Common Birds in Malawi
Our list for Malawi has 23 common birds recorded regularly there: 13 residents, 8 summer visitors and 2 winter visitors
Most likely in October
GBIF · OctShare of all bird records in Malawi in October, 2019–2024. Each month links to that month’s page.
All 23, most common first
Pied CrowCorvus albusResidentCommon46–52 cmRecorded all year
Fork-tailed DrongoDicrurus adsimilisResidentCommon23–26 cmRecorded all year
HoopoeUpupa epopsResidentCommon25–32 cmRecorded all year
European Bee-eaterMerops apiasterSummer visitorCommon27–29 cmRegularly Sep–Apr
House SparrowPasser domesticusResidentCommon14–17 cmRecorded all year
Egyptian GooseAlopochen aegyptiacaResidentCommon63–73 cmRecorded all year
Cattle EgretArdea ibisResidentCommon46–56 cmRecorded all year
Great White EgretArdea albaResidentCommon80–104 cmRecorded all year
Grey HeronArdea cinereaResidentCommon90–98 cmRecorded all year
Spotted FlycatcherMuscicapa striataSummer visitorCommon14–16 cmRegularly Nov–Apr
African JacanaActophilornis africanusResidentCommon23–31 cmRecorded all year
Southern Masked WeaverPloceus velatusSummer visitorCommon13–15 cmRegularly Jul–May
Helmeted GuineafowlNumida meleagrisResidentCommon53–63 cmRecorded all year
Barn SwallowHirundo rusticaSummer visitorCommon17–19 cmRegularly Sep–Apr
Spur-winged GoosePlectropterus gambensisResidentCommon75–115 cmRegularly Apr–Feb
Common SandpiperActitis hypoleucosSummer visitorCommon18–20 cmRegularly Jul–Apr
Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carboWinter visitorCommon80–100 cmRegularly Mar–Jan
Willow WarblerPhylloscopus trochilusSummer visitorCommon11–13 cmRegularly Oct–Mar
Little EgretEgretta garzettaResidentCommon55–65 cmRecorded all year
Glossy IbisPlegadis falcinellusWinter visitorCommon48–66 cmRegularly May–Jan
Squacco HeronArdeola ralloidesResidentCommon40–49 cmRegularly Apr–Feb
Red-backed ShrikeLanius collurioSummer visitorCommon16–18 cmRegularly Nov–Apr
Common SwiftApus apusSummer visitorCommon16–17 cmRegularly Oct–Feb
Smallest to largest
Length, cm- Willow Warbler 11–13 cm
- Southern Masked Weaver 13–15 cm
- Spotted Flycatcher 14–16 cm
- House Sparrow 14–17 cm
- Common Swift 16–17 cm
- Red-backed Shrike 16–18 cm
- Barn Swallow 17–19 cm
- Common Sandpiper 18–20 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
- Glossy Ibis 48–66 cm
- Helmeted Guineafowl 53–63 cm
- Little Egret 55–65 cm
- Egyptian Goose 63–73 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