Zimbabwe Ramsar wetland
Mana Pools
361 bird species recorded; the most from September to December.
Unknown author · Public domain
This month here
196 species in January.119 species in February.200 species in March.227 species in April.235 species in May.239 species in June.230 species in July.251 species in August.267 species in September.270 species in October.279 species in November.279 species in December.
The birds you are most likely to see in the month you choose, those that come for the season first. It opens on today's month.
VU
NTVU
- Resident all year
- Summer visitor comes to breed
- Winter visitor comes for the winter
- Passage migrant in spring and autumn
In numbers
361 species, counted.
Our own rating, from the records only: species (50 points), threatened species (20), migrants (20) and protected status — Ramsar, IBA, SPA, observatory (10).
- 361Speciesrecorded more than once
- 114Migrantssummer, winter or passage visitors
- 8ThreatenedVulnerable, Endangered or Critically Endangered (IUCN)
- 31,048Recordsopen records within 6 km
- 364 mAltitudeabove the sea
- 42Raptors
- 9Owls
- 29Waders
- 3Gulls & seabirds
- 7Ducks & geese
- 27Herons, ibises & grebes
- 11Storks & cranes
- 137Songbirds
- 96Other birds
From open records (eBird and others, through GBIF, licensed for any use). More birdwatchers mean more records: a quiet place may have more birds than it shows.
The checklist
All 361 species.
By group, with the year in twelve cells: the darker the cell, the more often the bird is recorded that month.
Raptors42 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- African Fish EagleHaliaeetus vocifer
- BateleurTerathopius ecaudatus
- White-backed VultureGyps africanusCR
- Hooded VultureNecrosyrtes monachusCR
- African Harrier-hawkPolyboroides typus
- Black KiteMilvus migrans
- Brown Snake EagleCircaetus cinereus
- African Hawk-EagleAquila spilogaster
- Western Banded Snake EagleCircaetus cinerascens
- White-headed VultureTrigonoceps occipitalisCR
- Yellow-billed KiteMilvus aegyptius
- Tawny EagleAquila rapaxVU
- Martial eaglePolemaetus bellicosus
- Lizard BuzzardKaupifalco monogrammicus
- Black-chested Snake EagleCircaetus pectoralis
- Lappet-faced VultureTorgos tracheliotos
- Gabar GoshawkMicronisus gabar
- Wahlberg's EagleHieraaetus wahlbergi
- African GoshawkAccipiter tachiro
- Bat HawkMacheiramphus alcinus
- Little SparrowhawkAccipiter minullus
- OspreyPandion haliaetus
- European HobbyFalco subbuteo
- LannerFalco biarmicus
- Lappet-faced VultureTorgos tracheliotus
- Black-winged KiteElanus caeruleus
- Peregrine FalconFalco peregrinus
- Red-headed FalconFalco chicqueraNT
- ShikraAccipiter badius
- Common BuzzardButeo buteo
- Ovambo SparrowhawkAccipiter ovampensis
- Ayres's Hawk-EagleHieraaetus ayresii
- African Cuckoo HawkAviceda cuculoides
- Lesser spotted eagleAquila pomarina
- Amur FalconFalco amurensis
- Lesser kestrelFalco naumanni
- Dark Chanting-GoshawkMelierax metabates
- Black EagleAquila verreauxii
- African hobbyFalco cuvierii
- Augur BuzzardButeo augur
- Steppe eagleAquila nipalensis
- Dickinson's KestrelFalco dickinsoni
Owls9 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- African Scops-owlOtus senegalensis
- Giant Eagle OwlBubo lacteus
- Wood OwlStrix woodfordii
- African Barred OwletGlaucidium capense
- Pearl-spotted OwletGlaucidium perlatum
- Western Barn OwlTyto alba
- Spotted Eagle-OwlBubo africanus
- Pel's Fishing-owlScotopelia peli
- Southern White-faced OwlPtilopsis granti
Waders29 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- White-crowned LapwingVanellus albiceps
- Black-winged StiltHimantopus himantopus
- African JacanaActophilornis africanus
- Water DikkopBurhinus vermiculatus
- Blacksmith LapwingVanellus armatus
- Common SandpiperActitis hypoleucos
- Wood SandpiperTringa glareola
- Common GreenshankTringa nebularia
- RuffCalidris pugnax
- Crowned lapwingVanellus coronatus
- Three-banded PloverCharadrius tricollaris
- Marsh SandpiperTringa stagnatilis
- Long-toed LapwingVanellus crassirostris
- Three-banded CourserRhinoptilus cinctus
- African Wattled LapwingVanellus senegallus
- Little StintCalidris minuta
- Greater Painted-snipeRostratula benghalensis
- Collared PratincoleGlareola pratincola
- Kittlitz's PloverCharadrius pecuarius
- Cape Thick-kneeBurhinus capensis
- Terek SandpiperXenus cinereus
- Green SandpiperTringa ochropus
- Common Ringed PloverCharadrius hiaticula
- Bronze-winged CourserRhinoptilus chalcopterus
- Temminck's CourserCursorius temminckii
- Curlew SandpiperCalidris ferrugineaVU
- Lesser JacanaMicroparra capensis
- African SnipeGallinago nigripennis
- Pied AvocetRecurvirostra avosetta
Gulls & seabirds3 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- African SkimmerRynchops flavirostris
- Grey-headed GullChroicocephalus cirrocephalus
- White-winged TernChlidonias leucopterus
Ducks & geese7 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Egyptian GooseAlopochen aegyptiaca
- Spur-winged GoosePlectropterus gambensis
- White-faced Whistling-duckDendrocygna viduata
- Knob-billed DuckSarkidiornis melanotos
- Red-billed TealAnas erythrorhyncha
- Fulvous Whistling-duckDendrocygna bicolor
- Pygmy GooseNettapus auritus
Herons, ibises & grebes27 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Western Cattle EgretBubulcus ibis
- Great White EgretArdea alba
- HadadaBostrychia hagedash
- Grey HeronArdea cinerea
- Glossy IbisPlegadis falcinellus
- HamerkopScopus umbretta
- Striated HeronButorides striata
- African Sacred IbisThreskiornis aethiopicus
- Goliath HeronArdea goliath
- Little EgretEgretta garzetta
- Squacco HeronArdeola ralloides
- African SpoonbillPlatalea alba
- Long-tailed CormorantMicrocarbo africanus
- Egretta intermediaEgretta intermedia
- Black-headed HeronArdea melanocephala
- Rufous-bellied HeronArdeola rufiventris
- Black HeronEgretta ardesiaca
- DarterAnhinga rufa
- Purple heronArdea purpurea
- Black-crowned Night-HeronNycticorax nycticorax
- White-breasted CormorantPhalacrocorax lucidus
- Great White PelicanPelecanus onocrotalus
- White-backed Night HeronGorsachius leuconotus
- Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo
- Pink-backed PelicanPelecanus rufescens
- Dwarf BitternIxobrychus sturmii
- Slaty EgretEgretta vinaceigulaVU
Storks & cranes11 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Yellow-billed StorkMycteria ibis
- SaddlebillEphippiorhynchus senegalensisNT
- Openbill StorkAnastomus lamelligerus
- Leptoptilos crumeniferLeptoptilos crumenifer
- MarabouLeptoptilos crumeniferus
- Asian WoollyneckCiconia episcopusNT
- African Woolly-necked StorkCiconia microscelis
- White StorkCiconia ciconia
- Black storkCiconia nigra
- Abdim's storkCiconia abdimii
- Grey Crowned CraneBalearica regulorum
Songbirds137 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Meves's StarlingLamprotornis mevesii
- Fork-tailed DrongoDicrurus adsimilis
- Cape SparrowPasser diffusus
- Southern PuffbackDryoscopus cubla
- Blue WaxbillUraeginthus angolensis
- Motacilla aguimpMotacilla aguimp
- Wire-tailed SwallowHirundo smithii
- Red-billed OxpeckerBuphagus erythrorhynchus
- Yellow-bellied GreenbulChlorocichla flaviventris
- Red-billed FirefinchLagonosticta senegala
- Common BulbulPycnonotus barbatus
- White-browed Sparrow-weaverPlocepasser mahali
- White-crested HelmetshrikePrionops plumatus
- Red-billed QueleaQuelea quelea
- Arrow-marked BabblerTurdoides jardineii
- Tropical BoubouLaniarius major
- Yellow-breasted ApalisApalis flavida
- Chinspot BatisBatis molitor
- Terrestrial BrownbulPhyllastrephus terrestris
- Green-backed CamaropteraCamaroptera brachyura
- White-browed Robin-chatCossypha heuglini
- Scarlet-chested SunbirdChalcomitra senegalensis
- White-bellied SunbirdCinnyris talatala
- Cape CrombecSylvietta rufescens
- Dark-capped BulbulPycnonotus tricolor
- Grey-headed BushshrikeMalaconotus blanchoti
- BrubruNilaus afer
- Orange-breasted BushshrikeChlorophoneus sulfureopectus
- Eastern NicatorNicator gularis
- African Paradise-FlycatcherTerpsiphone viridis
- Kurrichane ThrushTurdus libonyana
- Green-winged PytiliaPytilia melba
- Village IndigobirdVidua chalybeata
- Ashy FlycatcherMuscicapa caerulescens
- Black-headed OrioleOriolus larvatus
- Grey-backed CamaropteraCamaroptera brevicaudata
- Rattling CisticolaCisticola chiniana
- African Sand MartinRiparia paludicola
- Brown-crowned TchagraTchagra australis
- African Golden OrioleOriolus auratus
- Collared SunbirdHedydipna collaris
- Southern Masked WeaverPloceus velatus
- Erythropygia quadrivirgataErythropygia quadrivirgata
- Collared Palm-thrushCichladusa arquata
- Lesser Masked WeaverPloceus intermedius
- Mosque SwallowCecropis senegalensis
- Black-throated Wattle-eyePlatysteira peltata
- Retz's HelmetshrikePrionops retzii
- Grey-rumped SwallowPseudhirundo griseopyga
- Red-headed WeaverAnaplectes rubriceps
- Barn swallowHirundo rustica
- Long-tailed Paradise WhydahVidua paradisaea
- Ethiopian BoubouLaniarius aethiopicus
- Tawny-flanked PriniaPrinia subflava
- Red-backed ShrikeLanius collurio
- Jameson's FirefinchLagonosticta rhodopareia
- Erythropygia leucophrysErythropygia leucophrys
- Spectacled WeaverPloceus ocularis
- Pin-tailed WhydahVidua macroura
- Village WeaverPloceus cucullatus
- Red-winged StarlingOnychognathus morio
- Southern Black-FlycatcherMelaenornis pammelaina
- Black Cuckoo-shrikeCampephaga flava
- Willow WarblerPhylloscopus trochilus
- Sombre GreenbulAndropadus importunus
- Southern Yellow White-eyeZosterops anderssoni
- Wattled StarlingCreatophora cinerea
- Yellow-fronted CanaryCrithagra mozambica
- Purple-banded SunbirdCinnyris bifasciatus
- Violet-backed StarlingCinnyricinclus leucogaster
- Chestnut-backed Sparrow-LarkEremopterix leucotis
- Spotted FlycatcherMuscicapa striata
- Red-throated TwinspotHypargos niveoguttatus
- Lesser Striped SwallowCecropis abyssinica
- Black TitParus niger
- Cut-throat FinchAmadina fasciata
- Zitting CisticolaCisticola juncidis
- Red BishopEuplectes orix
- Black-crowned TchagraTchagra senegalus
- Variable SunbirdCinnyris venustus
- House SparrowPasser domesticus
- Yellow-throated Bush SparrowGymnoris superciliaris
- Common WaxbillEstrilda astrild
- Golden-breasted BuntingEmberiza flaviventris
- Amethyst SunbirdChalcomitra amethystina
- Lesser Grey ShrikeLanius minor
- Greater Blue-eared StarlingLamprotornis chalybaeus
- Dusky IndigobirdVidua purpurascens
- Livingstone's FlycatcherErythrocercus livingstonei
- Pentholaea arnottiPentholaea arnotti
- Sand MartinRiparia riparia
- Common House MartinDelichon urbicum
- African PipitAnthus cinnamomeus
- Northern Grey-headed SparrowPasser griseus
- Pied CrowCorvus albus
- Northern Yellow White-eyeZosterops senegalensis
- African PittaPitta angolensis
- Pale FlycatcherBradornis pallidus
- Bronze MannikinLonchura cucullata
- Eurasian Golden OrioleOriolus oriolus
- Dusky LarkPinarocorys nigricans
- Lead-coloured FlycatcherMyioparus plumbeus
- Red-capped RobinCossypha natalensis
- Burnt-neck EremomelaEremomela usticollis
- Lesser Swamp WarblerAcrocephalus gracilirostris
- Cinnamon-breasted BuntingEmberiza tahapisi
- African Golden WeaverPloceus xanthops
- Broad-tailed Paradise WhydahVidua obtusa
- Red-faced CisticolaCisticola erythrops
- Greencap EremomelaEremomela scotops
- Pearl-breasted SwallowHirundo dimidiata
- White-throated SwallowHirundo albigularis
- Red-capped LarkCalandrella cinerea
- White-throated Robin-ChatCossypha humeralis
- Yellow-bellied EremomelaEremomela icteropygialis
- Orange-winged PytiliaPytilia afra
- White-necked RavenCorvus albicollis
- Twinspot IndigobirdVidua codringtoni
- Common MynaAcridotheres tristis
- Thrush NightingaleLuscinia luscinia
- Dusky FlycatcherMuscicapa adusta
- Red-faced CrombecSylvietta whytii
- White-winged WidowbirdEuplectes albonotatus
- Familiar ChatOenanthe familiaris
- Piping CisticolaCisticola fulvicapilla
- Western Yellow WagtailMotacilla flava
- White-breasted CuckooshrikeCoracina pectoralis
- Grey Penduline TitAnthoscopus caroli
- WhitethroatSylvia communis
- Icterine warblerHippolais icterina
- Black-and-white MuniaLonchura bicolor
- African Bush-WarblerBradypterus baboecala
- Magpie ShrikeUrolestes melanoleucus
- Greater Striped SwallowCecropis cucullata
- Brimstone CanaryCrithagra sulphurata
- Streaky-headed SeedeaterCrithagra gularis
- Red-breasted SwallowCecropis semirufa
Other birds96 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Ring-necked DoveStreptopelia capicola
- White-fronted Bee-eaterMerops bullockoides
- Emerald-spotted DoveTurtur chalcospilos
- Helmeted GuineafowlNumida meleagris
- Lilac-breasted RollerCoracias caudatus
- Crowned HornbillLophoceros alboterminatus
- Little Bee-eaterMerops pusillus
- Pied KingfisherCeryle rudis
- Brown-headed KingfisherHalcyon albiventris
- Grey LourieCorythaixoides concolor
- Green WoodhoopoePhoeniculus purpureus
- Red-eyed DoveStreptopelia semitorquata
- Southern Ground HornbillBucorvus leadbeateriVU
- Nyasa LovebirdAgapornis lilianaeNT
- Meyer's ParrotPoicephalus meyeri
- Trumpeter HornbillBycanistes bucinator
- Southern Red-billed HornbillTockus rufirostris
- Laughing DoveSpilopelia senegalensis
- Red-faced MousebirdUrocolius indicus
- Or Bat-like SpinetailNeafrapus boehmi
- Southern Carmine Bee-eaterMerops nubicoides
- Giant KingfisherMegaceryle maxima
- Swainson's SpurfowlPternistis swainsonii
- African Grey HornbillLophoceros nasutus
- African Palm SwiftCypsiurus parvus
- Cardinal WoodpeckerDendropicos fuscescens
- Namaqua DoveOena capensis
- Red-billed HornbillTockus erythrorhynchus
- Eurasian HoopoeUpupa epops
- Eastern Crested GuineafowlGuttera pucherani
- Natal FrancolinPternistis natalensis
- Common Scimitar-billRhinopomastus cyanomelas
- Malachite KingfisherCorythornis cristatus
- Ortygornis sephaenaOrtygornis sephaena
- Black-collared BarbetLybius torquatus
- Golden-tailed WoodpeckerCampethera abingoni
- Greater HoneyguideIndicator indicator
- Woodland KingfisherHalcyon senegalensis
- African HoopoeUpupa africana
- Bearded WoodpeckerChloropicus namaquus
- Mourning Collared DoveStreptopelia decipiens
- White-browed CoucalCentropus superciliosus
- Bennett's WoodpeckerCampethera bennettii
- Black CrakeAmaurornis flavirostra
- Broad-billed RollerEurystomus glaucurus
- Senegal CoucalCentropus senegalensis
- Purple-crested TuracoTauraco porphyreolophus
- Double-banded SandgrousePterocles bicinctus
- Bee-eaterMerops apiaster
- Cape ParrotPoicephalus robustusVU
- Crested BarbetTrachyphonus vaillantii
- Southern Yellow-billed HornbillTockus leucomelas
- African Green-pigeonTreron calvus
- Swallow-tailed Bee-eaterMerops hirundineus
- Yellow-fronted TinkerbirdPogoniulus chrysoconus
- Square-tailed NightjarCaprimulgus fossii
- Little SwiftApus affinis
- Horus SwiftApus horus
- Mottled SpinetailTelacanthura ussheri
- Diederik CuckooChrysococcyx caprius
- Striped KingfisherHalcyon chelicuti
- Jacobin CuckooClamator jacobinus
- Lesser HoneyguideIndicator minor
- Red-chested CuckooCuculus solitarius
- Striped CuckooClamator levaillantii
- Grey-headed KingfisherHalcyon leucocephala
- Fiery-necked NightjarCaprimulgus pectoralis
- Black CuckooCuculus clamosus
- Racket-tailed RollerCoracias spatulatus
- Freckled NightjarCaprimulgus tristigma
- Emerald CuckooChrysococcyx cupreus
- Narina TrogonApaloderma narina
- Blue-cheeked Bee-eaterMerops persicus
- Half-collared KingfisherAlcedo semitorquata
- European RollerCoracias garrulus
- Purple RollerCoracias naevius
- Klaas's CuckooChrysococcyx klaas
- Common MoorhenGallinula chloropus
- European SwiftApus apus
- Harlequin QuailCoturnix delegorguei
- Common ButtonquailTurnix sylvaticus
- African Pygmy KingfisherIspidina picta
- White-rumped SwiftApus caffer
- African Grey CuckooCuculus gularis
- Campocolinus coquiCampocolinus coqui
- Olive Bee-eaterMerops superciliosus
- African CrakeCrex egregia
- Pennant-winged NightjarCaprimulgus vexillarius
- Western SwamphenPorphyrio porphyrio
- Black-bellied KorhaanLissotis melanogaster
- Rock DoveColumba livia
- Thick-billed CuckooPachycoccyx audeberti
- Speckled MousebirdColius striatus
- Tambourine DoveTurtur tympanistria
- Common CuckooCuculus canorus
- Coppery-tailed CoucalCentropus cupreicaudus
Monthly presence relative to all bird records that month, so a busy month does not inflate every species.
When to go
The most species from September to December.
Species recorded in each month, with the usual temperature and rain.
- Jan31°/22°174 mm
- Feb31°/22°130 mm
- Mar32°/21°87 mm
- Apr32°/19°21 mm
- May31°/16°3 mm
- Jun29°/14°1 mm
- Jul29°/13°0 mm
- Aug32°/15°0 mm
- Sep35°/19°1 mm
- Oct38°/23°7 mm
- Nov37°/24°57 mm
- Dec33°/23°162 mm
- Bar: species recorded that month.
- Temperature: average maximum / minimum (NASA, 1991–2020).
- Rain: monthly total.
The place
Mana Pools.
National park
Mana Pools is a wetland of international importance (Ramsar) in Zimbabwe, 364 m above the sea.
361 bird species have been recorded here more than once, in 31,048 open records.
The most recorded are the Meves's Starling, the Ring-necked Dove and the Egyptian Goose.
71 species come for the summer, 40 for the winter and 3 only pass through.
8 are threatened worldwide, including Southern Ground Hornbill, White-backed Vulture and Hooded Vulture.
The most species are recorded from September to December.
Get there and watch
- Dave & Tess Campcampsite · 1.9 km · 8 within 10 km
- Gwaya Campplace to stay · 2.2 km · 14 within 10 km
- Kariba Airport (KAB)nearest airport with scheduled flights · 98 km in a straight lineCar hire at LUN airport (Lusaka)Discover Cars · sponsored link↗
Plan the visit
A guided walk, a bed nearby, a car.
Some links above are affiliate links: if you book through them we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you. It never changes what the data on this page says.
From above
The place and its surroundings.
The satellite image of the 6 × 6 km around the place, with the bird hides, towers and trails that OpenStreetMap shows.
Around, in OpenStreetMap
- 1visitor centres within 6 kmNyamepi Headquarters Office
- 6viewpoints within 5 kmLonghole viewing point, Trichilia Island and 4 more
- 1car parks within 3 km
- 8campsites within 10 kmDave & Tess Camp, Trichilia Camp, Mucheni Exclusice Camp and 5 more
- 14places to stay within 10 kmGwaya Camp, Muchichiri Lodge, Musango Camp and 11 more
- bird hides within 6 km
- observation towers within 6 km
- marked trails within 4 km
- restaurants and cafés within 3 km
Counted in OpenStreetMap, the map anyone can edit. A low number may just mean nobody has mapped it yet.
In our other atlases
Around Mana Pools.
The lakes, beaches, islands, rivers and mountains around this place, and its night sky, in the family's atlases.
Peakyas3 mountains within 25 kmNyamuzino · 9.9 kmNyampangwa · 15 kmKayira · 16 km
Figures from the sister sites' databases (Wikidata, HydroATLAS, GeoNames, OpenStreetMap). Links open when each site is online.
Other places nearby.
Mana Pools
Zimbabwe
- 86Birdyas Score
- 361Species
- 114Migrants
- 8Threatened
Where these figures come from
| Name and type | Wikidata (Q693254) · CC0 |
|---|---|
| Birds | 31,048 open bird records within 6 km (GBIF, CC0 and CC BY 4.0 only; mostly eBird, Cornell Lab of Ornithology) |
| See these records | gbif.org |
| Species | GBIF Backbone Taxonomy · CC BY 4.0; Wikidata (CC0); Wikimedia Commons |
| Altitude | Copernicus DEM GLO-30 · © DLR e.V., © Airbus Defence and Space GmbH, Copernicus/ESA |
| Temperature and rain | NASA POWER (CERES SYN1deg, 2001–2020; MERRA-2) |
| What is around | © OpenStreetMap contributors · ODbL |
| Images | EOX Sentinel-2 cloudless 2016 · CC BY 4.0; Wikimedia Commons |
| Sister atlases | Peakyas |
Every figure is an average, an estimate or a count from a public dataset. Licences and methods: data sources.
The family
Do you prefer beaches, lakes, mountains, waterfalls, islands, rivers, canyons, caves, dark skies, viewpoints, birdwatching or forests?
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Every viewpoint with its real 360° panorama: the peaks you can name, how far you see and where the sun sets.Coming soonVisit 
birdwatching
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