Lore › Birds by region › South Africa

Birds of South Africa

Lore covers 813 bird species that have been recorded in South Africa, and 607 of them are regular birds you can reasonably expect to see. You learn them from real photos taken by birders, one question at a time: pick the right name, earn points and keep a daily streak. It is free and it works in your browser, no app needed.

The most common birds in South Africa

These are the birds you will meet first. Lore starts every guide with the common species, so you learn what you actually see in the field.

• Egyptian Goose
  Alopochen aegyptiaca
  Resident
• Hadada Ibis
  Bostrychia hagedash
  Resident
• Helmeted Guineafowl
  Numida meleagris
  Resident
• Southern Fiscal
  Lanius collaris
  Resident
• Blacksmith Lapwing
  Vanellus armatus
  Resident
• Southern Masked Weaver
  Ploceus velatus
  Resident
• Cape Wagtail
  Motacilla capensis
  Resident
• Red-eyed Dove
  Streptopelia semitorquata
  Resident
• Cape Sparrow
  Passer melanurus
  Resident
• Cape Weaver
  Ploceus capensis
  Resident
• Laughing Dove
  Spilopelia senegalensis
  Resident
• Red-winged Starling
  Onychognathus morio
  Resident
• Kelp Gull
  Larus dominicanus
  Resident
• Southern Double-collared Sunbird
  Cinnyris chalybeus
  Resident
• Grey Heron
  Ardea cinerea
  Resident
• Cape Robin-Chat
  Dessonornis caffer
  Resident
• Fork-tailed Drongo
  Dicrurus adsimilis
  Resident
• African Sacred Ibis
  Threskiornis aethiopicus
  Resident
• Reed Cormorant
  Microcarbo africanus
  Resident
• Fiscal Flycatcher
  Sigelus silens
  Resident
• Cape White-eye
  Zosterops virens
  Resident
• Southern Red Bishop
  Euplectes orix
  Resident
• Speckled Pigeon
  Columba guinea
  Resident
• Red-knobbed Coot
  Fulica cristata
  Resident
• Yellow-billed Duck
  Anas undulata
  Resident
• Common Bulbul
  Pycnonotus barbatus
  Resident
• Cape Bulbul
  Pycnonotus capensis
  Resident
• Black-headed Heron
  Ardea melanocephala
  Resident
• Common Ostrich
  Struthio camelus
  Resident
• Jackal Buzzard
  Buteo rufofuscus
  Resident
• Brown-hooded Kingfisher
  Halcyon albiventris
  Resident
• Great Cormorant
  Phalacrocorax carbo
  Resident
• Cape Spurfowl
  Pternistis capensis
  Resident
• Speckled Mousebird
  Colius striatus
  Resident
• African Penguin
  Spheniscus demersus
  Resident
• Cape Sugarbird
  Promerops cafer
  Resident

Birds in South Africa through the year

Of the 607 regular birds in South Africa, Lore counts 522 resident species that stay all year, 66 summer visitors and 2 winter visitors. The rest are partly migratory or irregular.

Most species are present in January (604 regular birds) and the fewest in July (534). Lore's guides follow the seasons, so you can learn the birds that are around this month, or the ones that arrive next month.

Regular birds present per month.

Which bird families are most common in South Africa?

The families with the most regular species in South Africa are Hawks, Eagles, and Kites (41), Old World Flycatchers, Robins, and Chats (32), Cisticolas and Allies (28), Weavers and Allies (24) and Waxbills and Allies (18).

How Lore teaches you the birds

• Real photos. Every picture was taken by a birder and credited in the game.
• Guides for your region. Common birds, year-round birds, summer and winter visitors, birds by family, and more.
• A daily mystery bird. Clues first, the photo last.
• Challenges. Play the same birds as your friends in a group, or join the open Ultimate Birders' Challenge.

More birds in Africa

• All of Africa
• Morocco
• Kenya
• Tanzania
• Madagascar

Frequently asked questions

How many birds can I learn in South Africa? Lore has 813 species for South Africa, of which 607 are regular. The most common are the Egyptian Goose, Hadada Ibis and Helmeted Guineafowl.

Is Lore free? Yes. Lore is free, has no ads and is made as a hobby. You do not need an account to start.

Where do the photos and data come from? Photos come from iNaturalist and Wikimedia Commons under Creative Commons licences, and rarity and names come from eBird. See the photo credits.