Birds to See in Ethiopia in December
92 bird species on our list for Ethiopia are recorded regularly in December
Of these, the most often recorded are Egyptian Goose, Barn Swallow, Pied Crow, Fork-tailed Drongo and Yellow Wagtail. New this month: Whinchat, Sedge Warbler, Redshank and Black-necked Grebe and 2 more.
On the move in December
GBIF · DecArriving
At their peak
From Ethiopia’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 92 birds in December
92 birds
Egyptian GooseAlopochen aegyptiacaResidentCommon63–73 cmRecorded all year · 0.89% in Dec
Barn SwallowHirundo rusticaWinter visitorCommon17–19 cmRecorded all year · 0.77% in Dec
Pied CrowCorvus albusResidentCommon46–52 cmRecorded all year · 0.76% in Dec
Fork-tailed DrongoDicrurus adsimilisResidentCommon23–26 cmRecorded all year · 0.73% in Dec
Yellow WagtailMotacilla flavaWinter visitorCommon15–17 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.58% in Dec
Common SandpiperActitis hypoleucosWinter visitorCommon18–20 cmRegularly Jul–Apr · 0.57% in Dec
ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybitaWinter visitorCommon10–12 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.56% in Dec
Little EgretEgretta garzettaResidentCommon55–65 cmRecorded all year · 0.44% in Dec
HoopoeUpupa epopsResidentCommon25–32 cmRecorded all year · 0.43% in Dec
Cattle EgretArdea ibisResidentCommon46–56 cmRecorded all year · 0.43% in Dec
Squacco HeronArdeola ralloidesResidentUncommon40–49 cmRegularly Sep–Jul · 0.42% in Dec
KestrelFalco tinnunculusResidentUncommon32–39 cmRegularly Oct–Aug · 0.42% in Dec
Willow WarblerPhylloscopus trochilusWinter visitorCommon11–13 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.41% in Dec
Wood SandpiperTringa glareolaWinter visitorUncommon19–21 cmRegularly Jul–Apr · 0.40% in Dec
Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carboResidentUncommon80–100 cmRecorded all year · 0.38% in Dec
Grey HeronArdea cinereaWinter visitorUncommon90–98 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.37% in Dec
Green SandpiperTringa ochropusWinter visitorUncommon21–24 cmRegularly Jul–Mar · 0.30% in Dec
WheatearOenanthe oenantheWinter visitorUncommon15–16 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.29% in Dec
Sand MartinRiparia ripariaWinter visitorUncommon12–14 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.28% in Dec
Helmeted GuineafowlNumida meleagrisResidentUncommon53–63 cmRecorded all year · 0.27% in Dec
Great White EgretArdea albaResidentUncommon80–104 cmRecorded all year · 0.26% in Dec
Blue-naped MousebirdUrocolius macrourusResidentCommon33–36 cmRegularly Oct–Aug · 0.26% in Dec
GreenshankTringa nebulariaWinter visitorUncommon30–35 cmRegularly Aug–Apr · 0.26% in Dec
African JacanaActophilornis africanusResidentUncommon23–31 cmRecorded all year · 0.25% in Dec
Little GrebeTachybaptus ruficollisResidentUncommon23–29 cmRecorded all year · 0.24% in Dec
RuffCalidris pugnaxWinter visitorUncommon20–32 cmRegularly Aug–Mar · 0.24% in Dec
Gull-billed TernGelochelidon niloticaWinter visitorUncommon33–42 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.23% in Dec
Common RedstartPhoenicurus phoenicurusWinter visitorUncommon13–15 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.22% in Dec
BlackcapSylvia atricapillaWinter visitorUncommon13–15 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.20% in Dec
Spur-winged GoosePlectropterus gambensisResidentUncommon75–115 cmRecorded all year · 0.19% in Dec
Grey WagtailMotacilla cinereaWinter visitorUncommon17–20 cmRegularly Sep–Mar · 0.19% in Dec
Little StintCalidris minutaWinter visitorUncommon13–15 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.18% in Dec
Senegal Thick-kneeBurhinus senegalensisResidentUncommon38–43 cmRecorded all year · 0.18% in Dec
Thekla's LarkGalerida theklaeResidentUncommon15–17 cmRecorded all year · 0.18% in Dec
Lesser WhitethroatCurruca currucaWinter visitorUncommon11–13 cmRegularly Oct–Feb · 0.17% in Dec
Lanner FalconFalco biarmicusResidentUncommon43–50 cmRecorded all year · 0.17% in Dec
White-winged TernChlidonias leucopterusWinter visitorUncommon20–27 cmRegularly Aug–May · 0.16% in Dec
African Pygmy-falconPolihierax semitorquatusWinter visitorUncommon19–20 cmRegularly Jun–Apr · 0.16% in Dec
Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundusPassage migrantUncommon38–44 cmRegularly Nov–Jan · 0.16% in Dec
Somali OstrichStruthio molybdophanesWinter visitorUncommon210–275 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.16% in Dec
Temminck's StintCalidris temminckiiWinter visitorUncommon13–15 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.16% in Dec
Glossy IbisPlegadis falcinellusWinter visitorUncommon48–66 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.15% in Dec
Western Marsh-harrierCircus aeruginosusWinter visitorUncommon48–56 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.15% in Dec
Red-and-yellow BarbetTrachyphonus erythrocephalusPassage migrantUncommon20–23 cmRegularly Feb–Dec · 0.15% in Dec
Common SnipeGallinago gallinagoWinter visitorUncommon25–27 cmRegularly Nov–Mar · 0.14% in Dec
Little WeaverPloceus luteolusResidentUncommon11–12 cmRecorded all year · 0.14% in Dec
BuzzardButeo buteoWinter visitorUncommon51–57 cmRegularly Sep–Mar · 0.13% in Dec
Northern ShovelerSpatula clypeataWinter visitorUncommon44–51 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.12% in Dec
Lesser Striped SwallowCecropis abyssinicaWinter visitorUncommon15–19 cmRegularly Aug–Jun · 0.12% in Dec
House MartinDelichon urbicumWinter visitorUncommon13–15 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.12% in Dec
Woodchat ShrikeLanius senatorWinter visitorUncommon17–19 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.11% in Dec
Common CraneGrus grusWinter visitorUncommon100–130 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.11% in Dec
White-bellied BustardEupodotis senegalensisWinter visitorUncommon48–61 cmRegularly Jun–Mar · 0.11% in Dec
Greater FlamingoPhoenicopterus roseusResidentUncommon120–145 cmRegularly Sep–Jul · 0.11% in Dec
Ringed PloverCharadrius hiaticulaWinter visitorUncommon17–19 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.11% in Dec
Black-tailed GodwitLimosa limosaWinter visitorUncommon40–44 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.11% in Dec
Montagu's HarrierCircus pygargusWinter visitorUncommon43–47 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.10% in Dec
Purple HeronArdea purpureaWinter visitorUncommon78–90 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.10% in Dec
AvocetRecurvirostra avosettaWinter visitorUncommon42–45 cmRegularly Nov–Mar · 0.09% in Dec
Pied WagtailMotacilla albaWinter visitorUncommon17–18 cmRegularly Nov–Mar · 0.09% in Dec
Egyptian VultureNeophron percnopterusWinter visitorUncommon55–65 cmRegularly Oct–Jun · 0.09% in Dec
Rufous-tailed Rock-thrushMonticola saxatilisWinter visitorUncommon16–19 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.09% in Dec
Ruddy ShelduckTadorna ferrugineaWinter visitorUncommon58–70 cmRegularly Jun–Mar · 0.09% in Dec
Purple GrenadierGranatina ianthinogasterWinter visitorUncommon11–13 cmRegularly Jul–Apr · 0.09% in Dec
MoorhenGallinula chloropusResidentUncommon30–38 cmRecorded all year · 0.09% in Dec
Fulvous Whistling-DuckDendrocygna bicolorResidentUncommon45–53 cmRegularly Oct–Aug · 0.07% in Dec
Tree PipitAnthus trivialisPassage migrantUncommon14–16 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.07% in Dec
Little Ringed PloverThinornis dubiusWinter visitorUncommon14–17 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.07% in Dec
Booted EagleHieraaetus pennatusWinter visitorUncommon42–51 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.07% in Dec
RedshankTringa totanusWinter visitorUncommon27–29 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.07% in Dec
Northern PintailAnas acutaWinter visitorUncommon59–76 cmRegularly Nov–Mar · 0.06% in Dec
Crag MartinPtyonoprogne rupestrisPassage migrantUncommon14–15 cmRegularly Dec–Feb · 0.06% in Dec
Peregrine FalconFalco peregrinusWinter visitorUncommon34–58 cmRegularly Apr–Feb · 0.06% in Dec
WryneckJynx torquillaPassage migrantUncommon16–18 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.05% in Dec
Red-billed ChoughPyrrhocorax pyrrhocoraxPassage migrantUncommon39–43 cmRegularly Oct–May · 0.05% in Dec
Sedge WarblerAcrocephalus schoenobaenusWinter visitorUncommon12–13 cmRegularly Dec–Mar · 0.05% in Dec
WhitethroatCurruca communisPassage migrantUncommon13–15 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.05% in Dec
Blue Rock-thrushMonticola solitariusWinter visitorUncommon21–23 cmRegularly Oct–Feb · 0.04% in Dec
Crowned EagleStephanoaetus coronatusPassage migrantUncommon80–99 cmRegularly Sep–Mar · 0.04% in Dec
SecretarybirdSagittarius serpentariusPassage migrantUncommon112–150 cmRegularly Oct–Feb · 0.04% in Dec
Great Grey ShrikeLanius excubitorWinter visitorUncommon22–26 cmRegularly Oct–Feb · 0.04% in Dec
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscusWinter visitorUncommon52–64 cmRegularly Oct–Feb · 0.04% in Dec
WhinchatSaxicola rubetraPassage migrantUncommon12–14 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.04% in Dec
Common Reed-warblerAcrocephalus scirpaceusWinter visitorUncommon13–14 cmRegularly Nov–Mar · 0.03% in Dec
GarganeySpatula querquedulaWinter visitorUncommon37–41 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.03% in Dec
NightingaleLuscinia megarhynchosPassage migrantUncommon15–17 cmRegularly Oct–Dec · 0.03% in Dec
Alpine SwiftTachymarptis melbaWinter visitorUncommon20–23 cmRegularly Aug–Jun · 0.03% in Dec
Rock DoveColumba liviaResidentUncommon31–34 cmRecorded all year · 0.03% in Dec
Spotted FlycatcherMuscicapa striataPassage migrantUncommon14–16 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.03% in Dec
Black-necked GrebePodiceps nigricollisPassage migrantUncommon28–34 cmRegularly Dec–Feb · 0.02% in Dec
Curlew SandpiperCalidris ferrugineaPassage migrantUncommon18–23 cmRegularly Dec–Jan · 0.02% in Dec
Barn OwlTyto albaPassage migrantRare33–39 cmRegularly Nov–Dec · 0.01% in Dec
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