Species Index

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The numbers of species for each family given below should be treated as approximate figures only. New birds are discovered every year, ornithologists change their minds about which are species and which sub-species (and don't all agree). As a result different books, and different editions of the same book, may give different figures.

Struthionidae, Ostriches

Species - World: 2, Africa: 2, Kenya: 2, Featured: 1

Common Ostrich

Pelecanidae, Pelicans

Species - World: 8, Africa: 3, Kenya: 2, Featured: 2

Great White Pelican , Pink-backed Pelican

Phalacrocoracidae, Cormorants

Species - World: 32, Africa: 7, Kenya: 2, Featured: 2

Great Cormorant , Long-tailed Cormorant

Anhingidae, Darters

Species - World: 4, Africa: 1, Kenya: 1, Featured: 1

African Darter

Ardeidae, Herons, Egrets and Bitterns

Species - World: 65, Africa: 22, Kenya: 19, Featured: 11

Black-crowned Night Heron , Cattle Egret , Little Egret , Squacco Heron , Rufous-bellied Heron , Green-backed Heron , Great Egret , Grey Heron , Purple Heron , Goliath Heron , Black-headed Heron

Scopidae, Hamerkop

Species - World: 1 species endemic to Africa, Kenya: 1, Featured: 1

Hamerkop

Ciconiidae, Storks

Species - World: 19, Africa: 8, Kenya: 8, Featured: 5

Woolly-necked Stork , Saddle-billed Stork , Marabou Stork , Yellow-billed Stork , African Open-billed Stork

Threskiornithidae, Ibises and Spoonbills

Species - World: 34, Africa: 11, Kenya: 6, Featured: 5

Sacred Ibis , Hadada Ibis , Glossy Ibis , Eurasian Spoonbill , African Spoonbill

Phoenicopteridae, Flamingoes

Species - World: 5, Africa: 2, Kenya: 2, Featured: 2

Greater Flamingo , Lesser Flamingo

Anatidae, Ducks and Geese

Species - World: 155, Africa: 55 Kenya: 24, Featured: 22

Fulvous Whistling Duck , White-faced Whistling Duck , Spur-winged Goose , Egyptian Goose , Knob-billed Duck , Mallard , African Black Duck , Cape Teal , Eurasian Wigeon , Gadwall , Common Teal , Garganey , Yellow-billed Duck , Northern Pintail , Red-billed Teal , Hottentot Teal , Northern Shoveler , Southern Pochard , Common Pochard , Ferruginous Duck , Tufted Duck , Maccoa Duck

Sagittariidae, Secretarybird

Species - World: 1 species endemic to Africa, Kenya: 1, Featured: 1

Secretary Bird

Accipitridae, Vultures, Eagles, Hawks, Kites, Buzzards and Osprey

Species - World: 240, Africa: 77, Kenya: 60, Featured: 27

Black-shouldered Kite , Black Kite , Hooded Vulture , African White-backed Vulture , Rüppell's Griffon Vulture , Lappet-faced Vulture , White-headed Vulture , Black-chested Snake Eagle , Brown Snake Eagle , Banded Snake Eagle , Bateleur , African Harrier-Hawk , Pallid Harrier , Gabar Goshawk , Dark Chanting Goshawk , Eastern Pale Chanting Goshawk , Shikra , Great Sparrowhawk , Lizard Buzzard , Augur Buzzard , African Fish Eagle , Palm-nut Vulture , Tawny Eagle , Steppe Eagle , African Hawk-Eagle , Long-crested Eagle , Martial Eagle

Falconidae, Falcons

Species - World: 63, Africa: 20, Kenya: 19, Featured: 3

Pygmy Falcon , Grey Kestrel , Lesser Kestrel

Phasianidae, Quail and Francolins

Species - World: 177, Africa: 45, Kenya: 17, Featured: 5

Coqui Francolin , Crested Francolin , Hildebrandt's Francolin , Red-necked Spurfowl , Yellow-necked Spurfowl

Numididae, Guineafowl

Species - World: 6, Africa: 3, Kenya: 3, Featured: 2

Vulturine Guineafowl , Helmeted Guineafowl

Rallidae, Rails, Coots and Gallinules

Species - World: 142, Africa: 26, Kenya: 17, Featured: 4

Black Crake , Allen's Gallinule , Common Moorhen , Red-knobbed Coot

Gruidae, Cranes

Species - World: 15, Africa: 6, Kenya: 3, Featured: 1

Grey Crowned Crane

Otididae, Bustards

Species - World: 25, Africa: 19, Kenya: 8, Featured: 5

Kori Bustard , Crested Bustard , White-bellied Bustard , Black-bellied Bustard , Hartlaub's Bustard

Jacanidae, Jacanas

Species - World: 8, Africa: 2, Kenya: 2, Featured: 1

African Jacana

Haematopodidae, Oystercatchers

Species - World: 10, Africa: 2, Kenya: 1, Featured: 1

Eurasian Oystercatcher

Recurvirostridae, Avocets and Stilts

Species - World: 10, Africa: 2, Kenya: 2, Featured: 1

Black-winged Stilt

Burhinidae, Thick-knees

Species - World: 9, Africa: 4, Kenya: 4, Featured: 3

Stone Curlew , Water Thick-knee , Spotted Thick-knee

Glareolidae, Coursers and Pratincoles

Species - World: 18, Africa: 13, Kenya: 11, Featured: 3

Two-banded Courser , Somali Courser , Collared Pratincole

Charadriidae, Plovers

Species - World: 66, Africa: 30, Kenya: 22, Featured: 11

Northern Lapwing , Long-toed Plover , Blacksmith Plover , Spur-winged Plover , Black-headed Plover , Crowned Plover , African Wattled Plover , Grey Plover , Ringed Plover , Kittlitz's Plover , Three-banded Plover

Scolopacidae, Sandpipers, Phalaropes and Snipes

Species - World: 88, Africa: 44, Kenya: 33, Featured: 7

Ruff , Black-tailed Godwit , Marsh Sandpiper , Common Greenshank , Green Sandpiper , Wood Sandpiper , Common Sandpiper

Laridae, Gulls and Terns

Species - World: 94, Africa: 46, Kenya: 25, Featured: 3

Grey-headed Gull , Black-headed Gull , White-winged Tern

Pteroclidae, Sandgrouse

Species - World: 16, Africa: 12, Kenya: 5, Featured: 3

Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse , Black-faced Sandgrouse , Lichtenstein's Sandgrouse , Yellow-throated Sandgrouse

Columbidae, Pigeons and Doves

Species - World: 310, Africa: 37, Kenya: 18, Featured: 7

African Green Pigeon , Emerald-spotted Wood-Dove , Namaqua Dove , Speckled Pigeon , African Mourning Dove , Ring-necked Dove , Laughing Dove

Psittacidae, Parrots and Lovebirds

Species - World: 358, Africa: 19, Kenya: 8, Featured: 1

African Orange-bellied Parrot

Musophagidae, Turacos

Species - World: 23 species endemic to Africa, Kenya: 11, Featured: 2

Ross's Turaco , Bare-faced Go-away-bird , White-bellied Go-away-bird

Cuculidae, Cuckoos and Coucals

Species - World: 138, Africa: 26, Kenya: 19, Featured: 5

Black and White Cuckoo , Great Spotted Cuckoo , Eurasian Cuckoo , White-browed Coucal , Blue-headed Coucal

Strigidae, Typical Owls

Species - World: 162, Africa: 35, Kenya: 17, Featured: 2

Verreaux's Eagle-Owl , Marsh Owl

Caprimulgidae, Nightjars

Species - World: 75, Africa: 22, Kenya: 15, Featured: 1

Slender-tailed Nightjar

Coliidae, Mousebirds

Species - World: 6 species endemic to Africa, Kenya: 3, Featured: 3

Speckled Mousebird , White-headed Mousebird , Blue-naped Mousebird

Trogonidae, Trogons

Species - World: 39, Africa: 3, Kenya: 2, Featured: 1

Narina Trogon

Alcedinidae, Kingfishers

Species - World: 94, Africa: 18, Kenya: 12, Featured: 7

Grey-headed Kingfisher , Woodland Kingfisher , Striped Kingfisher , Malachite Kingfisher , African Pygmy Kingfisher , Giant Kingfisher , Pied Kingfisher

Meropidae, Bee-eaters

Species - World: 25, Africa: 18, Kenya: 12, Featured: 8

Eurasian Bee-eater , Madagascar Bee-eater , Blue-cheeked Bee-eater , White-throated Bee-eater , White-fronted Bee-eater , Blue-headed Bee-eater , Little Bee-eater , Cinnamon-chested Bee-eater , Somali Bee-eater

Coraciidae, Rollers

Species - World: 12, Africa: 8, Kenya: 5, Featured: 4

Eurasian Roller , Lilac-breasted Roller , Rufous-crowned Roller , Broad-billed Roller

Upupidae, Hoopoe

Species - World: 2 species endemic to Africa, Kenya: 2, Featured: 1

African Hoopoe

Phoeniculidae, Wood-hoopoes and Scimitarbills

Species - World: 8 species endemic to Africa, Kenya: 7, Featured: 2

White-headed Wood-hoopoe , Green Wood-hoopoe

Bucerotidae, Hornbills

Species - World: 56, Africa: 24, Kenya: 12, Featured: 7

Southern Ground Hornbill , Red-billed Hornbill , Eastern Yellow-billed Hornbill , Von der Decken's Hornbill , Jackson's Hornbill , Crowned Hornbill , African Grey Hornbill

Capitonidae, Barbets and Tinkerbirds

Species - World: 80, Africa: 41, Kenya: 22, Featured: 7

Red-fronted Tinkerbird , Red-fronted Barbet , Spot-flanked Barbet , Black-throated Barbet , White-headed Barbet , Red-and-yellow Barbet , D'Arnaud's Barbet

Picidae, Wrynecks and Woodpeckers

Species - World: 215, Africa: 31, Kenya: 16, Featured: 2

Nubian Woodpecker , Bearded Woodpecker

Alaudidae, Larks

Species - World: 83, Africa: 67, Kenya: 21, Featured: 7

Rufous-naped Lark , Red-winged Lark , Fawn-colored Lark , Pink-breasted Lark , Red-capped Lark , Fischer's Sparrow-Lark , Chestnut-headed Sparrow-Lark

Motacillidae, Pipits, Wagtails and Longclaws

Species - World: 63, Africa: 35, Kenya: 21, Featured: 8

African Pied Wagtail , Grey Wagtail , Yellow Wagtail , Grassland Pipit , Plain-backed Pipit , Golden Pipit , Yellow-throated Longclaw , Pangani Longclaw

Hirundinidae, Swallows and Martins

Species - World: 82, Africa: 42, Kenya: 18, Featured: 4

Banded Martin , Wire-tailed Swallow , Barn Swallow , Red-rumped Swallow

Pycnonotidae, Bulbuls

Species - World: 130, Africa: 58, Kenya: 24, Featured: 4

Yellow-whiskered Greenbul , Zanzibar Sombre Greenbul , Joyful Greenbul , Dark-capped Bulbul , Dodson's Bulbul

Timaliidae, Chatterers and Illadopses

Species - World: 265, Africa: 42, Kenya: 14, Featured: 3

Black-lored Babbler , Brown Babbler , Northern Pied Babbler , Rufous Chatterer , Scaly Chatterer

Turdidae, Thrushes, Chats and relatives

Species - World: 300, Africa: 126, Kenya: 49, Featured: 10

White-browed Robin-Chat , Spotted Morning Thrush , Common Stonechat , Pied Wheatear , Brown-tailed Rock Chat , Northern Anteater Chat , Sooty Chat , Common Rock Thrush , Abyssinian Ground Thrush , Olive Thrush , African Thrush , Bare-eyed Thrush

Muscicapidae, Flycatchers

Species - World: 100, Africa: 34, Kenya: 16, Featured: 5

Spotted Flycatcher , African Dusky Flycatcher , White-eyed Slaty Flycatcher , African Grey Flycatcher , Silverbird

Sylviidae, Warblers

Species - World: 350, Africa: 200, Kenya: 102, Featured: 10

Sedge Warbler , Common Whitethroat , Chiffchaff , Willow Warbler , Hunter's Cisticola , Chubb's Cisticola , Zitting Cisticola , Grey Wren Warbler , Grey-backed Camaroptera , Buff-bellied Warbler

Monarchidae, Monarch Flycatchers

Species - World: 98, Africa: 15, Kenya: 7, Featured: 1

African Paradise Flycatcher

Platysteiridae, Batises and Wattle-eyes

Species - World: 28, Africa: 27, Kenya: 13, Featured: 2

Chin-spot Batis , Pygmy Batis

Prionopidae, Helmet-shrikes

Species - World: 9 species endemic to Africa, Kenya: 5, Featured: 2

White-crested Helmet-shrike , Northern White-crowned Shrike

Laniidae, Shrikes

Species - World: 26, Africa: 17, Kenya: 14, Featured: 6

Red-backed Shrike , Red-tailed Shrike , Grey-backed Fiscal , Long-tailed Fiscal , Taita Fiscal , Common Fiscal

Malaconotidae, Bush-shrikes

Species - World: 45, Africa: 45, Kenya: 24, Featured: 7

Grey-headed Bush-shrike , Rosy-patched Bush-shrike , Black-headed Gonolek , Tropical Boubou , Slate-coloured Boubou , Northern Puffback , Eastern Nicator

Campephagidae, Cuckoo-shrikes

Species - World: 82, Africa: 10, Kenya: 6, Featured: 1

Grey Cuckoo-shrike

Dicruridae, Drongos

Species - World: 24, Africa: 4, Kenya: 3, Featured: 1

Common Drongo

Oriolidae, Orioles

Species - World: 29, Africa: 9, Kenya: 6, Featured: 1

Black-headed Oriole

Corvidae, Crows, Ravens and Piapiac

Species - World: 118, Africa: 15, Kenya: 7, Featured: 3

Pied Crow , White-necked Raven , Cape Rook

Sturnidae, Starlings and Oxpeckers

Species - World: 110, Africa: 48, Kenya: 26, Featured: 12

Red-winged Starling , Bristle-crowned Starling , Greater Blue-eared Starling , Lesser Blue-eared Starling , Rüppell's Long-tailed Starling , Hildebrandt's Starling , Superb Starling , Golden-breasted Starling , Fischer's Starling , Wattled Starling , Red-billed Oxpecker , Yellow-billed Oxpecker

Nectariniidae, Sunbirds

Species - World: 120, Africa: 74, Kenya: 34, Featured: 4

Hunter's Sunbird , Tacazze Sunbird , Bronze Sunbird , Beautiful Sunbird

Passeridae, Sparrows and Petronias

Species - World: 30, Africa: 18, Kenya: 6, Featured: 3

Grey-headed Sparrow , House Sparrow , Yellow-spotted Petronia

Ploceidae, Weavers

Species - World: 113, Africa: 101, Kenya: 60, Featured: 25

White-headed Buffalo-Weaver , Red-billed Buffalo-Weaver , White-billed Buffalo-Weaver , Donaldson-Smith's Sparrow-Weaver , White-browed Sparrow-Weaver , Chestnut-crowned Sparrow-Weaver , Grey-capped Social-Weaver , Black-capped Social-Weaver , Speckle-fronted Weaver , Baglafecht Weaver , Little Weaver , Black-necked Weaver , Golden Palm Weaver , Taveta Golden Weaver , Jackson's Golden-backed Weaver , Vitelline Masked Weaver , Northern Masked Weaver , Speke's Weaver , Black-headed Weaver , Red-headed Weaver , Red-billed Quelea , Yellow-crowned Bishop , Zanzibar Red Bishop , Yellow-mantled Widowbird , Jackson's Widowbird

Estrildidae, Waxbills, Whydahs and Indigobirds

Species - World: 144, Africa: 82, Kenya: 44, Featured: 9

Green-winged Pytilia , Red-billed Firefinch , Red-cheeked Cordon-bleu , Purple Grenadier , Bronze Mannikin , Cut-throat Finch , Steel-blue Whydah , Straw-tailed Whydah , Paradise Whydah

Fringillidae, Seedeaters and Canaries

Species - World: 163, Africa: 44, Kenya: 15, Featured: 6

Streaky Seedeater , Yellow-rumped Seedeater , Thick-billed Seedeater , Yellow-fronted Canary , White-bellied Canary , Brimstone Canary