Common Birds in Botswana
Our list for Botswana has 25 common birds recorded regularly there: 17 residents, 7 summer visitors and 1 winter visitor
Most likely in October
GBIF · OctShare of all bird records in Botswana in October, 2019–2024. Each month links to that month’s page.
All 25, most common first
Fork-tailed DrongoDicrurus adsimilisResidentCommon23–26 cmRecorded all year
African JacanaActophilornis africanusResidentCommon23–31 cmRecorded all year
Egyptian GooseAlopochen aegyptiacaResidentCommon63–73 cmRecorded all year
Helmeted GuineafowlNumida meleagrisResidentCommon53–63 cmRecorded all year
Great White EgretArdea albaResidentCommon80–104 cmRecorded all year
Cattle EgretArdea ibisResidentCommon46–56 cmRecorded all year
Spur-winged GoosePlectropterus gambensisResidentCommon75–115 cmRecorded all year
Grey HeronArdea cinereaResidentCommon90–98 cmRecorded all year
Squacco HeronArdeola ralloidesResidentCommon40–49 cmRecorded all year
Magpie ShrikeUrolestes melanoleucusResidentCommon35–50 cmRecorded all year
Barn SwallowHirundo rusticaSummer visitorCommon17–19 cmRegularly Sep–May
Red-backed ShrikeLanius collurioSummer visitorCommon16–18 cmRegularly Nov–Apr
Little EgretEgretta garzettaResidentCommon55–65 cmRecorded all year
HoopoeUpupa epopsResidentCommon25–32 cmRecorded all year
Cape StarlingLamprotornis nitensResidentCommon25–28 cmRecorded all year
Wood SandpiperTringa glareolaSummer visitorCommon19–21 cmRegularly Aug–May
Glossy IbisPlegadis falcinellusResidentCommon48–66 cmRecorded all year
European Bee-eaterMerops apiasterSummer visitorCommon27–29 cmRegularly Oct–Apr
Lesser Striped SwallowCecropis abyssinicaWinter visitorCommon15–19 cmRecorded all year
Common SandpiperActitis hypoleucosSummer visitorCommon18–20 cmRegularly Jul–May
Southern Masked WeaverPloceus velatusResidentCommon13–15 cmRecorded all year
Common OstrichStruthio camelusResidentCommon210–275 cmRecorded all year
Pied CrowCorvus albusResidentCommon46–52 cmRecorded all year
Smallest to largest
Length, cm- Southern Masked Weaver 13–15 cm
- Red-backed Shrike 16–18 cm
- Lesser Striped Swallow 15–19 cm
- Barn Swallow 17–19 cm
- Common Sandpiper 18–20 cm
- Wood Sandpiper 19–21 cm
- Fork-tailed Drongo 23–26 cm
- Ruff 20–32 cm
- Cape Starling 25–28 cm
- African Jacana 23–31 cm
- European Bee-eater 27–29 cm
- Hoopoe 25–32 cm
- Greenshank 30–35 cm
- Magpie Shrike 35–50 cm
- Squacco Heron 40–49 cm
- Pied Crow 46–52 cm
- Cattle Egret 46–56 cm
- Glossy Ibis 48–66 cm
- Helmeted Guineafowl 53–63 cm
- Little Egret 55–65 cm
- Egyptian Goose 63–73 cm
- Great White Egret 80–104 cm
- Grey Heron 90–98 cm
- Spur-winged Goose 75–115 cm
- Common Ostrich 210–275 cm
Body length, bill to tail. Rare birds in grey.
Data: EOD – eBird Observation Dataset (Cornell Lab of Ornithology), accessed via GBIF.org, CC BY 4.0. Records from 2019–2024, aggregated and filtered by Birdfact. How these lists are made