By Alan Murphy
Alan is a renowned Africa expert and has authored many Lonely Planet guidebooks, including the guide to Zambia.
Zambia offers over 750 bird species, of which 120 or so are not found south of the Zambezi. It has only one endemic and one near-endemic. It is, arguably, the best place to search for one of Africa's most desired specials: the African pitta. Zambia is also a good place to look for the famous shoebill. Migratory birds are present from October to April.
Notable Birds in Zambia
Locally common
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Endemic & Near-Endemic Birds
(E) endemic = only lives in Zambia(NE) near-endemic = also lives in neighboring countries
- Chaplin's barbet (E)
Other Birding Specials– Treats for Avid Birders
- Babbling starling
- Blue quail
- African finfoot
- African pitta
- Anchieta’s barbet
- Anchieta’s sunbird
- Angola lark
- Bamboo warbler
- Bar-tailed trogon
- Bar-winged weaver
- Bertram's weaver
- Black-and-rufous swallow
- Black-chinned quailfinch
- Black-collared bulbul
- Black-necked eremomela
- Black-rumped buttonquail
- Blue swallow
- Bocage's akalat
- Böhm's bee-eater
- Böhm's flycatcher
- Chestnut-headed flufftail
- Collared flycatcher
- Corncrake
- Fülleborn's longclaw
- Great snipe
- Grey-winged robin-chat
- Grimwood's longclaw
- Laura's woodland warbler
- Locust finch
- Margaret’s batis
- Miombo pied barbet
- Montane marsh widowbird
- Mountain yellow warbler
- Olive-flanked robin-chat
- Olive-tree warbler
- Papyrus yellow warbler
- Pel’s fishing-owl
- Red-capped crombec
- Ross's turaco
- Rosy-throated longclaw
- Rufous-bellied tit
- Scarlet-tufted malachite sunbird
- Sharpe’s akalat
- Sharp-tailed starling
- Shelley's sunbird
- Shoebill
- Slaty egret
- Souza's shrike
- Spotted creeper
- Spotted thrush-babbler
- Streaky-breasted flufftail
- Striped crake
- Thick-billed cuckoo
- Thrush nightingale
- Waller’s starling
- Wattled crane
- Western banded snake eagle
- White-chested alethe
- White-spotted flufftail
- White-winged swamp warbler
Best Time for Bird Watching
From October to April, the migratory birds are present, and this is the best time for birding in Zambia. This is also the time when the bird’s food is most abundant, and birds are nesting. However, it is the most difficult time to visit remote areas of the country, and roads could be difficult to navigate. Wildlife viewing is better in the Dry season, from May to September.
Best Parks for Birding –Includes Birding Rating
North and South Luangwa are excellent for waterbirds and raptors, while Kafue has a great variety of birds. Bangweulu Wetlands is home to the elusive shoebill as well as significant numbers of waterbirds.
- Bangweulu Wetlands 5.0/5 5 Birding Ratings
- Kafue NP 4.2/5 28 Birding Ratings
- Kasanka NP 4.1/5 8 Birding Ratings
- Lochinvar NP 3.5/5 2 Birding Ratings
- North Luangwa NP 3.8/5 12 Birding Ratings
- South Luangwa NP 4.5/5 51 Birding Ratings
Recommended Birding Books
- The Birds of Zambia: An Atlas and Handbook
Francoise Dowsett-Lemaire and Robert J. Dowset
Want to Visit Zambia?
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Facts & Figures
