Birds to See in Malawi in April
24 bird species on our list for Malawi are recorded regularly in April
Of these, the most often recorded are Fork-tailed Drongo, Pied Crow, Egyptian Goose, Cattle Egret and Helmeted Guineafowl. New this month: Spur-winged Goose, Squacco Heron, Osprey and Crowned Eagle and 2 more.
On the move in April
GBIF · AprArriving
From Malawi’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 April
24 birds
Fork-tailed DrongoDicrurus adsimilisResidentCommon23–26 cmRecorded all year · 1.38% in Apr
Pied CrowCorvus albusResidentCommon46–52 cmRecorded all year · 1.31% in Apr
Egyptian GooseAlopochen aegyptiacaResidentCommon63–73 cmRecorded all year · 0.99% in Apr
Cattle EgretArdea ibisResidentCommon46–56 cmRecorded all year · 0.83% in Apr
Helmeted GuineafowlNumida meleagrisResidentCommon53–63 cmRecorded all year · 0.83% in Apr
House SparrowPasser domesticusResidentCommon14–17 cmRecorded all year · 0.63% in Apr
Spur-winged GoosePlectropterus gambensisResidentCommon75–115 cmRegularly Apr–Feb · 0.54% in Apr
Great White EgretArdea albaResidentCommon80–104 cmRecorded all year · 0.50% in Apr
Grey HeronArdea cinereaResidentCommon90–98 cmRecorded all year · 0.50% in Apr
African JacanaActophilornis africanusResidentCommon23–31 cmRecorded all year · 0.49% in Apr
Little EgretEgretta garzettaResidentCommon55–65 cmRecorded all year · 0.49% in Apr
Red-backed ShrikeLanius collurioSummer visitorCommon16–18 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 0.36% in Apr
Southern Masked WeaverPloceus velatusSummer visitorCommon13–15 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.36% in Apr
HoopoeUpupa epopsResidentCommon25–32 cmRecorded all year · 0.34% in Apr
Barn SwallowHirundo rusticaSummer visitorCommon17–19 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.31% in Apr
Squacco HeronArdeola ralloidesResidentCommon40–49 cmRegularly Apr–Feb · 0.27% in Apr
Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carboWinter visitorCommon80–100 cmRegularly Mar–Jan · 0.25% in Apr
European Bee-eaterMerops apiasterSummer visitorCommon27–29 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.22% in Apr
OspreyPandion haliaetusPassage migrantUncommon54–58 cmRegularly Jul–Apr · 0.22% in Apr
Common SandpiperActitis hypoleucosSummer visitorCommon18–20 cmRegularly Jul–Apr · 0.18% in Apr
Golden OrioleOriolus oriolusPassage migrantUncommon22–24 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 0.14% in Apr
White-winged TernChlidonias leucopterusPassage migrantUncommon20–27 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.13% in Apr
Crowned EagleStephanoaetus coronatusPassage migrantUncommon80–99 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.11% in Apr
Spotted FlycatcherMuscicapa striataSummer visitorCommon14–16 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 0.11% in Apr
Smallest to largest
Length, cm- Southern Masked Weaver 13–15 cm
- Spotted Flycatcher 14–16 cm
- House Sparrow 14–17 cm
- Red-backed Shrike 16–18 cm
- Barn Swallow 17–19 cm
- Common Sandpiper 18–20 cm
- Golden Oriole 22–24 cm
- White-winged Tern 20–27 cm
- Fork-tailed Drongo 23–26 cm
- African Jacana 23–31 cm
- European Bee-eater 27–29 cm
- Hoopoe 25–32 cm
- Squacco Heron 40–49 cm
- Pied Crow 46–52 cm
- Cattle Egret 46–56 cm
- Osprey 54–58 cm
- Helmeted Guineafowl 53–63 cm
- Little Egret 55–65 cm
- Egyptian Goose 63–73 cm
- Crowned Eagle 80–99 cm
- Great Cormorant 80–100 cm
- Great White Egret 80–104 cm
- Grey Heron 90–98 cm
- Spur-winged Goose 75–115 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