Selous Game Reserve Bird Checklist
Selous Game Reserve Bird Checklist : Selous Game reserve which is also referred to as Nyerere National park is located in the Southern region of Tanzania covering a total surface area of about 50,000 square kilometers. In addition, it was first designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1882 because of its wildlife diversity and beautiful nature then later, it was established as a national park in 1922. More so, Selous game reserve is a home to over 440 bird species therefore ranking it among best destinations to visit on your Tanzania birding safari in the country. In addition, some of these birds include the following below;
color codes
Ducks: Anatidae
White-faced Whistling-Duck
Fulvous Whistling-Duck
White-backed Duck
Knob-billed Duck
Egyptian Goose
Spur-winged Goose
<African Pygmy-Goose>
Red-billed Duck
\Southern Pochard\
Maccoa Duck
Guineafowl: Numididae
Helmeted Guineafowl
Eastern Crested Guineafowl
Southern Crested Guineafowl
Pheasants, Grouse, and Allies: Phasianidae
Crested Francolin
Coqui Francolin
Shelley’s Francolin
<Blue Quail>
Harlequin Quail
Hildebrandt’s Spurfowl
Red-necked Spurfowl
Flamingos: Phoenicopteridae
Greater Flamingo
Grebes: Podicipedidae
Little Grebe
Pigeons and Doves: Columbidae
Speckled Pigeon
Lemon Dove
Mourning Collared-Dove
Red-eyed Dove
Ring-necked Dove
Laughing Dove
Emerald-spotted Wood-Dove
Blue-spotted Wood-Dove
Tambourine Dove
Namaqua Dove
African Green-Pigeon
Bustards: Otididae
Black-bellied Bustard
Turacos: Musophagidae
Livingstone’s Turaco
Purple-crested Turaco
Gray Go-away-bird
Cuckoos: Cuculidae
Red-chested Cuckoo
Black Cuckoo
/Common Cuckoo/
African Cuckoo
/Lesser Cuckoo/
Black Coucal
White-browed Coucal
Green Malkoha
Pied Cuckoo
Levaillant’s Cuckoo
/Great Spotted Cuckoo/
Thick-billed Cuckoo
Klaas’s Cuckoo
African Emerald Cuckoo
Dideric Cuckoo
\Barred Long-tailed Cuckoo\
Nightjars and Allies: Caprimulgidae
Pennant-winged Nightjar
/Eurasian Nightjar/
Fiery-necked Nightjar
Freckled Nightjar
Square-tailed Nightjar
Swifts: Apodidae
Mottled Spinetail
Bat-like Spinetail
|Common Swift|
Little Swift
(Horus Swift)
White-rumped Swift
African Palm Swift
Rails, Gallinules, and Coots: Rallidae
|Corn Crake|
(African Crake)
Lesser Moorhen
Black Crake
Finfoots: Heliornithidae
African Finfoot
Thick-knees: Burhinidae
Water Thick-knee
Spotted Thick-knee
Stilts and Avocets: Recurvirostridae
Black-winged Stilt
Pied Avocet
Plovers and Lapwings: Charadriidae
/Black-bellied Plover/
Blacksmith Lapwing
Spur-winged Lapwing
White-headed Lapwing
Senegal Lapwing
Crowned Lapwing
/Greater Sand-Plover/
Kittlitz’s Plover
/Common Ringed Plover/
Three-banded Plover
White-fronted Plover
Painted-Snipes: Rostratulidae
<Greater Painted-Snipe>
Jacanas: Jacanidae
African Jacana
Sandpipers and Allies: Scolopacidae
/Ruff/
/Curlew Sandpiper/
/Little Stint/
/Great Snipe/
/Common Snipe/
/Common Sandpiper/
/Green Sandpiper/
/Common Greenshank/
/Marsh Sandpiper/
/Wood Sandpiper/
Buttonquail: Turnicidae
Small Buttonquail
Pratincoles and Coursers: Glareolidae
Temminck’s Courser
Bronze-winged Courser
Collared Pratincole
Rock Pratincole
Gulls, Terns, and Skimmers: Laridae
/Gull-billed Tern/
/White-winged Tern/
Whiskered Tern
African Skimmer
Storks: Ciconiidae
African Openbill
/Abdim’s Stork/
African Woolly-necked Stork
/White Stork/
Saddle-billed Stork
Marabou Stork
Yellow-billed Stork
Anhingas: Anhingidae
African Darter
Cormorants and Shags: Phalacrocoracidae
Long-tailed Cormorant
Great Cormorant
Pelicans: Pelecanidae
Great White Pelican
Pink-backed Pelican
Shoebill: Balaenicipitidae
Shoebill
Hamerkop: Scopidae
Hamerkop
Herons, Egrets, and Bitterns: Ardeidae
Little Bittern
Dwarf Bittern
Gray Heron
Black-headed Heron
Goliath Heron
Purple Heron
Great Egret
Intermediate Egret
Little Egret
Black Heron
Cattle Egret
Squacco Heron
\Malagasy Pond-Heron\
Rufous-bellied Heron
Striated Heron
Black-crowned Night-Heron
White-backed Night-Heron
Ibises and Spoonbills: Threskiornithidae
Glossy Ibis
African Sacred Ibis
Hadada Ibis
African Spoonbill
Secretary-bird: Sagittariidae
Secretarybird
Osprey: Pandionidae
/Osprey/
Hawks, Eagles, and Kites: Accipitridae
Black-winged Kite
African Harrier-Hawk
Palm-nut Vulture
Egyptian Vulture
/European Honey-buzzard/
African Cuckoo-Hawk
White-headed Vulture
Lappet-faced Vulture
Hooded Vulture
White-backed Vulture
Rueppell’s Griffon
Bateleur
Black-chested Snake-Eagle
Brown Snake-Eagle
Fasciated Snake-Eagle
Bat Hawk
Crowned Eagle
Martial Eagle
Long-crested Eagle
/Lesser Spotted Eagle/
Wahlberg’s Eagle
/Booted Eagle/
Ayres’s Hawk-Eagle
Tawny Eagle
African Hawk-Eagle
Lizard Buzzard
Dark Chanting-Goshawk
Gabar Goshawk
/Eurasian Marsh-Harrier/
African Marsh-Harrier
/Pallid Harrier/
Montagu’s Harrier
African Goshawk
Shikra
Little Sparrowhawk
Ovambo Sparrowhawk
Black Goshawk
/Black Kite/
Yellow-billed Kite**
African Fish-Eagle
|Common Buzzard|
Augur Buzzard
Barn-Owls: Tytonidae
Barn Owl
Owls: Strigidae
African Scops-Owl
Southern White-faced Owl
Spotted Eagle-Owl
Verreaux’s Eagle-Owl
Pel’s Fishing-Owl
Pearl-spotted Owlet
African Barred Owlet
African Wood-Owl
Mousebirds: Coliidae
Speckled Mousebird
Blue-naped Mousebird
Trogons: Trogonidae
Narina Trogon
Hoopoes: Upupidae
/Eurasian Hoopoe/
African Hoopoe**
Woodhoopoes and Scimitarbills: Phoeniculidae
Green Woodhoopoe
Common Scimitarbill
Hornbills: Bucerotidae
Southern Ground-Hornbill
Crowned Hornbill
African Gray Hornbill
Pale-billed Hornbill
Northern Red-billed Hornbill
Tanzanian Red-billed Hornbill
Von der Decken’s Hornbill
Silvery-cheeked Hornbill
Trumpeter Hornbill
Kingfishers: Alcedinidae
Half-collared Kingfisher
Malachite Kingfisher
African Pygmy Kingfisher
Gray-headed Kingfisher
Woodland Kingfisher
Mangrove Kingfisher
Brown-hooded Kingfisher
Striped Kingfisher
Giant Kingfisher
Pied Kingfisher
Bee-eaters: Meropidae
White-fronted Bee-eater
Little Bee-eater
Swallow-tailed Bee-eater
/White-throated Bee-eater/
Boehm’s Bee-eater
/Blue-cheeked Bee-eater/
\Madagascar Bee-eater\
|European Bee-eater|
/Northern Carmine Bee-eater/
Rollers: Coraciidae
/European Roller/
Lilac-breasted Roller
Racket-tailed Roller
Rufous-crowned Roller
Broad-billed Roller
African Barbets: Lybiidae
Crested Barbet
D’Arnaud’s Barbet
White-eared Barbet
Whyte’s Barbet
Green Tinkerbird
Yellow-rumped Tinkerbird
Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird
Spot-flanked Barbet
Black-collared Barbet
Brown-breasted Barbet
Honeyguides: Indicatoridae
Lesser Honeyguide
Scaly-throated Honeyguide
Greater Honeyguide
Woodpeckers: Picidae
Rufous-necked Wryneck
Cardinal Woodpecker
Bearded Woodpecker
Stierling’s Woodpecker
Olive Woodpecker
Green-backed Woodpecker
Nubian Woodpecker
Bennett’s Woodpecker
Reichenow’s Woodpecker
Golden-tailed Woodpecker
Falcons and Caracaras: Falconidae
Pygmy Falcon
/Lesser Kestrel/
Rock Kestrel
Gray Kestrel
Dickinson’s Kestrel
Red-necked Falcon
|Amur Falcon|
|Eleonora’s Falcon|
|Sooty Falcon|
/Eurasian Hobby/
African Hobby
Peregrine Falcon
Parrots: Psittacidae
Brown-necked Parrot
Meyer’s Parrot
Brown-headed Parrot
African and Green Broadbill: Calyptomenidae
African Broadbill
Pittas: Pittidae
African Pitta
Cuckooshrikes: Campephagidae
White-breasted Cuckooshrike
Black Cuckooshrike
Old World Orioles: Oriolidae
/Eurasian Golden Oriole/
#African Golden Oriole#
Green-headed Oriole
African Black-headed Oriole
Wattle-eyes and Batises: Platysteiridae
Black-throated Wattle-eye
Short-tailed Batis
Chinspot Batis
Pale Batis
Western Black-headed Batis
Eastern Black-headed Batis
Vangas, Helmetshrikes and Allies: Vangidae
White Helmetshrike
Retz’s Helmetshrike
Chestnut-fronted Helmetshrike
Black-and-white Shrike-flycatcher
Bushshrikes: Malaconotidae
Brubru
Black-backed Puffback
Marsh Tchagra
Black-crowned Tchagra
Brown-crowned Tchagra
Tropical Boubou
Sulphur-breasted Bushshrike
Black-fronted Bushshrike
Four-colored Bushshrike
Gray-headed Bushshrike
Drongos: Dicruridae
Common Square-tailed Drongo
Fork-tailed Drongo
Monarch Flycatchers: Monarchidae
African Crested-Flycatcher
African Paradise-Flycatcher
Shrikes: Laniidae
/Red-backed Shrike/
/Isabelline Shrike/
|Lesser Gray Shrike|
Long-tailed Fiscal
Magpie Shrike
Northern Fiscal
Crows, Jays, and Magpies: Corvidae
House Crow
Pied Crow
White-necked Raven
Hyliotas: Hyliotidae
Yellow-bellied Hyliota
Tits, Chickadees, and Titmice: Paridae
White-winged Black-Tit
Rufous-bellied Tit
Penduline-Tits: Remizidae
African Penduline-Tit
Larks: Alaudidae
Dusky Lark
Fischer’s Sparrow-Lark
Rufous-naped Lark
Flappet Lark
Nicators: Nicatoridae
Western Nicator
Eastern Nicator
African Warblers: Macrosphenidae
Red-faced Crombec
Moustached Grass-Warbler
Kretschmer’s Longbill
Cisticolas and Allies: Cisticolidae
Yellow-bellied Eremomela
Greencap Eremomela
Green-backed Camaroptera
Yellow-breasted Apalis
Black-headed Apalis
Tawny-flanked Prinia
Red-winged Prinia
Red-faced Cisticola
Singing Cisticola
Rattling Cisticola
Winding Cisticola
Croaking Cisticola
Piping Cisticola
Siffling Cisticola
Zitting Cisticola
Desert Cisticola
Reed Warblers and Allies: Acrocephalidae
/Eastern Olivaceous Warbler/
/Sedge Warbler/
/Common Reed Warbler/
/Great Reed Warbler/
Swallows: Hirundinidae
Plain Martin
/Bank Swallow/
Rock Martin
/Barn Swallow/
Ethiopian Swallow
Wire-tailed Swallow
\Greater Striped Swallow\
Lesser Striped Swallow
Mosque Swallow
/Common House-Martin/
Black Sawwing
Gray-rumped Swallow
Bulbuls: Pycnonotidae
Sombre Greenbul
Yellow-bellied Greenbul
Little Greenbul
Terrestrial Brownbul
Northern Brownbul
Gray-olive Greenbul
Fischer’s Greenbul
Yellow-streaked Greenbul
Tiny Greenbul
Common Bulbul
Leaf Warblers: Phylloscopidae
/Willow Warbler/
Bush Warblers and Allies: Scotocercidae
Livingstone’s Flycatcher
Sylviid Warblers, Parrotbills, and Allies: Sylviidae
/Garden Warbler/
/Barred Warbler/
/Greater Whitethroat/
White-eyes, Yuhinas, and Allies: Zosteropidae
Southern Yellow White-eye
Laughingthrushes and Allies: Leiothrichidae
Rufous Chatterer
Arrow-marked Babbler
Treecreepers: Certhiidae
African Spotted Creeper
Oxpeckers: Buphagidae
Red-billed Oxpecker
Yellow-billed Oxpecker
Starlings: Sturnidae
Wattled Starling
Violet-backed Starling
Black-bellied Starling
Lesser Blue-eared Starling
Greater Blue-eared Starling
Thrushes and Allies: Turdidae
Red-tailed Ant-Thrush
Orange Ground-Thrush
Kurrichane Thrush
Old World Flycatchers: Muscicapidae
|Spotted Flycatcher|
Pale Flycatcher
Gray Tit-Flycatcher
Ashy Flycatcher
Southern Black-Flycatcher
White-eyed Slaty-Flycatcher
Bearded Scrub-Robin
Miombo Scrub-Robin
Red-backed Scrub-Robin
White-browed Robin-Chat
Red-capped Robin-Chat
Collared Palm-Thrush
Spotted Morning-Thrush
White-starred Robin
White-chested Alethe
/Rufous-tailed Rock-Thrush/
Miombo Rock-Thrush
Mocking Cliff-Chat
Arnot’s Chat
/Northern Wheatear/
Capped Wheatear
/Pied Wheatear/
Familiar Chat
Sunbirds and Spiderhunters: Nectariniidae
Western Violet-backed Sunbird
Uluguru Violet-backed Sunbird
Collared Sunbird
Olive Sunbird
Amethyst Sunbird
Scarlet-chested Sunbird
Mariqua Sunbird
Shelley’s Sunbird
Purple-banded Sunbird
Variable Sunbird
Weavers and Allies: Ploceidae
Red-billed Buffalo-Weaver
White-browed Sparrow-Weaver
Gray-headed Social-Weaver
Red-headed Weaver
Spectacled Weaver
African Golden-Weaver
Lesser Masked-Weaver
Southern Masked-Weaver
Vitelline Masked-Weaver
Village Weaver
Forest Weaver
Olive-headed Weaver
Red-headed Quelea
<Red-billed Quelea>
Zanzibar Red Bishop
Black-winged Bishop
Yellow Bishop
White-winged Widowbird
Red-cowled Widowbird
Fan-tailed Widowbird
Grosbeak Weaver
Waxbills and Allies: Estrildidae
Bronze Mannikin
Black-and-white Mannikin
Magpie Mannikin
Zebra Waxbill
Black-tailed Waxbill
Common Waxbill
Quailfinch
Southern Cordonbleu
Red-cheeked Cordonbleu
Lesser Seedcracker
Green-winged Pytilia
Orange-winged Pytilia
Peters’s Twinspot
Red-billed Firefinch
African Firefinch
Indigobirds: Viduidae
Pin-tailed Whydah
Broad-tailed Paradise-Whydah
Eastern Paradise-Whydah
Village Indigobird
Variable Indigobird
Parasitic Weaver
Old World Sparrows: Passeridae
Northern Gray-headed Sparrow
Southern Gray-headed Sparrow
Yellow-throated Bush Sparrow
Wagtails and Pipits: Motacillidae
/Western Yellow Wagtail/
African Pied Wagtail
African Pipit
Woodland Pipit
Buffy Pipit
Bush Pipit
Golden Pipit
Yellow-throated Longclaw
Finches, Euphonias, and Allies: Fringillidae
Yellow-fronted Canary
Black-throated Canary
Reichenow’s Seedeater
Reichard’s Seedeater
Old World Buntings: Emberizidae
Cinnamon-breasted Bunting
Golden-breasted Bunting
Cabanis’s Bunting
