SUB-REGION
Horn of Africa
SIZE
637,657 km²
BIRDS AND BIRDING
SPECIES
Diversity
Mostly Afrotropical avifauna, but with a Middle Eastern component
Approximately 670 recorded species
Endemics (E)
Somali Pigeon | Somali Stock Dove (DD)
Lesser Hoopoe-Lark (LC)
Sharpe’s Lark | Russet Lark (EN)
[Ash’s Lark (EN)]
Somali Lark | Somali Long-billed Lark (LC)
Obbia Lark (DD)
Somali Thrush (LC)
Somali Golden-winged Grosbeak | Somali Grosbeak (NT)
Warsangli Linnet (NT)
Near-endemics (NE)
Black Boubou | Coastal Boubou | Manda Boubou
Red Weaver
Birds best found in Somalia but occurring more widely (BT)
Little Brown Bustard
Rufous-capped Lark (daaroodensis)
Philippa’s Crombec | Short-billed Crombec
Somali Wheatear
Birds occurring in only two territories of the ABC region but not NE or BT (1/2)
Chestnut-naped Spurfowl
Archer’s Lark
Socotra White-eye
Violet-breasted Sunbird
Arabian Golden Sparrow
Malindi Pipit
Birds best found in two territories but occurring in more (B2), including endemic subspecies (ESS)
Heuglin’s Bustard
Somali Bee-eater
Somali Crow | Dwarf Raven
Gillett’s Lark (gilletti/arorihensis)
Collared Lark
Somali Short-toed Lark (ESS perconfusa/somalica)
Proposed new species or splits not yet accepted by IOC, including ESS
Archer’s Francolin (B2 lorti)
Archer’s Buzzard (E)
Blue-breasted Roller (lorti)
Northern Red-fronted Tinkerbird
Barbary Falcon (pelegrinoides)
East Coast Puffback
Ethiopian Puffback (erythreae)
Arabian Grey Shrike (aucheri)
Glossy-backed Drongo (lugubris)
Singing Bush Lark (marginata)
Degodi Lark (1/2)
Eastern Crombec (leucopsis)
Mangrove Reed Warbler (BT avicenniae)
African Reed Warbler
African Scrub Robin (minor/hamertoni)
White-winged Scrub Robin (leucoptera/eluta)
East Coast Flycatcher
Ethiopian Grey Flycatcher (1/2 pumilus)
Red-backed Mannikin
Other taxa of interest (see also under Birding Sites), including more ESS
Somali Ostrich
Helmeted Guineafowl (somaliensis)
Vulturine Guineafowl
Crested Francolin (spilogaster)
Common Quail
Yellow-necked Spurfowl (infuscatus)
Sombre Nightjar
Nubian Nightjar (torridus)
Donaldson-Smith’s Nightjar
Plain Nightjar
Slender-tailed Nightjar
Forbes-Watson’s Swift (ESS bensoni)
White-bellied Go-away-bird
Arabian Bustard (arabs)
Kori Bustard (struthiunculus)
White-bellied Bustard (canicollis)
Buff-crested Bustard
Hartlaub’s Bustard
White-browed Coucal
Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse (ellioti)
Spotted Sandgrouse
Lichtenstein’s Sandgrouse (lichtensteinii)
African Collared Dove (arabica)
Ring-necked Dove (somalica)
Emerald-spotted Wood Dove
Spotted Thick-knee (maculosus/dodsoni)
Spur-winged Lapwing
Black-headed Lapwing (tectus)
Black-winged Lapwing (melanopterus)
Crowned Lapwing (demissus)
Caspian Plover
Crab-plover
Cream-colored Courser
Somali Courser (somalensis)
Double-banded Courser (hartingi)
Three-banded Courser (mayaudi/balsaci)
Brown Noddy
White-eyed Gull
Sooty Gull
Greater Crested Tern (velox)
Lesser Crested Tern (bengalensis)
Saunders’s Tern
Bridled Tern
Sooty Tern
White-cheeked Tern
Red-billed Tropicbird
Abdim’s Stork
Striated Heron (brevipes/atricapilla)
Western Reef Heron (schistacea)
Secretarybird
Scissor-tailed Kite
Egyptian Vulture
Rüppell’s Vulture (erlangeri)
Verreaux’s Eagle
Eastern Chanting Goshawk
Grasshopper Buzzard
Little Owl (somaliensis)
Pearl-spotted Owlet (diurnum)
Northern White-faced Owl
Greyish Eagle-Owl
Speckled Mousebird (hilgerti)
Blue-naped Mousebird (abyssinicus)
Eurasian Hoopoe (senegalensis)
Black-billed Wood Hoopoe (somaliensis)
Abyssinian Scimitarbill (minor)
Abyssinian Ground Hornbill
Northern Red-billed Hornbill
Von der Decken’s Hornbill
Eastern Yellow-billed Hornbill
Purple Roller
Abyssinian Roller
Grey-headed Kingfisher (leucocephala)
Collared Kingfisher (abyssinicus)
Little Bee-eater (cyanostictus)
White-throated Bee-eater
Olive Bee-eater (superciliosus)
Northern Carmine Bee-eater
Black-throated Barbet (melanocephala/ESS blandi/stigmatothorax)
Yellow-breasted Barbet (somalicus)
Red-and-yellow Barbet (shelleyi)
Nubian Woodpecker (nubica)
Bearded Woodpecker (schoensis)
Cardinal Woodpecker (hemprichii)
Pygmy Falcon
Common Kestrel (archeri)
Greater Kestrel (fieldi)
Red-bellied Parrot (pallidus)
Grey-headed Batis (orientalis)
Pygmy Batis
Rosy-patched Bushshrike (hilgerti)
Three-streaked Tchagra (jamesi)
Black-crowned Tchagra (habessinicus)
Pringle’s Puffback
Slate-coloured Boubou
Red-naped Bushshrike (ESS ruficeps/rufinuchalis)
Ethiopian Boubou
Brubru (minor)
Northern White-crowned Shrike
Taita Fiscal
Somali Fiscal
Cape Crow (kordofanensis)
Fan-tailed Raven (rhipidurus)
Acacia Tit (thruppi)
Mouse-coloured Penduline Tit
Greater Hoopoe-Lark (desertorum)
Desert Lark (assabensis)
Black-crowned Sparrow-Lark (melanauchen)
Chestnut-backed Sparrow-Lark (leucotis)
Chestnut-headed Sparrow-Lark (signatus)
Pink-breasted Lark
Foxy Lark (intercedens/alopex)
Short-tailed Lark (fremantlii)
Thekla’s Lark (ESS ellioti + mallablensis)
Crested Lark (somaliensis)
Dodson’s Bulbul
Somali Bulbul
Ethiopian Swallow (amadoni)
Somali Crombec
Clamorous Reed Warbler (brunnescens)
Eastern Olivaceous Warbler (ESS alulensis)
Ashy Cisticola (cinereolus)
Tiny Cisticola
Zitting Cisticola (uropygialis)
Desert Cisticola (lavendulae)
Pectoral-patch Cisticola (brunnescens)
Graceful Prinia (gracilis/ESS ashi)
Pale Prinia (ESS somalica/erlangeri)
Red-fronted Prinia (rufifrons/smithi)
Brown-tailed Apalis (viridiceps)
Grey Wren-Warbler
Yellow-bellied Eremomela (griseoflava)
Yellow-vented Eremomela
Banded Parisoma (somalica)
Arabian Warbler (somaliensis)
Scaly Chatterer (aylmeri)
White-rumped Babbler (smithii)
Wattled Starling
Greater Blue-eared Starling (cyaniventris)
Golden-breasted Starling
Superb Starling
Shelley’s Starling
White-crowned Starling (albicapillus)
Violet-backed Starling (arabicus)
Bristle-crowned Starling
Magpie Starling
Red-billed Oxpecker
Black Scrub Robin (podobe)
Pale Flycatcher (duyerali)
African Grey Flycatcher (neumanni/burae)
Gambaga Flycatcher
Little Rock Thrush (rufocinereus)
Blackstart (aussae)
Brown-tailed Rock Chat (spectatrix/ESS validior)
Sombre Rock Chat
Eastern Violet-backed Sunbird
Nile Valley Sunbird
Hunter’s Sunbird
Marico Sunbird (osiris)
Shining Sunbird (alter/turkanae)
Variable Sunbird (albiventris)
Yellow-spotted Bush Sparrow (pyrgita)
Shelley’s Sparrow
Swainson’s Sparrow
Somali Sparrow (castanopterus)
Red-billed Buffalo Weaver (intermedius)
White-headed Buffalo Weaver (dinemelli)
Rüppell’s Weaver
Lesser Masked Weaver (intermedius)
Vitelline Masked Weaver (uluensis)
Speke’s Weaver
Chestnut Weaver (rubiginosus)
Red-headed Weaver (leuconotos)
Red-billed Quelea (aethiopica)
Northern Red Bishop (pusillus)
African Silverbill (orientalis)
Black-cheeked Waxbill (charmosyna)
Crimson-rumped Waxbill (rhodopyga)
Cut-throat Finch (alexanderi)
Purple Grenadier
Blue-capped Cordon-bleu
Green-winged Pytilia (jessei/soudanensis)
Red-billed Firefinch (somaliensis)
Pin-tailed Whydah
Steel-blue Whydah
Straw-tailed Whydah
Long-tailed Paradise Whydah
Golden Pipit
African Pipit (annae)
Plain-backed Pipit (saphiroi)
White-bellied Canary (maculicollis)
Northern Grosbeak-Canary
Striolated Bunting (striolata)
Cinnamon-breasted Bunting (septemstriata)
Somali Bunting
MAIN HABITATS
Arid grasslands, escarpments, temperate forest, coastal and riverine forest, arid savanna
BIRD AREAS
Central Somali coast Endemic Bird Area (EBA)
East African coastal forests EBA
Jubba and Shabeelle valleys EBA
North Somali mountains EBA
North-west Somalia Secondary Area (SA)
Northern Ethiopia SA
24 Important Bird Areas
BIRDING SITES
Daalo for Somali Thrush, Somali Golden-winged Grosbeak and Warsangli Linnet as well as Augur Buzzard (ESS archeri) and Socotra White-eye and other temperate forest and escarpment taxa including Alpine Swift (archeri), Nyanza Swift (somalicus), African Olive Pigeon, Bruce’s Green Pigeon, Arabian Scops Owl, Hemprich’s Hornbill, Red-fronted Tinkerbird (uropygialis), Black-crowned Tchagra (ESS warsangliensis), African Paradise Flycatcher (ferreti), Desert Lark (ESS akeleyi), Pale Crag Martin (arabica), Red-rumped Swallow, Brown Woodland Warbler (ESS williamsi), Grey-backed Camaroptera (abessinica), Somali Starling, Abyssinian Wheatear (ESS vauriei), Long-billed Pipit (nivescens) and Brown-rumped Seedeater
Burco for arid savanna and grassland species
Qoryaale, Wajaale, Tuuyo, Aroori, Ban-Caade and Saraar Plains for larks
Jasiira Maydh/Rabshie Island and Jasiiradda Sacadaddiin/Zeila Archipelago for breeding seabirds and non-breeding migrants including Red-necked Phalarope, Wilson’s Storm Petrel, Wedge-tailed Shearwater, Masked Booby and Brown Booby
Gulf of Aden Coastline for more non-breeding migrants including Greater Flamingo, Eurasian Oystercatcher, Pacific Golden Plover, Kentish Plover, Greater Sand Plover, Tibetan Sand Plover, Broad-billed Sandpiper, Terek Sandpiper, Black-headed Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull (fuscus/heuglini), Gull-billed Tern, Caspian Tern, Common Tern, Jouanin’s Petrel and Socotra Cormorant
Jubba and Shabeelle Valleys, South Somali Coast, Bajuni Islands and Laag Badaana for, at least formerly, White-winged Collared Dove, Black Boubou, Gillett’s Lark (degodiensis), Violet-breasted Sunbird, Juba Weaver, Red Weaver and Malindi Pipit (ESS mallablensis/melindae), as well as African Pygmy Goose, Eastern Crested Guineafowl, Fischer’s Turaco (fischeri), Black-bellied Bustard, Green Malkoha, Black-faced Sandgrouse (ellenbecki), Water Thick-knee, Black-headed Lapwing (latifrons), Senegal Lapwing, Somali Courser (littoralis), Temminck’s Courser, Collared Pratincole, Madagascar Pratincole, Lesser Noddy, Roseate Tern, Saddle-billed Stork, Southern Banded Snake Eagle, African Goshawk (sparsimfasciatus), Little Sparrowhawk (tropicalis), African Barred Owlet (scheffleri), Pel’s Fishing Owl, African Wood Owl (nigricantior), Speckled Mousebird (mombassicus), White-headed Mousebird (leucocephalus), Blue-naped Mousebird (pulcher), Narina Trogon (littorale), Common Scimitarbill (schalowi), Crowned Hornbill, African Grey Hornbill, Broad-billed Roller (suahelicus), Grey-headed Kingfisher (hyacinthina), Brown-hooded Kingfisher (orientalis), Striped Kingfisher (chelicuti), Mangrove Kingfisher, African Pygmy Kingfisher (picta), Malachite Kingfisher (stuartkeithi), Pied Kingfisher (rudis), Red-fronted Tinkerbird (affinis), Brown-breasted Barbet, D’Arnaud’s Barbet (boehmi), Scaly-throated Honeyguide, Nubian Woodpecker (pallida), Mombasa Woodpecker, Little Spotted Woodpecker (cailliautii), Eastern Black-headed Batis (ESS minor), Black-throated Wattle-eye (cryptoleuca), Grey-headed Bushshrike (approximans), Orange-breasted Bushshrike (similis), Gorgeous Bushshrike (nigricauda), Black-crowned Tchagra (orientalis), Black-backed Puffback (affinis), Red-naped Bushshrike (kismayensis), East Coast Boubou, White-crested Helmetshrike (vinaceigularis), Retz’s Helmetshrike (graculinus), Chestnut-fronted Helmetshrike (kirki), Black Cuckooshrike, Black-headed Oriole (reichenowi), African Golden Oriole (auratus), Fork-tailed Drongo (jubaensis), Square-tailed Drongo (muenzneri), Blue-mantled Crested Flycatcher (bivittatus), African Paradise Flycatcher (ferreti), Long-tailed Fiscal, Acacia Tit (barakae), Eastern Nicator, Chestnut-backed Sparrow-Lark (madaraszi), Red-winged Lark (hypermetra), Flappet Lark (fischeri), Sombre Greenbul (insularis), Yellow-bellied Greenbul (centralis), Terrestrial Brownbul (suahelicus), Northern Brownbul, Fischer’s Greenbul, Little Yellow Flycatcher, Lesser Swamp Warbler (leptorhynchus), Common Reed Warbler (cinnamomeus), Ashy Cisticola (schillingsi), Coastal Cisticola, Croaking Cisticola (argenteus), Short-winged Cisticola (reichenowi), Tawny-flanked Prinia (tenella), Brown-tailed Apalis (flavocincta), Black-headed Apalis (melanocephala), Grey-backed Camaroptera (erlangeri), Pale White-eye (jubaensis), Rufous Chatterer (heuglini), Scaly Babbler (jubaensis/carolinae/squamulata), Black-bellied Starling (corusca), Rüppell’s Starling (purpuroptera), Fischer’s Starling, Bare-eyed Thrush, Bearded Scrub Robin (quadrivirgata), Pale Flycatcher (ESS erlangeri), Southern Black Flycatcher (tropicalis), Ashy Flycatcher (cinereola), White-browed Robin-Chat (intermedia), Red-capped Robin-Chat (intensa), Spotted Palm Thrush (rufipennis), Collared Sunbird (elachior), Olive Sunbird (changamwensis), Grey Sunbird (fischeri), Amethyst Sunbird (kalckreuthi), Black-bellied Sunbird (erlangeri), Purple-banded Sunbird (microrhynchus), Parrot-billed Sparrow, White-browed Sparrow-Weaver (melanorhynchus), Donaldson-Smith’s Sparrow-Weaver, Grey-capped Social Weaver (arnaudi), Black-capped Social Weaver, Thick-billed Weaver (unicolor), Black-necked Weaver (melanoxanthus), Eastern Golden Weaver (aureoflavus), Golden Palm Weaver, Village Weaver (nigriceps), Dark-backed Weaver (kersteni), Fire-fronted Bishop, Fan-tailed Widowbird (zanzibaricus), Black-and-white Mannikin (nigriceps), Common Waxbill (minor), Crimson-rumped Waxbill (centralis), Red-cheeked Cordon-bleu (brunneigularis), Red-throated Twinspot (macrospilotus), Village Indigobird (amauropteryx), African Pied Wagtail, Pangani Longclaw and Reichenow’s Seedeater
TIMING (Apr-May, Oct)
Being an arid country, best during the rains when most birds breed (Mar-May, Aug-Oct)
Passage migrants are most common Sep-Oct and Mar-Apr
Avoid coastal areas May-Aug due to heat
RESOURCES
Field guides
Birds of the Horn of Africa by Nigel Redman, Terry Stevenson & John Fanshawe (2011)
Birds of Eastern Africa by Ber Van Perlo (2009)
Further reading
Birds of Somalia by J S Ash & J E Miskell (1998)
Somalia by Peter Robertson in Important Bird Areas in Africa and Associated Islands: Priority Sites for Conservation edited by Lincoln D C Fishpool & Michael I Evans (2001)
Endemic and Special Birds of Somaliland by Callan Cohen, Michael Mills & Julian Francis (2011)
Birding in and around Hargeisa, Somaliland, December 2010 by Bram Piot
Birding in and around Hargeisa, Somaliland, April 2014 by Bram Piot
Articles in Scopus, Bull. ABC, etc.
Blogs
Birding for a Lark: Away day in Somaliland by Rob Tovey (2018)
Birding in Somaliland by Richard Fleming (2011)
ORGANISATIONS
There is currently no BirdLife Partner in Somalia
Bird or conservation organisations active in Somalia include –
Somali Ecological Society (SES)
Nature Somaliland
Blue Ventures
Candlelight for Environment, Education & Health