Birds to See in South Africa in February
107 bird species on our list for South Africa are recorded regularly in February
Of these, the most often recorded are Barn Swallow, Egyptian Goose, Southern Masked Weaver, Cape Sparrow and Fork-tailed Drongo. New this month: Grey Phalarope and Chukar.
On the move in February
GBIF · FebAt their peak
Leaving soon
From South Africa’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 107 birds in February
107 birds
Barn SwallowHirundo rusticaSummer visitorCommon17–19 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 1.33% in Feb
Egyptian GooseAlopochen aegyptiacaResidentCommon63–73 cmRecorded all year · 1.18% in Feb
Southern Masked WeaverPloceus velatusResidentCommon13–15 cmRecorded all year · 0.89% in Feb
Cape SparrowPasser melanurusResidentCommon14–16 cmRecorded all year · 0.86% in Feb
Fork-tailed DrongoDicrurus adsimilisResidentCommon23–26 cmRecorded all year · 0.85% in Feb
Helmeted GuineafowlNumida meleagrisResidentCommon53–63 cmRecorded all year · 0.70% in Feb
Cape StarlingLamprotornis nitensResidentCommon25–28 cmRecorded all year · 0.67% in Feb
Cattle EgretArdea ibisResidentCommon46–56 cmRecorded all year · 0.59% in Feb
Grey HeronArdea cinereaResidentCommon90–98 cmRecorded all year · 0.54% in Feb
Pied CrowCorvus albusResidentCommon46–52 cmRecorded all year · 0.54% in Feb
European Bee-eaterMerops apiasterSummer visitorUncommon27–29 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.49% in Feb
BuzzardButeo buteoSummer visitorCommon51–57 cmRegularly Aug–Apr · 0.48% in Feb
Red-backed ShrikeLanius collurioSummer visitorUncommon16–18 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 0.46% in Feb
Lesser Striped SwallowCecropis abyssinicaSummer visitorCommon15–19 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.46% in Feb
House SparrowPasser domesticusResidentCommon14–17 cmRecorded all year · 0.42% in Feb
Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carboResidentCommon80–100 cmRecorded all year · 0.38% in Feb
MoorhenGallinula chloropusResidentCommon30–38 cmRecorded all year · 0.37% in Feb
Spur-winged GoosePlectropterus gambensisResidentUncommon75–115 cmRecorded all year · 0.36% in Feb
Rock DoveColumba liviaResidentCommon31–34 cmRecorded all year · 0.36% in Feb
Common StarlingSturnus vulgarisResidentCommon21–23 cmRecorded all year · 0.34% in Feb
Spotted FlycatcherMuscicapa striataSummer visitorUncommon14–16 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.30% in Feb
Little EgretEgretta garzettaResidentUncommon55–65 cmRecorded all year · 0.29% in Feb
Little GrebeTachybaptus ruficollisResidentUncommon23–29 cmRecorded all year · 0.29% in Feb
HoopoeUpupa epopsResidentCommon25–32 cmRecorded all year · 0.29% in Feb
Magpie ShrikeUrolestes melanoleucusResidentUncommon35–50 cmRecorded all year · 0.27% in Feb
Common OstrichStruthio camelusResidentUncommon210–275 cmRecorded all year · 0.25% in Feb
Willow WarblerPhylloscopus trochilusSummer visitorUncommon11–13 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.22% in Feb
African JacanaActophilornis africanusResidentUncommon23–31 cmRecorded all year · 0.20% in Feb
Glossy IbisPlegadis falcinellusResidentUncommon48–66 cmRecorded all year · 0.20% in Feb
Wood SandpiperTringa glareolaSummer visitorUncommon19–21 cmRegularly Aug–Apr · 0.20% in Feb
GreenshankTringa nebulariaSummer visitorUncommon30–35 cmRecorded all year · 0.18% in Feb
Sandwich TernThalasseus sandvicensisSummer visitorUncommon36–41 cmRecorded all year · 0.17% in Feb
Greater FlamingoPhoenicopterus roseusResidentUncommon120–145 cmRecorded all year · 0.16% in Feb
Little StintCalidris minutaSummer visitorUncommon13–15 cmRegularly Aug–Apr · 0.15% in Feb
Common SandpiperActitis hypoleucosSummer visitorUncommon18–20 cmRegularly Jul–Apr · 0.15% in Feb
Ringed PloverCharadrius hiaticulaSummer visitorUncommon17–19 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.15% in Feb
Common TernSterna hirundoResidentUncommon31–35 cmRecorded all year · 0.14% in Feb
Purple HeronArdea purpureaResidentUncommon78–90 cmRecorded all year · 0.13% in Feb
Great White EgretArdea albaResidentUncommon80–104 cmRecorded all year · 0.12% in Feb
Common Reed-warblerAcrocephalus scirpaceusSummer visitorUncommon13–14 cmRecorded all year · 0.11% in Feb
WhimbrelNumenius phaeopusResidentUncommon40–46 cmRecorded all year · 0.11% in Feb
Alpine SwiftTachymarptis melbaResidentUncommon20–23 cmRecorded all year · 0.11% in Feb
AvocetRecurvirostra avosettaResidentUncommon42–45 cmRecorded all year · 0.10% in Feb
Rose-ringed ParakeetPsittacula krameriResidentUncommon38–42 cmRecorded all year · 0.10% in Feb
RuffCalidris pugnaxSummer visitorUncommon20–32 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.10% in Feb
Lanner FalconFalco biarmicusResidentUncommon43–50 cmRecorded all year · 0.09% in Feb
SecretarybirdSagittarius serpentariusResidentUncommon112–150 cmRecorded all year · 0.09% in Feb
Squacco HeronArdeola ralloidesResidentUncommon40–49 cmRecorded all year · 0.08% in Feb
Peregrine FalconFalco peregrinusResidentUncommon34–58 cmRecorded all year · 0.08% in Feb
House MartinDelichon urbicumSummer visitorUncommon13–15 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.08% in Feb
Curlew SandpiperCalidris ferrugineaSummer visitorUncommon18–23 cmRecorded all year · 0.07% in Feb
Black-crowned Night-heronNycticorax nycticoraxResidentUncommon58–65 cmRecorded all year · 0.07% in Feb
African Marsh HarrierCircus ranivorusResidentUncommon44–52 cmRecorded all year · 0.07% in Feb
Booted EagleHieraaetus pennatusResidentUncommon42–51 cmRecorded all year · 0.07% in Feb
Grey PloverPluvialis squatarolaSummer visitorUncommon27–30 cmRecorded all year · 0.07% in Feb
African PenguinSpheniscus demersusResidentUncommon60–70 cmRecorded all year · 0.06% in Feb
Common QuailCoturnix coturnixResidentUncommon16–18 cmRecorded all year · 0.05% in Feb
Great Crested GrebePodiceps cristatusResidentUncommon46–51 cmRecorded all year · 0.05% in Feb
Fulvous Whistling-DuckDendrocygna bicolorResidentUncommon45–53 cmRecorded all year · 0.05% in Feb
Common SwiftApus apusSummer visitorUncommon16–17 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.05% in Feb
OspreyPandion haliaetusResidentUncommon54–58 cmRecorded all year · 0.05% in Feb
SanderlingCalidris albaSummer visitorUncommon18–20 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.05% in Feb
HobbyFalco subbuteoSummer visitorRare28–35 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 0.05% in Feb
Barn OwlTyto albaResidentRare33–39 cmRecorded all year · 0.05% in Feb
Marsh WarblerAcrocephalus palustrisSummer visitorUncommon13–14 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.05% in Feb
Golden OrioleOriolus oriolusSummer visitorRare22–24 cmRegularly Nov–Mar · 0.04% in Feb
Black-necked GrebePodiceps nigricollisResidentUncommon28–34 cmRecorded all year · 0.04% in Feb
Crowned EagleStephanoaetus coronatusResidentRare80–99 cmRecorded all year · 0.04% in Feb
Little TernSternula albifronsSummer visitorRare21–25 cmRegularly Aug–May · 0.03% in Feb
European Honey-buzzardPernis apivorusSummer visitorRare52–60 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 0.03% in Feb
Sand MartinRiparia ripariaSummer visitorRare12–14 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.03% in Feb
NightjarCaprimulgus europaeusSummer visitorRare24–28 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 0.03% in Feb
Ruddy TurnstoneArenaria interpresSummer visitorRare21–24 cmRecorded all year · 0.03% in Feb
Little BitternIxobrychus minutusResidentRare33–38 cmRecorded all year · 0.03% in Feb
White-winged TernChlidonias leucopterusSummer visitorRare20–27 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.03% in Feb
Garden WarblerSylvia borinSummer visitorRare14–15 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.03% in Feb
Arctic JaegerStercorarius parasiticusSummer visitorRare41–46 cmRegularly Sep–Jun · 0.02% in Feb
Pale-winged StarlingOnychognathus nabouroupResidentRare25–28 cmRecorded all year · 0.02% in Feb
White-chinned PetrelProcellaria aequinoctialisResidentUncommon50–58 cmRecorded all year · 0.02% in Feb
Sedge WarblerAcrocephalus schoenobaenusPassage migrantRare12–13 cmRegularly Dec–Apr · 0.02% in Feb
Sooty ShearwaterArdenna griseaWinter visitorUncommon40–51 cmRecorded all year · 0.02% in Feb
MallardAnas platyrhynchosResidentRare50–65 cmRecorded all year · 0.02% in Feb
WhitethroatCurruca communisPassage migrantRare13–15 cmRegularly Dec–Apr · 0.01% in Feb
Bar-tailed GodwitLimosa lapponicaSummer visitorRare37–41 cmRecorded all year · 0.01% in Feb
Sabine's GullXema sabiniSummer visitorRare27–33 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.01% in Feb
Yellow WagtailMotacilla flavaSummer visitorRare15–17 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.01% in Feb
Montagu's HarrierCircus pygargusSummer visitorRare43–47 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.01% in Feb
CurlewNumenius arquataResidentRare50–60 cmRecorded all year · 0.01% in Feb
White-bellied BustardEupodotis senegalensisResidentRare48–61 cmRecorded all year · 0.01% in Feb
Grey PhalaropePhalaropus fulicariusPassage migrantRare20–22 cmRegularly Feb · 0.01% in Feb
CuckooCuculus canorusSummer visitorRare32–34 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 0.01% in Feb
Red KnotCalidris canutusSummer visitorRare23–26 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.01% in Feb
Great ShearwaterArdenna gravisResidentRare43–51 cmRecorded all year · 0.01% in Feb
Red-necked PhalaropePhalaropus lobatusSummer visitorRare18–19 cmRegularly Aug–Apr · 0.01% in Feb
Pectoral SandpiperCalidris melanotosSummer visitorRare19–23 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.01% in Feb
Indian PeafowlPavo cristatusResidentRare86–230 cmRecorded all year · 0.01% in Feb
European Storm-petrelHydrobates pelagicusSummer visitorRare14–18 cmRegularly Oct–May · 0.01% in Feb
African Pygmy-falconPolihierax semitorquatusResidentRare19–20 cmRecorded all year · 0.01% in Feb
Manx ShearwaterPuffinus puffinusPassage migrantRare30–38 cmRegularly Oct–Jul · 0.01% in Feb
ChaffinchFringilla coelebsResidentRare14–16 cmRecorded all year · 0.01% in Feb
Long-tailed JaegerStercorarius longicaudusPassage migrantRare48–58 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 0.00% in Feb
Pomarine JaegerStercorarius pomarinusPassage migrantRare46–51 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.00% in Feb
Damara TernSternula balaenarumSummer visitorRare22–24 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.00% in Feb
CorncrakeCrex crexPassage migrantRare22–30 cmRegularly Dec–Mar · 0.00% in Feb
Roseate TernSterna dougalliiWinter visitorRare33–41 cmRegularly Jan–Sep · 0.00% in Feb
Arctic TernSterna paradisaeaSummer visitorRare33–39 cmRegularly Aug–Mar · 0.00% in Feb
ChukarAlectoris chukarPassage migrantRare32–38 cmRegularly Jul–Mar · 0.00% in Feb
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