Birds in Botswana

72 species listed · birdwatchers' records, 2019–2024

Our list for Botswana has 72 bird species recorded regularly there: 33 residents, 20 summer visitors, 2 winter visitors, 15 passage migrants and 2 scarce visitors.

The list comes from 457,000 birdwatchers' records from 2019–2024, shared through the eBird Observation Dataset on GBIF. A bird is listed when it was recorded in at least 3 of the 6 years and has a Birdfact species guide, so more species occur here than are listed; the months show when it is recorded most years.

Birds to see in Botswana in September

50 species on our list are recorded regularly this month. These are the ones birdwatchers record most often.

All 50 birds in September

Arriving in September: Barn Swallow, Willow Warbler, Barn Owl, Yellow Wagtail, Ringed Plover, Marsh Warbler, Curlew Sandpiper, Booted Eagle.

Through the year

Species recorded regularly in Botswana each month: most in December (66), fewest in June (38). Choose a month to see its birds.

5066
Show as a table
Willow Warbler
Willow WarblerSmallest · 11cm
to
Common Ostrich
Common OstrichLargest · 275cm
From the Willow Warbler (11 cm) to the Common Ostrich (275 cm)39 families

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All 72 birds on the list

Showing 24–46 of 72 species

Greenshank

Greenshank

Tringa nebulariaLC

Summer visitorCommon

Recorded all year

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Ruff

Ruff

Calidris pugnaxLC

Summer visitorCommon

Regularly Aug–May

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Spotted Flycatcher

Spotted Flycatcher

Muscicapa striataLC

Summer visitorUncommon

Regularly Oct–Apr

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Purple Heron

Purple Heron

Ardea purpureaLC

ResidentUncommon

Recorded all year

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
African Marsh Harrier

African Marsh Harrier

Circus ranivorusLC

ResidentUncommon

Recorded all year

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Buzzard

Buzzard

Buteo buteoLC

Summer visitorUncommon

Regularly Oct–Mar

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Common Swift

Common Swift

Apus apusLC

Summer visitorUncommon

Regularly Oct–Mar

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Little Grebe

Little Grebe

Tachybaptus ruficollisLC

ResidentUncommon

Recorded all year

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D

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White-winged Tern

White-winged Tern

Chlidonias leucopterusLC

Summer visitorUncommon

Recorded all year

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Willow Warbler

Willow Warbler

Phylloscopus trochilusLC

Summer visitorUncommon

Regularly Sep–Mar

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Great Cormorant

Great Cormorant

Phalacrocorax carboLC

ResidentUncommon

Recorded all year

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Black-crowned Night-heron

Black-crowned Night-heron

Nycticorax nycticoraxLC

ResidentUncommon

Recorded all year

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Secretarybird

Secretarybird

Sagittarius serpentariusEN

ResidentUncommon

Recorded all year

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Cape Sparrow

Cape Sparrow

Passer melanurusLC

ResidentUncommon

Regularly May–Mar

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Barn Owl

Barn Owl

Tyto albaLC

Summer visitorUncommon

Regularly Sep–Jul

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
House Sparrow

House Sparrow

Passer domesticusLC

ResidentUncommon

Recorded all year

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Little Stint

Little Stint

Calidris minutaLC

Summer visitorUncommon

Regularly Aug–Apr

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Lanner Falcon

Lanner Falcon

Falco biarmicusLC

ResidentUncommon

Recorded all year

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Moorhen

Moorhen

Gallinula chloropusLC

ResidentUncommon

Recorded all year

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Yellow Wagtail

Yellow Wagtail

Motacilla flavaLC

Summer visitorUncommon

Regularly Sep–Mar

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Little Bittern

Little Bittern

Ixobrychus minutusLC

ResidentUncommon

Regularly Apr–Jan

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
House Martin

House Martin

Delichon urbicumLC

Summer visitorUncommon

Regularly Aug–May

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Rock Dove

Rock Dove

Columba liviaLC

ResidentUncommon

Recorded all year

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
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Frequently Asked Questions

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

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