Birds of Namibia

There are a variety of birds of Namibia. Endemic species hatches, matures, reproduces and dies in one area. The habitat must therefore satisfy all the needs of the endemic bird in order for its full life cycle to e completed. Southern Africa has a great number of different habitats and as a result has a rich and varied birdlife. This vast region supports 170 endemic and near endemic species of which about 70 percent are concentrated in the southwest arid zone, which covers most of Namibia.

This therefore makes Namibia a very special and unique birding destination. In addition, Namibia hosts fourteen species which are almost exclusive to the country. These are our national Namibian endemics, of which four live in the Namib Desert adjacent to the coast, while the remaining ten inhabit the area further east, adjacent to the rugged escarpment.

Namibia’s endemic and near endemic birds are:

Hartlaub’s Francolin (Francolinus hartlaubi)
Ruppell’s Korhaan (Eupodotis rueppellii)
Damara Tern (Sterna balaephalus)
Ruppell’s Parrot (Poicephalus rueppellii)
Violet Woodhoopoe (Phoeniculus damarensis)
Monteiro’s Hornbill (Tockus monteiri)
Dune Lark (Certhilauda erythroclamys)
Barlow’s Lark (Certhilauda barlowi)
Gray’s Lark (Ammomanes grayi)
Carp’s Tit (Parus carpi)
Barecheeked Babbler (Turdoides gymnogenys)
Herero Chat (Namibornis herero)
Rockrunner (Achaetops pycnopygius)
Whitetailed Shrike (Lanioturdus turquatus)

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