Rare Birds in Kenya
Our list for Kenya has 44 rare birds recorded regularly there: 11 residents, 14 summer visitors, 1 winter visitor, 13 passage migrants and 5 scarce visitors
Most likely in October
GBIF · OctShare of all bird records in Kenya in October, 2019–2024. Each month links to that month’s page.
All 44, most common first
Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundusSummer visitorRare38–44 cmRegularly Aug–May
NightjarCaprimulgus europaeusSummer visitorRare24–28 cmRegularly Nov–Apr
SanderlingCalidris albaSummer visitorRare18–20 cmRegularly Jul–May
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscusResidentRare52–64 cmRecorded all year
CurlewNumenius arquataSummer visitorRare50–60 cmRegularly Jul–May
Magpie ShrikeUrolestes melanoleucusResidentRare35–50 cmRecorded all year
Little BitternIxobrychus minutusResidentRare33–38 cmRecorded all year
Common Reed-warblerAcrocephalus scirpaceusSummer visitorRare13–14 cmRegularly Sep–Jul
Alpine SwiftTachymarptis melbaResidentRare20–23 cmRecorded all year
Peregrine FalconFalco peregrinusResidentRare34–58 cmRecorded all year
Northern ShovelerSpatula clypeataSummer visitorRare44–51 cmRegularly Oct–Mar
Temminck's StintCalidris temminckiiSummer visitorRare13–15 cmRegularly Oct–Apr
Grey WagtailMotacilla cinereaSummer visitorRare17–20 cmRegularly Sep–Mar
Common TernSterna hirundoResidentRare31–35 cmRecorded all year
Barn OwlTyto albaResidentRare33–39 cmRecorded all year
Bar-tailed GodwitLimosa lapponicaSummer visitorRare37–41 cmRegularly Apr–Feb
Little TernSternula albifronsPassage migrantRare21–25 cmRegularly Dec–May
Ruddy TurnstoneArenaria interpresResidentRare21–24 cmRecorded all year
GarganeySpatula querquedulaSummer visitorRare37–41 cmRegularly Nov–Apr
Common QuailCoturnix coturnixResidentRare16–18 cmRegularly Apr–Jan
African Marsh HarrierCircus ranivorusResidentRare44–52 cmRecorded all year
European Honey-buzzardPernis apivorusSummer visitorRare52–60 cmRegularly Oct–May
Little Ringed PloverThinornis dubiusSummer visitorRare14–17 cmRegularly Oct–Apr
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