Rwanda BirdChecklist : Rwanda is arguably the best African Montane Birding destinations in Africa, this beautiful country also known as the “land of a thousand hills” is home to over 700 bird species, birds in Rwanda include 29 Albertine Rift Endemics and several Lake Victoria Basin Endemics which make the park a paradise for bird lovers.
ANSERIFORMES: Anatidae
White-faced Whistling-Duck
Fulvous Whistling-Duck
White-backed Duck
Knob-billed Duck
Hartlaub’s Duck
Egyptian Goose
Spur-winged Goose
African Pygmy-Goose
Garganey
Blue-billed Teal
Northern Shoveler
African Black Duck
Yellow-billed Duck
Red-billed Duck
Northern Pintail
Green-winged Teal
Southern Pochard
Maccoa Duck
GALLIFORMES: Numididae
Helmeted Guineafowl
Western Crested Guineafowl
GALLIFORMES: Phasianidae
Crested Francolin
Coqui Francolin
Ring-necked Francolin
Red-winged Francolin
Shelley’s Francolin
Blue Quail
Common Quail
Harlequin Quail
Handsome Spurfowl
Hildebrandt’s Spurfowl
Scaly Spurfowl
Red-necked Spurfowl
PHOENICOPTERIFORMES: Phoenicopteridae
Lesser Flamingo
PODICIPEDIFORMES: Podicipedidae
Little Grebe
Great Crested Grebe
COLUMBIFORMES: Columbidae
Rock Pigeon
Speckled Pigeon
Afep Pigeon
Rameron Pigeon
Lemon Dove
Dusky Turtle-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
OTIDIFORMES: Otididae
Denham’s Bustard
Black-bellied Bustard
MUSOPHAGIFORMES: Musophagidae
Great Blue Turaco
Black-billed Turaco
White-crested Turaco
Purple-crested Turaco
Rwenzori Turaco
Ross’s Turaco
Bare-faced Go-away-bird
Eastern Plantain-eater
CUCULIFORMES: Cuculidae
Blue-headed Coucal
White-browed Coucal
Black Coucal
Blue Malkoha
Great Spotted Cuckoo
Levaillant’s Cuckoo
Pied Cuckoo
Thick-billed Cuckoo
Dideric Cuckoo
Klaas’s Cuckoo
African Emerald Cuckoo
Barred Long-tailed Cuckoo
Black Cuckoo
Red-chested Cuckoo
African Cuckoo
Madagascar Cuckoo
Common Cuckoo
CAPRIMULGIFORMES: Caprimulgidae
Pennant-winged Nightjar
Eurasian Nightjar
Fiery-necked Nightjar
Montane Nightjar
Swamp Nightjar
Freckled Nightjar
Slender-tailed Nightjar
Square-tailed Nightjar
CAPRIMULGIFORMES: Apodidae
Scarce Swift
Alpine Swift
Mottled Swift
Common Swift
African Swift
Little Swift
Horus Swift
White-rumped Swift
African Palm Swift
GRUIFORMES: Sarothruridae
White-spotted Flufftail
Buff-spotted Flufftail
Red-chested Flufftail
Streaky-breasted Flufftail
GRUIFORMES: Rallidae
African Rail
Corn Crake
African Crake
Lesser Moorhen
Eurasian Moorhen
Red-knobbed Coot
Allen’s Gallinule
African Swamphen
Striped Crake
Black Crake
Baillon’s Crake
GRUIFORMES: Heliornithidae
African Finfoot
GRUIFORMES: Gruidae
Gray Crowned-Crane
CHARADRIIFORMES: Burhinidae
Water Thick-knee
Spotted Thick-knee
CHARADRIIFORMES: Recurvirostridae
Black-winged Stilt
Pied Avocet
CHARADRIIFORMES: Charadriidae
Black-bellied Plover
Long-toed Lapwing
Blacksmith Lapwing
Spur-winged Lapwing
White-headed Lapwing
Senegal Lapwing
Crowned Lapwing
Wattled Lapwing
Brown-chested Lapwing
Lesser Sand-Plover
Caspian Plover
Kittlitz’s Plover
Common Ringed Plover
Little Ringed Plover
Three-banded Plover
Forbes’s Plover
White-fronted Plover
CHARADRIIFORMES: Rostratulidae
Greater Painted-Snipe
CHARADRIIFORMES: Jacanidae
Lesser Jacana
African Jacana
CHARADRIIFORMES: Scolopacidae
Whimbrel
Eurasian Curlew
Black-tailed Godwit
Ruddy Turnstone
Red Knot
Ruff
Broad-billed Sandpiper
Curlew Sandpiper
Temminck’s Stint
Sanderling
Little Stint
Great Snipe
Common Snipe
African Snipe
Terek Sandpiper
Common Sandpiper
Green Sandpiper
Spotted Redshank
Common Greenshank
Marsh Sandpiper
Wood Sandpiper
Common Redshank
CHARADRIIFORMES: Turnicidae
Small Buttonquail
Black-rumped Buttonquail
CHARADRIIFORMES: Glareolidae
Temminck’s Courser
Bronze-winged Courser
Collared Pratincole
Black-winged Pratincole
Rock Pratincole
Gray Pratincole
CHARADRIIFORMES: Laridae
Gray-hooded Gull
Black-headed Gull
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Gull-billed Tern
Caspian Tern
Black Tern
White-winged Tern
Whiskered Tern
Lesser Crested Tern
African Skimmer
CICONIIFORMES: Ciconiidae
African Openbill
Black Stork
Abdim’s Stork
African Woolly-necked Stork
White Stork
Saddle-billed Stork
Marabou Stork
Yellow-billed Stork
SULIFORMES: Anhingidae
African Darter
SULIFORMES: Phalacrocoracidae
Long-tailed Cormorant
Great Cormorant
PELECANIFORMES: Pelecanidae
Great White Pelican
Pink-backed Pelican
PELECANIFORMES: Balaenicipitidae
Shoebill
PELECANIFORMES: Scopidae
Hamerkop
PELECANIFORMES: Ardeidae
Little Bittern
Dwarf Bittern
Gray Heron
Black-headed Heron
Goliath Heron
Purple Heron
Great Egret
Intermediate Egret
Little Egret
Western Reef-Heron
Black Heron
Cattle Egret
Squacco Heron
Malagasy Pond-Heron
Rufous-bellied Heron
Striated Heron
Black-crowned Night-Heron
White-backed Night-Heron
PELECANIFORMES: Threskiornithidae
Glossy Ibis
African Sacred Ibis
Hadada Ibis
African Spoonbill
ACCIPITRIFORMES: Sagittariidae
Secretarybird
ACCIPITRIFORMES: Pandionidae
Osprey
ACCIPITRIFORMES: Accipitridae
Black-winged Kite
African Harrier-Hawk
Palm-nut Vulture
European Honey-buzzard
African Cuckoo-Hawk
White-headed Vulture
Lappet-faced Vulture
Hooded Vulture
White-backed Vulture
Rüppell’s Griffon
Bateleur
Beaudouin’s Snake-Eagle
Black-chested Snake-Eagle
Brown Snake-Eagle
Banded 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
Steppe Eagle
Cassin’s Hawk-Eagle
Verreaux’s Eagle
African Hawk-Eagle
Lizard Buzzard
Dark Chanting-Goshawk
Gabar Goshawk
Grasshopper Buzzard
Eurasian Marsh-Harrier
African Marsh-Harrier
Pallid Harrier
Montagu’s Harrier
African Goshawk
Shikra
Red-thighed Sparrowhawk
Little Sparrowhawk
Ovambo Sparrowhawk
Rufous-breasted Sparrowhawk
Black Goshawk
Black Kite
African Fish-Eagle
Common Buzzard
Mountain Buzzard
Augur Buzzard
STRIGIFORMES: Tytonidae
Itombwe Owl
African Grass-Owl
Barn Owl
STRIGIFORMES: Strigidae
African Scops-Owl
Southern White-faced Owl
Spotted Eagle-Owl
Fraser’s Eagle-Owl
Verreaux’s Eagle-Owl
Pel’s Fishing-Owl
Pearl-spotted Owlet
Red-chested Owlet
African Barred Owlet
Albertine Owlet
African Wood-Owl
Abyssinian Owl
Marsh Owl
COLIIFORMES: Coliidae
Speckled Mousebird
Blue-naped Mousebird
TROGONIFORMES: Trogonidae
Narina Trogon
Bar-tailed Trogon
BUCEROTIFORMES: Upupidae
Eurasian Hoopoe
BUCEROTIFORMES: Phoeniculidae
Green Woodhoopoe
White-headed Woodhoopoe
Forest Scimitarbill
Common Scimitarbill
BUCEROTIFORMES: Bucorvidae
Southern Ground-Hornbill
BUCEROTIFORMES: Bucerotidae
Crowned Hornbill
African Gray Hornbill
Black-and-white-casqued Hornbill
CORACIIFORMES: Alcedinidae
Half-collared Kingfisher
Shining-blue Kingfisher
Malachite Kingfisher
African Pygmy Kingfisher
Gray-headed Kingfisher
Woodland Kingfisher
Blue-breasted Kingfisher
Brown-hooded Kingfisher
Striped Kingfisher
Giant Kingfisher
Pied Kingfisher
CORACIIFORMES: Meropidae
White-fronted Bee-eater
Little Bee-eater
Blue-breasted Bee-eater
Cinnamon-chested Bee-eater
Swallow-tailed Bee-eater
White-throated Bee-eater
Blue-cheeked Bee-eater
Madagascar Bee-eater
European Bee-eater
Southern Carmine Bee-eater
CORACIIFORMES: Coraciidae
European Roller
Lilac-breasted Roller
Rufous-crowned Roller
Broad-billed Roller
PICIFORMES: Lybiidae
Yellow-billed Barbet
Crested Barbet
Gray-throated Barbet
Western Tinkerbird
Yellow-rumped Tinkerbird
Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird
Spot-flanked Barbet
White-headed Barbet
Red-faced Barbet
Black-collared Barbet
Double-toothed Barbet
PICIFORMES: Indicatoridae
Green-backed Honeyguide
Wahlberg’s Honeyguide
Dwarf Honeyguide
Willcocks’s Honeyguide
Least Honeyguide
Lesser Honeyguide
Scaly-throated Honeyguide
Greater Honeyguide
PICIFORMES: Picidae
Rufous-necked Wryneck
Elliot’s Woodpecker
Speckle-breasted Woodpecker
Cardinal Woodpecker
Bearded Woodpecker
African Gray Woodpecker
Olive Woodpecker
Buff-spotted Woodpecker
Tullberg’s Woodpecker
Green-backed Woodpecker
Nubian Woodpecker
Bennett’s Woodpecker
Golden-tailed Woodpecker
FALCONIFORMES: Falconidae
Pygmy Falcon
Lesser Kestrel
Eurasian Kestrel
Gray Kestrel
Red-necked Falcon
Red-footed Falcon
Amur Falcon
Eleonora’s Falcon
Sooty Falcon
Eurasian Hobby
African Hobby
Lanner Falcon
Peregrine Falcon
PSITTACIFORMES: Psittaculidae
Red-headed Lovebird
Fischer’s Lovebird
PSITTACIFORMES: Psittacidae
Gray Parrot
Brown-necked Parrot
Meyer’s Parrot
PASSERIFORMES: Calyptomenidae
African Broadbill
PASSERIFORMES: Pittidae
African Pitta
PASSERIFORMES: Campephagidae
Gray Cuckooshrike
White-breasted Cuckooshrike
Black Cuckooshrike
Petit’s Cuckooshrike
Red-shouldered Cuckooshrike
PASSERIFORMES: Oriolidae
Eurasian Golden Oriole
African Golden Oriole
African Black-headed Oriole
Black-tailed Oriole
PASSERIFORMES: Platysteiridae
Brown-throated Wattle-eye
Black-throated Wattle-eye
Yellow-bellied Wattle-eye
Rwenzori Batis
Chinspot Batis
PASSERIFORMES: Vangidae
White Helmetshrike
Rufous-bellied Helmetshrike
PASSERIFORMES: Malaconotidae
Brubru
Northern Puffback
Black-backed Puffback
Red-eyed Puffback
Pink-footed Puffback
Marsh Tchagra
Black-crowned Tchagra
Brown-crowned Tchagra
Lühder’s Bushshrike
Tropical Boubou
Black-headed Gonolek
Papyrus Gonolek
Slate-colored Boubou
Willard’s Sooty Boubou
Albertine Boubou
Gray-green Bushshrike
Sulphur-breasted Bushshrike
Many-colored Bushshrike
Doherty’s Bushshrike
Lagden’s Bushshrike
Gray-headed Bushshrike
PASSERIFORMES: Dicruridae
Fork-tailed Drongo
Velvet-mantled Drongo
PASSERIFORMES: Monarchidae
African Crested-Flycatcher
African Paradise-Flycatcher
PASSERIFORMES: Laniidae
Red-backed Shrike
Red-tailed Shrike
Isabelline Shrike
Lesser Gray Shrike
Gray-backed Fiscal
Mackinnon’s Shrike
Northern Fiscal
Souza’s Shrike
Woodchat Shrike
PASSERIFORMES: Corvidae
Piapiac
Pied Crow
Fan-tailed Raven
White-necked Raven
PASSERIFORMES: Hyliotidae
Yellow-bellied Hyliota
Violet-backed Hyliota
PASSERIFORMES: Stenostiridae
White-tailed Blue Flycatcher
White-bellied Crested-Flycatcher
White-tailed Crested-Flycatcher
PASSERIFORMES: Paridae
White-winged Black-Tit
Dusky Tit
Stripe-breasted Tit
PASSERIFORMES: Remizidae
African Penduline-Tit
PASSERIFORMES: Alaudidae
Dusky Lark
Rufous-naped Lark
Flappet Lark
Red-capped Lark
PASSERIFORMES: Macrosphenidae
White-browed Crombec
Red-faced Crombec
Moustached Grass-Warbler
Grauer’s Warbler
PASSERIFORMES: Cisticolidae
Yellow-bellied Eremomela
Green-backed Eremomela
Greencap Eremomela
White-chinned Prinia
Rwenzori Apalis
Miombo Wren-Warbler
Green-backed Camaroptera
Olive-green Camaroptera
Buff-bellied Warbler
Black-throated Apalis
Black-faced Apalis
Yellow-breasted Apalis
Kungwe Apalis
Chestnut-throated Apalis
Gray Apalis
Tawny-flanked Prinia
Banded Prinia
Black-faced Rufous-Warbler
Gray-capped Warbler
Red-faced Cisticola
Singing Cisticola
Trilling Cisticola
Chubb’s Cisticola
Rock-loving Cisticola
Rattling Cisticola
Winding Cisticola
Carruthers’s Cisticola
Stout Cisticola
Croaking Cisticola
Tabora Cisticola
Siffling Cisticola
Zitting Cisticola
Wing-snapping Cisticola
PASSERIFORMES: Acrocephalidae
Papyrus Yellow-Warbler
Eastern Olivaceous Warbler
African Yellow-Warbler
Mountain Yellow-Warbler
Icterine Warbler
Sedge Warbler
Marsh Warbler
Common Reed Warbler
Lesser Swamp Warbler
Greater Swamp Warbler
Great Reed Warbler
PASSERIFORMES: Locustellidae
Fan-tailed Grassbird
Evergreen-forest Warbler
Cinnamon Bracken-Warbler
White-winged Swamp Warbler
Grauer’s Swamp Warbler
Highland Rush Warbler
PASSERIFORMES: Hirundinidae
Plain Martin
Bank Swallow
Banded Martin
Rock Martin
Barn Swallow
Angola Swallow
Wire-tailed Swallow
Montane Blue Swallow
Red-rumped Swallow
Lesser Striped Swallow
Rufous-chested Swallow
Mosque Swallow
Common House-Martin
White-headed Sawwing
Black Sawwing
Gray-rumped Swallow
PASSERIFORMES: Pycnonotidae
Slender-billed Greenbul
Black-collared Bulbul
Shelley’s Greenbul
Eastern Mountain Greenbul
Yellow-throated Greenbul
Plain Greenbul
Yellow-whiskered Greenbul
Little Greenbul
Leaf-love
Cabanis’s Greenbul
Yellow-streaked Greenbul
Common Bulbul
PASSERIFORMES: Phylloscopidae
Wood Warbler
Willow Warbler
Common Chiffchaff
Brown Woodland-Warbler
Red-faced Woodland-Warbler
PASSERIFORMES: Scotocercidae
Neumann’s Warbler
PASSERIFORMES: Sylviidae
Eurasian Blackcap
Garden Warbler
Rwenzori Hill Babbler
Greater Whitethroat
PASSERIFORMES: Zosteropidae
Green White-eye
Northern Yellow White-eye
PASSERIFORMES: Pellorneidae
Brown Illadopsis
Mountain Illadopsis
PASSERIFORMES: Leiothrichidae
Red-collared Mountain-Babbler
Arrow-marked Babbler
Hartlaub’s Babbler
Black-lored Babbler
PASSERIFORMES: Certhiidae
African Spotted Creeper
PASSERIFORMES: Buphagidae
Red-billed Oxpecker
Yellow-billed Oxpecker
PASSERIFORMES: Sturnidae
Wattled Starling
Violet-backed Starling
Slender-billed Starling
Waller’s Starling
Sharpe’s Starling
Stuhlmann’s Starling
Rüppell’s Starling
Splendid Starling
Greater Blue-eared Starling
PASSERIFORMES: Turdidae
White-tailed Ant-Thrush
Abyssinian Ground-Thrush
Abyssinian Thrush
African Thrush
PASSERIFORMES: Muscicapidae
African Dusky Flycatcher
Spotted Flycatcher
Swamp Flycatcher
Cassin’s Flycatcher
Pale Flycatcher
Gray Tit-Flycatcher
Ashy Flycatcher
Yellow-eyed Black-Flycatcher
Southern Black-Flycatcher
White-eyed Slaty-Flycatcher
Brown-backed Scrub-Robin
Red-backed Scrub-Robin
White-bellied Robin-Chat
Archer’s Robin-Chat
Cape Robin-Chat
Blue-shouldered Robin-Chat
White-browed Robin-Chat
Red-capped Robin-Chat
Snowy-crowned Robin-Chat
Collared Palm-Thrush
White-starred Robin
Brown-chested Alethe
Red-throated Alethe
Gray-winged Robin-Chat
Equatorial Akalat
Semicollared Flycatcher
Collared Flycatcher
Common Redstart
Rufous-tailed Rock-Thrush
Miombo Rock-Thrush
Whinchat
African Stonechat
Mocking Cliff-Chat
Sooty Chat
Arnot’s Chat
Northern Wheatear
Capped Wheatear
Isabelline Wheatear
Familiar Chat
PASSERIFORMES: Modulatricidae
Gray-chested Babbler
PASSERIFORMES: Nectariniidae
Western Violet-backed Sunbird
Little Green Sunbird
Collared Sunbird
Green-headed Sunbird
Blue-throated Brown Sunbird
Blue-headed Sunbird
Olive Sunbird
Green-throated Sunbird
Amethyst Sunbird
Scarlet-chested Sunbird
Purple-breasted Sunbird
Bronze Sunbird
Malachite Sunbird
Red-tufted Sunbird
Olive-bellied Sunbird
Stuhlmann’s Sunbird
Northern Double-collared Sunbird
Regal Sunbird
Rockefeller’s Sunbird
Beautiful Sunbird
Mariqua Sunbird
Red-chested Sunbird
Purple-banded Sunbird
Variable Sunbird
Copper Sunbird
PASSERIFORMES: Ploceidae
Red-billed Buffalo-Weaver
Red-headed Weaver
Baglafecht Weaver
Little Weaver
Slender-billed Weaver
Black-necked Weaver
Spectacled Weaver
Black-billed Weaver
Strange Weaver
Holub’s Golden-Weaver
Northern Brown-throated Weaver
Lesser Masked-Weaver
Vieillot’s Black Weaver
Village Weaver
Black-headed Weaver
Forest Weaver
Brown-capped Weaver
Compact Weaver
Cardinal Quelea
Red-headed Quelea
Red-billed Quelea
Southern Red Bishop
Black-winged Bishop
Yellow Bishop
White-winged Widowbird
Red-collared Widowbird
Fan-tailed Widowbird
Grosbeak Weaver
PASSERIFORMES: Estrildidae
Bronze Mannikin
Black-and-white Mannikin
White-collared Oliveback
Yellow-bellied Waxbill
Green-backed Twinspot
Shelley’s Crimsonwing
Dusky Crimsonwing
Abyssinian Crimsonwing
Red-faced Crimsonwing
White-breasted Nigrita
Gray-headed Nigrita
Black-faced Waxbill
Black-crowned Waxbill
Kandt’s Waxbill
Orange-cheeked Waxbill
Fawn-breasted Waxbill
Common Waxbill
Crimson-rumped Waxbill
Quailfinch
Zebra Waxbill
Red-cheeked Cordonbleu
Red-headed Bluebill
Green-winged Pytilia
Orange-winged Pytilia
Dusky Twinspot
Peters’s Twinspot
Red-billed Firefinch
African Firefinch
PASSERIFORMES: Viduidae
Pin-tailed Whydah
Broad-tailed Paradise-Whydah
Eastern Paradise-Whydah
Village Indigobird
Parasitic Weaver
PASSERIFORMES: Passeridae
House Sparrow
Northern Gray-headed Sparrow
PASSERIFORMES: Motacillidae
Cape Wagtail
Mountain Wagtail
Gray Wagtail
Western Yellow Wagtail
African Pied Wagtail
White Wagtail
African Pipit
Long-billed Pipit
Plain-backed Pipit
Striped Pipit
Tree Pipit
Red-throated Pipit
Short-tailed Pipit
Yellow-throated Longclaw
PASSERIFORMES: Fringillidae
Oriole Finch
Yellow-fronted Canary
Western Citril
Papyrus Canary
Black-throated Canary
Brimstone Canary
Streaky Seedeater
Thick-billed Seedeater
Yellow-crowned Canary
PASSERIFORMES: Emberizidae
Cabanis’s Bunting
Golden-breasted Bunting
Cinnamon-breasted Bunting
