Avibase - Bird Checklists of the World
Cape
This checklist includes all bird species found in Cape , 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 .
The taxonomic order and nomenclature follows Howard and Moore 4th edition (incl. corrigenda vol.1-2). 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 2023
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Country or region: Cape [map]
Number of introduced species: 8
Date last reviewed: 2018-06-09
Last modified: 2023-04-11
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| Common Ostrich | Struthio camelus | |
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| White-faced Whistling Duck | Dendrocygna viduata | Rare/Accidental |
| Maccoa Duck | Oxyura maccoa | |
| Egyptian Goose | Alopochen aegyptiaca | |
| Common Shelduck | Tadorna tadorna | Introduced species |
| South African Shelduck | Tadorna cana | |
| Southern Pochard | Netta erythrophthalma | |
| Hottentot Teal | Spatula hottentota | |
| Cape Shoveler | Spatula smithii | |
| African Black Duck | Anas sparsa | |
| Yellow-billed Duck | Anas undulata | |
| Mallard | Anas platyrhynchos | Introduced species |
| Cape Teal | Anas capensis | |
| Red-billed Teal | Anas erythrorhyncha | |
| White-backed Duck | Thalassornis leuconotus | |
| Spur-winged Goose | Plectropterus gambensis | |
| Comb Duck | Sarkidiornis melanotos | Rare/Accidental |
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| Helmeted Guineafowl | Numida meleagris | |
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| Indian Peafowl | Pavo cristatus | Introduced species |
| Common Quail | Coturnix coturnix | |
| Chukar Partridge | Alectoris chukar | Introduced species |
| Cape Francolin | Pternistis capensis | Endemic (country/region) |
| Grey-winged Francolin | Scleroptila afra | Endemic (country/region) |
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| Greater Flamingo | Phoenicopterus roseus | |
| Lesser Flamingo | Phoeniconaias minor | |
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| Little Grebe | Tachybaptus ruficollis | |
| Great Crested Grebe | Podiceps cristatus | |
| Black-necked Grebe | Podiceps nigricollis | |
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| Rock Dove | Columba livia | Introduced species |
| Speckled Pigeon | Columba guinea | |
| African Olive Pigeon | Columba arquatrix | |
| Lemon Dove | Aplopelia larvata | |
| Red-eyed Dove | Streptopelia semitorquata | |
| Ring-necked Dove | Streptopelia capicola | |
| Laughing Dove | Streptopelia senegalensis | |
| Tambourine Dove | Turtur tympanistria | |
| Namaqua Dove | Oena capensis | |
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| Namaqua Sandgrouse | Pterocles namaqua | |
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| European Nightjar | Caprimulgus europaeus | |
| Fiery-necked Nightjar | Caprimulgus pectoralis | |
| Freckled Nightjar | Caprimulgus tristigma | |
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| African Palm Swift | Cypsiurus parvus | |
| Alpine Swift | Tachymarptis melba | |
| White-rumped Swift | Apus caffer | |
| Horus Swift | Apus horus | |
| Little Swift | Apus affinis | |
| African Swift | Apus barbatus | |
| Common Swift | Apus apus | |
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| White-browed Coucal | Centropus superciliosus | |
| Klaas's Cuckoo | Chrysococcyx klaas | |
| Diederick Cuckoo | Chrysococcyx caprius | |
| Red-chested Cuckoo | Cuculus solitarius | |
| Common Cuckoo | Cuculus canorus | Rare/Accidental |
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| African Rail | Rallus caerulescens | |
| African Crake | Crex egregia | |
| Black Crake | Zapornia flavirostra | |
| Baillon's Crake | Zapornia pusilla | Rare/Accidental |
| Purple Swamphen | Porphyrio porphyrio | |
| Common Moorhen | Gallinula chloropus | |
| Red-knobbed Coot | Fulica cristata | |
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| Red-chested Flufftail | Sarothrura rufa | |
| Striped Flufftail | Sarothrura affinis | |
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| Blue Crane | Grus paradisea | |
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| Vigors's Bustard | Heterotetrax vigorsii | |
| Black Bustard | Afrotis afra | Endemic (country/region) |
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| King Penguin | Aptenodytes patagonicus | Rare/Accidental |
| Jackass Penguin | Spheniscus demersus | |
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| Wilson's Storm-petrel | Oceanites oceanicus | |
| Black-bellied Storm-petrel | Fregetta tropica | |
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| Wandering Albatross | Diomedea exulans | |
| Sooty Albatross | Phoebetria fusca | |
| Light-mantled Albatross | Phoebetria palpebrata | Rare/Accidental |
| Yellow-nosed Albatross | Thalassarche chlororhynchos | |
| Grey-headed Albatross | Thalassarche chrysostoma | |
| Black-browed Albatross | Thalassarche melanophris | |
| White-capped Albatross | Thalassarche cauta | |
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| European Storm-petrel | Hydrobates pelagicus | |
| Leach's Storm-petrel | Hydrobates leucorhous | |
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| Northern Giant Petrel | Macronectes halli | |
| Southern Giant Petrel | Macronectes giganteus | |
| Southern Fulmar | Fulmarus glacialoides | |
| Cape Petrel | Daption capense | |
| Blue Petrel | Halobaena caerulea | |
| Broad-billed Prion | Pachyptila vittata | |
| Salvin's Prion | Pachyptila salvini | |
| Antarctic Prion | Pachyptila desolata | |
| Kerguelen Petrel | Aphrodroma brevirostris | |
| Soft-plumaged Petrel | Pterodroma mollis | |
| Atlantic Petrel | Pterodroma incerta | |
| Great-winged Petrel | Pterodroma macroptera | |
| White-chinned Petrel | Procellaria aequinoctialis | |
| Spectacled Petrel | Procellaria conspicillata | |
| Sooty Shearwater | Ardenna grisea | |
| Great Shearwater | Ardenna gravis | |
| Scopoli's Shearwater | Calonectris diomedea | |
| Cory's Shearwater | Calonectris borealis | |
| Tropical Shearwater | Puffinus bailloni | |
| Manx Shearwater | Puffinus puffinus | |
| Little Shearwater | Puffinus assimilis | |
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| Yellow-billed Stork | Mycteria ibis | |
| Black Stork | Ciconia nigra | |
| European White Stork | Ciconia ciconia | |
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| Great White Pelican | Pelecanus onocrotalus | |
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| Hamerkop | Scopus umbretta | |
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| Little Bittern | Ixobrychus minutus | |
| Black-crowned Night Heron | Nycticorax nycticorax | |
| Striated Heron | Butorides striata | Rare/Accidental |
| Squacco Heron | Ardeola ralloides | Rare/Accidental |
| Cattle Egret | Bubulcus ibis | |
| Grey Heron | Ardea cinerea | |
| Black-headed Heron | Ardea melanocephala | |
| Goliath Heron | Ardea goliath | |
| Purple Heron | Ardea purpurea | |
| Great Egret | Ardea alba | |
| Intermediate Egret | Ardea intermedia | |
| Snowy Egret | Egretta thula | Rare/Accidental |
| Little Egret | Egretta garzetta | |
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| African Sacred Ibis | Threskiornis aethiopicus | |
| African Spoonbill | Platalea alba | |
| Hadada Ibis | Bostrychia hagedash | |
| Glossy Ibis | Plegadis falcinellus | |
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| Cape Gannet | Morus capensis | |
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| Crowned Cormorant | Microcarbo coronatus | |
| Long-tailed Cormorant | Microcarbo africanus | |
| Great Cormorant | Phalacrocorax carbo | |
| Cape Cormorant | Phalacrocorax capensis | Endemic (country/region) |
| Bank Cormorant | Phalacrocorax neglectus | |
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| African Darter | Anhinga rufa | |
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| Water Thick-knee | Burhinus vermiculatus | |
| Spotted Thick-knee | Burhinus capensis | |
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| African Oystercatcher | Haematopus moquini | |
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| Pied Avocet | Recurvirostra avosetta | |
| Black-winged Stilt | Himantopus himantopus | |
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| Grey Plover | Pluvialis squatarola | |
| Common Ringed Plover | Charadrius hiaticula | |
| Kittlitz's Plover | Charadrius pecuarius | |
| Three-banded Plover | Charadrius tricollaris | |
| White-fronted Plover | Charadrius marginatus | |
| Chestnut-banded Plover | Charadrius pallidus | |
| Long-toed Lapwing | Vanellus crassirostris | Rare/Accidental |
| Blacksmith Lapwing | Vanellus armatus | |
| Black-winged Lapwing | Vanellus melanopterus | |
| Crowned Lapwing | Vanellus coronatus | |
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| Greater Painted-snipe | Rostratula benghalensis | |
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| African Jacana | Actophilornis africanus | |
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| Whimbrel | Numenius phaeopus | |
| Eurasian Curlew | Numenius arquata | |
| Bar-tailed Godwit | Limosa lapponica | |
| Ruddy Turnstone | Arenaria interpres | |
| Red Knot | Calidris canutus | |
| Ruff | Calidris pugnax | |
| Curlew Sandpiper | Calidris ferruginea | |
| Sanderling | Calidris alba | |
| Little Stint | Calidris minuta | |
| African Snipe | Gallinago nigripennis | |
| Terek Sandpiper | Xenus cinereus | |
| Common Sandpiper | Actitis hypoleucos | |
| Common Greenshank | Tringa nebularia | |
| Wood Sandpiper | Tringa glareola | |
| Marsh Sandpiper | Tringa stagnatilis | |
| Wilson's Phalarope | Steganopus tricolor | Rare/Accidental |
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| Double-banded Courser | Rhinoptilus africanus | |
| Burchell's Courser | Cursorius rufus | |
| Black-winged Pratincole | Glareola nordmanni | Rare/Accidental |
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| Long-tailed Skua | Stercorarius longicaudus | |
| Arctic Skua | Stercorarius parasiticus | |
| Pomarine Skua | Stercorarius pomarinus | |
| Brown Skua | Stercorarius antarcticus | |
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| Black Skimmer | Rynchops niger | Rare/Accidental |
| Sabine's Gull | Xema sabini | |
| Gray-hooded Gull | Chroicocephalus cirrocephalus | |
| Hartlaub's Gull | Chroicocephalus hartlaubii | |
| Kelp Gull | Larus dominicanus | |
| Little Tern | Sternula albifrons | |
| Damara Tern | Sternula balaenarum | |
| Gull-billed Tern | Gelochelidon nilotica | Rare/Accidental |
| Caspian Tern | Hydroprogne caspia | |
| Whiskered Tern | Chlidonias hybrida | |
| White-winged Tern | Chlidonias leucopterus | |
| Black Tern | Chlidonias niger | Rare/Accidental |
| Roseate Tern | Sterna dougallii | Rare/Accidental |
| Common Tern | Sterna hirundo | |
| Arctic Tern | Sterna paradisaea | |
| Antarctic Tern | Sterna vittata | |
| Sandwich Tern | Thalasseus sandvicensis | |
| Greater Crested Tern | Thalasseus bergii | |
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| Secretary-bird | Sagittarius serpentarius | |
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| Osprey | Pandion haliaetus | |
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| Black-winged Kite | Elanus caeruleus | |
| European Honey Buzzard | Pernis apivorus | |
| African Harrier Hawk | Polyboroides typus | |
| Black-chested Snake Eagle | Circaetus pectoralis | |
| Cape Vulture | Gyps coprotheres | |
| Martial Eagle | Polemaetus bellicosus | |
| Verreaux's Eagle | Aquila verreauxii | |
| Booted Eagle | Hieraaetus pennatus | |
| Pale Chanting Goshawk | Melierax canorus | |
| African Marsh Harrier | Circus ranivorus | |
| Black Harrier | Circus maurus | |
| African Goshawk | Accipiter tachiro | |
| Rufous-breasted Sparrowhawk | Accipiter rufiventris | |
| Black Sparrowhawk | Accipiter melanoleucus | |
| African Fish Eagle | Haliaeetus vocifer | |
| Black Kite | Milvus migrans | |
| Jackal Buzzard | Buteo rufofuscus | |
| Eurasian Buzzard | Buteo buteo | |
| Forest Buzzard | Buteo trizonatus | Endemic (country/region) |
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| Common Barn Owl | Tyto alba | |
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| Marsh Owl | Asio capensis | |
| African Wood Owl | Strix woodfordii | |
| Cape Eagle Owl | Bubo capensis | |
| Spotted Eagle Owl | Bubo africanus | |
| Verreaux's Eagle Owl | Bubo lacteus | |
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| Speckled Mousebird | Colius striatus | |
| White-backed Mousebird | Colius colius | |
| Red-faced Mousebird | Urocolius indicus | |
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| Common Hoopoe | Upupa epops | |
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| Wahlberg's Honeybird | Prodotiscus regulus | |
| Lesser Honeyguide | Indicator minor | |
| Greater Honeyguide | Indicator indicator | |
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| Ground Woodpecker | Geocolaptes olivaceus | |
| Cardinal Woodpecker | Dendropicos fuscescens | |
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| Acacia Pied Barbet | Tricholaema leucomelas | |
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| European Bee-eater | Merops apiaster | |
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| African Malachite Kingfisher | Corythornis cristatus | |
| Half-collared Kingfisher | Alcedo semitorquata | |
| Giant Kingfisher | Megaceryle maxima | |
| Pied Kingfisher | Ceryle rudis | |
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| Lesser Kestrel | Falco naumanni | |
| Common Kestrel | Falco tinnunculus | |
| Eurasian Hobby | Falco subbuteo | |
| Lanner Falcon | Falco biarmicus | |
| Peregrine Falcon | Falco peregrinus | |
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| Eurasian Golden Oriole | Oriolus oriolus | |
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| Cape Batis | Batis capensis | |
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| Black-backed Puffback | Dryoscopus cubla | |
| Southern Boubou | Laniarius ferrugineus | |
| Bokmakierie | Telophorus zeylonus | |
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| Fork-tailed Drongo | Dicrurus adsimilis | |
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| Red-backed Shrike | Lanius collurio | Rare/Accidental |
| Southern Fiscal | Lanius collaris | |
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| Cape Crow | Corvus capensis | |
| White-necked Raven | Corvus albicollis | |
| Pied Crow | Corvus albus | |
| House Crow | Corvus splendens | Introduced species |
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| African Paradise-flycatcher | Terpsiphone viridis | |
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| Cape Sugarbird | Promerops cafer | |
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| Orange-breasted Sunbird | Anthobaphes violacea | Endemic (country/region) |
| Amethyst Sunbird | Chalcomitra amethystina | |
| Malachite Sunbird | Nectarinia famosa | |
| Southern Double-collared Sunbird | Cinnyris chalybeus | |
| Greater Double-collared Sunbird | Cinnyris afer | |
| Dusky Sunbird | Cinnyris fuscus | |
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| Red-billed Quelea | Quelea quelea | |
| Southern Red Bishop | Euplectes orix | |
| Yellow Bishop | Euplectes capensis | |
| Cape Weaver | Ploceus capensis | |
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| Common Waxbill | Estrilda astrild | |
| Swee Waxbill | Coccopygia melanotis | |
| African Quailfinch | Ortygospiza fuscocrissa | |
| Bronze Mannikin | Spermestes cucullata | |
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| Pin-tailed Whydah | Vidua macroura | |
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| House Sparrow | Passer domesticus | Introduced species |
| Cape Sparrow | Passer melanurus | |
| Southern Grey-headed Sparrow | Passer diffusus | |
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| Plain-backed Pipit | Anthus leucophrys | |
| African Pipit | Anthus cinnamomeus | |
| Long-billed Pipit | Anthus similis | |
| Cape Longclaw | Macronyx capensis | |
| Cape Wagtail | Motacilla capensis | |
| African Wagtail | Motacilla aguimp | |
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| Common Chaffinch | Fringilla coelebs | Introduced species |
| Forest Canary | Crithagra scotops | |
| Yellow Canary | Crithagra flaviventris | |
| Brimstone Canary | Crithagra sulphurata | |
| White-throated Canary | Crithagra albogularis | |
| Streaky-headed Canary | Crithagra gularis | |
| Cape Siskin | Crithagra totta | |
| Black-headed Canary | Serinus alario | |
| Cape Canary | Serinus canicollis | |
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| Golden-breasted Bunting | Fringillaria flaviventris | |
| Cape Bunting | Fringillaria capensis | |
| Lark-like Bunting | Fringillaria impetuani | |
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| African Fairy-flycatcher | Stenostira scita | |
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| Grey Tit | Melaniparus afer | |
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| Cape Penduline Tit | Anthoscopus minutus | |
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| Grey-backed Sparrow Lark | Eremopterix verticalis | |
| Karoo Lark | Calendulauda albescens | |
| Cape Clapper Lark | Mirafra apiata | |
| Red-capped Lark | Calandrella cinerea | |
| Large-billed Lark | Galerida magnirostris | |
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| Long-billed Crombec | Sylvietta rufescens | |
| Victorin's Warbler | Cryptillas victorini | Endemic (country/region) |
| Cape Grassbird | Sphenoeacus afer | |
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| Bar-throated Apalis | Apalis thoracica | |
| Grey-backed Cisticola | Cisticola subruficapilla | |
| Levaillant's Cisticola | Cisticola tinniens | |
| Piping Cisticola | Cisticola fulvicapilla | |
| Zitting Cisticola | Cisticola juncidis | |
| Cloud Cisticola | Cisticola textrix | |
| Karoo Prinia | Prinia maculosa | |
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| Knysna Warbler | Bradypterus sylvaticus | |
| Little Rush Warbler | Bradypterus baboecala | |
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| Common Reed Warbler | Acrocephalus scirpaceus | |
| Lesser Swamp Warbler | Acrocephalus gracilirostris | |
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| Black Saw-wing | Psalidoprocne pristoptera | |
| Northern House Martin | Delichon urbicum | |
| South African Swallow | Petrochelidon spilodera | Rare/Accidental |
| Lesser Striped Swallow | Cecropis abyssinica | Rare/Accidental |
| Rufous-chested Swallow | Cecropis semirufa | |
| Greater Striped Swallow | Cecropis cucullata | |
| White-throated Swallow | Hirundo albigularis | |
| Barn Swallow | Hirundo rustica | |
| Pearl-breasted Swallow | Hirundo dimidiata | |
| Rock Martin | Ptyonoprogne fuligula | |
| Banded Martin | Neophedina cincta | |
| Plain Martin | Riparia paludicola | |
| Sand Martin | Riparia riparia | |
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| Sombre Greenbul | Andropadus importunus | |
| Cape Bulbul | Pycnonotus capensis | |
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| Willow Warbler | Phylloscopus trochilus | |
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| Layard's Warbler | Curruca layardi | |
| Chestnut-vented Warbler | Curruca subcoerulea | |
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| Cape White-eye | Zosterops virens | |
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| Common Starling | Sturnus vulgaris | Introduced species |
| Wattled Starling | Creatophora cinerea | |
| Common Myna | Acridotheres tristis | Rare/Accidental |
| Red-winged Starling | Onychognathus morio | |
| African Pied Starling | Lamprotornis bicolor | Endemic (country/region) |
| Cape Starling | Lamprotornis nitens | |
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| Karoo Scrub Robin | Cercotrichas coryphoeus | |
| Eastern Bearded Scrub Robin | Cercotrichas quadrivirgata | |
| Spotted Flycatcher | Muscicapa striata | |
| African Dusky Flycatcher | Muscicapa adusta | |
| Fiscal Flycatcher | Sigelus silens | |
| Cape Robin Chat | Cossypha caffra | |
| Cape Rock Thrush | Monticola rupestris | Endemic (country/region) |
| African Stonechat | Saxicola torquatus | |
| Sickle-winged Chat | Emarginata sinuata | |
| Karoo Chat | Emarginata schlegelii | |
| Southern Anteater Chat | Myrmecocichla formicivora | |
| Mountain Wheatear | Myrmecocichla monticola | |
| Capped Wheatear | Oenanthe pileata | |
| Familiar Chat | Oenanthe familiaris | |
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| Olive Thrush | Turdus olivaceus | |
| Smith's Thrush | Turdus smithi | |
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