Birds to See in Cape Verde in October
24 bird species on our list for Cape Verde are recorded regularly in October
Of these, the most often recorded are Kentish Plover, Eurasian Collared Dove, Ruddy Turnstone, Whimbrel and Kestrel. New this month: Greenshank, Common Sandpiper, Grey Plover and Wood Sandpiper and 6 more.
On the move in October
GBIF · OctArriving
From Cape Verde’s bird records, 2019–2024: arriving birds are regular this month but not last; leaving birds are regular this month but not next.
Other months
All 24 birds in October
24 birds
Kentish PloverCharadrius alexandrinusResidentCommon15–17 cmRecorded all year · 5.07% in Oct
Eurasian Collared DoveStreptopelia decaoctoResidentCommon30–32 cmRecorded all year · 4.94% in Oct
Ruddy TurnstoneArenaria interpresResidentCommon21–24 cmRecorded all year · 4.27% in Oct
WhimbrelNumenius phaeopusWinter visitorCommon40–46 cmRegularly Jul–May · 3.47% in Oct
KestrelFalco tinnunculusResidentCommon32–39 cmRecorded all year · 3.20% in Oct
Cattle EgretArdea ibisResidentCommon46–56 cmRecorded all year · 2.67% in Oct
Common QuailCoturnix coturnixPassage migrantCommon16–18 cmRegularly Aug–Apr · 2.54% in Oct
Ringed PloverCharadrius hiaticulaWinter visitorCommon17–19 cmRegularly Aug–May · 2.40% in Oct
Little EgretEgretta garzettaResidentCommon55–65 cmRecorded all year · 2.27% in Oct
SanderlingCalidris albaResidentCommon18–20 cmRecorded all year · 2.27% in Oct
Grey HeronArdea cinereaResidentCommon90–98 cmRecorded all year · 2.14% in Oct
Grey PloverPluvialis squatarolaWinter visitorCommon27–30 cmRegularly Oct–May · 2.00% in Oct
GreenshankTringa nebulariaWinter visitorCommon30–35 cmRegularly Aug–May · 1.87% in Oct
Helmeted GuineafowlNumida meleagrisResidentCommon53–63 cmRecorded all year · 1.87% in Oct
OspreyPandion haliaetusResidentCommon54–58 cmRecorded all year · 1.60% in Oct
Gull-billed TernGelochelidon niloticaPassage migrantCommon33–42 cmRegularly Oct–Nov · 1.34% in Oct
House SparrowPasser domesticusResidentCommon14–17 cmRegularly Oct–Jul · 1.34% in Oct
Rock DoveColumba liviaResidentCommon29–37 cmRecorded all year · 1.34% in Oct
Common SandpiperActitis hypoleucosWinter visitorCommon18–20 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 1.20% in Oct
Glossy IbisPlegadis falcinellusWinter visitorCommon48–66 cmRegularly Oct–May · 1.20% in Oct
Wood SandpiperTringa glareolaPassage migrantCommon19–21 cmRegularly Aug–May · 1.20% in Oct
Curlew SandpiperCalidris ferrugineaPassage migrantCommon18–23 cmRegularly Aug–Apr · 1.07% in Oct
Eurasian SpoonbillPlatalea leucorodiaPassage migrantCommon80–90 cmRegularly Aug–Jun · 0.80% in Oct
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscusPassage migrantCommon52–64 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.80% in Oct
Smallest to largest
Length, cm- House Sparrow 14–17 cm
- Kentish Plover 15–17 cm
- Common Quail 16–18 cm
- Ringed Plover 17–19 cm
- Sanderling 18–20 cm
- Common Sandpiper 18–20 cm
- Wood Sandpiper 19–21 cm
- Curlew Sandpiper 18–23 cm
- Ruddy Turnstone 21–24 cm
- Grey Plover 27–30 cm
- Eurasian Collared Dove 30–32 cm
- Greenshank 30–35 cm
- Rock Dove 29–37 cm
- Kestrel 32–39 cm
- Gull-billed Tern 33–42 cm
- Whimbrel 40–46 cm
- Cattle Egret 46–56 cm
- Osprey 54–58 cm
- Glossy Ibis 48–66 cm
- Helmeted Guineafowl 53–63 cm
- Lesser Black-backed Gull 52–64 cm
- Little Egret 55–65 cm
- Eurasian Spoonbill 80–90 cm
- Grey Heron 90–98 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