Birds to See in South Africa in September
85 bird species on our list for South Africa are recorded regularly in September
Of these, the most often recorded are Egyptian Goose, Pied Crow, Helmeted Guineafowl, Cape Sparrow and Fork-tailed Drongo. New this month: European Bee-eater, Ringed Plover, Common Swift and House Martin and 5 more.
On the move in September
GBIF · SepArriving
At 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 85 birds in September
85 birds
Egyptian GooseAlopochen aegyptiacaResidentCommon63–73 cmRecorded all year · 1.73% in Sep
Pied CrowCorvus albusResidentCommon46–52 cmRecorded all year · 1.16% in Sep
Helmeted GuineafowlNumida meleagrisResidentCommon53–63 cmRecorded all year · 1.09% in Sep
Cape SparrowPasser melanurusResidentCommon14–16 cmRecorded all year · 1.07% in Sep
Fork-tailed DrongoDicrurus adsimilisResidentCommon23–26 cmRecorded all year · 0.95% in Sep
Southern Masked WeaverPloceus velatusResidentCommon13–15 cmRecorded all year · 0.92% in Sep
Cape StarlingLamprotornis nitensResidentCommon25–28 cmRecorded all year · 0.66% in Sep
Common StarlingSturnus vulgarisResidentCommon21–23 cmRecorded all year · 0.61% in Sep
House SparrowPasser domesticusResidentCommon14–17 cmRecorded all year · 0.61% in Sep
Grey HeronArdea cinereaResidentCommon90–98 cmRecorded all year · 0.58% in Sep
Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carboResidentCommon80–100 cmRecorded all year · 0.53% in Sep
HoopoeUpupa epopsResidentCommon25–32 cmRecorded all year · 0.50% in Sep
Cattle EgretArdea ibisResidentCommon46–56 cmRecorded all year · 0.50% in Sep
MoorhenGallinula chloropusResidentCommon30–38 cmRecorded all year · 0.41% in Sep
Lesser Striped SwallowCecropis abyssinicaSummer visitorCommon15–19 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.41% in Sep
Spur-winged GoosePlectropterus gambensisResidentUncommon75–115 cmRecorded all year · 0.40% in Sep
Little GrebeTachybaptus ruficollisResidentUncommon23–29 cmRecorded all year · 0.39% in Sep
Rock DoveColumba liviaResidentCommon31–34 cmRecorded all year · 0.39% in Sep
Common OstrichStruthio camelusResidentUncommon210–275 cmRecorded all year · 0.37% in Sep
Little EgretEgretta garzettaResidentUncommon55–65 cmRecorded all year · 0.30% in Sep
Magpie ShrikeUrolestes melanoleucusResidentUncommon35–50 cmRecorded all year · 0.28% in Sep
Greater FlamingoPhoenicopterus roseusResidentUncommon120–145 cmRecorded all year · 0.24% in Sep
African JacanaActophilornis africanusResidentUncommon23–31 cmRecorded all year · 0.22% in Sep
Glossy IbisPlegadis falcinellusResidentUncommon48–66 cmRecorded all year · 0.17% in Sep
GreenshankTringa nebulariaSummer visitorUncommon30–35 cmRecorded all year · 0.16% in Sep
Great White EgretArdea albaResidentUncommon80–104 cmRecorded all year · 0.16% in Sep
AvocetRecurvirostra avosettaResidentUncommon42–45 cmRecorded all year · 0.15% in Sep
Wood SandpiperTringa glareolaSummer visitorUncommon19–21 cmRegularly Aug–Apr · 0.13% in Sep
Purple HeronArdea purpureaResidentUncommon78–90 cmRecorded all year · 0.13% in Sep
Alpine SwiftTachymarptis melbaResidentUncommon20–23 cmRecorded all year · 0.12% in Sep
Little StintCalidris minutaSummer visitorUncommon13–15 cmRegularly Aug–Apr · 0.12% in Sep
Common SandpiperActitis hypoleucosSummer visitorUncommon18–20 cmRegularly Jul–Apr · 0.11% in Sep
Common TernSterna hirundoResidentUncommon31–35 cmRecorded all year · 0.11% in Sep
Black-necked GrebePodiceps nigricollisResidentUncommon28–34 cmRecorded all year · 0.10% in Sep
African PenguinSpheniscus demersusResidentUncommon60–70 cmRecorded all year · 0.10% in Sep
WhimbrelNumenius phaeopusResidentUncommon40–46 cmRecorded all year · 0.10% in Sep
Booted EagleHieraaetus pennatusResidentUncommon42–51 cmRecorded all year · 0.10% in Sep
Rose-ringed ParakeetPsittacula krameriResidentUncommon38–42 cmRecorded all year · 0.10% in Sep
African Marsh HarrierCircus ranivorusResidentUncommon44–52 cmRecorded all year · 0.09% in Sep
SecretarybirdSagittarius serpentariusResidentUncommon112–150 cmRecorded all year · 0.09% in Sep
Common Reed-warblerAcrocephalus scirpaceusSummer visitorUncommon13–14 cmRecorded all year · 0.09% in Sep
Common QuailCoturnix coturnixResidentUncommon16–18 cmRecorded all year · 0.08% in Sep
Squacco HeronArdeola ralloidesResidentUncommon40–49 cmRecorded all year · 0.08% in Sep
Great Crested GrebePodiceps cristatusResidentUncommon46–51 cmRecorded all year · 0.07% in Sep
Curlew SandpiperCalidris ferrugineaSummer visitorUncommon18–23 cmRecorded all year · 0.07% in Sep
Sandwich TernThalasseus sandvicensisSummer visitorUncommon36–41 cmRecorded all year · 0.07% in Sep
Black-crowned Night-heronNycticorax nycticoraxResidentUncommon58–65 cmRecorded all year · 0.07% in Sep
RuffCalidris pugnaxSummer visitorUncommon20–32 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.07% in Sep
Lanner FalconFalco biarmicusResidentUncommon43–50 cmRecorded all year · 0.06% in Sep
Peregrine FalconFalco peregrinusResidentUncommon34–58 cmRecorded all year · 0.06% in Sep
Grey PloverPluvialis squatarolaSummer visitorUncommon27–30 cmRecorded all year · 0.06% in Sep
Ringed PloverCharadrius hiaticulaSummer visitorUncommon17–19 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.05% in Sep
Fulvous Whistling-DuckDendrocygna bicolorResidentUncommon45–53 cmRecorded all year · 0.05% in Sep
ChaffinchFringilla coelebsResidentRare14–16 cmRecorded all year · 0.05% in Sep
BuzzardButeo buteoSummer visitorCommon51–57 cmRegularly Aug–Apr · 0.04% in Sep
Pale-winged StarlingOnychognathus nabouroupResidentRare25–28 cmRecorded all year · 0.04% in Sep
White-chinned PetrelProcellaria aequinoctialisResidentUncommon50–58 cmRecorded all year · 0.04% in Sep
European Bee-eaterMerops apiasterSummer visitorUncommon27–29 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.04% in Sep
Barn OwlTyto albaResidentRare33–39 cmRecorded all year · 0.04% in Sep
Crowned EagleStephanoaetus coronatusResidentRare80–99 cmRecorded all year · 0.03% in Sep
Ruddy TurnstoneArenaria interpresSummer visitorRare21–24 cmRecorded all year · 0.03% in Sep
Bar-tailed GodwitLimosa lapponicaSummer visitorRare37–41 cmRecorded all year · 0.03% in Sep
Sooty ShearwaterArdenna griseaWinter visitorUncommon40–51 cmRecorded all year · 0.03% in Sep
SanderlingCalidris albaSummer visitorUncommon18–20 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.03% in Sep
MallardAnas platyrhynchosResidentRare50–65 cmRecorded all year · 0.02% in Sep
Little BitternIxobrychus minutusResidentRare33–38 cmRecorded all year · 0.02% in Sep
CurlewNumenius arquataResidentRare50–60 cmRecorded all year · 0.01% in Sep
White-bellied BustardEupodotis senegalensisResidentRare48–61 cmRecorded all year · 0.01% in Sep
White-winged TernChlidonias leucopterusSummer visitorRare20–27 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.01% in Sep
OspreyPandion haliaetusResidentUncommon54–58 cmRecorded all year · 0.01% in Sep
African Pygmy-falconPolihierax semitorquatusResidentRare19–20 cmRecorded all year · 0.01% in Sep
House MartinDelichon urbicumSummer visitorUncommon13–15 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.01% in Sep
Red KnotCalidris canutusSummer visitorRare23–26 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.01% in Sep
Indian PeafowlPavo cristatusResidentRare86–230 cmRecorded all year · 0.01% in Sep
Common SwiftApus apusSummer visitorUncommon16–17 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.01% in Sep
Southern Royal AlbatrossDiomedea epomophoraPassage migrantRare115–123 cmRegularly Jul–Oct · 0.01% in Sep
Great ShearwaterArdenna gravisResidentRare43–51 cmRecorded all year · 0.00% in Sep
Arctic JaegerStercorarius parasiticusSummer visitorRare41–46 cmRegularly Sep–Jun · 0.00% in Sep
Sabine's GullXema sabiniSummer visitorRare27–33 cmRegularly Sep–Apr · 0.00% in Sep
ChukarAlectoris chukarPassage migrantRare32–38 cmRegularly Jul–Mar · 0.00% in Sep
Little TernSternula albifronsSummer visitorRare21–25 cmRegularly Aug–May · 0.00% in Sep
Red-necked PhalaropePhalaropus lobatusSummer visitorRare18–19 cmRegularly Aug–Apr · 0.00% in Sep
Damara TernSternula balaenarumSummer visitorRare22–24 cmRegularly Sep–May · 0.00% in Sep
Green SandpiperTringa ochropusSummer visitorRare21–24 cmRegularly Sep–Jan · 0.00% in Sep
Roseate TernSterna dougalliiWinter visitorRare33–41 cmRegularly Jan–Sep · 0.00% in Sep
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