Malaŵi | Malawi

SUB-REGION
Southern Africa

SIZE
118,484 km²

BIRDS AND BIRDING

SPECIES
Diversity
Strongly Afrotropical avifauna
Approximately 660 recorded species

Endemics (E)
Yellow-throated Apalis (EN)

Near-endemics (NE)
Malawi Batis

Birds occurring in only two territories of the ABC region but not NE or BT (1/2)
Shelley’s Greenbul
Spot-throat

More Zambezian endemics or near-endemics occurring in Malawi
Coppery-tailed Coucal
Pale-billed Hornbill
Racket-tailed Roller
Whyte’s Barbet
Dickinson’s Kestrel
White-tailed Blue Flycatcher
Rufous-bellied Tit
Cinnamon-breasted Tit
Miombo Tit | Miombo Grey Tit
Red-capped Crombec
Tinkling Cisticola
Stierling’s Wren-Warbler
Miombo Blue-eared Starling
Meves’s Starling
Boulder Chat
Kurrichane Thrush
Miombo Scrub Robin
Collared Palm Thrush
Miombo Rock Thrush
Arnot’s Chat | White-headed Black Chat
Anchieta’s Sunbird | Red-and-blue Sunbird
Eastern Miombo Sunbird
Western Miombo Sunbird
Shelley’s Sunbird
White-bellied Sunbird | White-breasted Sunbird
Red-throated Twinspot | Peters’s Twinspot
Zambezi Indigobird | Green Indigobird
Broad-tailed Paradise Whydah

Proposed new species or splits not yet accepted by IOC
Crawshay’s Francolin (BT)
Schuett’s Spurfowl
Cranch’s Spurfowl
Usambara Nightjar (B2)
Black-faced Go-away-bird
Grey-breasted Green Pigeon
Chestnut-breasted Flufftail (B2)
Ngami Owlet
White-faced Barbet (Z)
Northern Olive Woodpecker
Grey-headed Parrot (B2)
East African Pitta
Four-colored Bushshrike
Anchieta’s Tchagra
Plateau Lark | Blackish Lark | Ukinga Rufous-naped Lark (B2)
Eastern Saw-wing (B2)
African Reed Warbler
Northern Olive-flanked Ground Robin | Rusty-flanked Robin-Chat (BT)
Southern Olive-flanked Ground Robin | Olive-flanked Robin-Chat (BT)
Benson’s Akalat (E)
Stuhlmann’s Weaver
Black-fronted Red Bishop
Red-backed Mannikin
Jackson’s Pipit
Vincent’s Bunting (BT)
Three-streaked Bunting

National bird
African Fish Eagle | Nkhwazi

MAIN HABITATS
Montane forest and grassland, miombo woodland, mopane woodland, lowland riparian thickets, lowland forest

BIRD AREAS
South-east African coast Endemic Bird Area (EBA)
Tanzania – Malawi mountains EBA
21 Important Bird Areas

BIRDING SITES
Mount Mulanje (Ruo Gorge and Chisongeli Forest) for Yellow-throated Apalis and Thyolo Alethe (choloensis), Malawi Batis (dimorpha), Stripe-cheeked Greenbul, White-winged Apalis (macphersoni), Spotted Ground Thrush (ESS belcheri), Olive-flanked Ground Robin (ESS anomala) and Cape Bunting (vincenti), Black-browed Greenbul and Forest Double-collared Sunbird (bensoni), as well as Freckled Nightjar, Scarce Swift, Mottled Swift, African Black Swift, Livingstone’s Turaco, African Emerald Cuckoo, African Olive Pigeon, Lemon Dove, Tambourine Dove, Striped Flufftail, Crowned Eagle, African Goshawk, Black Sparrowhawk, Augur Buzzard, Bar-tailed Trogon, Silvery-cheeked Hornbill, White-eared Barbet, Yellow-rumped Tinkerbird, Golden-tailed Woodpecker, Lanner Falcon, African Broadbill, Pale Batis, Black-throated Wattle-eye, Black-fronted Bushshrike (sandgroundi), Olive Bushshrike (ESS bertrandi), Square-tailed Drongo, White-necked Raven, White-tailed Crested Flycatcher, Sombre Greenbul, Little Greenbul, Grey-olive Greenbul, Placid Greenbul, Yellow-streaked Greenbul (vincenti), Black Saw-wing (orientalis), Red-throated Rock Martin, Blue Swallow, White-throated Swallow, Red-faced Crombec, Yellow-throated Woodland Warbler, Evergreen Forest Warbler (granti), Cinnamon Bracken Warbler, Wailing Cisticola (semifasciatus), Black-headed Apalis (ESS fuliginosa), Green-backed Camaroptera, Southern Yellow White-eye, Red-winged Starling, Orange Ground Thrush, Olive Thrush (milanjensis), African Dusky Flycatcher, White-starred Robin, Cape Robin-Chat, African Stonechat, Collared Sunbird, Olive Sunbird, Dark-backed Weaver, Yellow Bishop, Black-and-white Mannikin (nigriceps), Yellow-bellied Waxbill, Red-faced Crimsonwing, Mountain Wagtail, African Pipit (lichenya), Southern Citril and Cinnamon-breasted Bunting
Zomba Plateau (Sunbird Ku Chawe Inn and Trout Farm) for Yellow-throated Apalis and Thyolo Alethe, Malawi Batis, Olive-headed Greenbul and White-winged Apalis, Black-browed Greenbul, Forest Double-collared Sunbird and Bertram’s Weaver, as well as Livingstone’s Turaco, African Emerald Cuckoo, African Olive Pigeon, Lemon Dove, Blue-spotted Wood Dove, Tambourine Dove, Buff-spotted Flufftail, Long-crested Eagle, Ayres’s Hawk-Eagle, Black Sparrowhawk, Augur Buzzard, African Pygmy Kingfisher, White-eared Barbet, Yellow-rumped Tinkerbird, Pallid Honeyguide, Rock Kestrel, Pale Batis, Olive Bushshrike, Square-tailed Drongo, Northern Fiscal, White-necked Raven, White-tailed Crested Flycatcher, Little Greenbul, Placid Greenbul, Yellow-streaked Greenbul, Black Saw-wing, Red-throated Rock Martin, Yellow-throated Woodland Warbler, Evergreen Forest Warbler, Singing Cisticola, Lazy Cisticola, Black-headed Apalis (ESS adjacens), Green-backed Camaroptera, Red-winged Starling, Orange Ground Thrush, African Dusky Flycatcher, White-starred Robin, Cape Robin-Chat, African Stonechat, Collared Sunbird, Olive Sunbird, Dark-backed Weaver, Yellow Bishop, Black-and-white Mannikin, Yellow-bellied Waxbill, Red-faced Crimsonwing, Green Twinspot, Jameson’s Firefinch, Southern Citril, Brimstone Canary and Cinnamon-breasted Bunting
Mount Thyolo (Satemwa Tea Estate) for Thyolo Alethe, Black-browed Greenbul, Olive-headed Greenbul and White-winged Apalis, as well as Livingstone’s Turaco, Burchell’s Coucal, African Emerald Cuckoo, Tambourine Dove, African Goshawk, Black Sparrowhawk, Augur Buzzard, Silvery-cheeked Hornbill, White-eared Barbet, Yellow-rumped Tinkerbird, African Broadbill, Black-throated Wattle-eye, Black-fronted Bushshrike, Green-headed Oriole, Square-tailed Drongo, White-tailed Crested Flycatcher, Little Greenbul, Grey-olive Greenbul, Placid Greenbul, Yellow-streaked Greenbul, Black Saw-wing, White-throated Swallow, Yellow-throated Woodland Warbler, Singing Cisticola, Black-headed Apalis (ESS fuliginosa), Green-backed Camaroptera, African Stonechat, Collared Sunbird, Olive Sunbird, Dark-backed Weaver, Black-and-white Mannikin, Green Twinspot, Mountain Wagtail, African Pipit and Southern Citril
Misuku Hills for Shelley’s Greenbul and Spot-throat, as well as Green Barbet (rungweensis), Dark Batis and Bar-throated Apalis (murina)
Nyika National Park (NP) for Whyte’s Francolin, Malawi Batis (sola), Fülleborn’s Boubou, Olive-headed Greenbul, Sharpe’s Greenbul, Churring Cisticola, Black-lored Cisticola, Chapin’s Apalis, White-chested Alethe, Olive-flanked Ground Robin (macclounii), Sharpe’s Akalat, Whyte’s Double-collared Sunbird (whytei), Scarlet-tufted Sunbird (nyikensis), Montane Widowbird and Yellow-browed Seedeater, Black-browed Greenbul, Forest Double-collared Sunbird (fuelleborni) and Bertram’s Weaver, as well as African Black Duck, Yellow-billed Duck, Red-winged Francolin (ESS crawshayi), Common Quail, Hildebrandt’s Spurfowl, Montane Nightjar (guttifer), Scarce Swift, Schalow’s Turaco, Denham’s Bustard (jacksoni), White-browed Coucal, African Olive Pigeon, Lemon Dove, Dusky Turtle Dove, Red-chested Flufftail, Striped Flufftail, Red-knobbed Coot, Little Grebe, Black-winged Kite, White-backed Vulture, Lappet-faced Vulture, African Goshawk, Rufous-breasted Sparrowhawk, Black Sparrowhawk, Mountain Buzzard, Augur Buzzard, Marsh Owl, Spotted Eagle-Owl, Bar-tailed Trogon, Crowned Hornbill, Moustached Tinkerbird, Black-backed Barbet (macclounii), Scaly-throated Honeyguide, Olive Woodpecker (ruwenzori), Lanner Falcon, Black-fronted Bushshrike (nigrifons), Marsh Tchagra (anchietae), Northern Fiscal, White-necked Raven, White-tailed Crested Flycatcher, Rufous-naped Lark (nyikae), White-headed Saw-wing, Black Saw-wing, Grey-rumped Swallow, Banded Martin, Red-throated Rock Martin, Blue Swallow, Angola Swallow, Red-rumped Swallow, Red-breasted Swallow, Yellow-throated Woodland Warbler, African Yellow Warbler, Mountain Yellow Warbler, Fan-tailed Grassbird, Evergreen Forest Warbler (usambarae), Cinnamon Bracken Warbler, Singing Cisticola, Wailing Cisticola, Wing-snapping Cisticola, Bar-throated Apalis (youngi), Brown-headed Apalis, Mountain Illadopsis (ESS nyasae), African Hill Babbler (stierlingi), Brown Parisoma, Red-winged Starling, Slender-billed Starling, Waller’s Starling, Yellow-billed Oxpecker, Orange Ground Thrush, Abyssinian Thrush, White-eyed Slaty Flycatcher, White-starred Robin, Cape Robin-Chat, African Stonechat, Mocking Cliff Chat, Green-headed Sunbird, Bronzy Sunbird, Malachite Sunbird, Baglafecht Weaver (nyikae), Yellow Bishop, Red-collared Widowbird, Yellow-bellied Waxbill, Grey Waxbill, Red-faced Crimsonwing, African Pipit (latistriatus), Buffy Pipit, Oriole Finch, Southern Citril and Yellow-crowned Canary
Vwaza Marsh Wildlife Reserve (WR) for Babbling Starling and Chestnut-backed Sparrow-Weaver among other miombo woodland species including Pale-billed Hornbill, Racket-tailed Roller, Rufous-bellied Tit, Miombo Tit, Stierling’s Wren-Warbler, Miombo Blue-eared Starling, Kurrichane Thrush, Miombo Scrub Robin, Böhm’s Flycatcher and Arnot’s Chat, as well as Swainson’s Spurfowl, Red-necked Spurfowl (cranchii), Purple-crested Turaco, Senegal Coucal, Black Cuckoo, African Cuckoo, Blacksmith Lapwing, Southern Red-billed Hornbill, Crested Barbet, Brown-backed Honeybird, Bennett’s Woodpecker, Meyer’s Parrot, Grey-headed Bushshrike, White-crested Helmetshrike, Retz’s Helmetshrike, White-breasted Cuckooshrike, Southern Black Tit, Grey Penduline Tit, Long-billed Crombec, Arrow-marked Babbler, White-browed Scrub Robin, Yellow-throated Bush Sparrow, Northern Grey-headed Sparrow, Lesser Masked Weaver, Red-headed Weaver, Black-winged Red Bishop, White-winged Widowbird, Wood Pipit and Yellow-fronted Canary
Nkhwazi Forest Reserve (FR) and Nkhata Bay for East Coast Akalat (ESS bensoni) as well as Green Malkoha, Blue-spotted Wood Dove, African Barred Owlet (ngamiense), African Broadbill, Narina Trogon, African Pygmy Kingfisher, Little Spotted Woodpecker, Black-throated Wattle-eye, Blue-mantled Crested Flycatcher, Eastern Nicator, Little Greenbul, Grey-olive Greenbul, Bearded Scrub Robin, Red-capped Robin-Chat, Collared Sunbird, Olive Sunbird, Purple-banded Sunbird, Copper Sunbird and Eastern Golden Weaver
Viphya Plateau (Luwawa Forest Lodge) for Whyte’s Barbet, Fülleborn’s Boubou, Black-browed Greenbul, Red-capped Crombec, Chapin’s Apalis, Forest Double-collared Sunbird, Bertram’s Weaver and Red-throated Twinspot, as well as Southern Pochard, Scaly Spurfowl (schuetti), Montane Nightjar, Schalow’s Turaco, Senegal Coucal, African Olive Pigeon, Blue-spotted Wood Dove, Red-chested Flufftail, Lesser Moorhen, African Rail, Black Sparrowhawk, African Marsh Harrier, Yellow-rumped Tinkerbird, Scaly-throated Honeyguide, Olive Woodpecker, African Broadbill, Marsh Tchagra, Northern Fiscal, White-tailed Crested Flycatcher, Little Greenbul, Placid Greenbul, White-headed Saw-wing, Black Saw-wing, Banded Martin, Red-breasted Swallow, Moustached Grass Warbler, Lesser Swamp Warbler, African Yellow Warbler, Fan-tailed Grassbird, Evergreen Forest Warbler, Little Rush Warbler, Singing Cisticola, Trilling Cisticola, Short-winged Cisticola, Bar-throated Apalis, White-browed Scrub Robin, White-eyed Slaty Flycatcher, African Dusky Flycatcher, White-starred Robin, African Stonechat, Bronzy Sunbird, Thick-billed Weaver, Holub’s Golden Weaver, Yellow Bishop, Red-collared Widowbird, Common Waxbill, Plain-backed Pipit, Southern Citril and Brimstone Canary
Malawi College of Forestry and Wildlife for Cape Bunting (vincenti), Hildebrandt’s Spurfowl, African Black Swift, Moustached Tinkerbird, Rock Kestrel, Lanner Falcon, White-necked Raven, Black Saw-wing, Red-throated Rock Martin, Red-rumped Swallow, Red-faced Crombec, Lazy Cisticola, Bar-throated Apalis, Brown Parisoma, Red-winged Starling, African Stonechat, Mocking Cliff Chat, Familiar Chat and Striped Pipit, as well as Whyte’s Barbet, White-breasted Cuckooshrike, Souza’s Shrike, White-tailed Blue Flycatcher, Miombo Tit, Grey Penduline Tit, Red-winged Prinia, Green-capped Eremomela, African Spotted Creeper, Miombo Rock Thrush, Western Violet-backed Sunbird, Eastern Miombo Sunbird, Olive-headed Weaver, Reichard’s Seedeater and Cabanis’s Bunting among other miombo woodland species
Dzalanyama FR for more miombo woodland species including Stierling’s Woodpecker and Souza’s Shrike, Miombo Pied Barbet, Böhm’s Flycatcher, Olive-headed Weaver, Reichard’s Seedeater and Black-eared Seedeater, Pale-billed Hornbill, Rufous-bellied Tit, Miombo Tit, Red-capped Crombec, Stierling’s Wren-Warbler, Boulder Chat, Kurrichane Thrush, Miombo Scrub Robin, Miombo Rock Thrush, Anchieta’s Sunbird, Eastern Miombo Sunbird, Shelley’s Sunbird, Red-throated Twinspot and Broad-tailed Paradise Whydah, Fiery-necked Nightjar, Pennant-winged Nightjar, Schalow’s Turaco, Thick-billed Cuckoo, African Emerald Cuckoo, Klaas’s Cuckoo, Red-chested Cuckoo, Emerald-spotted Wood Dove, Green Wood Hoopoe, Common Scimitarbill, Striped Kingfisher, Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird, Green-backed Honeybird, Lesser Honeyguide, Golden-tailed Woodpecker, Bearded Woodpecker, Cardinal Woodpecker, Chinspot Batis, Grey-headed Bushshrike, Black-crowned Tchagra, Brubru, White-crested Helmetshrike, Retz’s Helmetshrike, White-breasted Cuckooshrike, Black Cuckooshrike, African Golden Oriole, Black-headed Oriole, Fork-tailed Drongo, Grey Penduline Tit, Flappet Lark, Black Saw-wing, Pearl-breasted Swallow, Neddicky, Red-winged Prinia, Yellow-bellied Eremomela, Green-capped Eremomela, Southern Yellow White-eye, Arrow-marked Babbler, Yellow-bellied Hyliota, Southern Hyliota, African Spotted Creeper, Violet-backed Starling, White-browed Scrub Robin, Pale Flycatcher, Grey Tit-Flycatcher, Ashy Flycatcher, Southern Black Flycatcher, African Dusky Flycatcher, Familiar Chat, Western Violet-backed Sunbird, Amethyst Sunbird, Yellow-throated Bush Sparrow, Red-headed Weaver, Orange-winged Pytilia, Wood Pipit, Striped Pipit, Cinnamon-breasted Bunting, Golden-breasted Bunting and Cabanis’s Bunting (orientalis), as well as Lesser Seedcracker, Whyte’s Barbet, Little Spotted Woodpecker, Brown-necked Parrot (suahelicus), White-tailed Blue Flycatcher and Grey-olive Greenbul, and raptors including Brown Snake Eagle, Wahlberg’s Eagle, Lizard Buzzard, Gabar Goshawk and African Wood Owl
Liwonde NP for Lilian’s Lovebird, Böhm’s Bee-eater, Brown-breasted Barbet, Speckle-throated Woodpecker and Livingstone’s Flycatcher, Racket-tailed Roller, Dickinson’s Kestrel, Meves’s Starling, Collared Palm Thrush, Arnot’s Chat and White-bellied Sunbird, Helmeted Guineafowl, Red-necked Spurfowl (melanogaster), Square-tailed Nightjar, African Palm Swift, Grey Go-away-bird, Purple-crested Turaco, Burchell’s Coucal, Green Malkoha, Levaillant’s Cuckoo, Jacobin Cuckoo, African Emerald Cuckoo, Mourning Collared Dove, Ring-necked Dove, Emerald-spotted Wood Dove, African Green Pigeon (delalandii), Bronze-winged Courser, Crowned Lapwing, Marabou Stork, Western Cattle Egret, Black-headed Heron, Osprey, African Harrier-Hawk, Palm-nut Vulture, African Cuckoo-Hawk, White-backed Vulture, White-headed Vulture, Black-chested Snake Eagle, Western Banded Snake Eagle, Bateleur, Martial Eagle, African Hawk-Eagle, Shikra, African Fish Eagle, Pearl-spotted Owlet, African Scops Owl, Verreaux’s Eagle-Owl, Pel’s Fishing Owl, Red-faced Mousebird, African Hoopoe, Green Wood Hoopoe, Common Scimitarbill, Southern Ground Hornbill, Southern Red-billed Hornbill, Crowned Hornbill, African Grey Hornbill, Trumpeter Hornbill, Lilac-breasted Roller, Broad-billed Roller, Grey-headed Kingfisher, Striped Kingfisher, Woodland Kingfisher, Swallow-tailed Bee-eater, Little Bee-eater, Crested Barbet, Greater Honeyguide, Bearded Woodpecker, Cardinal Woodpecker, Red-necked Falcon, Brown-necked Parrot (suahelicus), Brown-headed Parrot, Chinspot Batis, Black-throated Wattle-eye, Brown-crowned Tchagra, Brubru, White-crested Helmetshrike, Black-headed Oriole, Fork-tailed Drongo, Southern Black Tit, Sombre Greenbul, Wire-tailed Swallow, Mosque Swallow, Rattling Cisticola, Wattled Starling, Greater Blue-eared Starling, Red-billed Oxpecker, Bearded Scrub Robin, Collared Sunbird, Scarlet-chested Sunbird, White-browed Sparrow-Weaver, Lesser Masked Weaver, Southern Brown-throated Weaver, Red-billed Quelea, Green-winged Pytilia, Red-billed Firefinch, Long-tailed Paradise Whydah, African Pied Wagtail and Yellow-fronted Canary, as well as waterbirds including White-faced Whistling Duck, Spur-winged Goose, Knob-billed Duck, Egyptian Goose, Black Crake, Water Thick-knee, Long-toed Lapwing, Spur-winged Lapwing, African Wattled Lapwing, African Jacana, African Skimmer, Whiskered Tern, Grey-headed Gull, African Openbill, Yellow-billed Stork, Saddle-billed Stork, African Woolly-necked Stork, African Darter, Reed Cormorant, White-breasted Cormorant, African Sacred Ibis, Hadada Ibis, Glossy Ibis, African Spoonbill, Black-crowned Night Heron, Black Heron, Little Egret, White-backed Night Heron, Striated Heron, Squacco Heron, Great Egret, Yellow-billed Egret, Grey Heron, Goliath Heron, Malachite Kingfisher, Giant Kingfisher and Pied Kingfisher
Machinga FR for Cinnamon-breasted Tit among other miombo woodland species including Pale-billed Hornbill, Miombo Blue-eared Starling, Eastern Miombo Sunbird and Reichard’s Seedeater
Lilongwe (Nature Sanctuary, Sewage Ponds and Airport Dambo) for Blue-billed Teal, African Black Duck, Yellow-billed Duck, Red-billed Teal, Schalow’s Turaco, Black Coucal, Tambourine Dove, Common Buttonquail, Black-winged Stilt, Kittlitz’s Plover, White-backed Night Heron, Half-collared Kingfisher, African Broadbill, Black-throated Wattle-eye, Red-capped Lark, Croaking Cisticola, Zitting Cisticola, Southern Red Bishop, Yellow-mantled Widowbird, Magpie Mannikin, Orange-breasted Waxbill, Red-throated Twinspot, Pin-tailed Whydah, Mountain Wagtail, Yellow-throated Longclaw and Rosy-throated Longclaw among more widespread species such as Little Swift, Diederik Cuckoo, Red-eyed Dove, Laughing Dove, Hamerkop, Bat Hawk, Little Sparrowhawk, Yellow-billed Kite, Western Barn Owl, Speckled Mousebird, Brown-hooded Kingfisher, Black-collared Barbet, Orange-breasted Bushshrike, Black-backed Puffback, Tropical Boubou, African Paradise Flycatcher, Pied Crow, Yellow-bellied Greenbul, Terrestrial Brownbul, Dark-capped Bulbul, Lesser Striped Swallow, Red-faced Cisticola, Tawny-flanked Prinia, Yellow-breasted Apalis, Grey-backed Camaroptera, White-browed Robin-Chat, Variable Sunbird, Southern Grey-headed Sparrow, Spectacled Weaver, Southern Masked Weaver, Village Weaver, Bronze Mannikin, Blue Waxbill and African Firefinch
Namizimu FR for Stierling’s Woodpecker among other miombo woodland species, as well as Green Tinkerbird
Likoma Island for Crimson-rumped Waxbill
Nankoma Island for African Pitta (longipennis) as well as Blue-spotted Wood Dove, Water Thick-knee, Striated Heron, African Fish Eagle, Trumpeter Hornbill, Black-throated Wattle-eye, Wire-tailed Swallow, Common Reed Warbler (cinnamomeus), Yellow-breasted Apalis, Red-capped Robin-Chat, Copper Sunbird and Southern Brown-throated Weaver
Lower Shire River Valley (Majete WR) for Horus Swift, Black-bellied Bustard, Namaqua Dove, Water Thick-knee, White-crowned Lapwing, Rock Pratincole, Black Stork, Hooded Vulture, Western Banded Snake Eagle, Dark Chanting Goshawk, Southern White-faced Owl, White-fronted Bee-eater, Southern Carmine Bee-eater, Brown-headed Parrot, Brown-throated Martin, Long-billed Crombec, Rufous-winged Cicticola, Burnt-necked Eremomela, Southern Brown-throated Weaver, Southern Red Bishop, African Pied Wagtail and Lemon-breasted Canary
Thangadzi River Conservancy and Elephant Marsh for waterbirds including Fulvous Whistling Duck, Common Moorhen, Allen’s Gallinule, African Swamphen, Greater Flamingo, Lesser Flamingo, Long-toed Lapwing, Lesser Jacana, Collared Pratincole, African Skimmer, Grey-headed Gull, Whiskered Tern, African Openbill, Little Bittern, Black Heron, Squacco Heron, Purple Heron, Great White Pelican and Pink-backed Pelican, as well as Square-tailed Nightjar, Green Malkoha, Western Banded Snake Eagle, Böhm’s Bee-eater, Speckle-throated Woodpecker, African Broadbill, Black-throated Wattle-eye, Eastern Nicator, Banded Martin, Livingstone’s Flycatcher, Lesser Swamp Warbler, Bearded Scrub Robin, Collared Palm Thrush, Thick-billed Weaver, Southern Brown-throated Weaver, Black-winged Red Bishop, Common Waxbill, Orange-winged Pytilia, Red-throated Twinspot and Broad-tailed Paradise Whydah
Lengwe NP for Southern Crested Guineafowl, Crested Francolin (zambesiae), Mottled Spinetail, Gorgeous Bushshrike (quartus), Black-and-white Shrike-flycatcher and Grey Sunbird
Matandwe FR for Woodwards’ Batis
Also Kasungu NP, Lake Malawi NP, Nkhotakota WR, Mwabvi WR, Kuti WR, Chimaliro FR, Mangochi FR, Lake Chilwa and Chimwenya Game Park

TIMING (Oct–Dec)
Visit around the start of the rains when most birds breed
Whydahs and indigobirds are in breeding plumage Jan–May
The worst time is probably Jun–Jul

RESOURCES
Apps
Birds of Africa (iOS or Android)
Roberts Bird Guide 2 covers most species

Field guides
Birds of Greater Southern Africa by Keith Barnes, Terry Stevenson & John Fanshawe (2024)
Birds of Southern Africa by Ber van Perlo (2009)
Birds of Malawi: a Supplement to Newman’s Birds of Southern Africa by Kenneth Newman, Nigel Johnston-Stewart & Bob Medland (1998) covers species not treated in Newman’s field guide
Bridging the Bird Gap: a Field Guide to the 64 Species in Malawi Not Described in Roberts’ Birds of South Africa by N G B Johnston-Stewart & J B Heigham (1982)
Birds of Africa South of the Sahara by Ian Sinclair & Peter Ryan (2010)

Site guides
Southern African Birdfinder by Callan Cohen, Claire Spottiswoode & Jonathan Rossouw (2006)
Best Birding in Malawi by Philip Briggs (2018)
Birdwatching in Malawi by Bob Medland (1995)

Atlases
Southern African Bird Atlas Project 2 (SABAP2), a member of the African Bird Atlas Project

Further reading
The Birds of Malawi: an Atlas and Handbook by Françoise Dowsett-Lemaire & Robert J Dowsett (2006)
A Contribution to the Ornithology of Malawi by Françoise Dowsett-Lemaire (2006)
Malaŵi by Françoise Dowsett-Lemaire, Robert J Dowsett & Michael Dyer in Important Bird Areas in Africa and Associated Islands: Priority Sites for Conservation edited by Lincoln D C Fishpool & Michael I Evans (2001)
Birds of Malawi: the Splendour of Diversity by John Wilson (2017)
Vernacular Names of Malawi’s Birds by John Wilson (2012)
Bird Activity Book for Wildlife Clubs of Malawi by Deepa Pullanikkatil & Matthews Chilambo (2011)
Articles in WESM Newsletter, Vocifer (WSM bulletin of ornithological news in Malawi), Nyala (NFPS magazine), Society of Malawi Journal, Bull. ABC, etc.

Websites
Lake Malawi National Park – UNESCO World Heritage List
Malawi Tourism

Blogs
Birds of Malawi by Edward Selfe (2022)

Facebook groups
Birds of Malawi
Birds Malawi

ORGANISATIONS

The BirdLife Partner in Malawi is the Wildlife and Environmental Society of Malawi (WESM), formerly the Wildlife Society of Malawi (WSM) and originally the Nyasaland Faunal Preservation Society (NFPS)

Other bird or conservation organisations active in Malawi include –
Malawi Ornithological Society (MOS)
Mulanje Mountain Conservation Trust (MMCT)
Lilongwe Wildlife Trust (LWT)
The Nyika Vwaza Trust
Wildlife Action Group (WAG)
Biodiversity Inventory for Conservation (BINCO)
WeForest
African Parks: Liwonde National Park, Mangochi Forest Reserve, Majete Wildlife Reserve and Nkhotakota Wildlife Reserve
Peace Parks Foundation: Malawi-Zambia Transfrontier Conservation Area

Museums of Malawi, Blantyre, curate a collection of bird specimens