Birds to See in South Africa in March
105 bird species on our list for South Africa are recorded regularly in March
Of these, the most often recorded are Egyptian Goose, Barn Swallow, Cape Sparrow, Fork-tailed Drongo and Pied Crow.
On the move in March
GBIF · MarAt their peak
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 105 birds in March
105 birds
Egyptian GooseAlopochen aegyptiacaResidentCommon63–73 cmRecorded all year · 1.30% in Mar
Barn SwallowHirundo rusticaSummer visitorCommon17–19 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 1.22% in Mar
Cape SparrowPasser melanurusResidentCommon14–16 cmRecorded all year · 0.99% in Mar
Fork-tailed DrongoDicrurus adsimilisResidentCommon23–26 cmRecorded all year · 0.97% in Mar
Pied CrowCorvus albusResidentCommon46–52 cmRecorded all year · 0.79% in Mar
Southern Masked WeaverPloceus velatusResidentCommon13–15 cmRecorded all year · 0.74% in Mar
Helmeted GuineafowlNumida meleagrisResidentCommon53–63 cmRecorded all year · 0.72% in Mar
Cape StarlingLamprotornis nitensResidentCommon25–28 cmRecorded all year · 0.66% in Mar
Cattle EgretArdea ibisResidentCommon46–56 cmRecorded all year · 0.60% in Mar
Grey HeronArdea cinereaResidentCommon90–98 cmRecorded all year · 0.55% in Mar
European Bee-eaterMerops apiasterSummer visitorUncommon27–29 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.50% in Mar
House SparrowPasser domesticusResidentCommon14–17 cmRecorded all year · 0.49% in Mar
Red-backed ShrikeLanius collurioSummer visitorUncommon16–18 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 0.48% in Mar
Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carboResidentCommon80–100 cmRecorded all year · 0.47% in Mar
Common StarlingSturnus vulgarisResidentCommon21–23 cmRecorded all year · 0.45% in Mar
MoorhenGallinula chloropusResidentCommon30–38 cmRecorded all year · 0.44% in Mar
Rock DoveColumba liviaResidentCommon31–34 cmRecorded all year · 0.40% in Mar
Little EgretEgretta garzettaResidentUncommon55–65 cmRecorded all year · 0.35% in Mar
Lesser Striped SwallowCecropis abyssinicaSummer visitorCommon15–19 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.33% in Mar
Spur-winged GoosePlectropterus gambensisResidentUncommon75–115 cmRecorded all year · 0.33% in Mar
Little GrebeTachybaptus ruficollisResidentUncommon23–29 cmRecorded all year · 0.31% in Mar
HoopoeUpupa epopsResidentCommon25–32 cmRecorded all year · 0.29% in Mar
Common OstrichStruthio camelusResidentUncommon210–275 cmRecorded all year · 0.28% in Mar
Magpie ShrikeUrolestes melanoleucusResidentUncommon35–50 cmRecorded all year · 0.26% in Mar
Spotted FlycatcherMuscicapa striataSummer visitorUncommon14–16 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.26% in Mar
Glossy IbisPlegadis falcinellusResidentUncommon48–66 cmRecorded all year · 0.19% in Mar
Wood SandpiperTringa glareolaSummer visitorUncommon19–21 cmRegularly Aug–Apr · 0.19% in Mar
African JacanaActophilornis africanusResidentUncommon23–31 cmRecorded all year · 0.18% in Mar
Willow WarblerPhylloscopus trochilusSummer visitorUncommon11–13 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.18% in Mar
BuzzardButeo buteoSummer visitorCommon51–57 cmRegularly Aug–Apr · 0.16% in Mar
Greater FlamingoPhoenicopterus roseusResidentUncommon120–145 cmRecorded all year · 0.16% in Mar
Little StintCalidris minutaSummer visitorUncommon13–15 cmRegularly Aug–Apr · 0.15% in Mar
Ringed PloverCharadrius hiaticulaSummer visitorUncommon17–19 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.15% in Mar
Rose-ringed ParakeetPsittacula krameriResidentUncommon38–42 cmRecorded all year · 0.15% in Mar
Sandwich TernThalasseus sandvicensisSummer visitorUncommon36–41 cmRecorded all year · 0.14% in Mar
GreenshankTringa nebulariaSummer visitorUncommon30–35 cmRecorded all year · 0.14% in Mar
Purple HeronArdea purpureaResidentUncommon78–90 cmRecorded all year · 0.14% in Mar
Common TernSterna hirundoResidentUncommon31–35 cmRecorded all year · 0.12% in Mar
Common SandpiperActitis hypoleucosSummer visitorUncommon18–20 cmRegularly Jul–Apr · 0.11% in Mar
WhimbrelNumenius phaeopusResidentUncommon40–46 cmRecorded all year · 0.11% in Mar
Alpine SwiftTachymarptis melbaResidentUncommon20–23 cmRecorded all year · 0.11% in Mar
Great White EgretArdea albaResidentUncommon80–104 cmRecorded all year · 0.11% in Mar
AvocetRecurvirostra avosettaResidentUncommon42–45 cmRecorded all year · 0.11% in Mar
RuffCalidris pugnaxSummer visitorUncommon20–32 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.09% in Mar
SecretarybirdSagittarius serpentariusResidentUncommon112–150 cmRecorded all year · 0.09% in Mar
Lanner FalconFalco biarmicusResidentUncommon43–50 cmRecorded all year · 0.08% in Mar
Common Reed-warblerAcrocephalus scirpaceusSummer visitorUncommon13–14 cmRecorded all year · 0.08% in Mar
Black-crowned Night-heronNycticorax nycticoraxResidentUncommon58–65 cmRecorded all year · 0.08% in Mar
Squacco HeronArdeola ralloidesResidentUncommon40–49 cmRecorded all year · 0.08% in Mar
Curlew SandpiperCalidris ferrugineaSummer visitorUncommon18–23 cmRecorded all year · 0.07% in Mar
Grey PloverPluvialis squatarolaSummer visitorUncommon27–30 cmRecorded all year · 0.07% in Mar
African Marsh HarrierCircus ranivorusResidentUncommon44–52 cmRecorded all year · 0.07% in Mar
African PenguinSpheniscus demersusResidentUncommon60–70 cmRecorded all year · 0.07% in Mar
Peregrine FalconFalco peregrinusResidentUncommon34–58 cmRecorded all year · 0.06% in Mar
House MartinDelichon urbicumSummer visitorUncommon13–15 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.06% in Mar
Marsh WarblerAcrocephalus palustrisSummer visitorUncommon13–14 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.06% in Mar
Great Crested GrebePodiceps cristatusResidentUncommon46–51 cmRecorded all year · 0.06% in Mar
SanderlingCalidris albaSummer visitorUncommon18–20 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.06% in Mar
Ruddy TurnstoneArenaria interpresSummer visitorRare21–24 cmRecorded all year · 0.05% in Mar
Barn OwlTyto albaResidentRare33–39 cmRecorded all year · 0.05% in Mar
Booted EagleHieraaetus pennatusResidentUncommon42–51 cmRecorded all year · 0.04% in Mar
Fulvous Whistling-DuckDendrocygna bicolorResidentUncommon45–53 cmRecorded all year · 0.04% in Mar
White-chinned PetrelProcellaria aequinoctialisResidentUncommon50–58 cmRecorded all year · 0.04% in Mar
White-winged TernChlidonias leucopterusSummer visitorRare20–27 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.04% in Mar
Common SwiftApus apusSummer visitorUncommon16–17 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.04% in Mar
Crowned EagleStephanoaetus coronatusResidentRare80–99 cmRecorded all year · 0.04% in Mar
OspreyPandion haliaetusResidentUncommon54–58 cmRecorded all year · 0.03% in Mar
Black-necked GrebePodiceps nigricollisResidentUncommon28–34 cmRecorded all year · 0.03% in Mar
Common QuailCoturnix coturnixResidentUncommon16–18 cmRecorded all year · 0.03% in Mar
Pale-winged StarlingOnychognathus nabouroupResidentRare25–28 cmRecorded all year · 0.03% in Mar
Sooty ShearwaterArdenna griseaWinter visitorUncommon40–51 cmRecorded all year · 0.03% in Mar
Little BitternIxobrychus minutusResidentRare33–38 cmRecorded all year · 0.03% in Mar
Sand MartinRiparia ripariaSummer visitorRare12–14 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.03% in Mar
Little TernSternula albifronsSummer visitorRare21–25 cmRegularly Aug–May · 0.03% in Mar
Sedge WarblerAcrocephalus schoenobaenusPassage migrantRare12–13 cmRegularly Dec–Apr · 0.03% in Mar
WhitethroatCurruca communisPassage migrantRare13–15 cmRegularly Dec–Apr · 0.02% in Mar
Bar-tailed GodwitLimosa lapponicaSummer visitorRare37–41 cmRecorded all year · 0.02% in Mar
HobbyFalco subbuteoSummer visitorRare28–35 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 0.02% in Mar
Garden WarblerSylvia borinSummer visitorRare14–15 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.02% in Mar
CurlewNumenius arquataResidentRare50–60 cmRecorded all year · 0.02% in Mar
European Honey-buzzardPernis apivorusSummer visitorRare52–60 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 0.02% in Mar
Arctic JaegerStercorarius parasiticusSummer visitorRare41–46 cmRegularly Sep–Jun · 0.02% in Mar
NightjarCaprimulgus europaeusSummer visitorRare24–28 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 0.02% in Mar
African Pygmy-falconPolihierax semitorquatusResidentRare19–20 cmRecorded all year · 0.02% in Mar
Great ShearwaterArdenna gravisResidentRare43–51 cmRecorded all year · 0.02% in Mar
Red KnotCalidris canutusSummer visitorRare23–26 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.02% in Mar
ChaffinchFringilla coelebsResidentRare14–16 cmRecorded all year · 0.01% in Mar
Golden OrioleOriolus oriolusSummer visitorRare22–24 cmRegularly Nov–Mar · 0.01% in Mar
MallardAnas platyrhynchosResidentRare50–65 cmRecorded all year · 0.01% in Mar
Pomarine JaegerStercorarius pomarinusPassage migrantRare46–51 cmRegularly Oct–Apr · 0.01% in Mar
Sabine's GullXema sabiniSummer visitorRare27–33 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.01% in Mar
White-bellied BustardEupodotis senegalensisResidentRare48–61 cmRecorded all year · 0.01% in Mar
Red-necked PhalaropePhalaropus lobatusSummer visitorRare18–19 cmRegularly Aug–Apr · 0.01% in Mar
Yellow WagtailMotacilla flavaSummer visitorRare15–17 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.01% in Mar
CuckooCuculus canorusSummer visitorRare32–34 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 0.01% in Mar
European Storm-petrelHydrobates pelagicusSummer visitorRare14–18 cmRegularly Oct–May · 0.01% in Mar
Indian PeafowlPavo cristatusResidentRare86–230 cmRecorded all year · 0.00% in Mar
Manx ShearwaterPuffinus puffinusPassage migrantRare30–38 cmRegularly Oct–Jul · 0.00% in Mar
Damara TernSternula balaenarumSummer visitorRare22–24 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.00% in Mar
Pectoral SandpiperCalidris melanotosSummer visitorRare19–23 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.00% in Mar
Arctic TernSterna paradisaeaSummer visitorRare33–39 cmRegularly Aug–Mar · 0.00% in Mar
Montagu's HarrierCircus pygargusSummer visitorRare43–47 cmRegularly Oct–Mar · 0.00% in Mar
CorncrakeCrex crexPassage migrantRare22–30 cmRegularly Dec–Mar · 0.00% in Mar
Long-tailed JaegerStercorarius longicaudusPassage migrantRare48–58 cmRegularly Nov–Apr · 0.00% in Mar
ChukarAlectoris chukarPassage migrantRare32–38 cmRegularly Jul–Mar · 0.00% in Mar
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