Alternative Bird Names
Changing bird names continues to be a thorn in the flesh of birders. In this book we have opted to use the names that would be most familiar to South African birders. In a few cases we used ‘new names’ that are apt and sensible, such as using Striated Heron, Fan-tailed Grassbird and African Yellow Warbler. We have also incorporated the recent lump of African and Eurasian Reed Warblers into a combined ‘Common Reed Warbler’. With the global popularity of eBird, visiting birders may struggle momentarily with our local bird names. The follow list of species frequently featured in the book should help! You can also download a printable pdf version of the list, which you can slip into your copy of Birding Gauteng 2!
| ALTERNATIVE NAME | LOCAL NAME |
|---|---|
| Bittern, Great | Bittern, Eurasian |
| Bulbul, Black-fronted | Bulbul, African Red-eyed |
| Bulbul, Common | Bulbul, Dark-capped |
| Bushshrike, Four-coloured | Bushshrike, Gorgeous |
| Bushshrike, Sulphur-breasted | Bushshrike, Orange-breasted |
| Bustard, Black-bellied | Korhaan, Black-bellied |
| Bustard, Blue | Korhaan, Blue |
| Bustard, Red-crested | Korhaan, Red-crested |
| Bustard, White-bellied | Korhaan, White-bellied |
| Bustard, White-quilled | Korhaan, Northern Black |
| Buttonquail, Kurrichane | Buttonquail, Common |
| Buttonquail, Small | Buttonquail, Common |
| Chat, Southern Ant-eater | Chat, Ant-eating |
| Chat, Mountain | Wheatear, Mountain |
| Cisticola, Piping | Neddicky |
| Cisticola, Rock-loving | Cisticola, Lazy |
| Cordonbleu, Southern | Waxbill, Blue |
| Cormorant, Great | Cormorant, White-breasted |
| Cormorant, Long-tailed | Cormorant, Reed |
| Crombec, Cape | Crombec, Long-billed |
| Cuckoo, Pied | Cuckoo, Jacobin |
| Cut-throat | Finch, Cut-throat |
| Dove, Mourning Collared- | Dove, African Mourning |
| Dove, Ring-necked | Dove, Cape Turtle |
| Drongo, Common Square-tailed | Drongo, Square-tailed |
| Duck, Red-billed | Teal, Red-billed |
| Eagle, Fasciated Snake | Eagle, Southern Banded Snake |
| Egret, Cattle | Egret, Western Cattle |
| Egret, Intermediate | Egret, Yellow-billed |
| Eremomela, Greencap | Eremomela, Green-capped |
| Finch, Scaly-feathered | Weaver, Scaly-feathered |
| Flycatcher, African Crested | Flycatcher, Blue-mantled Crested |
| Flycatcher, Mariqua | Flycatcher, Marico |
| Gonolek, Crimson-breasted | Shrike, Crimson-breasted |
| Goshawk, Black | Sparrowhawk, Black |
| Grebe, Eared | Grebe, Black-necked |
| Griffon, Cape | Vulture, Cape |
| Harrier, Eurasian Marsh | Harrier, Western Marsh |
| Heron, Green-backed | Heron, Striated |
| Honeyguide, Wahlberg’s | Honeybird, Brown-backed |
| Hoopoe, Eurasian | Hoopoe, African |
| Indigobird, Variable | Indigobird, Dusky |
| Korhaan, Barrow’s | Bustard, White-bellied |
| Lapwing, White-headed | Lapwing, White-crowned |
| Lark, Latakoo | Lark, Melodious |
| Mannikin, Black-and-white | Mannikin, Red-backed |
| Martin, Western House | Martin, Common House |
| Martin, Plain | Martin, Brown-throated |
| Martin, Large Rock | Martin, Rock |
| ALTERNATIVE NAME | LOCAL NAME |
|---|---|
| Moorhen, Eurasian | Moorhen, Common |
| Parrot, Brown-necked | Parrot, Grey-headed |
| Pigeon, Rameron | Pigeon, African Olive |
| Pigeon, Rock | Dove, Rock (Feral Pigeon) |
| Pipit, Bush | Pipit, Bushveld |
| Pipit, Yellow-tufted | Pipit, African Rock |
| Plover, Black-bellied | Plover, Grey |
| Plover, Lesser Sand | Plover, Tibetan Sand |
| Robin, Red-backed Scrub | Robin, White-browed Scrub |
| Roller, Rufous-crowned | Roller, Purple |
| Seedeater, Lemon-breasted | Canary, Lemon-breasted |
| Sparrow, Great Rufous | Sparrow, Great |
| Starling, Cape | Starling, Cape Glossy |
| Sunbird, Mariqua | Sunbird, Marico |
| Sunbird, Mouse-coloured | Sunbird, Grey |
| Swallow, Bank | Martin, Sand |
| Swallow, Montane Blue | Swallow, Blue |
| Swallow, Rufous-chested | Swallow, Red-breasted |
| Swallow, South African | Swallow, South African Cliff |
| Swift, African | Swift, African Black |
| Tern, Greater Crested | Tern, Swift |
| Tinkerbird, Southern Red-fronted | Tinkerbird, Red-fronted |
| Tit, African Penduline- | Tit, Grey Penduline |
| Tit, Southern Penduline- | Tit, Cape Penduline |
| Tit-babbler, Chestnut-vented | Warbler, Chestnut-vented |
| Tit-babbler, Layard’s | Warbler, Layard’s |
| Twinspot, Green-backed | Twinspot, Green |
| Warbler, African Reed | Warbler, Common Reed |
| Warbler, African Yellow | Warbler, Dark-capped Yellow |
| Warbler, Broad-tailed | Grassbird, Fan-tailed |
| Warbler, Eurasian Reed | Warbler, Common Reed |
| Waxbill, Black-tailed | Waxbill, Grey |
| Waxbill, Zebra | Waxbill, Orange-breasted |
| Weaver, African Golden | Weaver, Yellow |
| Weaver, Eastern Yellow | Weaver, Yelow |
| Weaver, Forest | Weaver, Dark-backed |
| Weaver, Golden | Weaver, Holub’s Golden |
| Weaver, Grosbeak | Weaver, Thick-billed |
| Weaver, Parasitic | Finch, Cuckoo- |
| Weaver, Scaly | Weaver, Scaly-feathered |
| Whitethroat, Greater | Whitethroat, Common |
| Whydah, Eastern Paradise- | Whydah, Long-tailed Paradise |
| Wryneck, Rufous-throated | Wryneck, Red-throated |