets, and Bitterns

Dwarf Bittern
Little Bittern
Black-crowned Night Heron
Black Heron
Little Egret
Western Reef-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
Egyptian Vulture
African Cuckoo-Hawk
White-headed Vulture
Lappet-faced Vulture
Hooded Vulture
White-backed Vulture
Rüppell's Griffon
Eurasian Griffon
Bateleur
Black-chested Snake-Eagle
Short-toed Snake-Eagle
Brown Snake-Eagle
Martial Eagle
Wahlberg's Eagle
Booted Eagle
Steppe Eagle
Tawny Eagle
Verreaux's Eagle
African Hawk-Eagle
Bat Hawk
Gabar Goshawk
Eastern Chanting-Goshawk
Lizard Buzzard
African Goshawk
Little Sparrowhawk
Shikra
Pallid Harrier
Montagu's Harrier
Black Kite
African Fish-Eagle
Grasshopper Buzzard
Augur Buzzard

Barn-Owls

Western Barn Owl

Owls

Arabian Scops-Owl
African Scops-Owl
Northern White-faced Owl
Grayish Eagle-Owl
Verreaux's Eagle-Owl
Pearl-spotted Owlet
African Barred Owlet
Little Owl

Mousebirds

Speckled Mousebird
White-headed Mousebird
Blue-naped Mousebird

Trogons

Narina Trogon

Hoopoes

Common Hoopoe

Woodhoopoes and Scimitarbills

Black-billed Woodhoopoe
Black Scimitarbill
Common Scimitarbill
Abyssinian Scimitarbill

Hornbills

Abyssinian Ground-Hornbill
Crowned Hornbill
Hemprich's Hornbill
African Gray Hornbill
Eastern Yellow-billed Hornbill
Von der Decken's Hornbill
Northern Red-billed Hornbill

Bee-eaters

Little Bee-eater
Somali Bee-eater
White-throated Bee-eater
Blue-cheeked Bee-eater
Olive Bee-eater
European Bee-eater
Northern Carmine Bee-eater

Kingfishers

Malachite Kingfisher
African Pygmy Kingfisher
Gray-headed Kingfisher
Striped Kingfisher
Pied Kingfisher

Rollers

European Roller
Lilac-breasted Roller
Purple Roller
Broad-billed Roller

African Barbets

Red-and-yellow Barbet
Yellow-breasted Barbet
D'Arnaud's Barbet
Northern Red-fronted Tinkerbird
Black-throated Barbet

Honeyguides

Lesser Honeyguide
Greater Honeyguide

Woodpeckers

Eurasian Wryneck
Bearded Woodpecker
Cardinal Woodpecker
Green-backed Woodpecker
Nubian Woodpecker

Falcons and Caracaras

Pygmy Falcon
Lesser Kestrel
Eurasian Kestrel
Greater Kestrel
Amur Falcon
Sooty Falcon
Eurasian Hobby
African Hobby
Lanner Falcon
Saker Falcon
Peregrine Falcon

New World and African Parrots

Red-bellied Parrot

Cuckooshrikes

Black Cuckooshrike
Red-shouldered Cuckooshrike

Old World Orioles

Eurasian Golden Oriole
African Golden Oriole
African Black-headed Oriole

Wattle-eyes and Batises

Black-throated Wattle-eye
Gray-headed Batis
Western Black-headed Batis
Pygmy Batis

Vangas, Helmetshrikes, and Allies

White-crested Helmetshrike
Retz's Helmetshrike

Bushshrikes and Allies

Brubru
Northern Puffback
Pringle's Puffback
Black-backed Puffback
Black-crowned Tchagra
Three-streaked Tchagra
Red-naped Bushshrike
Coastal Boubou
Ethiopian Boubou
Slate-colored Boubou
Rosy-patched Bushshrike
Sulphur-breasted Bushshrike
Gray-headed Bushshrike

Drongos

Square-tailed Drongo
Fork-tailed Drongo

Monarch Flycatchers

African Paradise-Flycatcher

Shrikes

Red-backed Shrike
Red-tailed Shrike
Isabelline Shrike
Great Gray Shrike
Lesser Gray Shrike
Long-tailed Fiscal
Taita Fiscal
Somali Fiscal
Masked Shrike
Woodchat Shrike
White-rumped Shrike

Crows, Jays, and Magpies

House Crow
Cape Crow
Pied Crow
Brown-necked Raven
Somali Crow
Fan-tailed Raven
Thick-billed Raven

Tits, Chickadees, and Titmice

Somali Tit

Penduline-Tits

Mouse-colored Penduline-Tit

Larks

Greater Hoopoe-Lark
Lesser Hoopoe-Lark
Desert Lark
Chestnut-backed Sparrow-Lark
Black-crowned Sparrow-Lark
Chestnut-headed Sparrow-Lark
Gillett's Lark
Pink-breasted Lark
Fawn-colored Lark
Singing Bushlark
Collared Lark
Flappet Lark
Somali Lark
Red-winged Lark
Short-tailed Lark
Obbia Lark
Thekla's Lark
Crested Lark
Rufous-capped Lark
Greater Short-toed Lark
Somali Short-toed Lark

African Warblers

Northern Crombec
Short-billed Crombec
Somali Crombec

Cisticolas and Allies

Yellow-vented Eremomela
Yellow-bellied Eremomela
Gray Wren-Warbler
Green-backed Camaroptera
Yellow-breasted Apalis
Black-headed Apalis
Graceful Prinia
Tawny-flanked Prinia
Pale Prinia
Red-fronted Prinia
Ashy Cisticola
Coastal Cisticola
Croaking Cisticola
Siffling Cisticola
Zitting Cisticola
Desert Cisticola

Reed Warblers and Allies

Eastern Olivaceous Warbler
Upcher's Warbler
Sedge Warbler
Marsh Warbler
Common Reed Warbler

Swallows

Bank Swallow
Pale Crag-Martin
Barn Swallow
Ethiopian Swallow
Wire-tailed Swallow
Western House-Martin
European Red-rumped Swallow
Lesser Striped Swallow

Bulbuls

Northern Brownbul
Fischer's Greenbul
Common Bulbul

Leaf Warblers

Willow Warbler
Common Chiffchaff
Brown Woodland-Warbler

Sylviid Warblers and Allies

Eurasian Blackcap
Barred Warbler
Banded Parisoma
Lesser Whitethroat
Arabian Warbler
Western Orphean Warbler
African Desert Warbler
Menetries's Warbler
Greater Whitethroat

White-eyes, Yuhinas, and Allies

Abyssinian White-eye
Socotra White-eye

Laughingthrushes and Allies

Rufous Chatterer
Scaly Chatterer
White-rumped Babbler
Scaly Babbler

Oxpeckers

Red-billed Oxpecker

Starlings

Wattled Starling
Violet-backed Starling
Red-winged Starling
Bristle-crowned Starling
Somali Starling
Magpie Starling
Black-bellied Starling
Shelley's Starling
Rüppell's Starling
Golden-breasted Starling
Superb Starling
White-crowned Starling
Fischer's Starling
Greater Blue-eared Starling

Thrushes and Allies

African Bare-eyed Thrush
Somali Thrush

Old World Flycatchers

Spotted Flycatcher
Gambaga Flycatcher
African Gray Flycatcher
Pale Flycatcher
Ashy Flycatcher
Southern Black-Flycatcher
Black Scrub-Robin
Rufous-tailed Scrub-Robin
White-browed Scrub-Robin
White-browed Robin-Chat
Red-capped Robin-Chat
Spotted Morning-Thrush
White-throated Robin
Thrush Nightingale
Common Nightingale
Common Redstart
Black Redstart
Little Rock-Thrush
Rufous-tailed Rock-Thrush
Blue Rock-Thrush
Whinchat
Siberian Stonechat
African Stonechat
Northern Wheatear
Isabelline Wheatear
Desert Wheatear
Pied Wheatear
Somali Wheatear
Blackstart
Sombre Rock Chat
Brown-tailed Chat
Abyssinian Wheatear
Kurdish Wheatear

Sunbirds and Spiderhunters

Western Violet-backed Sunbird
Eastern Violet-backed Sunbird
Collared Sunbird
Nile Valley Sunbird
Olive Sunbird
Mouse-colored Sunbird
Amethyst Sunbird
Scarlet-chested Sunbird
Hunter's Sunbird
Marico Sunbird
Black-bellied Sunbird
Violet-breasted Sunbird
Palestine Sunbird
Abyssinian Sunbird
Variable Sunbird

Weavers and Allies

Red-billed Buffalo-Weaver
White-headed Buffalo-Weaver
White-browed Sparrow-Weaver
Gray-capped Social-Weaver
Black-capped Social-Weaver
Red-headed Weaver
Red Weaver
Black-necked Weaver
African Golden-Weaver
Golden Palm Weaver
Lesser Masked-Weaver
Vitelline Masked-Weaver
Rüppell's Weaver
Speke's Weaver
Village Weaver
Juba Weaver
Golden-backed Weaver
Chestnut Weaver
Red-billed Quelea
Northern Red Bishop
Southern Red Bishop
Fire-fronted Bishop
Fan-tailed Widowbird
Grosbeak Weaver

Waxbills and Allies

Black-and-white Mannikin
African Silverbill
Black-cheeked Waxbill
Common Waxbill
Crimson-rumped Waxbill
Cut-throat
Purple Grenadier
Red-cheeked Cordonbleu
Blue-capped Cordonbleu
Green-winged Pytilia
Red-billed Firefinch

Whydahs and Indigobirds

Pin-tailed Whydah
Eastern Paradise-Whydah
Steel-blue Whydah
Straw-tailed Whydah
Village Indigobird

Old World Sparrows

House Sparrow
Somali Sparrow
Shelley's Rufous Sparrow
Northern Gray-headed Sparrow
Swainson's Sparrow
Parrot-billed Sparrow
Arabian Golden Sparrow
Chestnut Sparrow
Yellow-spotted Bush Sparrow

Wagtails and Pipits

Gray Wagtail
Western Yellow Wagtail
African Pied Wagtail
White Wagtail
African Pipit
Long-billed Pipit
Tawny Pipit
Malindi Pipit
Tree Pipit
Red-throated Pipit
Golden Pipit
Pangani Longclaw

Finches, Euphonias, and Allies

Somali Grosbeak
Reichenow's Seedeater
White-bellied Canary
Northern Grosbeak-Canary
Brown-rumped Seedeater
Warsangli Linnet

Old World Buntings

Ortolan Bunting
Somali Bunting
Cinnamon-breasted Bunting
Striolated Bunting

Most common birds in Somalia

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 Somalia’s regular birds. The list follows the seasons: migrants rise in spring and autumn.