A Superb Selection
From the moment the day wakes until the sun has made her departure, birdsong can be heard across the Maasai Mara. Due to the wide variety of habitats more than 470 bird species have been recorded inside the reserve; from the oversized ostrich to the superb starling.
Below is a complete list of birds, resident and migrant, that can be found in the Maasai Mara. Click on the name to find out more about that bird on Wikipedia.
Maasai Mara Bird Checklist
OSTRICH
Common Ostrich Struthio camelus
GREBES
Little Grebe Tachybaptus capensis
PELICANS, CORMORANTS & DARTER
Long-tailed (Reed) Cormorant Phalacrocorax africanus
African Darter Anhinga rufa
HERONS, EGRETS & BITTERNS
Little Bittern Ixobrychus minutus
Dwarf Bittern Ixobrychus sturmii
Black-crowned Night-Heron Nycticorax nycitorax
Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis
Little Egret Egretta garzetta
Common Squacco-Heron Ardeola ralloides
Rufous-bellied Heron Ardeola rufiventris
Striated (Green-backed) Heron Butorides striatus
Intermediate (Yellow-billed) Egret Mesophoyx intermedia
Great (White) Egret Casmerodius albus
Grey Heron Ardea cinerea
Purple Heron Ardea purpurea
Goliath Heron Ardea goliath
Black-headed Heron Ardea melanocephala
HAMERKOP & SHOEBILL
Hamerkop Scopus umbretta
STORKS
White Stork Ciconia ciconia
Black Stork Ciconia nigra
Abdim's (White Bellied) Stork Ciconia abdimii
Woolly-necked Stork Ciconia episcopus
Saddle-billed Stork Ephippiorhynchus senegalensis
Marabou Stork Leptopilos crumeniferus
African Openbill Stork Anastomus lamelligerus
Yellow-billed Stork Mycteris ibis
IBISES & SPOONBILL
Sacred Ibis Threskiornis aethiopicus
Hadeda Ibis Bostrychia hagedash
Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus
African Spoonbill Platalea alba
DUCKS & GEESE
White-faced Whistling-Duck Dendrocygna viduata
Spur-winged Goose Plectropterus gambensis
Egyptian Goose Alopochen aegyptiacus
Comb (Knob-billed) Duck Sarkidiornis melanotus
Northern Pintail Anas acuta
Red-billed Teal Anas erythrorhyncha
Hottentot Teal Anas bottentota
SECRETARYBIRD
Secretarybird Sagittaruis serpentaruis
VULTURES
African White-backed Vulture Gyps africanus
Rüppell's Vulture Gyps rueppellii
Lappet-faced Vulture Torgos tracheliotus
White-headed Vulture Trigonoceps occipitalis
Egyptian Vulture Neophron percnopterus
Hooded Vulture Necrosyrtes monachus
EAGLES, KITES, HARRIERS, HAWKS & RELATIVES
African Fish-Eagle Haliaeetus vocifer
Lesser Spotted Eagle Aquila pomarina
Tawny Eagle Aquila rapax
Steppe Eagle Aquila nipalensis
Wahlberg's Eagle Aquila wahlbergi
Verreaux's Eagle Aquila verreauxii
African Hawk-Eagle Hieraaetus spilogaster
Booted Eagle Hieraatus pennatus
Long-crested Eagle Lophaetus occipitalis
Martial Eagle Polemaetus bellicosus
Crowned-Eagle Stephanoaetus coronatus
Black-chested Snake-Eagle Circaetus pectoralis
Short-toed Eagle Circaetus gallicus
Brown Snake-Eagle Circaetus cinerus
Western Banded Snake-Eagle Circaetus cinerascens
Bateleur Terathopius ecaudatus
Black-winged Kite Elanus caeruleus
Black Kite Milvus migrans
European Honey-Buzzard Pernis apivorus
African Cuckoo-Hawk Aviceda cuculoides
Bat Hawk Macheiramphus alcinus
African Harrier-Hawk Polyboroides typus
Pallid Harrier Circus macrourus
Montagu's Harrier Circus pygargus
African Marsh Harrier Circu ranivorus
Eurasian Marsh Harrier Circus aeruginosus
Gabar Goshawk Micronisus gabar
African Goshawk Accipiter tachiro
Little Sparrowhawk Accipiter minullus
Black Sparrowhawk Accipiter melanoleucus
Lizard Buzzard Kaupifalco monogrammicus
Common Buzzard Buteo buteo
Augur Buzzard Buteo auger
FALCONS & KESTRELS
Lanner Falcon Falco biarmicus
Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus
Eurasian Hobby Falco subbuteo
Grey Kestrel Falco ardosiaceus
Lesser Kestrel Falco naumanni
Common Kestrel Falco tinnunculatus
Amur Falcon Falco amurensis
QUAILS, BUTTONQUAILS, FRANCOLINS & GUINEAFOWL
Common Quail Coturnix coturnix
Harlequin Quail Coturnix delegorguei
Common Buttonquail Turnix sylvatica
Coqui Francolin Francolinus coqui
Shelley's Francolin Scleroptila shelleyi
Scaly Francolin Francolinus squamatus
Red-necked Spurfowl Francolinus afer
Crested Francolin Dendroperdix sephaena
Helmeted Guineafowl Numida meleagris
RAILS, CRAKES, MOORHENS & COOT
African Rail Rallus caerulescens
African Crake Crex egregia
Spotted Crake Porzana porzana
Baillon's Crake Porzana pusilla
Corn Crake Crex crex
Black Crake Amauronis flavirostris
Common Moorhen Gallinula chloropus
African Purple Swamphen Porphyrio porphyrio
CRANES & BUSTARDS
Grey Crowned Crane Balearica regulorum
Kori Bustard Ardeotis kori
White-bellied Bustard Eupodotis senegalensis
Black-bellied Bustard Eupodotis melanogaster
JACANA & STILT
African Jacana Actophilornis africanus
Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus
THICK-KNEES::
Water Thick-knee Burhinus vermiculatus
Spotted Thick-knee Burhinus capensis
COURSERS
Three-banded Courser Rhinoptilus cinctus
Temminck's Courser Cursorius temmincki
PLOVERS, LAPWINGS & PAINTED SNIPE
Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula
Kittlitz's Plover Charadrius pecuarius
Three-banded Plover Charadrius tricollaris
Caspian Plover Charadrius asiaticus
Blacksmith Lapwing Vanellus spinosus
Spur-winged Lapwing Vanellus spinosus
Senegal Lapwing Vanellus lugubris
Black-winged Lapwing Vanellus melanopterus
Crowned Lapwing Vanellus coronatus
African Wattled Lapwing Vanellus crassirostris
Greater Painted Snipe Rostratula benghalensis
SANDPIPERS & RELATIVES
Little Stint Calidris minuta
Curlew Sandpiper Calidris ferruginea
Ruff Philomachus pugnax
Spotted Redshank Tringa erythropus
Common Redshank Tringa totanus
Marsh Sandpiper Tringa stagnatilis
Common Greenshank Tringa nebularia
Green Sandpiper Tringa ochropus
Wood Sandpiper Tringa glareola
Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos
TERNS
Gull-billed Tern Sterna nilotica
White-winged Tern Chlidonias leucopterus
PIGEONS & DOVES
African Green Pigeon Treron calva
Tambourine Dove Turtur tympanistria
Emerald-spotted Wood-Dove Turtur chalcospilos
Blue-spotted Wood-Dove Turtur afer
Namaqua Dove Oena capensis
African Olive Pigeon Columba arquatrix
Speckled (Rock) Pigeon Columba guinea
Red-eyed Dove Streptopelia semitorquata
Ring-necked Dove Streptopelia capicola
Dusky Turtle Dove Streptopelia lugens
Laughing Dove Streptopelia senegalensis
PARROTS::
Meyer's Parrot Poicephalus meyeri
TURACOS::
Ross's Turaco Musophaga rossae
Schalow's Turaco Tauraco schalowi
Bare-faced Go-away-bird Corythaixoides personata
Eastern Grey Plantain-eater Crinifer zonurus
CUCKOOS & COUCALS
Jacobin Cuckoo Oxylophus jacobinus
Levaillant's Cuckoo Oxylophus levaillantii
Great Spotted Cuckoo Clamator glandarius
Black Cuckoo Cuculus clamosus
Red-chested Cuckoo Cuculus solitarius
Common Cuckoo Cuculus canorus
African Cuckoo Cuculus gularis
African Emerald Cuckoo Chrysococcyx cypreus
Klaas's Cuckoo Chrysococcyx klaas
Diderick Cuckoo Chrysococcyx caprius
White-browed Coucal Centropus superciliosus
Black Coucal Centropus grillii
OWLS
Barn Owl Tyto alba
Spotted Eagle-Owl Bubo africanus
Verreaux's Eagle Owl Bubo lacteus
Pel's Fishing Owl Scotopelia peli
Pearl-spotted Owlet Glaucidium perlatum
African Wood-Owl Strix woodfordii
Marsh Owl Asio capensis
NIGHTJARS
Montane Nightjar Caprimulgus poliocephalus
Eurasian Nightjar Caprimulgus europaeus
Square-tailed Nightjar Caprimulgus clarus
Dusky Nightjar Caprimulgus fraenatus
Swamp Nightjar Caprimulgus natalensis
Pennant-winged Nightjar Macrodipterys vexillarius
SWIFTS
African Palm Swift Apus parvus
Common Swift Apus apus
African Black Swift Apus barbatus
Horus Swift Apus horus
Nyanza Swift Apus niansae
Mottled Swift Apus aequatorialis
Alpine Swift Apus melba
White-rumped Swift Apus caffer
Little Swift Apus affinis
MOUSEBIRDS
Speckled Mousebird Colius Striatus
Blue-naped Mousebird Urocolius macrourus
TROGONS
Narina Trogon Apaloderma narina
KINGFISHERS
Grey-headed Kingfisher Halcyon leucocephala
Woodland Kingfisher Halcyon senegalensis
Striped Kingfisher Halcyon chelicuti
Malachite Kingfisher Alcedo cristata
African Pygmy Kingfisher Ispidina picta
Giant Kingfisher Megaceryle maxima
Pied Kingfisher Ceryle rudis
BEE-EATERS
European Bee-eater Merops apiaster
White-throated Bee-eater Merops albicollis
White-fronted Bee-eater Merops bullockoides
Little Bee-eater Merops pusillus
Cinnamon-chested Bee-eater Merops oreobates
ROLLERS
European Roller Coracias garrulus
Lilac-breasted Roller Coracias caudata
Broad-billed Roller Eurystomus glaucurus
HOOPOE & WOODHOOPOES
African Hoopoe Upupa africana
Green Wood Hoopoe Phoeniculus purpureus
Common Scimitarbill Rhinopomastus cyanomelas
Abyssinian Scimitarbill Rhinopomastus cabanisi
HORNBILLS
Southern Ground Hornbill Bucorvus leadbeateri
Von der Decken's Hornbill Tockus deckeni
Crowned Hornbill Tockus alboterminatus
African Grey Hornbill Tockus nasutus
Black-and-white-casqued Hornbill Bycanistes brevis
BARBETS & TINKERBIRDS
Yellow-rumped Tinkerbird Pogoniulus bilineatus
Red-fronted Tinkerbird Tricholaema diademata
Spot-flanked Barbet Tricholaema diademata
White-headed Barbet Lubius leucocephalus
Double-toothed Barbet Lubius bidentatus
Usambiro Barbet Trachyphonus usambiro
HONEYGUIDES
Scaly-throated Honeyguide Indicator variegatus
Greater Honeyguide Indicator indicator
Lesser Honeyguide Indicator minor
WOODPECKERS & WRYNECK
Rufous-necked Wryneck Jynx ruficollis
Nubian Woodpecker Campethera nubica
Golden-tailed Woodpecker Campethera abingoni
Cardinal Woodpecker Dendropicos fuscescens
Bearded Woodpecker Dendropicos namaquus
Grey Woodpecker Dendropicos goertae
LARKS & SPARROW-LARKS
White-tailed Lark Mirafra albicauda
Rufous-naped Lark Mirafra africana
Flappet Lark Mirafra rufocinnamomea
Fawn-coloured Lark Mirafra africanoides
Red-capped Lark Calandrella cinerea
Fischer's Sparrow-Lark Eremopterix leucopareia
SWALLOWS & MARTINS
Banded Martin Riparia cincta
Brown-throated Sand Martin Riparia paludicola
Common House Martin Delichon urbica
Grey-rumped Swallow Pseudhirundo griseopyga