Namibia Ramsar wetland
Walvis Bay
197 bird species recorded; the most from February to March, in September and in November.
Bgabel · CC BY-SA 3.0
This month here
121 species in January.137 species in February.141 species in March.120 species in April.118 species in May.101 species in June.127 species in July.130 species in August.143 species in September.136 species in October.138 species in November.129 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
NT
NT
VU
NT
NTVUVU
NT
NTVUVUNTNTVUNTNTVU
NTVU
NT
NTVUNT
VU
NTVU
VU
NTVUVU
NTVUVUNTNTVUVUNTNTVUNTVUNTNTNTVUVUNTNT- Resident all year
- Summer visitor comes to breed
- Winter visitor comes for the winter
- Passage migrant in spring and autumn
In numbers
197 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).
- 197Speciesrecorded more than once
- 62Migrantssummer, winter or passage visitors
- 6ThreatenedVulnerable, Endangered or Critically Endangered (IUCN)
- 50,597Recordsopen records within 6 km
- 10Raptors
- 41Waders
- 29Gulls & seabirds
- 10Ducks & geese
- 20Herons, ibises & grebes
- 1Storks & cranes
- 3Flamingos
- 58Songbirds
- 25Other 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 197 species.
By group, with the year in twelve cells: the darker the cell, the more often the bird is recorded that month.
Raptors10 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Rock KestrelFalco rupicolus
- Black-winged KiteElanus caeruleus
- Peregrine FalconFalco peregrinus
- OspreyPandion haliaetus
- Pale Chanting-goshawkMelierax canorus
- LannerFalco biarmicus
- Greater KestrelFalco rupicoloides
- Black-chested Snake EagleCircaetus pectoralis
- Augur BuzzardButeo augur
- Booted eagleHieraaetus pennatus
Waders41 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Curlew SandpiperCalidris ferrugineaVU
- Pied AvocetRecurvirostra avosetta
- Grey PloverPluvialis squatarolaVU
- Ruddy TurnstoneArenaria interpresNT
- SanderlingCalidris alba
- Little StintCalidris minuta
- Common GreenshankTringa nebularia
- Black-winged StiltHimantopus himantopus
- Bar-tailed godwitLimosa lapponicaNT
- Eurasian WhimbrelNumenius phaeopus
- Common Ringed PloverCharadrius hiaticula
- White-fronted PloverCharadrius marginatus
- African OystercatcherHaematopus moquini
- RuffCalidris pugnax
- Blacksmith LapwingVanellus armatus
- Common SandpiperActitis hypoleucos
- Chestnut-banded PloverCharadrius pallidus
- Eurasian CurlewNumenius arquataNT
- Terek SandpiperXenus cinereus
- Marsh SandpiperTringa stagnatilis
- Red KnotCalidris canutusNT
- Three-banded PloverCharadrius tricollaris
- Wood SandpiperTringa glareola
- Kittlitz's PloverCharadrius pecuarius
- American golden ploverPluvialis dominica
- Red-necked PhalaropePhalaropus lobatus
- Eurasian OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegusNT
- Greater Sand PloverCharadrius leschenaultii
- Crowned lapwingVanellus coronatus
- Pectoral SandpiperCalidris melanotos
- RedshankTringa totanus
- Great KnotCalidris tenuirostris
- Grey (Red) PhalaropePhalaropus fulicarius
- Pacific Golden PloverPluvialis fulva
- Cape Thick-kneeBurhinus capensis
- Black-tailed GodwitLimosa limosaNT
- Broad-billed SandpiperCalidris falcinellusVU
- Burchell's CourserCursorius rufus
- Hudsonian GodwitLimosa haemasticaVU
- DunlinCalidris alpinaNT
- Charadrius mongolusCharadrius mongolus
Gulls & seabirds29 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Hartlaub's GullChroicocephalus hartlaubii
- Southern Black-backed GullLarus dominicanus
- Caspian TernHydroprogne caspia
- Great Crested-TernThalasseus bergii
- Common TernSterna hirundo
- Sandwich TernThalasseus sandvicensis
- Damara TernSternula balaenarum
- Grey-headed GullChroicocephalus cirrocephalus
- Cape GannetMorus capensis
- White-winged TernChlidonias leucopterus
- Black TernChlidonias niger
- Sooty shearwaterPuffinus griseus
- Black-footed penguinSpheniscus demersusCR
- White-chinned PetrelProcellaria aequinoctialisVU
- Arctic SkuaStercorarius parasiticus
- Wilson's Storm-PetrelOceanites oceanicus
- Arctic TernSterna paradisaea
- Black SkimmerRynchops niger
- Brown SkuaStercorarius antarcticus
- Whiskered TernChlidonias hybrida
- Pomarine SkuaStercorarius pomarinus
- Little TernSternula albifrons
- European Storm-PetrelHydrobates pelagicus
- Gull-billed TernGelochelidon nilotica
- Elegant TernThalasseus elegansNT
- Northern Giant PetrelMacronectes halli
- Franklin's GullLeucophaeus pipixcan
- Silver GullChroicocephalus novaehollandiae
- Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus
Ducks & geese10 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Cape TealAnas capensis
- Cape ShovelerSpatula smithii
- Cape ShelduckTadorna cana
- Blue-billed TealSpatula hottentota
- Maccoa DuckOxyura maccoa
- Red-billed TealAnas erythrorhyncha
- Egyptian GooseAlopochen aegyptiaca
- Southern PochardNetta erythrophthalma
- Fulvous Whistling-duckDendrocygna bicolor
- White-faced Whistling-duckDendrocygna viduata
Herons, ibises & grebes20 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Great White PelicanPelecanus onocrotalus
- Cape CormorantPhalacrocorax capensis
- Grey HeronArdea cinerea
- Little EgretEgretta garzetta
- Eared GrebePodiceps nigricollis
- Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo
- Little GrebeTachybaptus ruficollis
- Western Cattle EgretBubulcus ibis
- White-breasted CormorantPhalacrocorax lucidus
- Crowned CormorantMicrocarbo coronatus
- Glossy IbisPlegadis falcinellus
- Wahlberg's CormorantPhalacrocorax neglectus
- Black-headed HeronArdea melanocephala
- Long-tailed CormorantMicrocarbo africanus
- Great White EgretArdea alba
- Great Crested GrebePodiceps cristatus
- African SpoonbillPlatalea alba
- Egretta intermediaEgretta intermedia
- Black HeronEgretta ardesiaca
- HamerkopScopus umbretta
Storks & cranes1 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- White StorkCiconia ciconia
Flamingos3 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Lesser FlamingoPhoeniconaias minorNT
- Greater FlamingoPhoenicopterus roseus
- Caribbean FlamingoPhoenicopterus ruber
Songbirds58 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Cape WagtailMotacilla capensis
- MossiePasser melanurus
- African Reed WarblerAcrocephalus baeticatus
- Barn swallowHirundo rustica
- House SparrowPasser domesticus
- Common WaxbillEstrilda astrild
- Southern Masked WeaverPloceus velatus
- Orange River White-eyeZosterops pallidus
- Eurasian Reed WarblerAcrocephalus scirpaceus
- Dusky SunbirdCinnyris fuscus
- House CrowCorvus splendens
- Pied CrowCorvus albus
- Zitting CisticolaCisticola juncidis
- African Red-eyed BulbulPycnonotus nigricans
- Black-chested PriniaPrinia flavicans
- Familiar ChatOenanthe familiaris
- Rock MartinPtyonoprogne fuligula
- Wattled StarlingCreatophora cinerea
- Cape CrowCorvus capensis
- Lesser Swamp WarblerAcrocephalus gracilirostris
- Red-capped LarkCalandrella cinerea
- Tractrac ChatEmarginata tractrac
- Pearl-breasted SwallowHirundo dimidiata
- Common FiscalLanius collaris
- African Sand MartinRiparia paludicola
- Dune LarkCalendulauda erythrochlamys
- Gray's LarkAmmomanopsis grayi
- Lark-like BuntingEmberiza impetuani
- Banded MartinRiparia cincta
- White-throated SwallowHirundo albigularis
- Pale-winged StarlingOnychognathus nabouroup
- African PipitAnthus cinnamomeus
- Grey-backed Sparrow-LarkEremopterix verticalis
- Willow WarblerPhylloscopus trochilus
- Southern Rufous-sparrowPasser motitensis
- South African Cliff SwallowPetrochelidon spilodera
- Cape SparrowPasser diffusus
- Fork-tailed DrongoDicrurus adsimilis
- Chestnut-vented WarblerCurruca subcoerulea
- Stark's LarkSpizocorys starki
- Greater Striped SwallowCecropis cucullata
- Long-billed PipitAnthus similis
- Red BishopEuplectes orix
- Yellow CanaryCrithagra flaviventris
- Karoo LarkCalendulauda albescens
- BokmakierieTelophorus zeylonus
- Common House MartinDelichon urbicum
- Yellow-bellied EremomelaEremomela icteropygialis
- Black-faced WaxbillEstrilda erythronotos
- Blue WaxbillUraeginthus angolensis
- White-throated CanaryCrithagra albogularis
- Scarlet-chested SunbirdChalcomitra senegalensis
- Western Yellow WagtailMotacilla flava
- Crimson-breasted ShrikeLaniarius atrococcineus
- White-browed Sparrow-weaverPlocepasser mahali
- Marsh warblerAcrocephalus palustris
- Lesser Masked WeaverPloceus intermedius
- Cape White-eyeZosterops virens
Other birds25 species
JFMAMJJASOND
- Speckled PigeonColumba guinea
- Rock DoveColumba livia
- Laughing DoveSpilopelia senegalensis
- Common MoorhenGallinula chloropus
- Red-knobbed CootFulica cristata
- Western SwamphenPorphyrio porphyrio
- Red-faced MousebirdUrocolius indicus
- Little SwiftApus affinis
- Rosy-faced LovebirdAgapornis roseicollis
- Ring-necked DoveStreptopelia capicola
- White-rumped SwiftApus caffer
- African Palm SwiftCypsiurus parvus
- White-backed MousebirdColius colius
- Bradfield's SwiftApus bradfieldi
- Namaqua DoveOena capensis
- Helmeted GuineafowlNumida meleagris
- Black CrakeAmaurornis flavirostra
- Grey LourieCorythaixoides concolor
- European SwiftApus apus
- Acacia Pied BarbetTricholaema leucomelas
- Hartlaub's SpurfowlPternistis hartlaubi
- Ludwig's BustardNeotis ludwigii
- Swallow-tailed Bee-eaterMerops hirundineus
- Eurasian HoopoeUpupa epops
- African Grey HornbillLophoceros nasutus
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 February to March, in September and in November.
Species recorded in each month, with the usual temperature and rain.
- Jan21°/17°10 mm
- Feb22°/17°11 mm
- Mar22°/17°15 mm
- Apr22°/16°20 mm
- May22°/15°1 mm
- Jun20°/13°2 mm
- Jul21°/13°1 mm
- Aug18°/12°1 mm
- Sep18°/12°2 mm
- Oct18°/13°4 mm
- Nov20°/14°7 mm
- Dec20°/16°7 mm
- Bar: species recorded that month.
- Temperature: average maximum / minimum (NASA, 1991–2020).
- Rain: monthly total.
The place
Walvis Bay.
City and harbour in Erongo Region, Namibia
Walvis Bay is a wetland of international importance (Ramsar) in Namibia.
197 bird species have been recorded here more than once, in 50,597 open records.
The most recorded are the Hartlaub's Gull, the Southern Black-backed Gull and the Lesser Flamingo.
37 species come for the summer, 22 for the winter and 3 only pass through.
6 are threatened worldwide, including Curlew Sandpiper, Grey Plover and Black-footed penguin.
The most species are recorded from February to March, in September and in November.
Get there and watch
- Official informationAccess, hours and rules from those who manage the place.Official site↗
- City Centre hotel and restaurantplace to stay · 0.2 km · 35 within 10 km
- Walvis Baynearest town · 0.9 km in a straight line
- Walvis Bay International Airport (WVB)nearest airport with scheduled flights · 15 km in a straight lineCar hire at WVB airport (Walvis Bay)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 kmNamibia Info & Experience Center
- 1viewpoints within 5 kmLovers Hill
- 27car parks within 3 km
- 30restaurants and cafés within 3 km
- 1campsites within 10 km
- 35places to stay within 10 kmCity Centre hotel and restaurant, Casa Mia, Namibia Skipper Services and 32 more
- bird hides within 6 km
- observation towers within 6 km
- marked trails within 4 km
Counted in OpenStreetMap, the map anyone can edit. A low number may just mean nobody has mapped it yet.
Photographs
The place, as people saw it.
Other places nearby.
Walvis Bay
Namibia
- 70Birdyas Score
- 197Species
- 62Migrants
- 6Threatened
Where these figures come from
| Name and type | Wikidata (Q220843) · CC0 |
|---|---|
| Birds | 50,597 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 |
Every figure is an average, an estimate or a count from a public dataset. Licences and methods: data sources.
The family
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