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Lesotho
This checklist includes all bird species found in Lesotho , based on the best information available at this time. It is based on a wide variety of sources that I collated over many years. I am pleased to offer these checklists as a service to birdwatchers. If you find any error, please do not hesitate to report them.
The taxonomic order and nomenclature follows Clements, version 2024. If you prefer to view the list based on a different authority, click on one of the list available below. Globally threatened species (status in red) were identified by Birdlife International in Birdlife Data Zone (species).
Bird Checklists of the World is part of Avibase and Bird links to the World, which are designed and maintained by Denis Lepage, and hosted by Birds Canada, which is a co-partner of Birdlife International.
© Denis Lepage 2025
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Country or region: Lesotho [map]
Other names: Kingdom of Lesotho
Number of species: 363
Number of globally threatened species: 18
Number of introduced species: 4
Date last reviewed: 2018-12-14
Last modified: 2024-12-25
See also: https://www.africanbirdclub.org/countries/checklists/download
Number of globally threatened species: 18
Number of introduced species: 4
Date last reviewed: 2018-12-14
Last modified: 2024-12-25
See also: https://www.africanbirdclub.org/countries/checklists/download
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| White-faced Whistling-Duck | Dendrocygna viduata | |
| Fulvous Whistling-Duck | Dendrocygna bicolor | Rare/Accidental |
| White-backed Duck | Thalassornis leuconotus | |
| Knob-billed Duck | Sarkidiornis melanotos | |
| Egyptian Goose | Alopochen aegyptiaca | |
| South African Shelduck | Tadorna cana | |
| Spur-winged Goose | Plectropterus gambensis | |
| African Pygmy-Goose | Nettapus auritus | |
| Blue-billed Teal | Spatula hottentota | Rare/Accidental |
| Cape Shoveler | Spatula smithii | |
| African Black Duck | Anas sparsa | |
| Yellow-billed Duck | Anas undulata | |
| Cape Teal | Anas capensis | Rare/Accidental |
| Red-billed Duck | Anas erythrorhyncha | |
| Southern Pochard | Netta erythrophthalma | |
| Maccoa Duck | Oxyura maccoa | Endangered |
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| Helmeted Guineafowl | Numida meleagris | |
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| Red-winged Francolin | Scleroptila levaillantii | |
| Gray-winged Francolin | Scleroptila afra | |
| Orange River Francolin | Scleroptila gutturalis | |
| Common Quail | Coturnix coturnix | |
| Harlequin Quail | Coturnix delegorguei | Rare/Accidental |
| Swainson's Spurfowl | Pternistis swainsonii | |
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| Rock Pigeon | Columba livia | Introduced species |
| Speckled Pigeon | Columba guinea | |
| Rameron Pigeon | Columba arquatrix | |
| Red-eyed Dove | Streptopelia semitorquata | |
| Ring-necked Dove | Streptopelia capicola | |
| Laughing Dove | Spilopelia senegalensis | |
| Namaqua Dove | Oena capensis | |
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| Namaqua Sandgrouse | Pterocles namaqua | Rare/Accidental |
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| Kori Bustard | Ardeotis kori | Near-threatened |
| Ludwig's Bustard | Neotis ludwigii | Endangered |
| Denham's Bustard | Neotis denhami | Rare/Accidental Near-threatened |
| White-bellied Bustard | Eupodotis senegalensis | |
| Blue Bustard | Eupodotis caerulescens | Near-threatened |
| Karoo Bustard | Heterotetrax vigorsii | |
| White-quilled Bustard | Afrotis afraoides | |
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| Burchell's Coucal | Centropus burchellii | |
| Great Spotted Cuckoo | Clamator glandarius | |
| Pied Cuckoo | Clamator jacobinus | |
| Dideric Cuckoo | Chrysococcyx caprius | |
| Black Cuckoo | Cuculus clamosus | Rare/Accidental |
| Red-chested Cuckoo | Cuculus solitarius | |
| Common Cuckoo | Cuculus canorus | Rare/Accidental |
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| Eurasian Nightjar | Caprimulgus europaeus | Rare/Accidental |
| Freckled Nightjar | Caprimulgus tristigma | |
| Square-tailed Nightjar | Caprimulgus fossii | Rare/Accidental |
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| Alpine Swift | Tachymarptis melba | |
| Common Swift | Apus apus | |
| African Swift | Apus barbatus | |
| Little Swift | Apus affinis | |
| Horus Swift | Apus horus | |
| White-rumped Swift | Apus caffer | |
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| Striped Flufftail | Sarothrura affinis | |
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| African Rail | Rallus caerulescens | |
| Corn Crake | Crex crex | Rare/Accidental |
| African Crake | Crecopsis egregia | |
| Spotted Crake | Porzana porzana | |
| Lesser Moorhen | Paragallinula angulata | |
| Eurasian Moorhen | Gallinula chloropus | |
| Red-knobbed Coot | Fulica cristata | |
| Allen's Gallinule | Porphyrio alleni | |
| African Swamphen | Porphyrio madagascariensis | |
| Baillon's Crake | Zapornia pusilla | |
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| Gray Crowned-Crane | Balearica regulorum | Rare/Accidental Endangered |
| Blue Crane | Anthropoides paradiseus | Rare/Accidental Vulnerable |
| Wattled Crane | Bugeranus carunculatus | Rare/Accidental Vulnerable |
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| Spotted Thick-knee | Burhinus capensis | |
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| Black-winged Stilt | Himantopus himantopus | |
| Pied Avocet | Recurvirostra avosetta | Rare/Accidental |
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| Black-bellied Plover | Pluvialis squatarola | Vulnerable |
| Common Ringed Plover | Charadrius hiaticula | Rare/Accidental |
| Three-banded Plover | Thinornis tricollaris | |
| Blacksmith Lapwing | Vanellus armatus | |
| Black-winged Lapwing | Vanellus melanopterus | |
| Crowned Lapwing | Vanellus coronatus | Rare/Accidental |
| Wattled Lapwing | Vanellus senegallus | |
| Kittlitz's Plover | Anarhynchus pecuarius | |
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| Greater Painted-Snipe | Rostratula benghalensis | |
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| African Jacana | Actophilornis africanus | |
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| Eurasian Curlew | Numenius arquata | Rare/Accidental Near-threatened |
| African Snipe | Gallinago nigripennis | |
| Common Sandpiper | Actitis hypoleucos | |
| Marsh Sandpiper | Tringa stagnatilis | Rare/Accidental |
| Wood Sandpiper | Tringa glareola | |
| Common Greenshank | Tringa nebularia | |
| Ruddy Turnstone | Arenaria interpres | Rare/Accidental Near-threatened |
| Ruff | Calidris pugnax | |
| Curlew Sandpiper | Calidris ferruginea | Rare/Accidental Vulnerable |
| Little Stint | Calidris minuta | |
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| Small Buttonquail | Turnix sylvaticus | Rare/Accidental |
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| Double-banded Courser | Smutsornis africanus | |
| Temminck's Courser | Cursorius temminckii | |
| Burchell's Courser | Cursorius rufus | |
| Collared Pratincole | Glareola pratincola | Rare/Accidental |
| Black-winged Pratincole | Glareola nordmanni | Near-threatened |
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| Gray-hooded Gull | Chroicocephalus cirrocephalus | Rare/Accidental |
| Whiskered Tern | Chlidonias hybrida | Rare/Accidental |
| White-winged Tern | Chlidonias leucopterus | Rare/Accidental |
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| Greater Flamingo | Phoenicopterus roseus | |
| Lesser Flamingo | Phoeniconaias minor | Near-threatened |
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| Little Grebe | Tachybaptus ruficollis | |
| Great Crested Grebe | Podiceps cristatus | Rare/Accidental |
| Eared Grebe | Podiceps nigricollis | |
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| Black Stork | Ciconia nigra | |
| Abdim's Stork | Ciconia abdimii | |
| White Stork | Ciconia ciconia | |
| Yellow-billed Stork | Mycteria ibis | |
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| African Darter | Anhinga rufa | |
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| Reed Cormorant | Microcarbo africanus | |
| Great Cormorant | Phalacrocorax carbo | |
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| Glossy Ibis | Plegadis falcinellus | Rare/Accidental |
| African Sacred Ibis | Threskiornis aethiopicus | |
| Southern Bald Ibis | Geronticus calvus | Rare/Accidental Near-threatened |
| Hadada Ibis | Bostrychia hagedash | |
| African Spoonbill | Platalea alba | |
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| Hamerkop | Scopus umbretta | |
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| Eurasian Bittern | Botaurus stellaris | |
| Little Bittern | Botaurus minutus | Rare/Accidental |
| Black-crowned Night Heron | Nycticorax nycticorax | |
| Little Egret | Egretta garzetta | |
| Rufous-bellied Heron | Ardeola rufiventris | |
| Squacco Heron | Ardeola ralloides | Rare/Accidental |
| Western Cattle-Egret | Ardea ibis | |
| Great Egret | Ardea alba | Rare/Accidental |
| Yellow-billed Egret | Ardea brachyrhyncha | Rare/Accidental |
| Gray Heron | Ardea cinerea | |
| Purple Heron | Ardea purpurea | |
| Black-headed Heron | Ardea melanocephala | |
| Goliath Heron | Ardea goliath | |
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| Secretarybird | Sagittarius serpentarius | Endangered |
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| Osprey | Pandion haliaetus | |
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| Black-winged Kite | Elanus caeruleus | |
| African Harrier-Hawk | Polyboroides typus | |
| Palm-nut Vulture | Gypohierax angolensis | Rare/Accidental |
| Bearded Vulture | Gypaetus barbatus | Near-threatened |
| Egyptian Vulture | Neophron percnopterus | Rare/Accidental Endangered |
| Cape Griffon | Gyps coprotheres | Vulnerable |
| Bateleur | Terathopius ecaudatus | Rare/Accidental Endangered |
| Black-chested Snake-Eagle | Circaetus pectoralis | Rare/Accidental |
| Long-crested Eagle | Lophaetus occipitalis | Rare/Accidental |
| Booted Eagle | Hieraaetus pennatus | |
| Tawny Eagle | Aquila rapax | Rare/Accidental Vulnerable |
| Verreaux's Eagle | Aquila verreauxii | |
| African Hawk-Eagle | Aquila spilogaster | |
| Gabar Goshawk | Micronisus gabar | Rare/Accidental |
| Pale Chanting-Goshawk | Melierax canorus | Rare/Accidental |
| African Goshawk | Aerospiza tachiro | |
| Little Sparrowhawk | Tachyspiza minulla | Rare/Accidental |
| Shikra | Tachyspiza badia | Rare/Accidental |
| Rufous-breasted Sparrowhawk | Accipiter rufiventris | |
| Black Goshawk | Astur melanoleucus | Rare/Accidental |
| African Marsh Harrier | Circus ranivorus | |
| Black Harrier | Circus maurus | Endangered |
| Pallid Harrier | Circus macrourus | Rare/Accidental Near-threatened |
| Montagu's Harrier | Circus pygargus | |
| Black Kite | Milvus migrans | |
| African Fish-Eagle | Icthyophaga vocifer | |
| Jackal Buzzard | Buteo rufofuscus | |
| Common Buzzard | Buteo buteo | |
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| African Grass-Owl | Tyto capensis | |
| Western Barn Owl | Tyto alba | |
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| African Scops-Owl | Otus senegalensis | Rare/Accidental |
| Spotted Eagle-Owl | Bubo africanus | |
| Cape Eagle-Owl | Bubo capensis | Rare/Accidental |
| Verreaux's Eagle-Owl | Ketupa lactea | Extirpated |
| Marsh Owl | Asio capensis | |
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| Speckled Mousebird | Colius striatus | |
| White-backed Mousebird | Colius colius | Rare/Accidental |
| Red-faced Mousebird | Urocolius indicus | |
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| Narina Trogon | Apaloderma narina | |
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| Eurasian Hoopoe | Upupa epops | |
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| Green Woodhoopoe | Phoeniculus purpureus | Rare/Accidental |
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| White-fronted Bee-eater | Merops bullockoides | Rare/Accidental |
| European Bee-eater | Merops apiaster | |
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| Malachite Kingfisher | Corythornis cristatus | |
| Giant Kingfisher | Megaceryle maxima | |
| Pied Kingfisher | Ceryle rudis | |
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| European Roller | Coracias garrulus | |
| Lilac-breasted Roller | Coracias caudatus | |
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| Crested Barbet | Trachyphonus vaillantii | |
| Southern Red-fronted Tinkerbird | Pogoniulus pusillus | |
| Pied Barbet | Tricholaema leucomelas | |
| Black-collared Barbet | Lybius torquatus | Rare/Accidental |
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| Brown-backed Honeybird | Prodotiscus regulus | |
| Lesser Honeyguide | Indicator minor | |
| Greater Honeyguide | Indicator indicator | Rare/Accidental |
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| Red-throated Wryneck | Jynx ruficollis | Rare/Accidental |
| Cardinal Woodpecker | Dendropicos fuscescens | |
| Ground Woodpecker | Geocolaptes olivaceus | Near-threatened |
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| Lesser Kestrel | Falco naumanni | |
| Rock Kestrel | Falco rupicolus | |
| Greater Kestrel | Falco rupicoloides | |
| Red-footed Falcon | Falco vespertinus | Vulnerable |
| Amur Falcon | Falco amurensis | |
| Eurasian Hobby | Falco subbuteo | Rare/Accidental |
| Lanner Falcon | Falco biarmicus | |
| Peregrine Falcon | Falco peregrinus | |
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| Eurasian Golden Oriole | Oriolus oriolus | |
| African Black-headed Oriole | Oriolus larvatus | Rare/Accidental |
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| Cape Batis | Batis capensis | |
| Chinspot Batis | Batis molitor | |
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| Black-backed Puffback | Dryoscopus cubla | Rare/Accidental |
| Southern Boubou | Laniarius ferrugineus | |
| Bokmakierie | Telophorus zeylonus | |
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| Fork-tailed Drongo | Dicrurus adsimilis | |
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| African Paradise-Flycatcher | Terpsiphone viridis | |
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| Red-backed Shrike | Lanius collurio | |
| Lesser Gray Shrike | Lanius minor | Rare/Accidental |
| Southern Fiscal | Lanius collaris | |
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| Cape Crow | Corvus capensis | |
| Pied Crow | Corvus albus | |
| White-necked Raven | Corvus albicollis | |
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| Drakensberg Rockjumper | Chaetops aurantius | Near-threatened |
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| Fairy Flycatcher | Stenostira scita | |
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| Ashy Tit | Melaniparus cinerascens | |
| Gray Tit | Melaniparus afer | |
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| Spike-heeled Lark | Chersomanes albofasciata | Rare/Accidental |
| Eastern Long-billed Lark | Certhilauda semitorquata | |
| Chestnut-backed Sparrow-Lark | Eremopterix leucotis | |
| Gray-backed Sparrow-Lark | Eremopterix verticalis | Rare/Accidental |
| Rudd's Lark | Heteromirafra ruddi | Rare/Accidental Endangered |
| Cape Clapper Lark | Corypha apiata | |
| Rufous-naped Lark | Corypha africana | |
| Pink-billed Lark | Spizocorys conirostris | Rare/Accidental |
| Large-billed Lark | Galerida magnirostris | |
| Red-capped Lark | Calandrella cinerea | |
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| Long-billed Crombec | Sylvietta rufescens | Rare/Accidental |
| Cape Grassbird | Sphenoeacus afer | |
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| Yellow-bellied Eremomela | Eremomela icteropygialis | |
| Namaqua Warbler | Phragmacia substriata | Rare/Accidental |
| Green-backed Camaroptera | Camaroptera brachyura | Rare/Accidental |
| Bar-throated Apalis | Apalis thoracica | |
| Yellow-breasted Apalis | Apalis flavida | |
| Tawny-flanked Prinia | Prinia subflava | Rare/Accidental |
| Black-chested Prinia | Prinia flavicans | Rare/Accidental |
| Karoo Prinia | Prinia maculosa | |
| Drakensberg Prinia | Prinia hypoxantha | |
| Rock-loving Cisticola | Cisticola aberrans | |
| Wailing Cisticola | Cisticola lais | |
| Levaillant's Cisticola | Cisticola tinniens | |
| Piping Cisticola | Cisticola fulvicapilla | |
| Zitting Cisticola | Cisticola juncidis | |
| Desert Cisticola | Cisticola aridulus | |
| Cloud Cisticola | Cisticola textrix | |
| Wing-snapping Cisticola | Cisticola ayresii | |
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| African Yellow-Warbler | Iduna natalensis | |
| Sedge Warbler | Acrocephalus schoenobaenus | |
| Common Reed Warbler | Acrocephalus scirpaceus | |
| Lesser Swamp Warbler | Acrocephalus gracilirostris | |
| Great Reed Warbler | Acrocephalus arundinaceus | |
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| Barratt's Warbler | Bradypterus barratti | |
| Little Rush Warbler | Bradypterus baboecala | |
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| Black Sawwing | Psalidoprocne pristoptera | Rare/Accidental |
| Banded Martin | Neophedina cincta | |
| Plain Martin | Riparia paludicola | |
| Bank Swallow | Riparia riparia | Rare/Accidental |
| Southern Crag-Martin | Ptyonoprogne fuligula | |
| Montane Blue Swallow | Hirundo atrocaerulea | Endangered |
| Pearl-breasted Swallow | Hirundo dimidiata | |
| Barn Swallow | Hirundo rustica | |
| White-throated Swallow | Hirundo albigularis | |
| Western House-Martin | Delichon urbicum | |
| Greater Striped Swallow | Cecropis cucullata | |
| Lesser Striped Swallow | Cecropis abyssinica | |
| Rufous-chested Swallow | Cecropis semirufa | Rare/Accidental |
| South African Swallow | Petrochelidon spilodera | Rare/Accidental |
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| Common Bulbul | Pycnonotus barbatus | |
| Black-fronted Bulbul | Pycnonotus nigricans | |
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| Willow Warbler | Phylloscopus trochilus | |
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| Garden Warbler | Sylvia borin | Rare/Accidental |
| Bush Blackcap | Sylvia nigricapillus | Vulnerable |
| Layard's Warbler | Curruca layardi | |
| Chestnut-vented Warbler | Curruca subcoerulea | Rare/Accidental |
| Greater Whitethroat | Curruca communis | Rare/Accidental |
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| Orange River White-eye | Zosterops pallidus | |
| Cape White-eye | Zosterops virens | |
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| European Starling | Sturnus vulgaris | Introduced species |
| Wattled Starling | Creatophora cinerea | |
| Common Myna | Acridotheres tristis | Introduced species |
| Violet-backed Starling | Cinnyricinclus leucogaster | Rare/Accidental |
| Pale-winged Starling | Onychognathus nabouroup | |
| Red-winged Starling | Onychognathus morio | |
| African Pied Starling | Lamprotornis bicolor | |
| Cape Starling | Lamprotornis nitens | |
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| Kurrichane Thrush | Turdus libonyana | Rare/Accidental |
| Karoo Thrush | Turdus smithi | |
| Olive Thrush | Turdus olivaceus | |
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| African Dusky Flycatcher | Muscicapa adusta | Rare/Accidental |
| Spotted Flycatcher | Muscicapa striata | |
| Fiscal Flycatcher | Sigelus silens | Rare/Accidental |
| Karoo Scrub-Robin | Tychaedon coryphoeus | Rare/Accidental |
| Cape Robin-Chat | Dessonornis caffer | |
| Sentinel Rock-Thrush | Monticola explorator | Near-threatened |
| Cape Rock-Thrush | Monticola rupestris | |
| African Stonechat | Saxicola torquatus | |
| Buff-streaked Chat | Campicoloides bifasciatus | Rare/Accidental |
| Sickle-winged Chat | Emarginata sinuata | |
| Mocking Cliff-Chat | Thamnolaea cinnamomeiventris | Rare/Accidental |
| Southern Anteater-Chat | Myrmecocichla formicivora | Rare/Accidental |
| Mountain Chat | Myrmecocichla monticola | |
| Capped Wheatear | Oenanthe pileata | |
| Familiar Chat | Oenanthe familiaris | |
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| Gurney's Sugarbird | Promerops gurneyi | Near-threatened |
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| Collared Sunbird | Hedydipna collaris | Rare/Accidental |
| Amethyst Sunbird | Chalcomitra amethystina | |
| Malachite Sunbird | Nectarinia famosa | |
| Southern Double-collared Sunbird | Cinnyris chalybeus | |
| Greater Double-collared Sunbird | Cinnyris afer | |
| White-bellied Sunbird | Cinnyris talatala | |
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| White-browed Sparrow-Weaver | Plocepasser mahali | Rare/Accidental |
| Spectacled Weaver | Ploceus ocularis | Rare/Accidental |
| Cape Weaver | Ploceus capensis | |
| Southern Masked-Weaver | Ploceus velatus | |
| Village Weaver | Ploceus cucullatus | |
| Red-billed Quelea | Quelea quelea | |
| Southern Red Bishop | Euplectes orix | |
| Yellow-crowned Bishop | Euplectes afer | |
| Yellow Bishop | Euplectes capensis | |
| White-winged Widowbird | Euplectes albonotatus | |
| Red-collared Widowbird | Euplectes ardens | |
| Fan-tailed Widowbird | Euplectes axillaris | Rare/Accidental |
| Long-tailed Widowbird | Euplectes progne | |
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| Swee Waxbill | Coccopygia melanotis | |
| Common Waxbill | Estrilda astrild | |
| Quailfinch | Ortygospiza atricollis | |
| Red-headed Finch | Amadina erythrocephala | |
| Zebra Waxbill | Amandava subflava | |
| Red-billed Firefinch | Lagonosticta senegala | Rare/Accidental |
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| Pin-tailed Whydah | Vidua macroura | |
| Village Indigobird | Vidua chalybeata | |
| Parasitic Weaver | Anomalospiza imberbis | |
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| House Sparrow | Passer domesticus | Introduced species |
| Great Rufous Sparrow | Passer motitensis | |
| Cape Sparrow | Passer melanurus | |
| Southern Gray-headed Sparrow | Passer diffusus | |
| Yellow-throated Bush Sparrow | Gymnoris superciliaris | |
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| Cape Wagtail | Motacilla capensis | |
| Mountain Wagtail | Motacilla clara | |
| African Pied Wagtail | Motacilla aguimp | Rare/Accidental |
| African Pipit | Anthus cinnamomeus | |
| Mountain Pipit | Anthus hoeschi | Near-threatened |
| Nicholson's Pipit | Anthus nicholsoni | |
| Plain-backed Pipit | Anthus leucophrys | Rare/Accidental |
| Buffy Pipit | Anthus vaalensis | |
| Yellow-tufted Pipit | Anthus crenatus | Near-threatened |
| Yellow-breasted Pipit | Hemimacronyx chloris | Vulnerable |
| Orange-throated Longclaw | Macronyx capensis | |
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| Yellow-fronted Canary | Crithagra mozambica | Rare/Accidental |
| Black-throated Canary | Crithagra atrogularis | |
| Brimstone Canary | Crithagra sulphurata | Rare/Accidental |
| Yellow Canary | Crithagra flaviventris | |
| White-throated Canary | Crithagra albogularis | |
| Streaky-headed Seedeater | Crithagra gularis | |
| Drakensberg Siskin | Crithagra symonsi | |
| Cape Canary | Serinus canicollis | |
| Black-headed Canary | Serinus alario | |
| ||
| Golden-breasted Bunting | Emberiza flaviventris | Rare/Accidental |
| Cape Bunting | Emberiza capensis | |
| Lark-like Bunting | Emberiza impetuani | Rare/Accidental |
| Cinnamon-breasted Bunting | Emberiza tahapisi | |
References (partial list)
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