Birds to See in Kenya in October
99 bird species on our list for Kenya are recorded regularly in October
Of these, the most often recorded are Fork-tailed Drongo, Egyptian Goose, Pied Crow, Barn Swallow and Helmeted Guineafowl. New this month: Spotted Flycatcher, Buzzard, Rufous-tailed Rock-thrush and Hobby and 13 more.
On the move in October
GBIF · OctArriving
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 99 birds in October
99 birds
Fork-tailed DrongoDicrurus adsimilisResidentCommon23–26 cmRecorded all year · 0.93% in Oct
Egyptian GooseAlopochen aegyptiacaResidentCommon63–73 cmRecorded all year · 0.90% in Oct
Pied CrowCorvus albusResidentCommon46–52 cmRecorded all year · 0.83% in Oct
Barn SwallowHirundo rusticaSummer visitorCommon17–19 cmRecorded all year · 0.82% in Oct
Helmeted GuineafowlNumida meleagrisResidentCommon53–63 cmRecorded all year · 0.62% in Oct
Grey HeronArdea cinereaResidentCommon90–98 cmRecorded all year · 0.59% in Oct
Cattle EgretArdea ibisResidentCommon46–56 cmRecorded all year · 0.50% in Oct
Common SandpiperActitis hypoleucosSummer visitorCommon18–20 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.47% in Oct
Purple GrenadierGranatina ianthinogasterResidentUncommon11–13 cmRecorded all year · 0.42% in Oct
Common OstrichStruthio camelusResidentCommon210–275 cmRecorded all year · 0.42% in Oct
European Bee-eaterMerops apiasterSummer visitorUncommon27–29 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.42% in Oct
Great White EgretArdea albaResidentUncommon80–104 cmRecorded all year · 0.36% in Oct
House SparrowPasser domesticusResidentUncommon14–17 cmRecorded all year · 0.34% in Oct
Blue-naped MousebirdUrocolius macrourusResidentUncommon33–36 cmRecorded all year · 0.33% in Oct
African JacanaActophilornis africanusResidentUncommon23–31 cmRecorded all year · 0.32% in Oct
Wood SandpiperTringa glareolaSummer visitorUncommon19–21 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.29% in Oct
Little EgretEgretta garzettaResidentUncommon55–65 cmRecorded all year · 0.27% in Oct
WheatearOenanthe oenantheSummer visitorUncommon15–16 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.26% in Oct
HoopoeUpupa epopsResidentUncommon25–32 cmRecorded all year · 0.26% in Oct
Little GrebeTachybaptus ruficollisResidentUncommon23–29 cmRecorded all year · 0.26% in Oct
SecretarybirdSagittarius serpentariusResidentUncommon112–150 cmRecorded all year · 0.25% in Oct
White-bellied BustardEupodotis senegalensisResidentUncommon48–61 cmRecorded all year · 0.24% in Oct
GreenshankTringa nebulariaResidentUncommon30–35 cmRecorded all year · 0.21% in Oct
Little StintCalidris minutaSummer visitorUncommon13–15 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.21% in Oct
Green SandpiperTringa ochropusSummer visitorUncommon21–24 cmRegularly Aug–Apr · 0.20% in Oct
Spotted FlycatcherMuscicapa striataSummer visitorUncommon14–16 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.19% in Oct
Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carboResidentUncommon80–100 cmRecorded all year · 0.19% in Oct
Ringed PloverCharadrius hiaticulaSummer visitorUncommon17–19 cmRegularly Aug–May · 0.18% in Oct
Gull-billed TernGelochelidon niloticaResidentUncommon33–42 cmRecorded all year · 0.16% in Oct
Glossy IbisPlegadis falcinellusResidentUncommon48–66 cmRecorded all year · 0.16% in Oct
BuzzardButeo buteoSummer visitorUncommon51–57 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.16% in Oct
Squacco HeronArdeola ralloidesResidentUncommon40–49 cmRecorded all year · 0.16% in Oct
MoorhenGallinula chloropusResidentUncommon30–38 cmRecorded all year · 0.15% in Oct
Yellow WagtailMotacilla flavaSummer visitorUncommon15–17 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.15% in Oct
Willow WarblerPhylloscopus trochilusSummer visitorUncommon11–13 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.15% in Oct
RuffCalidris pugnaxSummer visitorUncommon20–32 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.14% in Oct
Lesser Striped SwallowCecropis abyssinicaResidentCommon15–19 cmRecorded all year · 0.14% in Oct
Red-and-yellow BarbetTrachyphonus erythrocephalusResidentUncommon20–23 cmRecorded all year · 0.13% in Oct
Greater FlamingoPhoenicopterus roseusResidentUncommon120–145 cmRecorded all year · 0.13% in Oct
AvocetRecurvirostra avosettaResidentUncommon42–45 cmRecorded all year · 0.12% in Oct
Crowned EagleStephanoaetus coronatusResidentUncommon80–99 cmRecorded all year · 0.11% in Oct
African Pygmy-falconPolihierax semitorquatusResidentUncommon19–20 cmRecorded all year · 0.10% in Oct
Somali OstrichStruthio molybdophanesResidentUncommon210–275 cmRecorded all year · 0.09% in Oct
Spur-winged GoosePlectropterus gambensisResidentUncommon75–115 cmRecorded all year · 0.09% in Oct
Curlew SandpiperCalidris ferrugineaResidentUncommon18–23 cmRecorded all year · 0.08% in Oct
White-winged TernChlidonias leucopterusResidentUncommon20–27 cmRecorded all year · 0.08% in Oct
Golden OrioleOriolus oriolusSummer visitorUncommon22–24 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.08% in Oct
Black-crowned Night-heronNycticorax nycticoraxResidentUncommon58–65 cmRecorded all year · 0.08% in Oct
OspreyPandion haliaetusResidentUncommon54–58 cmRecorded all year · 0.07% in Oct
Purple HeronArdea purpureaResidentUncommon78–90 cmRecorded all year · 0.07% in Oct
Sand MartinRiparia ripariaSummer visitorUncommon12–14 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.06% in Oct
WhimbrelNumenius phaeopusResidentUncommon40–46 cmRecorded all year · 0.06% in Oct
Lanner FalconFalco biarmicusResidentUncommon43–50 cmRecorded all year · 0.05% in Oct
Grey PloverPluvialis squatarolaResidentUncommon27–30 cmRecorded all year · 0.05% in Oct
Rock DoveColumba liviaResidentUncommon31–34 cmRecorded all year · 0.05% in Oct
WhinchatSaxicola rubetraSummer visitorUncommon12–14 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.05% in Oct
House MartinDelichon urbicumSummer visitorUncommon13–15 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.05% in Oct
Common SwiftApus apusSummer visitorUncommon16–17 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.04% in Oct
Common SnipeGallinago gallinagoSummer visitorUncommon25–27 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.04% in Oct
Little WeaverPloceus luteolusResidentUncommon11–12 cmRecorded all year · 0.04% in Oct
Montagu's HarrierCircus pygargusSummer visitorUncommon43–47 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.03% in Oct
SanderlingCalidris albaSummer visitorRare18–20 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.03% in Oct
CuckooCuculus canorusSummer visitorUncommon32–34 cmRegularly Oct–May · 0.03% in Oct
Fulvous Whistling-DuckDendrocygna bicolorResidentUncommon45–53 cmRecorded all year · 0.03% in Oct
Black-tailed GodwitLimosa limosaSummer visitorUncommon40–44 cmRegularly Jul–Apr · 0.03% in Oct
CurlewNumenius arquataSummer visitorRare50–60 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.02% in Oct
Grey WagtailMotacilla cinereaSummer visitorRare17–20 cmRegularly Sep–Mar · 0.02% in Oct
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscusResidentRare52–64 cmRecorded all year · 0.02% in Oct
Tree PipitAnthus trivialisSummer visitorUncommon14–16 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.02% in Oct
KestrelFalco tinnunculusSummer visitorUncommon32–39 cmRegularly Oct–Aug · 0.02% in Oct
Bar-tailed GodwitLimosa lapponicaSummer visitorRare37–41 cmRegularly Apr–Feb · 0.02% in Oct
Booted EagleHieraaetus pennatusSummer visitorUncommon42–51 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.02% in Oct
Little BitternIxobrychus minutusResidentRare33–38 cmRecorded all year · 0.02% in Oct
Alpine SwiftTachymarptis melbaResidentRare20–23 cmRecorded all year · 0.02% in Oct
BlackcapSylvia atricapillaSummer visitorUncommon13–15 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.02% in Oct
Garden WarblerSylvia borinSummer visitorUncommon14–15 cmRegularly Oct–May · 0.02% in Oct
Ruddy TurnstoneArenaria interpresResidentRare21–24 cmRecorded all year · 0.02% in Oct
European Honey-buzzardPernis apivorusSummer visitorRare52–60 cmRegularly Oct–May · 0.02% in Oct
Western Marsh-harrierCircus aeruginosusSummer visitorUncommon48–56 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.02% in Oct
Common TernSterna hirundoResidentRare31–35 cmRecorded all year · 0.02% in Oct
HobbyFalco subbuteoSummer visitorUncommon28–35 cmRegularly Oct–May · 0.01% in Oct
Magpie ShrikeUrolestes melanoleucusResidentRare35–50 cmRecorded all year · 0.01% in Oct
Peregrine FalconFalco peregrinusResidentRare34–58 cmRecorded all year · 0.01% in Oct
Rufous-tailed Rock-thrushMonticola saxatilisSummer visitorUncommon16–19 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.01% in Oct
Northern ShovelerSpatula clypeataSummer visitorRare44–51 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.01% in Oct
Egyptian VultureNeophron percnopterusSummer visitorRare55–65 cmRegularly Aug–May · 0.01% in Oct
Common Reed-warblerAcrocephalus scirpaceusSummer visitorRare13–14 cmRegularly Sep–Jul · 0.01% in Oct
Little Ringed PloverThinornis dubiusSummer visitorRare14–17 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.01% in Oct
Barn OwlTyto albaResidentRare33–39 cmRecorded all year · 0.01% in Oct
African Marsh HarrierCircus ranivorusResidentRare44–52 cmRecorded all year · 0.01% in Oct
Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundusSummer visitorRare38–44 cmRegularly Aug–May · 0.01% in Oct
Senegal Thick-kneeBurhinus senegalensisResidentRare38–43 cmRegularly Apr–Feb · 0.01% in Oct
Common QuailCoturnix coturnixResidentRare16–18 cmRegularly Apr–Jan · 0.01% in Oct
Grey ParrotPsittacus erithacusPassage migrantRare33–40 cmRegularly May–Oct · 0.01% in Oct
Temminck's StintCalidris temminckiiSummer visitorRare13–15 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.01% in Oct
NightingaleLuscinia megarhynchosSummer visitorUncommon15–17 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.00% in Oct
Black-necked GrebePodiceps nigricollisPassage migrantRare28–34 cmRegularly Jun–Dec · 0.00% in Oct
Eleonora's FalconFalco eleonoraePassage migrantRare36–42 cmRegularly Oct–Nov · 0.00% in Oct
Roseate TernSterna dougalliiWinter visitorRare33–41 cmRegularly Mar–Oct · 0.00% in Oct
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