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KENYA SPECIALTY BIRDS LIST

AFRICA
KENYA

Area (SqMi):224,962
# Species:1128
# Excl Vagrants:1073
# Endemics:10
# Near Endemics:40
Species/1000 SqMi:4.8

List of species that are endemic (E), near endemic (NE), have restricted ranges in the country (RR), or occur only locally (LC) in the country excluding vagrants and accidentals. Table also shows species with globally threatened or endangered status according to the IUCN.*

color codes

1Somali OstrichStruthio molybdophanes V
2White-backed DuckThalassornis leuconotusLC 
3/Ferruginous Duck/Aythya nyroca NT
4Maccoa DuckOxyura maccoa EN
5Eastern Crested GuineafowlGuttera pucheraniNE 
6Red-winged FrancolinScleroptera levaillantiiLC 
7Ring-necked FrancolinScleroptera streptophorusLCNT
8Elgon FrancolinScleroptera elgonensisNENT
9Jackson's SpurfowlPternistis jacksoniNE 
10Red-necked SpurfowlPternistis aferRR 
11White-winged Collared-DoveStreptopelia reichenowiRRNT
12Bruce's Green-PigeonTreron waaliaRR 
13Arabian BustardArdeotis arabs NT
14Kori BustardArdeotis kori NT
15Denham's BustardNeotis denhami NT
16Great Blue TuracoCorythaeola cristataRR 
17Purple-crested TuracoGallirex porphyreolophusRR 
18Black-billed TuracoTauraco schuettiiRR 
19Fischer's TuracoTauraco fischeri NT
20Swamp NightjarCaprimulgus natalensisRR 
21#Long-tailed Nightjar#Caprimulgus climacurusRR 
22#Square-tailed Nightjar#Caprimulgus fossiiRR 
23/Forbes-Watson's Swift/Apus berlioziRR 
24Gray Crowned-CraneBalearica regulorum EN
25Black Crowned-CraneBalearica pavoninaRRV
26/Eurasian Oystercatcher/Haematopus ostralegus NT
27/Eurasian Curlew/Numenius arquata NT
28/Bar-tailed Godwit/Limosa lapponica NT
29/Black-tailed Godwit/Limosa limosa NT
30/Great Snipe/Gallinago media NT
31/Broad-billed Sandpiper/Calidris falcinellusRR 
32/Curlew Sandpiper/Calidris ferruginea NT
33Black-rumped ButtonquailTurnix nanusLC 
34Quail-ploverOrtyxelos meiffreniiLC 
35Rock PratincoleGlareola nuchalisRR 
36/Black-winged Pratincole/Glareola nordmanni NT
37\Madagascar Pratincole\Glareola ocularis NT
38&Lesser FlamingolPhoenicoparrus minor V
39#White-capped Albatross#Thalassarche cauta NT
40African Woolly-necked StorkCiconia microscelis NT
41Western Reef-HeronEgretta gularisRR 
42\Malagasy Pond-Heron\Ardeola idae EN
43ShoebillBalaeniceps rexLCV
44SecretarybirdSagittarius serpentarius EN
45(Scissor-tailed Kite)Chelictinia riocourii V
46Bearded VultureGypaetus barbatus NT
47Egyptian VultureNeophron percnopterus EN
48White-headed VultureTrigonoceps occipitalis CR
49Lappet-faced VultureTorgos tracheliotos EN
50Hooded VultureNecrosyrtes monachus CR
51White-backed VultureGyps africanus CR
52Rueppell's GriffonGyps rueppelli CR
53BateleurTerathopius ecaudatus EN
54Southern Banded Snake-EagleCircaetus fasciolatus NT
55Beaudouin's Snake-EagleCircaetus beaudouini V
56Crowned EagleStephanoaetus coronatus NT
57Martial EaglePolemaetus bellicosus EN
58/Greater Spotted Eagle/Clanga clanga V
59Ayres's Hawk-EagleHieraaetus ayresiiLC 
60Tawny EagleAquila rapax V
61/Steppe Eagle/Aquila nipalensis EN
62/Imperial Eagle/Aquila heliaca V
63/Pallid Harrier/Circus macrourus NT
64Mountain BuzzardButeo oreophilus NT
65African Grass-OwlTyto capensisLC 
66Sokoke Scops-OwlOtus ireneaeNEEN
67Northern White-faced OwlPtilopsis leucotisLC 
68Black-billed WoodhoopoePhoeniculus somaliensisRR 
69Forest ScimitarbillRhinopomastus castaneicepsRR 
70Abyssinian Ground-HornbillBucorvus abyssinicusRRV
71Southern Ground-HornbillBucorvus leadbeateriLCV
72Hemprich's HornbillLophoceros hemprichiiLC 
73Half-collared KingfisherAlcedo semitorquataRR 
74Blue-breasted KingfisherHalcyon malimbicaRR 
75Usambiro Barbet**Trachyphonus usambiroNE 
76Green BarbetCryptolybia olivaceaRR 
77White-eared BarbetStactolaema leucotisRR 
78Green TinkerbirdPogoniulus simplexRR 
79Yellow-rumped TinkerbirdPogoniulus bilineatusRR 
80Yellow-fronted TinkerbirdPogoniulus chrysoconusRR 
81Double-toothed BarbetPogonornis bidentatusRR 
82Cassin's HoneybirdProdotiscus insignisRR 
83Green-backed HoneybirdProdotiscus zambesiaeLC 
84Brown-eared WoodpeckerPardipicus caroliRR 
85Golden-tailed WoodpeckerCampethera abingoniRR 
86Red-necked FalconFalco chicquera NT
87|Red-footed Falcon|Falco vespertinus V
88|Sooty Falcon|Falco concolor V
89Peregrine FalconFalco peregrinusLC 
90Taita FalconFalco fasciinucha V
91Red-headed LovebirdAgapornis pullariusRR 
92Fischer's LovebirdAgapornis fischeriRRNT
93Gray ParrotPsittacus erithacusRREN
94Brown-headed ParrotPoicephalus cryptoxanthusRR 
95Petit's CuckooshrikeCampephaga petitiRR 
96Red-shouldered CuckooshrikeCampephaga phoeniceaRR 
97Green-headed OrioleOriolus chlorocephalusRR 
98Western Black-headed OrioleOriolus brachyrhynchusRR 
99Chestnut Wattle-eyeDyaphorophyia castaneaRR 
100Jameson's Wattle-eyePlatysteira jamesoniRR 
101Yellow-bellied Wattle-eyePlatysteira concretaRR 
102Short-tailed BatisBatis mixtaNE 
103Gray-headed BatisBatis orientalisRR 
104Western Black-headed BatisBatis erlangeriRR 
105Gray-crested HelmetshrikePrionops poliolophusNENT
106African Shrike-flycatcherMegabyas flammulatusRR 
107Black-and-white Shrike-flycatcherBias musicusRR 
108Pink-footed PuffbackDryoscopus angolensisRR 
109Red-naped BushshrikeLaniarius ruficepsNE 
110Zanzibar BoubouLaniarius sublacteusNE 
111Black-headed GonolekLaniarius erythrogasterRR 
112Papyrus GonolekLaniarius mufumbiriRRNT
113Four-colored BushshrikeTelophorus viridisRR 
114Doherty's BushshrikeTelophorus dohertyiRR 
115Gray-green BushshrikeChlorophoneus bocageiRR 
116Sharpe's DrongoDicrurus sharpeiRR 
117Square-tailed DrongoDicrurus ludwigiiRR 
118Velvet-mantled DrongoDicrurus modestusRR 
119Yellow-billed ShrikeCorvinella corvinaRR 
120Magpie ShrikeUrolestes melanoleucaRR 
121Mackinnon's ShrikeLanius mackinnoniRR 
122/Woodchat Shrike/Lanius senator NT
123PiapiacPtilostomus aferRR 
124House CrowCorvus splendensRR 
125Yellow-bellied HyliotaHyliota flavigasterRR 
126Southern HyliotaHyliota australisRR 
127Dusky Crested FlycatcherElminia nigromitrataRR 
128Red-throated TitMelaniparus fringillinusNE 
129Gillett's LarkCalendulauda gillettiNE 
130Williams's LarkMirafra williamsiE 
131Friedmann's LarkMirafra pulpaRR 
132Sentinel LarkCorypha athiNE 
133Masked LarkSpizocorys personataNE 
134Thekla's LarkGalerida theklaeRR 
135Green CrombecSylvietta virensRR 
136Kretschmer's LongbillMacrosphenus kretschmeriRR 
137Green-capped EremomelaEremomela scotopsRR 
138Turner's EremomelaEremomela turneriRRNT
139Olive-green CamaropteraCamaroptera chloronotaRR 
140Bar-throated ApalisApalis thoracicaRR 
141Taita ApalisApalis fuscigularisECR
142White-winged ApalisApalis chariessa NT
143Brown-headed ApalisApalis alticolaRR 
144Banded PriniaPrinia bairdiiRR 
145Red-winged PriniaPrinia erythropteraRR 
146Black-faced Rufous-WarblerBathmocercus rufusRR 
147Whistling CisticolaCisticola lateralisLC 
148Rock-loving CisticolaCisticola aberransLC 
149Boran CisticolaCisticola bodessaLC 
150Red-pate CisticolaCisticola ruficepsRR 
151Lyne's CisticolaCisticola distinctusNE 
152Tana River CisticolaCisticola restrictusE 
153Carruthers's CisticolaCisticola carruthersiRR 
154Levaillant's CisticolaCisticola tinniensRR 
155Aberdare CisticolaCisticola aberdareEV
156Tabora CisticolaCisticola angusticaudaRR 
157Foxy CisticolaCisticola troglodytesRR 
158Black-backed CisticolaCisticola eximiusRR 
159Papyrus Yellow-WarblerCalamonastides gracilirostrisRRV
160/Basra Reed Warbler/Acrocephalus griseldis EN
161Evergreen-forest WarblerBradypterus lopeziRR 
162#Montane Blue Swallow#Hirundo atrocaerulea V
163Rufous-chested SwallowCecropis semirufaRR 
164Red-tailed BristlebillBleda syndactylusRR 
165Pale-throated GreenbulAtimastillas flavigulaRR 
166Honeyguide GreenbulBaeopogon indicatorRR 
167Black-headed Mountain GreenbulArizelocichla nigricepsNE 
168Olive-headed GreenbulArizelocichla striifacies NT
169Little GreenbulEurillas virensRR 
170Gray GreenbulEurillas gracilisRR 
171Ansorge's GreenbulEurillas ansorgeiRR 
172Tiny GreenbulPhyllastrephus debilisRR 
173Gray-olive GreenbulPhyllastrephus cerviniventrisRR 
174Fischer's GreenbulPhyllastrephus fischeriRR 
175Toro Olive-GreenbulPhyllastrephus hypochlorisRR 
176Uganda Woodland-WarblerPhylloscopus budongoensisRR 
177Mbulu White-eyeZosterops mbuluensisNE 
178Kafa White-eyeZosterops kaffensisNE 
179Kikuyu White-eyeZosterops kikuyuensisE 
180Taita White-eyeZosterops silvarnusEEN
181Brown IlladopsisIlladopsis fulvescensRR 
182Pale-breasted IlladopsisIlladopsis rufipennisRR 
183Tanzanian IlladopsisIlladopsis distansNE 
184Scaly-breasted IlladopsisIlladopsis albipectusRR 
185Hinde's Pied-BabblerTurdoides hindeiEV
186Arrow-marked BabblerTurdoides jardineiiRR 
187Northern Pied-BabblerTurdoides hypoleucaNE 
188African Spotted CreeperSalpornis salvadoriRR 
189Bristle-crowned StarlingOnychognathus salvadoriiLC 
190Abbott's StarlingPoeoptera femoralisNEEN
191Kenrick's StarlingPoeoptera kenrickiNE 
192Hildebrandt's StarlingLamprotornis hildebrandtiNE 
193Ashy StarlingLamprotornis unicolorNE 
194(Splendid Starling)Lamprotornis splendidusRR 
195White-crowned StarlingLamprotornis albicapillusRR 
196Lesser Blue-eared StarlingLamprotornis chloropterusRR 
197Purple StarlingLamprotornis purpureusRR 
198Bronze-tailed StarlingLamprotornis chalcurusRR 
199White-tailed Ant-ThrushNeocossyphus poensisRR 
200\Spotted Ground-Thrush\Geokichla guttataRRV
201Orange Ground-ThrushGeokichla gurneyiRR 
202Taita ThrushTurdus helleriEEN
203Gambaga FlycatcherMuscicapa gambagaeLC 
204Swamp FlycatcherMuscicapa aquaticaRR 
205Gray Tit-FlycatcherFraseria plumbeusLC 
206Chapin's FlycatcherFraseria lenduNEV
207Blue-shouldered Robin-ChatCossypha cyanocampterRR 
208Collared Palm-ThrushCichladusa arquataRR 
209Gray-winged Robin-ChatSheppardia poliopteraLC 
210East Coast AkalatSheppardia gunningiLCNT
211Moorland ChatPinarochroa sordidaRR 
212&Heuglin's WheatearlOenanthe heugliniiRR 
213Familiar ChatOenanthe familiarisLC 
214Plain-backed SunbirdAnthreptes reichenowiRRNT
215Western Violet-backed SunbirdAnthreptes longuemareiRR 
216Uluguru Violet-backed SunbirdAnthreptes neglectusRR 
217Gray-chinned SunbirdAnthreptes rectirostrisRR 
218&Pygmy SunbirdlHedydipna platuraRR 
219Amani SunbirdHedydipna pallidigasterNEEN
220Green-throated SunbirdChalcomitra rubescensRR 
221Red-tufted SunbirdNectarinia johnstoniRR 
222Olive-bellied SunbirdCinnyris chloropygiusRR 
223Eastern Double-collared SunbirdCinnyris mediocrisNE 
224Usambara Double-collared SunbirdCinnyris usambaricusNENT
225Gorgeous SunbirdCinnyris melanogastrusNE 
226Tsavo SunbirdCinnyris tsavoensisNE 
227Violet-breasted SunbirdCinnyris chalcomelasRR 
228Orange-tufted SunbirdCinnyris bouvieriRR 
229Superb SunbirdCinnyris superbusRR 
230Chestnut-crowned Sparrow-WeaverPlocepasser superciliosusRR 
231Donaldson Smith's Sparrow-WeaverPlocepasser donaldsoniLC 
232Red-headed MalimbeMalimbus rubricollisRR 
233Red WeaverAnaplectes jubaensisNE 
234Little WeaverPloceus luteolusLC 
235Slender-billed WeaverPloceus pelzelniRR 
236African Golden-WeaverPloceus subaureusRR 
237Orange WeaverPloceus aurantiusRR 
238Taveta Golden-WeaverPloceus castaneicepsNE 
239Northern Brown-throated WeaverPloceus castanopsRR 
240Northern Masked-WeaverPloceus taeniopterusLC 
241Heuglin's Masked-WeaverPloceus heugliniLC 
242&Rueppell's WeaverlPloceus galbulaRR 
243Vieillot's Black WeaverPloceus nigerrimusRR 
244Kilifi WeaverPloceus golandiEEN
245Juba WeaverPloceus dichrocephalusNE 
246Dark-backed WeaverPloceus bicolorRR 
247Compact WeaverPachyphantes superciliosusRR 
248Red-headed QueleaQuelea erythropsRR 
249Northern Red BishopEuplectes franciscanusRR 
250Zanzibar Red BishopEuplectes nigroventrisRR 
251Black BishopEuplectes gierowiiLC 
252Marsh WidowbirdEuplectes hartlaubiRR 
253Long-tailed WidowbirdEuplectes progneRR 
254Jackson's WidowbirdEuplectes jacksoniNENT
255Magpie MannikinSpermestes fringilloidesLC 
256White-breasted NigritaNigrita fusconotusRR 
257Black-crowned WaxbillEstrilda nonnulaRR 
258Kandt's WaxbillEstrilda kandtiRR 
259Black-rumped WaxbillEstrilda troglodytesRR 
260LocustfinchPaludipasser locustellaRR 
261Red-headed BluebillSpermophaga ruficapillaRR 
262Black-bellied SeedcrackerPyrenestes ostrinusLC 
263Orange-winged PytiliaPytilia afraLC 
264Brown TwinspotClytospiza monteiriLC 
265Black-bellied FirefinchLagonosticta raraRR 
266Broad-tailed Paradise-WhydahVidua obtusaLC 
267Dusky IndigobirdVidua funereaRR 
268Purple IndigobirdVidua purpurascensRR 
269Somali SparrowPasser castanopterusLC 
270Kenya Rufous SparrowPasser rufocinctusNE 
271Shelley's Rufous SparrowPasser shelleyiRR 
272Swainson's SparrowPasser swainsoniiRR 
273Swahili SparrowPasser suahelicusNE 
274Cape WagtailMotacilla capensisLC 
275Malindi PipitAnthus melindaeNE 
276Striped PipitAnthus lineiventrisRR 
277Bush PipitAnthus cafferLC 
278Sokoke PipitAnthus sokokensisNEEN
279Sharpe's LongclawMacronyx sharpeiEEN
280Oriole FinchLinurgus olivaceusRR 
281Papyrus CanaryCrithagra koliensisRR 
282Black-throated CanaryCrithagra atrogularisRR 
283Southern Grosbeak-CanaryCrithagra buchananiNE 
284West African SeedeaterCrithagra canicapillaRR 
285Stripe-breasted SeedeaterCrithagra striatipectusRR 
286Gray-chested BabblerKakamega poliothoraxRR 
287Brown-rumped BuntingEmberiza affinisRR 

 

 *Nomenclature and taxonomic affinities are based on Clements 6th Edition published 2007 with updates through 2021 maintained by the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology, which relies largely on the AOU and SACC nomenclature committees. IUCN status may reflect splits not currently recognized by Clements.
**Species not accepted by Clements, AOU, or SACC that we recognize based on the IOC, field observations along with geographical separation, consensus opinions of field guide authors, and other sources. These species are potential splits in future Clements updates.

OTHER COUNTRIESIN AFRICA

BIRDING LOCALES

DISTRIBUTION CODES

CodeDescription##
EEndemic10
LCLocal35
NENear Endemic40
RRRestricted Range155

STATUS CODES

CodeDescription##
NTNear Threatened11
VVulnerable10
ENEndangered9
CRCritically Endangered1

Species counts in code tables depend on completeness of the data. For some countries or locales, data may not include all species or information on species presence may be incomplete.