Birdlist

"A Check-list of the Birds of Mpala Research Centre and Mpala Ranch, Laikipia District, Kenya. Compiled by James F. Lynch, Colin Tait, and Daniel K. Niven, and Sulyn Talbot

Last updated Oct 2005 Taxonomy and sequence follow Zimmermann, Turner, and Pearson, 1996
Status: p = permanent resident; b = confirmed breeding at Mpala; em = Eurasian migrant; am = intra-African migrant, v = vagrant
Abundance: A = abundant in appropriate habitat (many encountered in a day); C = common (one to several encountered per day); U = uncommon (one to a few encountered per week); R = rare (not reliably found)"

Total Number of Species = 308 (Download in Ms Excel format)   

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Order FamilyCommon Name (Scientific Name)Status Abund.

STRUTHIONIFORMES

    
 

Struthionidae

   
 

Common Ostrich (Struthio camelus)

pb

C

PODICIPEDIFORMES

    
 

Podicipedidae

   
 

Little Grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis)

pb

U

PELECANIFORMES

    
 

Pelecanidae

   
 

Great White Pelican (Pelecanus onocrotalus)

v

R

 

Pink-backed Pelican (Pelecanus rufescens)

v

R

 

Phalacrocoracidae

   
 

Great Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo)

v

R

 

Anhingidae

   
 

African Darter (Anhinga rufa)

p

U

CICONIIFORMES

    
 

Ardeidae

   
 

Black-headed Heron (Ardea melanocephala)

p

C

 

Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis)

pb

U

 

Goliath Heron (Ardea goliath)

p

R

 

Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea)

p

U

 

Striated Heron (Butorides striatus)

p

U

 

Yellow-billed Egret (Mesophoyx intermedia)

v

R

 

Little Bittern (Ixobrychus minutus)

am

U

 

Black-crowned Night Heron (Nycticorax n. nycticorax)

v

R

 

Scopidae

   
 

Hamerkop (Scopus umbretta)

pb

U

 

Ciconiidae

   
 

Black Stork (Ciconia nigra)

em

R

 

Marabou Stork (Leptoptilus crumeniferus)

p

R

 

Yellow-billed Stork (Mycteria ibis)

p

U

 

Threskiornithidae

   
 

African Spoonbill (Platalea alba)

p

R

 

Hadada Ibis (Bostrychia hagedash)

p

U

 

Sacred Ibis (Threskiornis aethiopicus)

p

R

ANSERIFORMES

    
 

Anatidae

   
 

African Black Duck (Anas sparsa)

p

U

 

Egyptian Goose (Alopochen aegyptiacus)

pb

C

 

Hottentot Teal (Anas hottentota)

v

R

 

Knob-billed Duck (Sarkidiornis melanotos)

v

R

 

Red-billed Teal (Anas erythrorhyncha)

p

U

FALCONIFORMES

    
 

Sagittariidae

   
 

Secretary Bird (Sagittarius serpentarius)

pb

U

 

Accipitridae

   
 

African Fish Eagle (Haliaeetus vocifer)

p

U

 

African Harrier-hawk (Polyboroides t. typus)

p

U

 

African Hawk-eagle (Hieraaetus spilogaster)

p

R

 

African White-backed Vulture (Gyps africanus)

p

U

 

Augur Buzzard (Buteo augur)

p

C

 

Bateleur (Terathopius ecaudatus)

pb

C

 

Black kite (Milvus migrans)

p

R

 

Black-chested Snake Eagle (Circaetus pectoralis)

p

U

 

Black-shouldered Kite (Elanus caeruleus)

p

C

 

Brown Snake Eagle (Circaetus cinereus)

p

U

 

Eastern Pale Chanting Goshawk (Melierax poliopterus)

p

C

 

Egyptian Vulture (Neophron percnopterus)

p

R

 

Gabar Goshawk (Micronisus gabar)

p

U

 

Hooded Vulture (Necrosyrtes monachus)

p

R

 

Lappet-Faced Vulture (Torgos tracheliotos tracheliotos)

p

U

 

Little Sparrowhawk (Accipiter minullus)

p

R

 

Lizard Buzzard (Kaupifalco monogrammicus)

v

R

 

Long-crested Eagle (Lophaetus occipitalis)

p

U

 

Martial Eagle (Polemaetus bellicosus)

p

R

 

Pallid Harrier (Circus macrourus)

em

U

 

Ruppell's Griffon Vulture (Gyps rueppellii)

p

R

 

Shikra (Accipiter badius)

p

R

 

Tawny Eagle (Aquila rapax)

pb

C

 

Verreaux's Eagle (Aquila verreauxii)

p

R

 

Wahlberg's Eagle (Aquila wahlbergi)

p

R

 

Eurasian Marsh Harrier (Circus a. aeruginosus)

am

U

 

Montagu's Harrier (Circus Pygargus)

em

C

 

African Swallow-tailed Kite (Chelictinia riocourii)

am

U

 

Falconidae

   
 

Common (Eurasian) Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus)

em

U

 

Eleonora's Falcon (Falco eleonorae)

em

U

 

Eurasian Hobby (Falco subbuteo)

em

U

 

Lesser Kestrel (Falco naumanni)

em

U

 

Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus)

p

R

 

Pygmy Falcon (Polihierax semitorquatus)

p

U

GALLIFORMES

    
 

Phasianidae

   
 

Crested Francolin (Francolinus sephaena)

pb

C

 

Harlequin Quail (Coturnix delegorguei)

pb

C

 

Helmeted Guineafowl (Numida meleagris)

pb

A

 

Hildebrandt's Francolin (Francolinus hildebrandti)

p

U

 

Vulturine Guineafowl (Acryllium vulturinum)

pb

A

 

Yellow-necked Spurfowl (Francolinus leucoscepus)

pb

C

GRUIFORMES

    
 

Turnicidae

   
 

Common Button-quail (Turnix sylvatica)

p

R

 

Rallidae

   
 

Black Crake (Amaurornis flavirostris)

pb

U

 

Corncrake (Crex crex)

em

R

 

Gruidae

   
 

Grey Crowned Crane (Balearica regulorum)

v

R

 

Heliornithidae

   
 

African Finfoot (Podica senegalensis)

p

R

 

Otididae

   
 

Black-bellied Bustard (Eupodotis melanogaster)

p

U

 

Crested Bustard (Eupodotis ruficrista)

p

R

 

Hartlaub's Bustard (Eupodotis hartlaubii)

p

U

 

Kori Bustard (Ardeotis kori)

pb

C

 

White-bellied Bustard (Eupodotis senegalensis)

pb

C

CHARADRIIFORMES

    
 

Recurvirostridae

   
 

Black-winged Stilt (Himantopus himantopus)

p

R

 

Burhinidae

   
 

Spotted Thick-knee (Burhinus capensis)

p

U

 

Glareolidae

   
 

Heuglin's (Three-banded) Courser (Rhinoptilus cinctus)

p

U

 

Temminck's Courser (Cursorius temminckii)

p

U

 

Charadriidae

   
 

Blacksmith Plover (Vanellus armatus)

pb

C

 

Black-winged Plover (Vanellus melanopterus minor)

v

U

 

Crowned Plover (Vanellus coronatus)

pb

A

 

Three-banded Plover (Charadrius tricollaris)

p

C

 

Kittlitz's Plover (Charadrius pecuarius)

p

R

 

Scolopacidae

   
 

Common Greenshank (Tringa nebularia)

em

R

 

Common Sandpiper (Actitis hypoleucos)

em

U

 

Common Snipe (Gallinago g. gallinago)

em

U

 

Green Sandpiper (Tringa ochropus)

em

R

 

Marsh Sandpiper (Tringa stagnatilis)

em

R

 

Spotted Redshank (Tringa erythropus)

em

U

 

Wood Sandpiper (Tringa glareola)

em

R

 

Little Stint (Calidris minuta)

em

U

 

Common Redshank (Tringa totanus ussuriensis)

em

U

COLUMBIFORMES

    
 

Pteroclidae

   
 

Lichtenstein's Sandgrouse (Pterocles lichtensteinii)

pb

U

 

Black-faced Sandgrouse (Pterocles decoratus)

p

U

 

Columbidae

   
 

African Green Pigeon (Treron calva)

p

U

 

African Mourning Dove (Streptopelia decipiens)

p

U

 

Dusky Turtle-Dove (Streptopelia lugens)

p

U

 

Emerald-spotted Wood Dove (Turtur chalcospilos)

p

C

 

Laughing Dove (Streptopelia senegalensis)

p

A

 

Namaqua Dove (Oena capensis)

p

U

 

Red-eyed Dove (Streptopelia semitorquata)

p

U

 

Ring-necked Dove (Streptopelia capicola)

pb

A

 

Speckled Pigeon (Columba guinea)

pb

C

PSITTACIFORMES

    
 

Psittacidae

   
 

Brown Parrot (Poicephalus meyeri)

p

C

CUCULIFORMES

    
 

Musophagidae

   
 

White-bellied Go-away Bird (Corythaixoides leucogaster)

p

A

 

Cuculidae

   
 

Black Cuckoo (Cuculus clamosus)

am

U

 

Black-and-white Cuckoo (Oxylophus jacobinus)

am

U

 

Diederik Cuckoo (Chrysococcyx caprius)

p

R

 

Klaas's Cuckoo (Chrysococcyx klaas)

p

U

 

Red-chested Cuckoo (Cuculus solitarius)

p

C

 

White-browed Coucal (Centropus superciliosus)

p

U

 

African Cuckoo (Cuculus gularis)

am

U

STRIGIFORMES

    
 

Tytonidae

   
 

Barn Owl (Tyto alba)

p

U

 

Strigidae

   
 

Pearl-spotted Owlet (Glaucidium perlatum)

pb

R

 

Verreaux's Eagle-owl (Bubo lacteus)

p

U

 

White-faced Scops Owl (Otus leucotis)

p

U

 

African Scops Owl (Otus senegalensis)

p

C

CAPRIMULGIFORMES

    
 

Caprimulgidae

   
 

Donaldson-Smith's Nightjar (Caprimulgus donaldsoni)

pb

R

APODIFORMES

    
 

Apodidae

   
 

Alpine Swift (Apus melba)

p

R

 

Horus Swift (Apus horus)

p

R

 

Little Swift (Apus affinis)

p

A

 

Mottled Swift (Apus aequatorialis)

p

U

 

Nyanza Swift (Apus niansae)

p

R

 

White-rumped Swift (Apus caffer)

p

R

COLIIFORMES

    
 

Coliidae

   
 

Blue-naped Mousebird (Urocolius macrourus)

p

C

 

Speckled Mousebird (Colius striatus)

p

C

 

White-headed Mousebird (Colius leucocephalus)

p

R

CORACIIFORMES

    
 

Alcedinidae

   
 

Giant Kingfisher (Megaceryle maxima)

p

R

 

Grey-headed Kingfisher (Halcyon leucocephala)

am

U

 

Malachite Kingfisher (Alcedo cristata)

em

U

 

Pied Kingfisher (Ceryle rudis)

p

U

 

Meropidae

   
 

Cinnamon-chested Bee-eater (Merops oreobates)

p

U

 

Eurasian Bee-eater (Merops apiaster)

em

C

 

Little Bee-eater (Merops pusillus)

em

C

 

White-throated Bee-eater (Merops albicollis)

pb

R

 

Coraciidae

   
 

Eurasian Roller (Coracias garrulus)

em

R

 

Lilac-breasted Roller (Coracias caudata)

pb

C

 

Rufous-crowned Roller (Coracias naevia)

p

U

 

Upupidae

   
 

(Eurasian) Hoopoe (Upupa epops)

p

C

 

Phoeniculidae

   
 

Abyssinian Scimitarbill (Rhinopomastus minor)

pb

R

 

Common Scimitarbill (Rhinopomastus cyanomelas)

p

U

 

Green Wood-hoopoe (Phoeniculus purpureus)

pb

U

 

Bucerotidae

   
 

African Grey Hornbill (Tockus nasurus)

p

R

 

Crowned Hornbill (Tockus alboterminatus)

v

R

 

Red-billed Hornbill (Tockus erythrorhynchus)

pb

C

 

Von der Decken's Hornbill (Tockus deckeni)

pb

C

PICIFORMES

    
 

Capitonidae

   
 

D'Arnaud's Barbet (Trachyphonus darnaudii)

pb

C

 

Red-and yellow Barbet (Trachyphonus erythrocephalus)

p

R

 

Red-fronted Barbet (Tricholaema diademata)

p

U

 

Red-fronted Tinkerbird (Pogoniulus pusillus affinis)

p

U

 

Spot-flanked Barbet (Tricholaema lacrymosa)

p

R

 

Indicatoridae

   
 

Greater Honeyguide (Indicator indicator)

p

U

 

Lesser Honeyguide (Indicator minor)

pb

U

 

Scaly-throated Honeyguide (Indicator variegatus)

p

U

 

Wahlberg's Honeybird (Prodotiscus regulus)

p

R

 

Picidae

   
 

Bearded Woodpecker (Dendropicos namaquus)

p

U

 

Cardinal Woodpecker (Dendropicos fuscescens)

pb

C

 

Grey Woodpecker (Dendropicos goertae)

p

U

 

Nubian Woodpecker (Campethera nubica)

p

C

PASSERIFORMES

    
 

Alaudidae

   
 

Fawn-coloured Lark (Mirafra africanoides)

p

C

 

Fischer's Sparrow-lark (Eremopterix leucopareia)

p

A

 

Rufous-naped Lark (Mirafra africana)

p

C

 

Singing Bush Lark (Mirafra cantillans)

p

C

 

Red-capped Lark (Calandrella cinerea)

p

C

 

Motacillidae

   
 

African Pied Wagtail (Motacilla aguimp)

pb

C

 

Bush Pipit (Anthus caffer blayneyi)

v

R

 

Golden Pipit (Tmetothylacus tenellus)

p

U

 

Grassland Pipit (Anthus cinnamomeus)

pb

C

 

Plain-backed Pipit (Anthus leucophyrs)

p

C

 

Tree Pipit (Anthus trivialis)

em

R

 

Yellow Wagtail (Motacilla flava)

em

R

 

Hirundinidae

   
 

Angola Swallow (Hirundo angolensis)

p

R

 

Banded Martin (Riparia cincta)

p

U

 

Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica)

em

U

 

Black Saw-wing (Psalidoprocne holomelas)

p

C

 

Common House Martin (Delichon urbica)

em

R

 

Ethiopian Swallow (Hirundo aethiopica)

pb

C

 

Lesser Striped Swallow (Hirundo abyssinica)

C

 

Mosque Swallow (Hirundo senegalensis)

p

U

 

Red-rumped Swallow (Hirundo daurica)

pb

C

 

Rock Martin (Hirundo fuligula)

pb

C

 

Wire-tailed Swallow (Hirundo smithii)

pb

U

 

Pycnonotidae

   
 

Common Bulbul (Pycnonotus barbatus)

p

C

 

Timaliidae

   
 

Rufous Chatterer (Turdoides rubiginosus)

pb

C

 

Turdidae

   
 

Black-Eared Wheatear (Oenanthe hispanica melanoleuca)

v

R

 

Cape Robin Chat (Cossypha caffra)

p

R

 

Capped Wheatear (Oenanthe pileata)

p

R

 

Cliff Chat (Thamnolaea cinnamomeiventris)

p

U

 

Common Rock Thrush (Monticola saxatilis)

em

R

 

Desert Wheatear (Oenanthe deserti)

v

R

 

Irania (White-throated Robin) (Irania gutturalis)

em

U

 

Isabelline Wheatear (Oenanthe isabellina)

em

U

 

Little Rock Thrush (Monticola rufocinereus)

p

R

 

Northern Wheatear (Oenanthe oenanthe)

em

C

 

Pied Wheatear (Oenanthe pleschanka)

em

U

 

Spotted Morning Thrush (Cichladusa guttata)

p

U

 

Whinchat (Saxicola rubetra)

em

R

 

White-browed Robin-chat (Cossypha heuglini)

p

U

 

White-browed Scrub Robin (Cercotrichas leucophrys)

p

C

 

Muscicapidae

   
 

African Grey Flycatcher (Bradornis mirorhynchus)

pb

C

 

Pale Flycatcher (Bradornis pallidus murinus)

v

U

 

Southern Black Flycatcher (Melaenornis pammelaina)

p

C

 

White-eyed Slaty Flycatcher (Melaenornis fischeri)

p

U

 

Sylviidae

   
 

Banded Parisoma (Parisoma boehmi)

pb

A

 

Boran Cisticola (Cisticola bodessa)

p

C

 

Common Whitethroat (Sylvia communis)

em

R

 

Grey Wren-warbler (Calamonastes simplex)

p

R

 

Grey-backed Camaroptera (Cameroptera brachyura)

p

C

 

Grey-Capped Warbler (Eminia lepida)

p

U

 

Olivaceous Warbler (Hippolais pallida elaeica)

em

C

 

Pectoral-patch Cisticola (Cisticola brunnescens)

p

U

 

Rattling Cisticola (Cisticola chiniana)

p

A

 

Red-faced Crombec (Sylvietta whytii)

pb

C

 

Tawny-flanked Prinia (Prinia subflava)

p

U

 

Tiny Cicticola (Cisticola nanus)

p

R

 

Willow Warbler (Phylloscopus trochilus)

em

C

 

Yellow-bellied Eremomela (Eremomela icteropygialis)

p

C

 

Yellow-breasted Apalis (Apalis flavida)

pb

C

 

Sedge Warbler (Acrocephalus schoenobaenus)

em

U

 

Zosteropidae

   
 

Abyssinian White-eye (Zosterops abyssinicus)

p

U

 

Paridae

   
 

Northern Grey Tit (Parus thruppi)

p

U

 

White-bellied Tit (Parus albiventris)

p

U

 

Remizidae

   
 

Mouse-coloured Penduline Tit (Anthoscopus musculus)

p

U

 

Monarchidae

   
 

African Paradise Flycatcher (Terpsiphone viridis)

pb

U

 

Platysteiridae

   
 

Chin-spot Batis (Batis molitor)

pb

A

 

Prionopidae

   
 

Northern White-crowned Shrike (Eurocephalus rueppelli)

p

C

 

Laniidae

   
 

Common Fiscal (Lanius collaris)

em

R

 

Lesser Grey Shrike (Lanius minor)

em

U

 

Red-backed Shrike (Lanius collurio)

em

R

 

Red-tailed Shrike (Lanius isabellinus)

em

R

 

Taita Fiscal (Lanius dorsalis)

p

C

 

Long-tailed Fiscal Shrike (Lanius cabanisi)

p

R

 

Woodchat Shrike (Lanius senator)

v

R

 

Malaconotidae

   
 

Black-crowned Tchagra (Tshagra senegala senegala)

p

R

 

Brown-crowned Tchagra (Tchagra australis)

p

R

 

Brubru (Nilaus afer)

p

C

 

Grey-headed Bush Shrike (Malaconotus blanchoti)

p

U

 

Northern Puffback (Dryoscopus gambensis)

p

R

 

Rosy-patched Bush-shrike (Rhodophoneus cruentus)

p

C

 

Slate-coloured Boubou (Laniarius funebris)

p

A

 

Sulphur-breasted Bush-shrike (Malaconotus sulfureopectus)

p

U

 

Three-streaked Tchagra (Tchagra jamesi)

p

U

 

Tropical Boubou (Laniarius aethiopicus)

p

U

 

Campephagidae

   
 

Black Cuckoo-shrike (Campephaga flava)

pb

U

 

Dicruridae

   
 

Common Drongo (Dicrurus adsimilis)

p

C

 

Oriolidae

   
 

Black-headed Oriole (Oriolus larvatus)

p

C

 

Eurasian Golden Oriole (Oriolus oriolus)

em

R

 

Corvidae

   
 

Fan-tailed Raven (Corvus rhipidurus)

pb

U

 

Pied Crow (Corvus albus)

v

R

 

Sturnidae

   
 

Blue-eared Glossy Starling (Lamprotornis chalybaeus)

p

C

 

Hildebrandt's Starling (Lamprotornis hidebrandti)

pb

C

 

Red-billed Oxpecker (Buphagus erythrorhynchus)

p

U

 

Red-winged Starling (Onychognathus morio)

pb

C

 

Superb Starling (Lamprotornis superbus)

pb

A

 

Wattled Starling (Creatophora cinerea)

p

U

 

Yellow-billed Oxpecker (Buphagus africanus)

p

U

 

Nectariniidae

   
 

Bronze Sunbird (Nectarinia kilimensis)

pb

R

 

Marico Sunbird (Nectarinia mariquensis)

p

C

 

Northern Double-collared Sunbird (Nectarinia preussi)

p

R

 

Scarlet-chested Sunbird (Nectarinia senegalensis)

pb

U

 

Variable Sunbird (Nectarinia venusta)

p

U

 

Golden-winged Sunbird (Nectarinia r. reichenowi)

v

U

 

Eastern Violet-backed Sunbird (Anthrepetes orientalis)

R

 

Passeridae

   
 

Chestnut Sparrow (Passer eminibey)

p

C

 

Grey-headed Sparrow (Passer griseus)

pb

U

 

Rufous Sparrow (Passer rufocinctus)

p

C

 

Yellow-spotted Petronia (Petronia pyrgita)

pb

U

 

Ploceidae

   
 

Baglafecht Weaver (Ploceus baglafecht)

p

U

 

Black-capped Social Weaver (Pseudonigrita cabanisi)

pb

C

 

Black-necked Weaver (Ploceus nigricollis)

p

U

 

Cardinal Quelea (Quelea cardinalis)

am

R

 

Chestnut Weaver (Ploceus rubiginosus)

p

U

 

Grey-capped Social Weaver (Pseudonigrita arnaudi)

pb

A

 

Long-tailed Widowbird (Euplectes progne delamerei)

v

U

 

Red-billed Buffalo-weaver (Bubalornis niger)

pb

U

 

Red-billed Quelea (Quelea quelea)

p

U

 

Red-headed Weaver (Anaplectes rubriceps)

pb

U

 

Speckle-fronted Weaver (Sporopipes frontalis)

p

U

 

Spectacled Weaver (Ploceus ocularis)

p

R

 

Speke's Weaver (Ploceus spekei)

pb

C

 

Vitelline Masked Weaver (Ploceus velatus)

pb

A

 

White-browed Sparrow-weaver (Plocepasser mahali)

pb

C

 

White-winged Widowbird (Euplectes albonotatus)

v

R

 

Estrildidae

   
 

Black-cheeked Waxbill (Estrilda charmosyna)

p

U

 

Blue-capped Cordon-bleu (Uraeginthus cyanocephalus)

pb

R

 

Bronze Mannikin (Lonchura cucullata)

p

R

 

Common Waxbill (Estrilda astrild)

pb

U

 

Crimson-rumped Waxbill (Estrilda rhodopyga)

pb

U

 

Cut-throat Finch (Amadina fasciata)

p

U

 

Grey-headed Silverbill (Lonchura griseicapilla)

p

C

 

Paradise Whydah (Vidua paradisaea)

p

R

 

Pin-tailed Whydah (Vidua macroura)

p

U

 

Purple Grenadier (Uraeginthus ianthinogaster)

pb

A

 

Quail-finch (Ortygospiza atricollis)

p

U

 

Red-billed Firefinch (Lagonosticta senegala)

p

U

 

Red-cheeked Cordon-bleu (Uraeginthus bengalus)

pb

C

 

Steel-blue Whydah (Vidua fischeri)

pv

U

 

Straw-tailed Whydah (Vidua fischeri)

p

U

 

Village Indigobird (Vidua chalybeata)

v

R

 

Fringillidae

   
 

Brimstone Canary (Serinus sulphuratus)

p

U

 

White-bellied Canary (Serinus dorsostriatus)

pb

C

 

Yellow-rumped Seedeater (Serinus reichenowi)

p

C

 

Northern Grosbeak Canary (Serinus donaldsoni)

v

R

 

Emberizidae

   
 

Cinnamon-breasted Rock Bunting (Emberiza tahapisi)

p

U

 

Golden-breasted Bunting (Emberiza flaviventris)

p

C



©Mpala Wildlife Foundation
PO Box 137 Riderwood, MD 21139-0137 USA tel: (410) 244-7507
PO Box 92 Nanyuki 10400 KENYA tel +254-62-32766
Last Updated: 09th November 2006.Site Map