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
Miombo Tit | Miombo Grey Tit
Red-capped Crombec
Tinkling Cisticola
Stierling’s Wren-Warbler
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)
African Quail
Schuett’s Spurfowl
Cranch’s Spurfowl
Usambara Nightjar (B2)
Black-faced Go-away-bird
Grey-breasted Green Pigeon
Chestnut-breasted Flufftail (B2)
White-breasted Cormorant
Bar-fronted Owlet
Mackinder’s Eagle-Owl
African Hoopoe
White-faced Barbet (Z)
Northern Olive Woodpecker
Grey-headed Parrot (B2)
East African Pitta
Four-colored Bushshrike
Anchieta’s Tchagra
Cinnamon-breasted Tit
Placid Greenbul
Dark-capped Bulbul
Eastern Saw-wing (B2)
African Reed Warbler
Lazy Cisticola
Miombo Blue-eared Starling (Z)
Olive-flanked Robin-Chat | Malawi Robin-Chat (BT)
Rusty-flanked Robin-Chat | MacClounie’s Robin-Chat (1/2)
Benson’s Akalat (E)
Southern Red-headed Weaver
Stuhlmann’s Weaver
Black-fronted Red Bishop
Red-backed Mannikin
Spectacled Quailfinch | African Quailfinch
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, Blue Swallow, White-winged Apalis (macphersoni), Spotted Ground Thrush (ESS belcheri), Olive-flanked Ground Robin (anomalus) and Cape Bunting (vincenti), Black-browed Mountain Greenbul, Forest Double-collared Sunbird (bensoni), Bertram’s Weaver and Southern Citril, as well as Freckled Nightjar, Scarce Swift, Mottled Swift, African Black Swift, Livingstone’s Turaco, African Emerald Cuckoo, African Olive Pigeon, Lemon 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, Cabanis’s Greenbul (placidus), Yellow-streaked Greenbul (vincenti), Black Saw-wing (orientalis), Red-throated Rock Martin, 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 (bororensis), Southern Yellow White-eye (stierlingi), Red-winged Starling, Orange Ground Thrush (disruptans), Olive Thrush (milanjensis), African Dusky Flycatcher, White-starred Robin, Cape Robin-Chat, African Stonechat, Olive Sunbird (alfredi), Dark-backed Weaver, Black-and-white Mannikin (nigriceps), Yellow-bellied Waxbill, Red-faced Crimsonwing, Grey Waxbill (incana), Mountain Wagtail and Cinnamon-breasted Bunting
Thyolo Mountain (Satemwa Tea Estate) for Thyolo Alethe, Green-headed Oriole, Black-browed Mountain Greenbul, Olive-headed Greenbul, White-winged Apalis, Bertram’s Weaver and Southern Citril, as well as Livingstone’s Turaco, African Emerald Cuckoo, Blue-spotted Wood Dove, Buff-spotted Flufftail, Long-crested Eagle, African Goshawk, Black Sparrowhawk, African Wood Owl, Silvery-cheeked Hornbill, White-eared Barbet, Yellow-rumped Tinkerbird, Pallid Honeyguide, Scaly-throated Honeyguide, African Broadbill, Black-throated Wattle-eye, Black-fronted Bushshrike, Square-tailed Drongo, Little Greenbul, Grey-olive Greenbul, Cabanis’s Greenbul (placidus), Yellow-streaked Greenbul, Black Saw-wing, Yellow-throated Woodland Warbler, Singing Cisticola, Black-headed Apalis (ESS fuliginosa), Green-backed Camaroptera, Southern Yellow White-eye, Orange Ground Thrush, African Stonechat, Olive Sunbird, Dark-backed Weaver, Black-and-white Mannikin, Green Twinspot, Red-throated Twinspot, Mountain Wagtail and Brimstone Canary
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 Mountain Greenbul, Forest Double-collared Sunbird, Bertram’s Weaver and Southern Citril, as well as Scarce Swift, African Black Swift, Livingstone’s Turaco, African Olive Pigeon, Blue-spotted Wood Dove, Long-crested Eagle, Ayres’s Hawk-Eagle, Black Sparrowhawk, Augur Buzzard, White-eared Barbet, Yellow-rumped Tinkerbird, Olive Bushshrike, Square-tailed Drongo, White-necked Raven, White-tailed Crested Flycatcher, Little Greenbul, Grey-olive Greenbul, Cabanis’s Greenbul (placidus), Black Saw-wing, Yellow-throated Woodland Warbler, African Yellow Warbler, Evergreen Forest Warbler, Singing Cisticola, Wailing Cisticola, Black-headed Apalis (ESS adjacens), Green-backed Camaroptera, Southern Yellow White-eye, Red-winged Starling, Orange Ground Thrush, African Dusky Flycatcher, White-starred Robin, Cape Robin-Chat, African Stonechat, Olive Sunbird, Dark-backed Weaver, Black-and-white Mannikin, Yellow-bellied Waxbill, Red-faced Crimsonwing, Red-throated Twinspot and Mountain Wagtail
Mangochi Forest Reserve (FR) for Thyolo Alethe, Green Tinkerbird and Olive-headed Greenbul, as well as Mottled Swift, Lemon Dove, Livingstone’s Turaco, Black Stork, Verreaux’s Eagle, African Goshawk, Cape Eagle-Owl (mackinderi), African Pygmy Kingfisher, Yellow-rumped Tinkerbird, Lanner Falcon, Pale Batis, Black-throated Wattle-eye, White-necked Raven, White-tailed Crested Flycatcher, Eastern Nicator, Sombre Greenbul, Little Greenbul, Cabanis’s Greenbul, Black Saw-wing, Red-throated Crag Martin, Yellow-throated Woodland Warbler, African Yellow Warbler, Fan-tailed Grassbird, Evergreen Forest Warbler, Wailing Cisticola, Black-headed Apalis, Green-backed Camaroptera, Southern Yellow White-eye, Red-winged Starling, Orange Ground Thrush, African Dusky Flycatcher, White-starred Robin, Cape Robin-Chat, Mocking Cliff Chat, Familiar Chat, Olive Sunbird, Dark-backed Weaver, Black-and-white Mannikin, Green Twinspot and Cinnamon-breasted Bunting, plus Pale-billed Hornbill, Pallid Honeyguide, White-breasted Cuckooshrike, Rufous-bellied Tit (pallidiventris), Green-capped Eremomela, Kurrichane Thrush, Miombo Rock Thrush, Amethyst Sunbird, Eastern Miombo Sunbird, Red-throated Twinspot and Cabanis’s Bunting
Misuku Hills for Shelley’s Greenbul and Spot-throat, Green Barbet (rungweensis), Dark Batis, Olive-headed Greenbul, Kenrick’s Starling, Forest Double-collared Sunbird and Southern Citril, as well as African Olive Pigeon, Lemon Dove, Black Sparrowhawk, Bar-tailed Trogon, Silvery-cheeked Hornbill, Moustached Tinkerbird, Lanner Falcon, White-tailed Crested Flycatcher, Cabanis’s Greenbul, Red-throated Crag Martin, Angola Swallow, Yellow-throated Woodland Warbler, Evergreen Forest Warbler, Bar-throated Apalis (murina), Brown-headed Apalis (alticola), Southern Yellow White-eye, Waller’s Starling (walleri), Orange Ground Thrush (otomitra), African Dusky Flycatcher, White-starred Robin, Olive Sunbird (ragazzii), Green Twinspot and Red-faced Crimsonwing
Nyika National Park (NP) and Uzumara FR for Whyte’s Francolin, Malawi Batis (sola), Fülleborn’s Boubou, Plateau Lark (nyikae), Olive-headed Greenbul, Sharpe’s Greenbul, Blue Swallow, Churring Cisticola, Black-lored Cisticola, Chapin’s Apalis, Mountain Illadopsis (ESS nyasae), 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 Mountain Greenbul, Forest Double-collared Sunbird (fuelleborni), Bertram’s Weaver and Southern Citril, as well as African Black Duck, Yellow-billed Duck, Red-winged Francolin (crawshayi), Common Quail, Hildebrandt’s Spurfowl, Montane Nightjar (guttifer), Scarce Swift, African Black Swift, White-rumped 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, Temminck’s Courser, Black-winged Kite, White-headed Vulture, Lappet-faced Vulture, White-backed Vulture, Black-chested Snake Eagle, Crowned Eagle, African Goshawk, Rufous-breasted Sparrowhawk, Black Sparrowhawk, Mountain Buzzard, Augur Buzzard, Marsh Owl, Spotted Eagle-Owl, Bar-tailed Trogon, Crowned Hornbill, Giant Kingfisher, Moustached Tinkerbird, Black-backed Barbet (macclounii), Brown-backed Honeybird, Scaly-throated Honeyguide, Olive Woodpecker (ruwenzori), Rock Kestrel, Lanner Falcon, Black-fronted Bushshrike (nigrifons), Marsh Tchagra (anchietae), Northern Fiscal, White-necked Raven, White-tailed Crested Flycatcher, Red-capped Lark, Grey-olive Greenbul, White-headed Saw-wing, Black Saw-wing, Grey-rumped Swallow, Banded Martin, Angola Swallow, African Red-rumped Swallow (emini), 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, Rock-loving Cisticola, Wing-snapping Cisticola, Bar-throated Apalis (youngi), Brown-headed Apalis, Green-backed Camaroptera (fugglescouchmani), African Hill Babbler (stierlingi), Brown Parisoma, Southern Yellow White-eye, Wattled Starling, Slender-billed Starling, Waller’s Starling, Yellow-billed Oxpecker, Orange Ground Thrush, Abyssinian Thrush (nyikae), White-eyed Slaty Flycatcher (nyikensis), White-starred Robin, Cape Robin-Chat, Miombo Rock Thrush, African Stonechat, Mocking Cliff Chat, Green-headed Sunbird, Bronze Sunbird, Malachite Sunbird, Baglafecht Weaver (nyikae), Yellow-bellied Waxbill, Grey Waxbill (perreini), Red-faced Crimsonwing, African Pipit (latistriatus), Oriole Finch, Brimstone Canary and Yellow-crowned Canary
Vwaza Marsh Wildlife Reserve (WR) for Babbling Starling and Chestnut-backed Sparrow-Weaver, Pale-billed Hornbill, Racket-tailed Roller, Miombo Pied Barbet, Dickinson’s Kestrel, Souza’s Shrike, Rufous-bellied Tit (masukuensis), Miombo Tit, Red-capped Crombec, Stierling’s Wren-Warbler, Lesser Blue-eared Starling (elisabeth), Kurrichane Thrush, Miombo Scrub Robin, Böhm’s Flycatcher, Arnot’s Chat, Eastern Miombo Sunbird, Red-throated Twinspot, Broad-tailed Paradise Whydah, Reichard’s Seedeater and Black-eared Seedeater, as well as Coqui Francolin, Harlequin Quail, Swainson’s Spurfowl, Red-necked Spurfowl (cranchii), Fiery-necked Nightjar, Freckled Nightjar, Square-tailed Nightjar, Pennant-winged Nightjar, Grey Go-away-bird, Purple-crested Turaco, Schalow’s Turaco, Black-bellied Bustard, Senegal Coucal, Levaillant’s Cuckoo, Thick-billed Cuckoo, Klaas’s Cuckoo, Black Cuckoo, African Cuckoo, Namaqua Dove, waterbirds including Water Thick-knee, Blacksmith Lapwing and Collared Pratincole, Black Stork, Palm-nut Vulture, White-backed Vulture, Bateleur, Martial Eagle, Brown Snake Eagle, African Hawk-Eagle, Gabar Goshawk, Dark Chanting Goshawk, Shikra, Ovambo Sparrowhawk and African Marsh Harrier among other raptors, Pearl-spotted Owlet, African Barred Owlet, African Scops Owl, Southern White-faced Owl, Verreaux’s Eagle-Owl, Narina Trogon, Common Scimitarbill, Southern Red-billed Hornbill, Crowned Hornbill, African Grey Hornbill, Trumpeter Hornbill, Grey-headed Kingfisher, Striped Kingfisher, Woodland Kingfisher, African Pygmy Kingfisher, Swallow-tailed Bee-eater, Little Bee-eater, White-fronted Bee-eater, Olive Bee-eater, Crested Barbet, Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird, Lesser Honeyguide, Greater Honeyguide, Bennett’s Woodpecker, Golden-tailed Woodpecker, Little Spotted Woodpecker, Bearded Woodpecker, Cardinal Woodpecker, Red-necked Falcon, Meyer’s Parrot, Chinspot Batis, Grey-headed Bushshrike, Brown-crowned Tchagra, Black-crowned Tchagra, Brubru, White-crested Helmetshrike, Retz’s Helmetshrike, Black Cuckooshrike, White-breasted Cuckooshrike, African Golden Oriole, White-winged Black Tit, Southern Black Tit, Grey Penduline Tit, Fischer’s Sparrow-Lark, Flappet Lark, Mosque Swallow, Moustached Grass Warbler, Long-billed Crombec, Little Rush Warbler, Rattling Cisticola, Winding Cisticola, Short-winged Cisticola, Neddicky, Grey-backed Camaroptera, Yellow-bellied Eremomela, Green-capped Eremomela, Southern Yellow White-eye, Arrow-marked Babbler, African Spotted Creeper, Greater Blue-eared Starling, Red-winged Starling, Yellow-billed Oxpecker, Red-billed Oxpecker, White-browed Scrub Robin, Grey Tit-Flycatcher, Ashy Flycatcher, Southern Black Flycatcher, Collared Palm Thrush, Familiar Chat, Western Violet-backed Sunbird, Amethyst Sunbird, Yellow-throated Bush Sparrow, Lesser Masked Weaver, Red-headed Weaver, Red-billed Quelea, Southern Red Bishop, White-winged Widowbird, Common Waxbill, Orange-breasted Waxbill, Green-winged Pytilia, Orange-winged Pytilia, Red-billed Firefinch, African Firefinch, Jameson’s Firefinch, Village Indigobird, Purple Indigobird, Dusky Indigobird, Long-tailed Paradise Whydah, Wood Pipit, Plain-backed Pipit, Striped Pipit, Cinnamon-breasted Bunting, Golden-breasted Bunting and Cabanis’s Bunting
Nkhwadzi FR and Nkhata Bay for East Coast Akalat (ESS bensoni), as well as Green Malkoha, Blue-spotted Wood Dove, Palm-nut Vulture, African Barred Owlet (ngamiense), Narina Trogon, African Pygmy Kingfisher, Little Spotted Woodpecker, African Broadbill, Black-throated Wattle-eye, Blue-mantled Crested Flycatcher, Eastern Nicator, Little Greenbul, Grey-olive Greenbul, Bearded Scrub Robin, Red-capped Robin-Chat, Olive Sunbird (alfredi), Purple-banded Sunbird, Copper Sunbird, Thick-billed Weaver, Eastern Golden Weaver and Common Waxbill
Viphya Plateau (Luwawa Forest Lodge) for Whyte’s Barbet, Malawi Batis, Fülleborn’s Boubou, Black-browed Mountain Greenbul, Olive-headed Greenbul, Red-capped Crombec, Trilling Cisticola, Chapin’s Apalis, Forest Double-collared Sunbird, Bertram’s Weaver and Southern Citril, as well as Scaly Spurfowl (schuetti), Montane Nightjar, Schalow’s Turaco, Burchell’s Coucal, Red-chested Cuckoo, African Olive Pigeon, Blue-spotted Wood Dove, Red-chested Flufftail, African Rail, African Goshawk, Black Sparrowhawk, African Marsh Harrier, Yellow-rumped Tinkerbird, Lesser Honeyguide, Scaly-throated Honeyguide, Olive Woodpecker, African Broadbill, Chinspot Batis, Marsh Tchagra, Northern Fiscal, White-tailed Crested Flycatcher, Little Greenbul, Cabanis’s Greenbul (placidus), White-headed Saw-wing, Black Saw-wing, Grey-rumped Swallow, African Red-rumped Swallow, Moustached Grass Warbler, Lesser Swamp Warbler, African Yellow Warbler, Fan-tailed Grassbird, Evergreen Forest Warbler, Little Rush Warbler, Singing Cisticola, Short-winged Cisticola, Red-winged Prinia, Bar-throated Apalis, Green-backed Camaroptera, Southern Yellow White-eye, Violet-backed Starling, Kurrichane Thrush, White-browed Scrub Robin, Ashy Flycatcher, White-eyed Slaty Flycatcher, African Dusky Flycatcher, White-starred Robin, Cape Robin-Chat, African Stonechat, Bronze Sunbird, Thick-billed Weaver, Black-and-white Mannikin, Yellow-bellied Waxbill, Red-faced Crimsonwing, Common Waxbill, Red-throated Twinspot, Brimstone Canary, Reichard’s Seedeater and Cabanis’s Bunting
Nkhotakota WR for Souza’s Shrike, Anchieta’s Sunbird, Shelley’s Sunbird and Lesser Seedcracker, Pennant-winged Nightjar, Purple-crested Turaco, Pale-billed Hornbill, Striped Kingfisher, Swallow-tailed Bee-eater, Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird, Green-backed Honeybird, Pallid Honeyguide, Pale Batis, Grey-headed Bushshrike, Brubru, White-crested Helmetshrike, Retz’s Helmetshrike, White-breasted Cuckooshrike, Rufous-bellied Tit, Miombo Tit, Grey Penduline Tit, Red-capped Crombec, Neddicky, Stierling’s Wren-Warbler, Green-capped Eremomela, Southern Yellow White-eye, Yellow-bellied Hyliota, Kurrichane Thrush, Miombo Scrub Robin, Pale Flycatcher, Ashy Flycatcher, African Dusky Flycatcher, Miombo Rock Thrush, Western Violet-backed Sunbird, Amethyst Sunbird, Eastern Miombo Sunbird, Yellow-throated Bush Sparrow, Red-headed Weaver, Orange-winged Pytilia, Broad-tailed Paradise Whydah, Striped Pipit, Black-eared Seedeater and Cabanis’s Bunting, as well as Hildebrandt’s Spurfowl, Fiery-necked Nightjar, Grey Go-away-bird, Schalow’s Turaco, African Emerald Cuckoo, Lemon Dove, Blue-spotted Wood Dove, Black Stork, Palm-nut Vulture, Ovambo Sparrowhawk, Augur Buzzard, African Fish Eagle, African Barred Owlet, African Wood Owl, Pel’s Fishing Owl, Narina Trogon, Southern Ground Hornbill, Broad-billed Roller, Giant Kingfisher, Little Bee-eater, White-fronted Bee-eater, Böhm’s Bee-eater, Olive Bee-eater, Yellow-rumped Tinkerbird, Scaly-throated Honeyguide, Golden-tailed Woodpecker, Little Spotted Woodpecker, Dickinson’s Kestrel, Lanner Falcon, Meyer’s Parrot, Chinspot Batis, Black-throated Wattle-eye, White-necked Raven, Eastern Nicator, Little Greenbul, Grey-olive Greenbul, Black Saw-wing, Red-throated Crag Martin, Pearl-breasted Swallow, Wailing Cisticola, Black-headed Apalis, Red-winged Starling, Red-capped Robin-Chat, Collared Palm Thrush, Arnot’s Chat, Mocking Cliff Chat, Familiar Chat, Olive Sunbird, Dark-backed Weaver, Black-and-white Mannikin, Green Twinspot, Rosy-throated Longclaw, Southern Citril and Cinnamon-breasted Bunting
Kuti WR for Black Coucal, Winding Cisticola, Zitting Cisticola, Fan-tailed Widowbird, Common Waxbill and Quailfinch (muelleri), as well as waterbirds including African Pygmy Goose, Lesser Moorhen, Lesser Jacana and Rufous-bellied Heron
Senga Bay for Böhm’s Bee-eater and Collared Palm Thrush, as well as White-fronted Plover, Black Heron, Brown-throated Martin, Lesser Swamp Warbler and Winding Cisticola
Nankoma Island for African Pitta (longipennis), as well as Burchell’s Coucal, Green Malkoha, Blue-spotted Wood Dove, Water Thick-knee, White-backed Night Heron, Little Heron, African Fish Eagle, Narina Trogon, Trumpeter Hornbill, Black-throated Wattle-eye, Long-billed Crombec, Common Reed Warbler (cinnamomeus), Red-capped Robin-Chat, Copper Sunbird, Southern Brown-throated Weaver and Common Waxbill
Rusa Floodplain for Fischer’s Sparrow-Lark, as well as Black Coucal, African Stonechat, Yellow-mantled Widowbird, Orange-breasted Waxbill, Rosy-throated Longclaw and Buffy Pipit, and waterbirds including Fulvous Whistling Duck, Allen’s Gallinule, Blacksmith Lapwing, Lesser Jacana, Greater Painted-snipe and Rufous-bellied Heron
Lilongwe (Nature Sanctuary, Sewage Ponds and Airport Dambo) for African Black Duck, Yellow-billed Duck, Southern Pochard, Schalow’s Turaco, Black Coucal, White-backed Night Heron, Half-collared Kingfisher, African Broadbill, Black-throated Wattle-eye, Red-capped Lark, Collared Palm Thrush, Yellow-mantled Widowbird, Magpie Mannikin, Locust Finch, Orange-breasted Waxbill, Red-throated Twinspot, Mountain Wagtail and Rosy-throated Longclaw, as well as more common or widespread species including Blue-billed Teal, Red-billed Teal, Helmeted Guineafowl, African Palm Swift, Little Swift, Red-eyed Dove, Laughing Dove, Emerald-spotted Wood Dove, Tambourine Dove, Little Grebe, Black-winged Stilt, Three-banded Plover, Kittlitz’s Plover, Black-crowned Night Heron, Little Egret, Western Cattle Egret, Grey Heron, Black-headed Heron, Hamerkop, Bat Hawk, Little Sparrowhawk, Yellow-billed Kite, Western Barn Owl, Speckled Mousebird, Common Hoopoe (africana), Green Wood Hoopoe, Lilac-breasted Roller, Brown-hooded Kingfisher, Pied Kingfisher, Black-collared Barbet, Orange-breasted Bushshrike, Black-backed Puffback, Tropical Boubou, Black-headed Oriole, Fork-tailed Drongo, African Paradise Flycatcher, Pied Crow, Yellow-bellied Greenbul, Terrestrial Brownbul, Common Bulbul (layardi), Wire-tailed Swallow, Lesser Striped Swallow, Red-faced Cisticola, Croaking Cisticola, Zitting Cisticola, Tawny-flanked Prinia, Yellow-breasted Apalis, Grey-/Green-backed Camaroptera, White-browed Robin-Chat, Collared Sunbird, Scarlet-chested Sunbird, Variable Sunbird, Northern Grey-headed Sparrow, Spectacled Weaver, Holub’s Golden Weaver, Southern Masked Weaver, Village Weaver, Black-winged Red Bishop, Yellow Bishop, Red-collared Widowbird, Bronze Mannikin, Blue Waxbill, Pin-tailed Whydah, African Pied Wagtail, Yellow-throated Longclaw, African Pipit (lichenya) and Yellow-fronted Canary
Dzalanyama FR for 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, Whyte’s Barbet, White-tailed Blue Flycatcher, Rufous-bellied Tit (masukuensis), Miombo Tit, Red-capped Crombec, Stierling’s Wren-Warbler, Lesser Blue-eared Starling, Boulder Chat, Kurrichane Thrush, Miombo Scrub Robin, Miombo Rock Thrush, Arnot’s Chat, Anchieta’s Sunbird, Eastern Miombo Sunbird, Shelley’s Sunbird, Red-throated Twinspot and Broad-tailed Paradise Whydah, as well as Coqui Francolin, Hildebrandt’s Spurfowl, Fiery-necked Nightjar, Pennant-winged Nightjar, Schalow’s Turaco, Thick-billed Cuckoo, African Emerald Cuckoo, Klaas’s Cuckoo, Red-chested Cuckoo, African Green Pigeon (salvadorii), Red-chested Flufftail, Wahlberg’s Eagle, Lizard Buzzard, Black Sparrowhawk, African Wood Owl, Common Scimitarbill, Southern Ground Hornbill, Striped Kingfisher, Swallow-tailed Bee-eater, Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird, Green-backed Honeybird, Lesser Honeyguide, Scaly-throated Honeyguide, Greater Honeyguide, Bennett’s Woodpecker, Golden-tailed Woodpecker, Little Spotted Woodpecker, Bearded Woodpecker, Cardinal Woodpecker, Chinspot Batis, Grey-headed Bushshrike, Brown-crowned Tchagra, Black-crowned Tchagra, Brubru, White-crested Helmetshrike, Retz’s Helmetshrike, White-breasted Cuckooshrike, African Golden Oriole, Grey Penduline Tit, Grey-olive Greenbul, Black Saw-wing, Pearl-breasted Swallow, Fan-tailed Grassbird, Neddicky, Rock-loving Cisticola, Red-winged Prinia, Yellow-bellied Eremomela, Green-capped Eremomela, Southern Yellow White-eye (anderssoni), 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, Mocking Cliff Chat, Familiar Chat, Western Violet-backed Sunbird, Olive Sunbird, Amethyst Sunbird, Yellow-throated Bush Sparrow, Red-headed Weaver, Yellow-mantled Widowbird, Black-and-white Mannikin, Lesser Seedcracker, Orange-winged Pytilia, Mountain Wagtail, Wood Pipit, Striped Pipit, Southern Citril, Brimstone Canary, Cinnamon-breasted Bunting, Golden-breasted Bunting and Cabanis’s Bunting (orientalis)
Malawi College of Forestry and Wildlife for Cape Bunting (vincenti), as well as Hildebrandt’s Spurfowl, African Black Swift, Moustached Tinkerbird, Scaly-throated Honeyguide, Rock Kestrel, Lanner Falcon, White-necked Raven, Black Saw-wing, Red-throated Rock Martin, African Red-rumped Swallow, Rock-loving Cisticola, Bar-throated Apalis, Brown Parisoma, Red-winged Starling, African Stonechat, Mocking Cliff Chat, Familiar Chat, Southern Citril and Brimstone Canary, plus Souza’s Shrike and Olive-headed Weaver, Whyte’s Barbet, White-breasted Cuckooshrike, White-tailed Blue Flycatcher, Rufous-bellied Tit, Miombo Tit, Grey Penduline Tit, Red-faced Crombec, Red-winged Prinia, Green-capped Eremomela, Southern Hyliota, African Spotted Creeper, Miombo Rock Thrush, Western Violet-backed Sunbird, Amethyst Sunbird, Eastern Miombo Sunbird, Yellow-throated Bush Sparrow, Striped Pipit, Reichard’s Seedeater and Cabanis’s Bunting among other miombo woodland species
Liwonde NP for Lilian’s Lovebird, Böhm’s Bee-eater, Brown-breasted Barbet, Speckle-throated Woodpecker, Brown-headed Parrot, Livingstone’s Flycatcher and Rufous-winged Cisticola, Racket-tailed Roller, Dickinson’s Kestrel, Meves’s Starling, Collared Palm Thrush, Arnot’s Chat and White-bellied Sunbird, as well as Red-necked Spurfowl (melanogaster), Fiery-necked Nightjar, Square-tailed Nightjar, Grey Go-away-bird, Purple-crested Turaco, Burchell’s Coucal, Green Malkoha, Levaillant’s Cuckoo, Jacobin Cuckoo, Diederik Cuckoo, African Cuckoo, Mourning Collared Dove, Ring-necked Dove, African Green Pigeon (delalandii), Common Buttonquail, Spotted Thick-knee, Senegal Lapwing, Crowned Lapwing, Bronze-winged Courser, Marabou Stork, 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, Tawny 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, Common Scimitarbill, Southern Ground Hornbill, Southern Red-billed Hornbill, Crowned Hornbill, African Grey Hornbill, Trumpeter Hornbill, Broad-billed Roller, Grey-headed Kingfisher, Striped Kingfisher, Woodland Kingfisher, Swallow-tailed Bee-eater, Little Bee-eater, Olive Bee-eater, Crested Barbet, Greater Honeyguide, Bearded Woodpecker, Cardinal Woodpecker, Red-necked Falcon, Brown-necked Parrot (suahelicus), Chinspot Batis, Black-throated Wattle-eye, Brown-crowned Tchagra, Brubru, White-crested Helmetshrike, Southern Black Tit, Chestnut-backed Sparrow-Lark, Sombre Greenbul, Mosque Swallow, Rattling Cisticola, Wattled Starling, Greater Blue-eared Starling, Red-billed Oxpecker, Bearded Scrub Robin, Southern Grey-headed Sparrow, White-browed Sparrow-Weaver, Lesser Masked Weaver, Southern Brown-throated Weaver, Red-billed Quelea, Southern Red Bishop, Green-winged Pytilia, Red-billed Firefinch, Jameson’s Firefinch, Purple Indigobird and Long-tailed Paradise Whydah, and 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, Great Cormorant (lucidus), African Sacred Ibis, Hadada Ibis, Glossy Ibis, African Spoonbill, Dwarf Bittern, Black Heron, White-backed Night Heron, Little Heron, Squacco Heron, Great Egret, Yellow-billed Egret, Goliath Heron, Malachite Kingfisher and Giant Kingfisher
Namizimu FR for Green Tinkerbird, as well as Pale-billed Hornbill, Whyte’s Barbet, Stierling’s Woodpecker, White-breasted Cuckooshrike, Rufous-bellied Tit (pallidiventris), Neddicky, Stierling’s Wren-Warbler, Yellow-bellied Hyliota, African Spotted Creeper, Eastern Miombo Sunbird, Olive-headed Weaver, Orange-winged Pytilia, Broad-tailed Paradise Whydah, Striped Pipit, Black-eared Seedeater and Cabanis’s Bunting among other miombo woodland species
Lake Chilwa for Rufous-winged Cisticola and Fan-tailed Widowbird, as well as waterbirds including African Crake
Majete WR for Racket-tailed Roller, Böhm’s Bee-eater, Southern Carmine Bee-eater, Dickinson’s Kestrel, Brown-headed Parrot, Livingstone’s Flycatcher, Meves’s Starling, Lesser Blue-eared Starling, Kurrichane Thrush, Collared Palm Thrush, Arnot’s Chat, White-bellied Sunbird and Red-throated Twinspot, as well as Harlequin Quail, Fiery-necked Nightjar, Purple-crested Turaco, Black-bellied Bustard, Burchell’s Coucal, Black Cuckoo, waterbirds including Water Thick-knee, White-crowned Lapwing and Rock Pratincole, Marabou Stork, African Harrier-Hawk, Palm-nut Vulture, White-headed Vulture, Hooded Vulture, White-backed Vulture, Bateleur, Brown Snake Eagle, Martial Eagle, Crowned Eagle, Lizard Buzzard, Gabar Goshawk, Dark Chanting Goshawk, African Goshawk and African Fish Eagle among other raptors, African Barred Owlet, Spotted Eagle-Owl, Red-faced Mousebird, Southern Ground Hornbill, Trumpeter Hornbill, Striped Kingfisher, Swallow-tailed Bee-eater, Little Bee-eater, White-fronted Bee-eater, Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird, Greater Honeyguide, Bearded Woodpecker, Brown-necked Parrot, Chinspot Batis, Grey-headed Bushshrike, White-crested Helmetshrike, Retz’s Helmetshrike, Black Cuckooshrike, African Golden Oriole, Southern Black Tit, Eastern Nicator, Sombre Greenbul, White-throated Swallow, Long-billed Crombec, Rattling Cisticola, Yellow-bellied Eremomela, Greater Blue-eared Starling, White-browed Scrub Robin, Ashy Flycatcher, Southern Grey-headed Sparrow, Yellow-throated Bush Sparrow, Red-headed Weaver, Dark-backed Weaver, Cut-throat Finch, Green-winged Pytilia, Long-tailed Paradise Whydah and Golden-breasted Bunting
Thangadzi River Conservancy and Elephant Marsh for Fulvous Whistling Duck, White-backed Duck, African Pygmy Goose, Common Moorhen, Allen’s Gallinule, African Swamphen, Greater Flamingo, Lesser Flamingo, Pied Avocet, Long-toed Lapwing, Greater Painted-snipe, Lesser Jacana, African Snipe, Collared Pratincole, African Skimmer, Grey-headed Gull, Whiskered Tern, African Openbill, Little Bittern, Black Heron, Squacco Heron, Purple Heron, Goliath Heron, Great White Pelican and Pink-backed Pelican among other waterbirds, as well as Square-tailed Nightjar, Green Malkoha, Great Spotted Cuckoo, Western Banded Snake Eagle, African Marsh Harrier, Böhm’s Bee-eater, Speckle-throated Woodpecker, African Broadbill, Black-throated Wattle-eye, Eastern Nicator, Banded Martin, Brown-throated Martin, Livingstone’s Flycatcher, Lesser Swamp Warbler, Rufous-winged Cisticola, Burnt-necked Eremomela, Bearded Scrub Robin, Red-capped Robin-Chat, Collared Palm Thrush, Thick-billed Weaver, Southern Brown-throated Weaver, Orange-winged Pytilia, Red-throated Twinspot and Broad-tailed Paradise Whydah
Lengwe NP for, at least formerly, Rudd’s Apalis (ESS caniviridis), Böhm’s Bee-eater, Brown-headed Parrot, Gorgeous Bushshrike (quartus), Black-and-white Shrike-flycatcher, Livingstone’s Flycatcher, Lesser Blue-eared Starling, Collared Palm Thrush, Grey Sunbird, White-bellied Sunbird, Red-throated Twinspot and Lemon-breasted Canary, as well as Southern Crested Guineafowl, Crested Francolin (zambesiae), Harlequin Quail, Mottled Spinetail, Böhm’s Spinetail, Green Malkoha, Thick-billed Cuckoo, Senegal Lapwing, African Woolly-necked Stork, Western Banded Snake Eagle, Verreaux’s Eagle-Owl, Crested Barbet, Red-necked Falcon, Black-throated Wattle-eye, Retz’s Helmetshrike, Square-tailed Drongo, Blue-mantled Crested Flycatcher, Eastern Nicator, Sombre Greenbul, Short-winged Cisticola, Bearded Scrub Robin, Red-capped Robin-Chat, Purple-banded Sunbird, White-browed Sparrow-Weaver, Southern Brown-throated Weaver, Dark-backed Weaver, Red-headed Quelea, Green-winged Pytilia, Jameson’s Firefinch, Purple Indigobird and Long-tailed Paradise Whydah
Matandwe FR for, at least formerly, Woodwards’ Batis, as well as African Broadbill, Yellow-streaked Greenbul, Red-winged Prinia, Collared Palm Thrush, Southern Brown-throated Weaver, Red-throated Twinspot and Lemon-breasted Canary
Also Kasungu NP, Lake Malawi NP, Mwabvi WR, Chimaliro FR 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 Section of Express Biodiversity Survey in Mount Mulanje and Malawi Hills by Matthias De Beenhouwer, Steven Mphamba, Delport Botma & Ruben Foquet (2019)
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
UNESCO World Heritage List: Lake Malawi National Park
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