Country checklist and status
iGoTerra
We are delighted that our Corporate Sponsor iGoTerra has made its country checklists, including subspecies (IOC or Clements) as well as all other species groups like mammals, butterflies etc. available through the ABC website. The only thing required is a Basic membership / registration which is free of charge. Go to Botswana checklists. If you are already a member of iGoTerra, you will be taken directly to the country page. In case you are not a member, you will be redirected automatically to the registration form and from there can go straight to the country page.
A spreadsheet version of this checklist for Botswana which requires less data transmission can be downloaded from this link: Botswana checklist.
Botswana has no endemic species although it does have very important populations of several globally threatened species. For example, the Okavango Delta holds the largest single population of Wattled Cranes Bugeranus carunculatus of any country in Africa and most of the world’s Slaty Egrets Egretta vinaceigula also occur here.
It also has good populations of several species that are much sought after, from White-backed Night Heron Gorsachius leuconotus to Pel’s Fishing-owl Scotopelia peli. Important African Skimmer Rynchops flavirostris populations occur in the Okavango Delta and Rock Pratincoles Glareola nuchalis breed near Kasane at Chobe Rapids. Botswana boasts southern Africa’s most important Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus ruber and Lesser Flamingo Phoeniconaias minor breeding sites, at Sua Pan in the Makgadikgadi system.
Waterbird populations generally are large and diverse with good numbers of migrant crakes and Palearctic waders occurring in wet summers.
Botswana holds a very significant proportion of Palearctic non-breeding populations of Red-backed Shrike Lanius collurio and Lesser Grey Shrike L. minor, Olive-tree Warbler Hippolais olivetorum and Spotted Flycatcher Muscicapa striata.
Endemic species
There are no endemic species in Botswana
Near endemic species (found in 3 or less African countries)
| Short-clawed Lark | Certhilauda chuana |
Threatened species
| Slaty Egret | Egretta vinaceigula | Vulnerable |
| Cape Vulture | Gyps coprotheres | Vulnerable |
| Lappet-faced Vulture | Torgos tracheliotus | Vulnerable |
| Black Harrier | Circus maurus | Vulnerable |
| Lesser Kestrel | Falco naumanni | Vulnerable |
| Wattled Crane | Bugeranus carunculatus | Vulnerable |
| Black-cheeked Lovebird | Agapornis nigrigenis | Vulnerable |
Further information can be found at BirdLife International.
