Birds to See in Kenya in December
106 bird species on our list for Kenya are recorded regularly in December
Of these, the most often recorded are Fork-tailed Drongo, Barn Swallow, Egyptian Goose, Pied Crow and Helmeted Guineafowl. New this month: Little Tern, Northern Pintail and Corncrake.
On the move in December
GBIF · DecArriving
At their peak
Leaving soon
From Kenya’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 106 birds in December
106 birds
Fork-tailed DrongoDicrurus adsimilisResidentCommon23–26 cmRecorded all year · 0.91% in Dec
Barn SwallowHirundo rusticaSummer visitorCommon17–19 cmRecorded all year · 0.86% in Dec
Egyptian GooseAlopochen aegyptiacaResidentCommon63–73 cmRecorded all year · 0.84% in Dec
Pied CrowCorvus albusResidentCommon46–52 cmRecorded all year · 0.70% in Dec
Helmeted GuineafowlNumida meleagrisResidentCommon53–63 cmRecorded all year · 0.64% in Dec
Cattle EgretArdea ibisResidentCommon46–56 cmRecorded all year · 0.53% in Dec
Grey HeronArdea cinereaResidentCommon90–98 cmRecorded all year · 0.48% in Dec
Common SandpiperActitis hypoleucosSummer visitorCommon18–20 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.47% in Dec
Lesser Striped SwallowCecropis abyssinicaResidentCommon15–19 cmRecorded all year · 0.43% in Dec
Blue-naped MousebirdUrocolius macrourusResidentUncommon33–36 cmRecorded all year · 0.35% in Dec
Common OstrichStruthio camelusResidentCommon210–275 cmRecorded all year · 0.35% in Dec
Wood SandpiperTringa glareolaSummer visitorUncommon19–21 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.33% in Dec
Purple GrenadierGranatina ianthinogasterResidentUncommon11–13 cmRecorded all year · 0.32% in Dec
Willow WarblerPhylloscopus trochilusSummer visitorUncommon11–13 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.32% in Dec
Spotted FlycatcherMuscicapa striataSummer visitorUncommon14–16 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.32% in Dec
House SparrowPasser domesticusResidentUncommon14–17 cmRecorded all year · 0.31% in Dec
WheatearOenanthe oenantheSummer visitorUncommon15–16 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.30% in Dec
Great White EgretArdea albaResidentUncommon80–104 cmRecorded all year · 0.30% in Dec
Yellow WagtailMotacilla flavaSummer visitorUncommon15–17 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.28% in Dec
African JacanaActophilornis africanusResidentUncommon23–31 cmRecorded all year · 0.28% in Dec
Little EgretEgretta garzettaResidentUncommon55–65 cmRecorded all year · 0.26% in Dec
European Bee-eaterMerops apiasterSummer visitorUncommon27–29 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.25% in Dec
HoopoeUpupa epopsResidentUncommon25–32 cmRecorded all year · 0.23% in Dec
Little GrebeTachybaptus ruficollisResidentUncommon23–29 cmRecorded all year · 0.22% in Dec
GreenshankTringa nebulariaResidentUncommon30–35 cmRecorded all year · 0.21% in Dec
Little StintCalidris minutaSummer visitorUncommon13–15 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.20% in Dec
Green SandpiperTringa ochropusSummer visitorUncommon21–24 cmRegularly Aug–Apr · 0.19% in Dec
White-bellied BustardEupodotis senegalensisResidentUncommon48–61 cmRecorded all year · 0.19% in Dec
SecretarybirdSagittarius serpentariusResidentUncommon112–150 cmRecorded all year · 0.19% in Dec
Rufous-tailed Rock-thrushMonticola saxatilisSummer visitorUncommon16–19 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.19% in Dec
Ringed PloverCharadrius hiaticulaSummer visitorUncommon17–19 cmRegularly Aug–May · 0.17% in Dec
Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carboResidentUncommon80–100 cmRecorded all year · 0.17% in Dec
Gull-billed TernGelochelidon niloticaResidentUncommon33–42 cmRecorded all year · 0.17% in Dec
BlackcapSylvia atricapillaSummer visitorUncommon13–15 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.16% in Dec
Red-and-yellow BarbetTrachyphonus erythrocephalusResidentUncommon20–23 cmRecorded all year · 0.16% in Dec
Red-backed ShrikeLanius collurioSummer visitorUncommon16–18 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 0.15% in Dec
Squacco HeronArdeola ralloidesResidentUncommon40–49 cmRecorded all year · 0.14% in Dec
BuzzardButeo buteoSummer visitorUncommon51–57 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.14% in Dec
Greater FlamingoPhoenicopterus roseusResidentUncommon120–145 cmRecorded all year · 0.13% in Dec
WhitethroatCurruca communisSummer visitorUncommon13–15 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 0.13% in Dec
MoorhenGallinula chloropusResidentUncommon30–38 cmRecorded all year · 0.13% in Dec
RuffCalidris pugnaxSummer visitorUncommon20–32 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.13% in Dec
Tree PipitAnthus trivialisSummer visitorUncommon14–16 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.13% in Dec
Glossy IbisPlegadis falcinellusResidentUncommon48–66 cmRecorded all year · 0.13% in Dec
White-winged TernChlidonias leucopterusResidentUncommon20–27 cmRecorded all year · 0.11% in Dec
African Pygmy-falconPolihierax semitorquatusResidentUncommon19–20 cmRecorded all year · 0.11% in Dec
Marsh WarblerAcrocephalus palustrisSummer visitorUncommon13–14 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 0.11% in Dec
Golden OrioleOriolus oriolusSummer visitorUncommon22–24 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.10% in Dec
Sand MartinRiparia ripariaSummer visitorUncommon12–14 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.10% in Dec
Western Marsh-harrierCircus aeruginosusSummer visitorUncommon48–56 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.09% in Dec
AvocetRecurvirostra avosettaResidentUncommon42–45 cmRecorded all year · 0.09% in Dec
OspreyPandion haliaetusResidentUncommon54–58 cmRecorded all year · 0.09% in Dec
Crowned EagleStephanoaetus coronatusResidentUncommon80–99 cmRecorded all year · 0.08% in Dec
NightingaleLuscinia megarhynchosSummer visitorUncommon15–17 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.08% in Dec
WhinchatSaxicola rubetraSummer visitorUncommon12–14 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.08% in Dec
Montagu's HarrierCircus pygargusSummer visitorUncommon43–47 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.08% in Dec
Lanner FalconFalco biarmicusResidentUncommon43–50 cmRecorded all year · 0.08% in Dec
Garden WarblerSylvia borinSummer visitorUncommon14–15 cmRegularly Oct–May · 0.08% in Dec
House MartinDelichon urbicumSummer visitorUncommon13–15 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.07% in Dec
Somali OstrichStruthio molybdophanesResidentUncommon210–275 cmRecorded all year · 0.07% in Dec
Curlew SandpiperCalidris ferrugineaResidentUncommon18–23 cmRecorded all year · 0.07% in Dec
WhimbrelNumenius phaeopusResidentUncommon40–46 cmRecorded all year · 0.07% in Dec
Grey PloverPluvialis squatarolaResidentUncommon27–30 cmRecorded all year · 0.07% in Dec
Common SwiftApus apusSummer visitorUncommon16–17 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.07% in Dec
KestrelFalco tinnunculusSummer visitorUncommon32–39 cmRegularly Oct–Aug · 0.07% in Dec
Spur-winged GoosePlectropterus gambensisResidentUncommon75–115 cmRecorded all year · 0.07% in Dec
Purple HeronArdea purpureaResidentUncommon78–90 cmRecorded all year · 0.06% in Dec
Booted EagleHieraaetus pennatusSummer visitorUncommon42–51 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.06% in Dec
Black-crowned Night-heronNycticorax nycticoraxResidentUncommon58–65 cmRecorded all year · 0.05% in Dec
Rock DoveColumba liviaResidentUncommon31–34 cmRecorded all year · 0.05% in Dec
Little WeaverPloceus luteolusResidentUncommon11–12 cmRecorded all year · 0.05% in Dec
Common SnipeGallinago gallinagoSummer visitorUncommon25–27 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.05% in Dec
CuckooCuculus canorusSummer visitorUncommon32–34 cmRegularly Oct–May · 0.04% in Dec
SanderlingCalidris albaSummer visitorRare18–20 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.03% in Dec
CurlewNumenius arquataSummer visitorRare50–60 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.03% in Dec
Peregrine FalconFalco peregrinusResidentRare34–58 cmRecorded all year · 0.03% in Dec
Alpine SwiftTachymarptis melbaResidentRare20–23 cmRecorded all year · 0.02% in Dec
Fulvous Whistling-DuckDendrocygna bicolorResidentUncommon45–53 cmRecorded all year · 0.02% in Dec
Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundusSummer visitorRare38–44 cmRegularly Aug–May · 0.02% in Dec
Grey WagtailMotacilla cinereaSummer visitorRare17–20 cmRegularly Sep–Mar · 0.02% in Dec
Sedge WarblerAcrocephalus schoenobaenusSummer visitorUncommon12–13 cmRegularly Nov–May · 0.02% in Dec
Common QuailCoturnix coturnixResidentRare16–18 cmRegularly Apr–Jan · 0.02% in Dec
HobbyFalco subbuteoSummer visitorUncommon28–35 cmRegularly Oct–May · 0.02% in Dec
Northern ShovelerSpatula clypeataSummer visitorRare44–51 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.02% in Dec
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscusResidentRare52–64 cmRecorded all year · 0.02% in Dec
Barn OwlTyto albaResidentRare33–39 cmRecorded all year · 0.02% in Dec
Temminck's StintCalidris temminckiiSummer visitorRare13–15 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.02% in Dec
Common TernSterna hirundoResidentRare31–35 cmRecorded all year · 0.02% in Dec
Black-tailed GodwitLimosa limosaSummer visitorUncommon40–44 cmRegularly Jul–Apr · 0.02% in Dec
NightjarCaprimulgus europaeusSummer visitorRare24–28 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 0.02% in Dec
Little BitternIxobrychus minutusResidentRare33–38 cmRecorded all year · 0.02% in Dec
Common Reed-warblerAcrocephalus scirpaceusSummer visitorRare13–14 cmRegularly Sep–Jul · 0.02% in Dec
European Honey-buzzardPernis apivorusSummer visitorRare52–60 cmRegularly Oct–May · 0.01% in Dec
Magpie ShrikeUrolestes melanoleucusResidentRare35–50 cmRecorded all year · 0.01% in Dec
Little Ringed PloverThinornis dubiusSummer visitorRare14–17 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.01% in Dec
Senegal Thick-kneeBurhinus senegalensisResidentRare38–43 cmRegularly Apr–Feb · 0.01% in Dec
Egyptian VultureNeophron percnopterusSummer visitorRare55–65 cmRegularly Aug–May · 0.01% in Dec
African Marsh HarrierCircus ranivorusResidentRare44–52 cmRecorded all year · 0.01% in Dec
Black-necked GrebePodiceps nigricollisPassage migrantRare28–34 cmRegularly Jun–Dec · 0.01% in Dec
Ruddy TurnstoneArenaria interpresResidentRare21–24 cmRecorded all year · 0.01% in Dec
CorncrakeCrex crexPassage migrantRare22–30 cmRegularly Dec–Apr · 0.01% in Dec
GarganeySpatula querquedulaSummer visitorRare37–41 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 0.01% in Dec
Bar-tailed GodwitLimosa lapponicaSummer visitorRare37–41 cmRegularly Apr–Feb · 0.01% in Dec
Northern PintailAnas acutaPassage migrantRare59–76 cmRegularly Dec–Mar · 0.01% in Dec
Spotted RedshankTringa erythropusSummer visitorRare29–31 cmRegularly Sep–Mar · 0.00% in Dec
Little TernSternula albifronsPassage migrantRare21–25 cmRegularly Dec–May · 0.00% 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