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List of birds of the Gambia

This is a list of the bird species recorded in The Gambia. The avifauna of The Gambia include a total of 621 species, two of which have been introduced. The country, which is very small and almost completely surrounded by Senegal, has no endemic species.

This list's taxonomic treatment (designation and sequence of orders, families and species) and nomenclature (English and scientific names) are those of The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World, 2022 edition.

The following tags have been used to highlight several categories. Not all species will fall into one of these categories. Those that do not are commonly occurring native species.

 * (A) Accidental - a species that rarely or accidentally occurs in the Gambia
 * (I) Introduced - a species introduced to the Gambia as a consequence, direct or indirect, of human actions
 * (Ex) Extirpated - a species that no longer occurs in the Gambia although populations exist elsewhere

Ducks, geese, and waterfowl
Order: AnseriformesFamily: Anatidae

Anatidae includes the ducks and most duck-like waterfowl, such as geese and swans. These birds are adapted to an aquatic existence with webbed feet, flattened bills, and feathers that are excellent at shedding water due to an oily coating.

 * White-faced whistling-duck, Dendrocygna viduata
 * Fulvous whistling-duck, Dendrocygna bicolor
 * White-backed duck, Thalassornis leuconotus
 * Knob-billed duck, Sarkidiornis melanotos
 * Egyptian goose, Alopochen aegyptiacus
 * Spur-winged goose, Plectropterus gambensis
 * African pygmy-goose, Nettapus auritus
 * Garganey, Spatula querquedula
 * Northern shoveler, Spatula clypeata
 * Gadwall, Mareca strepera (A)
 * Eurasian wigeon, Mareca penelope (A)
 * American wigeon, Mareca americana (A)
 * Northern pintail, Anas acuta
 * Green-winged teal, Anas crecca
 * Common pochard, Aythya ferina (A)
 * Ferruginous duck, Aythya nyroca
 * Tufted duck, Aythya fuligula

Guineafowl
Order: GalliformesFamily: Numididae

Guineafowl are a group of African, seed-eating, ground-nesting birds that resemble partridges, but with featherless heads and spangled grey plumage.

 * Helmeted guineafowl, Numida meleagris

New World quail
Order: GalliformesFamily: Odontophoridae

Despite their family's common name, this species and one other are native to Africa.

 * Stone partridge, Ptilopachus petrosus

Pheasants, grouse, and allies
Order: GalliformesFamily: Phasianidae

The Phasianidae are a family of terrestrial birds which consists of quails, snowcocks, francolins, spurfowls, tragopans, monals, pheasants, peafowls, and jungle fowls. In general, they are plump (although they vary in size) and have broad, relatively short wings.

 * White-throated francolin, Campocolinus albogularis
 * Common quail, Coturnix coturnix
 * Ahanta francolin, Pternistis ahantensis
 * Double-spurred francolin, Pternistis bicalcaratus

Flamingos
Order: PhoenicopteriformesFamily: Phoenicopteridae

Flamingos are wading birds, usually 3 to 5 ft tall, found in both the Western and Eastern Hemispheres. Flamingos filter-feed on shellfish and algae. Their oddly shaped beaks are specially adapted to separate mud and silt from the food they consume and, uniquely, are used upside-down.

 * Greater flamingo, Phoenicopterus roseus
 * Lesser flamingo, Phoenicopterus minor

Grebes
Order: PodicipediformesFamily: Podicipedidae

Grebes are small to medium-sized diving birds. They breed on fresh water, but often visit the sea whilst migrating and in winter. They have lobed toes and are excellent swimmers and divers; however, their feet are placed far back on their bodies, making them quite ungainly on land.

 * Little grebe, Tachybaptus ruficollis
 * Eared grebe, Podiceps nigricollis (A)

Pigeons and doves
Order: ColumbiformesFamily: Columbidae

Pigeons and doves are stout-bodied birds with short necks and short slender bills with a fleshy cere.

 * Rock pigeon, Columba livia
 * Speckled pigeon, Columba guinea
 * European turtle-dove, Streptopelia turtur
 * Adamawa turtle-dove, Streptopelia hypopyrrha (A)
 * African collared-dove, Streptopelia roseogrisea
 * Mourning collared-dove, Streptopelia decipiens
 * Red-eyed dove, Streptopelia semitorquata
 * Vinaceous dove, Streptopelia vinacea
 * Laughing dove, Streptopelia senegalensis
 * Black-billed wood-dove, Turtur abyssinicus
 * Blue-spotted wood-dove, Turtur afer
 * Tambourine dove, Turtur tympanistria
 * Namaqua dove, Oena capensis
 * Bruce's green-pigeon, Treron waalia
 * African green-pigeon, Treron calva

Sandgrouse
Order: PterocliformesFamily: Pteroclidae

Sandgrouse have small pigeon-like heads and necks, but sturdy compact bodies. They have long pointed wings and sometimes tails and a fast direct flight. Flocks fly to watering holes at dawn and dusk. Their legs are feathered down to the toes.

 * Chestnut-bellied sandgrouse, Pterocles exustus(A)
 * Four-banded sandgrouse, Pterocles quadricinctus

Bustards
Order: OtidiformesFamily: Otidae

Bustards are large terrestrial birds mainly associated with dry open country and steppes in the Old World. They are omnivorous and nest on the ground. They walk steadily on strong legs and big toes, pecking for food as they go. They have long broad wings with "fingered" wingtips and striking patterns in flight. Many have interesting mating displays.

 * Arabian bustard, Ardeotis arabs(A)
 * Denham's bustard, Neotis denhami
 * White-bellied bustard, Eupodotis senegalensis(A)
 * Savile's bustard, Lophotis savilei
 * Black-bellied bustard, Lissotis melanogaster

Turacos
Order: MusophagiformesFamily: Musophagidae

The turacos, plantain-eaters, and go-away-birds make up the family Musophagidae. They are medium-sized arboreal birds. The turacos and plantain-eaters are brightly coloured, usually in blue, green, or purple. The go-away-birds are mostly grey and white.

 * Guinea turaco, Tauraco persa
 * Violet turaco, Musophaga violacea
 * Western plantain-eater, Crinifer piscator

Cuckoos
Order: CuculiformesFamily: Cuculidae

The family Cuculidae includes cuckoos, roadrunners, and anis. These birds are of variable size with slender bodies, long tails, and strong legs. The Old World cuckoos are brood parasites.

 * Senegal coucal, Centropus senegalensis
 * Black coucal, Centropus grillii
 * Blue malkoha, Ceuthmochares aereus
 * Great spotted cuckoo, Clamator glandarius
 * Levaillant's cuckoo, Clamator levaillantii
 * Pied cuckoo, Clamator jacobinus
 * Dideric cuckoo, Chrysococcyx caprius
 * Klaas's cuckoo, Chrysococcyx klaas
 * African emerald cuckoo, Chrysococcyx cupreus(A)
 * Black cuckoo, Cuculus clamosus(A)
 * Red-chested cuckoo, Cuculus solitarius
 * African cuckoo, Cuculus gularis
 * Common cuckoo, Cuculus canorus

Nightjars and allies
Order: CaprimulgiformesFamily: Caprimulgidae

Nightjars are medium-sized nocturnal birds that usually nest on the ground. They have long wings, short legs, and very short bills. Most have small feet, of little use for walking, and long pointed wings. Their soft plumage is camouflaged to resemble bark or leaves.

 * Pennant-winged nightjar, Caprimulgus vexillarius(A)
 * Standard-winged nightjar, Caprimulgus longipennis
 * Red-necked nightjar, Caprimulgus ruficollis
 * Eurasian nightjar, Caprimulgus europaeus
 * Egyptian nightjar, Caprimulgus aegyptius
 * Fiery-necked nightjar, Caprimulgus pectoralis
 * Swamp nightjar, Caprimulgus natalensis(A)
 * Plain nightjar, Caprimulgus inornatus
 * Long-tailed nightjar, Caprimulgus climacurus

Swifts
Order: CaprimulgiformesFamily: Apodidae

Swifts are small birds which spend the majority of their lives flying. These birds have very short legs and never settle voluntarily on the ground, perching instead only on vertical surfaces. Many swifts have long swept-back wings which resemble a crescent or boomerang.

 * Mottled spinetail, Telacanthura ussheri
 * Alpine swift, Apus melba (A)
 * Common swift, Apus apus
 * Pallid swift, Apus pallidus
 * Little swift, Apus affinis
 * White-rumped swift, Apus caffer (A)
 * African palm-swift, Cypsiurus parvus

Flufftails
Order: GruiformesFamily: Sarothruridae

The flufftails are a small family of ground-dwelling birds found only in Madagascar and sub-Saharan Africa.

 * White-spotted flufftail, Sarothrura pulchra

Rails, gallinules, and coots
Order: GruiformesFamily: Rallidae

Rallidae is a large family of small to medium-sized birds which includes the rails, crakes, coots, and gallinules. Typically they inhabit dense vegetation in damp environments near lakes, swamps, or rivers. In general they are shy and secretive birds, making them difficult to observe. Most species have strong legs and long toes which are well adapted to soft uneven surfaces. They tend to have short, rounded wings and to be weak fliers.

 * African rail, Rallus caerulescens(A)
 * African crake, Crex egregia
 * Spotted crake, Porzana porzana (A)
 * Lesser moorhen, Paragallinula angulata
 * Eurasian moorhen, Gallinula chloropus
 * Eurasian coot, Fulica atra(A)
 * Allen's gallinule, Porphyrio alleni
 * African swamphen, Porphyrio madagascariensis
 * Black crake, Zapornia flavirostris
 * Little crake, Zapornia parva(A)
 * Baillon's crake, Zapornia pusilla (A)

Finfoots
Order: GruiformesFamily: Heliornithidae

Heliornithidae is a small family of tropical birds with webbed lobes on their feet similar to those of grebes and coots.

 * African finfoot, Podica senegalensis

Cranes
Order: GruiformesFamily: Gruidae

Cranes are large, long-legged, and long-necked birds. Unlike the similar-looking but unrelated herons, cranes fly with necks outstretched, not pulled back. Most have elaborate and noisy courting displays or "dances".

 * Black crowned crane, Balearica pavonina

Thick-knees
Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Burhinidae

The thick-knees are a group of waders found worldwide within the tropical zone, with some species also breeding in temperate Europe and Australia. They are medium to large waders with strong black or yellow-black bills, large yellow eyes, and cryptic plumage. Despite being classed as waders, most species have a preference for arid or semi-arid habitats.

 * Eurasian thick-knee, Burhinus oedicnemus (A)
 * Senegal thick-knee, Burhinus senegalensis
 * Spotted thick-knee, Burhinus capensis

Egyptian plover
Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Pluvianidae

The Egyptian plover is found across equatorial Africa and along the Nile River.

 * Egyptian plover, Pluvianus aegyptius

Stilts and avocets
Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Recurvirostridae

Recurvirostridae is a family of large wading birds which includes the avocets and stilts. The avocets have long legs and long up-curved bills. The stilts have extremely long legs and long, thin, straight bills.

 * Black-winged stilt, Himantopus himantopus
 * Pied avocet, Recurvirostra avosetta

Oystercatchers
Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Haematopodidae

The oystercatchers are large and noisy plover-like birds with strong bills used for smashing or prising open molluscs.

 * Eurasian oystercatcher, Haematopus ostralegus
 * African oystercatcher, Haematopus moquini (A)

Plovers and lapwings
Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Charadriidae

Lapwings, plovers and dotterels are small to medium-sized birds with compact bodies, short, thick necks and long, usually pointed, wings. They are found in open country worldwide, generally in habitats near water, although there are some exceptions.

 * Black-bellied plover, Pluvialis squatarola
 * European golden-plover, Pluvialis apricaria (A)
 * American golden-plover, Pluvialis dominica(A)
 * Northern lapwing, Vanellus vanellus(A)
 * Spur-winged lapwing, Vanellus spinosus
 * Black-headed lapwing, Vanellus tectus
 * White-headed lapwing, Vanellus albiceps
 * Senegal lapwing, Vanellus lugubris(A)
 * Wattled lapwing, Vanellus senegallus
 * Caspian plover, Charadrius asiaticus(A)
 * Kittlitz's plover, Charadrius pecuarius
 * Kentish plover, Charadrius alexandrinus
 * Common ringed plover, Charadrius hiaticula
 * Little ringed plover, Charadrius dubius
 * Forbes's plover, Charadrius forbesi(A)
 * White-fronted plover, Charadrius marginatus
 * Eurasian dotterel, Charadrius morinellus(A)

Painted-snipes
Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Rostratulidae

Painted-snipes are short-legged, long-billed birds similar in shape to the true snipes, but more brightly coloured.

 * Greater painted-snipe, Rostratula benghalensis

Jacanas
Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Jacanidae

The jacanas are a group of waders found throughout the tropics. They are identifiable by their huge feet and claws which enable them to walk on floating vegetation in the shallow lakes that are their preferred habitat.

 * Lesser jacana, Microparra capensis (A)
 * African jacana, Actophilornis africanus

Sandpipers and allies
Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Scolopacidae

 * Whimbrel, Numenius phaeopus
 * Eurasian curlew, Numenius arquata
 * Bar-tailed godwit, Limosa lapponica
 * Black-tailed godwit, Limosa limosa
 * Ruddy turnstone, Arenaria interpres
 * Red knot, Calidris canutus
 * Ruff, Calidris pugnax
 * Curlew sandpiper, Calidris ferruginea
 * Temminck's stint, Calidris temminckii
 * Sanderling, Calidris alba
 * Dunlin, Calidris alpina
 * Purple sandpiper, Calidris maritima
 * Baird's sandpiper, Calidris bairdii (A)
 * Little stint, Calidris minuta
 * Long-billed dowitcher, Limnodromus scolopaceus (A)
 * Jack snipe, Lymnocryptes minimus
 * Great snipe, Gallinago media (A)
 * Common snipe, Gallinago gallinago
 * Terek sandpiper, Xenus cinereus (A)
 * Red-necked phalarope, Phalaropus lobatus (A)
 * Red phalarope, Phalaropus fulicarius
 * Common sandpiper, Actitis hypoleucos
 * Green sandpiper, Tringa ochropus
 * Solitary sandpiper, Tringa solitaria (A)
 * Spotted redshank, Tringa erythropus
 * Common greenshank, Tringa nebularia
 * Lesser yellowlegs, Tringa flavipes (A)
 * Marsh sandpiper, Tringa stagnatilis
 * Wood sandpiper, Tringa glareola
 * Common redshank, Tringa totanus

Buttonquail
Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Turnicidae

The buttonquail are small, drab, running birds which resemble the true quails. The female is the brighter of the sexes and initiates courtship. The male incubates the eggs and tends the young.

 * Small buttonquail, Turnix sylvaticus
 * Quail-plover, Ortyxelos meiffrenii (A)

Pratincoles and coursers
Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Glareolidae

Glareolidae is a family of wading birds comprising the pratincoles, which have short legs, long pointed wings, and long forked tails, and the coursers, which have long legs, short wings, and long, pointed bills which curve downwards.

 * Cream-coloured courser, Cursorius cursor(A)
 * Temminck's courser, Cursorius temminckii
 * Bronze-winged courser, Rhinoptilus chalcopterus
 * Collared pratincole, Glareola pratincola

Skuas and jaegers
Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Stercorariidae

The family Stercorariidae are, in general, medium to large birds, typically with grey or brown plumage, often with white markings on the wings. They nest on the ground in temperate and arctic regions and are long-distance migrants.

 * Great skua, Stercorarius skua (A)
 * Pomarine jaeger, Stercorarius pomarinus
 * Parasitic jaeger, Stercorarius parasiticus

Gulls, terns, and skimmers
Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Laridae

 * Black-legged kittiwake, Rissa tridactyla (A)
 * Sabine's gull, Xema sabini (A)
 * Slender-billed gull, Chroicocephalus genei
 * Gray-hooded gull, Chroicocephalus cirrocephalus
 * Black-headed gull, Chroicocephalus ridibundus
 * Little gull, Hydrocoloeus minutus (A)
 * Laughing gull, Leucophaeus atricilla (A)
 * Franklin's gull, Leucophaeus pipixcan (A)
 * Mediterranean gull, Ichthyaetus melanocephalus (A)
 * Audouin's gull, Ichthyaetus audouinii
 * Common gull, Larus canus(A)
 * Ring-billed gull, Larus delawarensis(A)
 * Herring gull, Larus argentatus (A)
 * Yellow-legged gull, Larus michahellis (A)
 * Lesser black-backed gull, Larus fuscus
 * Kelp gull, Larus dominicanus
 * Brown noddy, Anous stolidus(A)
 * Black noddy, Anous minutus(A)
 * Bridled tern, Onychoprion anaethetus(A)
 * Little tern, Sternula albifrons
 * Gull-billed tern, Gelochelidon nilotica
 * Caspian tern, Hydroprogne caspia
 * Black tern, Chlidonias niger
 * White-winged tern, Chlidonias leucopterus
 * Whiskered tern, Chlidonias hybrida
 * Roseate tern, Sterna dougallii(A)
 * Common tern, Sterna hirundo
 * Arctic tern, Sterna paradisaea
 * Sandwich tern, Thalasseus sandvicensis
 * Lesser crested tern, Thalasseus bengalensis
 * West African crested tern, Thalasseus albididorsalis
 * African skimmer, Rynchops flavirostris

Tropicbirds
Order: PhaethontiformesFamily: Phaethontidae

Tropicbirds are slender white birds of tropical oceans, with exceptionally long central tail feathers. Their heads and long wings have black markings.

 * Red-billed tropicbird, Phaethon aethereus

Southern storm-petrels
Order: ProcellariiformesFamily: Oceanitidae

The southern storm-petrels are relatives of the petrels and are the smallest seabirds. They feed on planktonic crustaceans and small fish picked from the surface, typically while hovering. The flight is fluttering and sometimes bat-like.

 * Wilson's storm-petrel, Oceanites oceanicus

Northern storm-petrels
Order: ProcellariiformesFamily: Hydrobatidae

Though the members of this family are similar in many respects to the southern storm-petrels, including their general appearance and habits, there are enough genetic differences to warrant their placement in a separate family.

 * European storm-petrel, Hydrobates pelagicus
 * Leach's storm-petrel, Hydrobates leucorhous(A)

Shearwaters and petrels
Order: ProcellariiformesFamily: Procellariidae

Shearwaters are medium-sized, long-winged seabirds. Highly pelagic, they come ashore only to breed, nesting on islands and rocky cliffs. They generally glide low above the water on stiff wings, and feed on fish, squid and similar oceanic food. There are 23–27 species worldwide. (Some experts split Audubon's shearwater into several distinct species, while others consider those distinctive forms to be subspecies.)

 * Fea's petrel, Pterodroma feae
 * Cory's shearwater, Calonectris diomedea
 * Great shearwater, Ardenna gravis (A)
 * Sooty shearwater, Ardenna grisea (A)
 * Manx shearwater, Puffinus puffinus(A)
 * Balearic shearwater, Puffinus mauretanicus
 * Boyd's shearwater, Puffinus boydi

Storks
Order: CiconiiformesFamily: Ciconiidae

Storks are large, long-legged, long-necked wading birds with long stout bills. They occur in most of the world's warmer regions and tend to live in drier habitats than herons, to which they're closely related. They build large stick nests and sometimes nest colonially. Many species are migratory. Most storks eat a variety of small vertebrates and invertebrates; some eat carrion. Seven species have been recorded in the Gambia.

 * Black stork, Ciconia nigra(A)
 * Abdim's stork, Ciconia abdimii(A)
 * African woolly-necked stork, Ciconia microscelis
 * White stork, Ciconia ciconia(A)
 * Saddle-billed stork, Ephippiorhynchus senegalensis
 * Marabou stork, Leptoptilos crumenifer
 * Yellow-billed stork, Mycteria ibis

Frigatebirds
Order: SuliformesFamily: Fregatidae

Frigatebirds are large seabirds typically found soaring over tropical oceans. They have long wings and a deeply forked tail; their plumage is either black (males) or black-and-white (females and young). Males have coloured inflatable throat pouches, which are used in courtship. Frigatebirds spend most of their time in the air. They are kleptoparasites and often chase other seabirds to get them to drop their catches of fish; they also scoop fish from the water's surface.

 * Magnificent frigatebird, Fregata magnificens(A)

Gannets and boobies
Order: SuliformesFamily: Sulidae

Gannets and boobies are large seabirds with long beaks and long, pointed wings. They eat fish, which they hunt by plunge-diving from heights of up to 30 m and chasing their prey underwater. They nest colonially on islands and along coasts, either on the ground or in trees.

 * Brown booby, Sula leucogaster(A)
 * Northern gannet, Morus bassanus

Anhingas

Order: SuliformesFamily: Anhingidae

Anhingas or darters are large waterbirds, found primarily in fresh and brackish water habitats. Because their plumage is not entirely waterproof, they often stand out of the water with their wings outstretched, drying off. Darters are strongly sexually dimorphic; males generally have much darker plumage than do females. They eat primarily fish, which they catch by diving from the water's surface.

 * African darter, Anhinga rufa

Cormorants and shags
Order: SuliformesFamily: Phalacrocoracidae

Cormorants are medium to large seabirds, found primarily along the coast, but occasionally ranging some way inland in aquatic environments. Their plumage is generally dark, though most species have areas of brightly coloured skin on the face. They are primarily fish eaters. Their bills are long, thin and sharply hooked, and their four-toed feet are webbed. Because their plumage is only semi-waterproof, they often stand out of the water with their wings outstretched to dry out their feathers.

 * Long-tailed cormorant, Microcarbo africanus
 * Great cormorant, Phalacrocorax carbo

Pelicans
Order: PelecaniformesFamily: Pelecanidae

Pelicans are large water birds with a distinctive pouch under their beak. As with other members of the order Pelecaniformes, they have webbed feet with four toes.

 * Great white pelican, Pelecanus onocrotalus
 * Pink-backed pelican, Pelecanus rufescens

Hamerkop
Order: PelecaniformesFamily: Scopidae

Hamerkops are medium-sized, all-brown wading birds named for their hammer-headed appearance, which is created by the combination of their shaggy backwards-pointing crests and their heavy black bills. Typically found in wetland areas, they forage in shallow water for amphibians, small fish, crustaceans, insects, worms and small mammals. They build enormous, complex nests—which they generally use for only a matter of months—and occupy their territories year-round.

 * Hamerkop, Scopus umbretta

Herons, egrets, and bitterns
Order: PelecaniformesFamily: Ardeidae

Herons, egrets and bitterns are long-legged birds typically associated with wetlands; herons and egrets are long-necked, while bitterns tend to be shorter-necked and quite secretive. Birds in this family often wade in shallow waters, preying on various aquatic organisms (including fish and frogs) as well as reptiles, amphibians and the occasional small bird. In flight, they hold their neck retracted in a gentle S-curve.

 * Great bittern, Botaurus stellaris (A)
 * Little bittern, Ixobrychus minutus
 * Dwarf bittern, Ixobrychus sturmii
 * White-crested bittern, Tigriornis leucolophus
 * Gray heron, Ardea cinerea
 * Black-headed heron, Ardea melanocephala
 * Goliath heron, Ardea goliath
 * Purple heron, Ardea purpurea
 * Great egret, Ardea alba
 * Intermediate egret, Ardea intermedia
 * Little egret, Egretta garzetta
 * Western reef-heron, Egretta gularis
 * Black heron, Egretta ardesiaca
 * Cattle egret, Bubulcus ibis
 * Squacco heron, Ardeola ralloides
 * Striated heron, Butorides striata
 * Black-crowned night-heron, Nycticorax nycticorax
 * White-backed night-heron, Gorsachius leuconotus

Ibises and spoonbills
Order: PelecaniformesFamily: Threskiornithidae

Threskiornithidae is a family of large terrestrial and wading birds which includes the ibises and spoonbills.

 * Glossy ibis, Plegadis falcinellus
 * African sacred ibis, Threskiornis aethiopicus
 * Hadada ibis, Bostrychia hagedash
 * Eurasian spoonbill, Platalea leucorodia
 * African spoonbill, Platalea alba

Secretarybird
Order: AccipitriformesFamily: Sagittariidae

The secretarybird is a bird of prey in the order Accipitriformes but is easily distinguished from other raptors by its long crane-like legs.

 * Secretarybird, Sagittarius serpentarius(A)

Osprey
Order: AccipitriformesFamily: Pandionidae

 * Osprey, Pandion haliaetus

Hawks, eagles, and kites
Order: AccipitriformesFamily: Accipitridae

 * Black-winged kite, Elanus caeruleus
 * Scissor-tailed kite, Chelictinia riocourii
 * African harrier-hawk, Polyboroides typus
 * Palm-nut vulture, Gypohierax angolensis
 * Egyptian vulture, Neophron percnopterus
 * European honey-buzzard, Pernis apivorus
 * African cuckoo-hawk, Aviceda cuculoides
 * White-headed vulture, Trigonoceps occipitalis
 * Cinereous vulture, Aegypius monachus (A)
 * Lappet-faced vulture, Torgos tracheliotos
 * Hooded vulture, Necrosyrtes monachus
 * White-backed vulture, Gyps africanus
 * Rüppell's griffon, Gyps rueppelli
 * Eurasian griffon, Gyps fulvus
 * Bateleur, Terathopius ecaudatus
 * Short-toed snake-eagle, Circaetus gallicus
 * Beaudouin's snake-eagle, Circaetus beaudouini
 * Brown snake-eagle, Circaetus cinereus
 * Banded snake-eagle, Circaetus cinerascens
 * Bat hawk, Macheiramphus alcinus (A)
 * Crowned eagle, Stephanoaetus coronatus (A)
 * Martial eagle, Polemaetus bellicosus
 * Long-crested eagle, Lophaetus occipitalis
 * Wahlberg's eagle, Hieraaetus wahlbergi
 * Booted eagle, Hieraaetus pennatus
 * Ayres's hawk-eagle, Hieraaetus ayresii (A)
 * Tawny eagle, Aquila rapax
 * Bonelli's eagle, Aquila fasciata (A)
 * African hawk-eagle, Aquila spilogaster
 * Lizard buzzard, Kaupifalco monogrammicus
 * Dark chanting-goshawk, Melierax metabates
 * Gabar goshawk, Micronisus gabar
 * Grasshopper buzzard, Butastur rufipennis
 * Eurasian marsh-harrier, Circus aeruginosus
 * Pallid harrier, Circus macrourus
 * Montagu's harrier, Circus pygargus
 * African goshawk, Accipiter tachiro
 * Shikra, Accipiter badius
 * Red-thighed sparrowhawk, Accipiter erythropus
 * Ovambo sparrowhawk, Accipiter ovampensis
 * Eurasian sparrowhawk, Accipiter nisus(A)
 * Black goshawk, Accipiter melanoleucus (A)
 * Red kite, Milvus milvus(A)
 * Black kite, Milvus migrans
 * African fish-eagle, Haliaeetus vocifer
 * Common buzzard, Buteo buteo (A)
 * Long-legged buzzard, Buteo rufinus(A)
 * Red-necked buzzard, Buteo auguralis
 * Augur buzzard, Buteo augur

Barn-owls
Order: StrigiformesFamily: Tytonidae

Barn-owls are medium to large owls with large heads and characteristic heart-shaped faces. They have long strong legs with powerful talons.

 * Barn owl, Tyto alba

Owls
Order: StrigiformesFamily: Strigidae

The typical owls are small to large solitary nocturnal birds of prey. They have large forward-facing eyes and ears, a hawk-like beak and a conspicuous circle of feathers around each eye called a facial disk.

 * Eurasian scops-owl, Otus scops
 * African scops-owl, Otus senegalensis
 * Northern white-faced owl, Ptilopsis leucotis
 * Grayish eagle-owl, Bubo cinerascens
 * Verreaux's eagle-owl, Bubo lacteus
 * Pel's fishing-owl, Scotopelia peli
 * Pearl-spotted owlet, Glaucidium perlatum
 * African wood-owl, Strix woodfordii
 * Short-eared owl, Asio flammeus (A)
 * Marsh owl, Asio capensis

Mousebirds
Order: ColiiformesFamily: Coliidae

The mousebirds are slender grayish or brown birds with soft, hairlike body feathers and very long thin tails. They are arboreal and scurry through the leaves like rodents in search of berries, fruit, and buds. They are acrobatic and can feed upside down. All species have strong claws and reversible outer toes. They also have crests and stubby bills.

 * Blue-naped mousebird, Urocolius macrourus (A)

Hoopoes
Order: BucerotiformesFamily: Upupidae

Hoopoes have black, white and orangey-pink colouring with a large erectile crest on their head.

 * Eurasian hoopoe, Upupa epops

Woodhoopoes and scimitarbills
Order: BucerotiformesFamily: Phoeniculidae

The woodhoopoes are related to the kingfishers, rollers and hoopoes. They most resemble the hoopoes with their long curved bills, used to probe for insects, and short rounded wings. However, they differ in that they have metallic plumage, often blue, green or purple, and lack an erectile crest.

 * Green woodhoopoe, Phoeniculus purpureus
 * Black scimitarbill, Rhinopomastus aterrimus

Ground-hornbills
Order: BucerotiformesFamily: Bucorvidae

The ground-hornbills are terrestrial birds which feed almost entirely on insects, other birds, snakes, and amphibians.

 * Abyssinian ground-hornbill, Bucorvus abyssinicus

Hornbills
Order: BucerotiformesFamily: Bucerotidae

Hornbills are a group of birds whose bill is shaped like a cow's horn, but without a twist, sometimes with a casque on the upper mandible. Frequently, the bill is brightly coloured.

 * African pied hornbill, Lophoceros fasciatus
 * African gray hornbill, Lophoceros nasutus
 * Western red-billed hornbill, Tockus kempi
 * Black-casqued hornbill, Ceratogymna atrata (A)
 * Yellow-casqued hornbill, Ceratogymna elata (Ex)
 * Piping hornbill, Bycanistes fistulator

Kingfishers
Order: CoraciiformesFamily: Alcedinidae

 * Shining blue kingfisher, Alcedo quadribrachys
 * Malachite kingfisher, Corythornis cristatus
 * African pygmy kingfisher, Ispidina picta
 * Gray-headed kingfisher, Halcyon leucocephala
 * Woodland kingfisher, Halcyon senegalensis
 * Blue-breasted kingfisher, Halcyon malimbica
 * Striped kingfisher, Halcyon chelicuti
 * Giant kingfisher, Megaceryle maxima
 * Pied kingfisher, Ceryle rudis

Bee-eaters
Order: CoraciiformesFamily: Meropidae

The bee-eaters are a group of near passerine birds in the family Meropidae. Most species are found in Africa but others occur in southern Europe, Madagascar, Australia and New Guinea. They are characterised by richly coloured plumage, slender bodies and usually elongated central tail feathers. All are colourful and have long downturned bills and pointed wings, which give them a swallow-like appearance when seen from afar.

 * Red-throated bee-eater, Merops bulocki
 * Little bee-eater, Merops pusillus
 * Swallow-tailed bee-eater, Merops hirundineus
 * White-throated bee-eater, Merops albicollis
 * Green bee-eater, Merops orientalis
 * Blue-cheeked bee-eater, Merops persicus
 * European bee-eater, Merops apiaster
 * Northern carmine bee-eater, Merops nubicus

Rollers
Order: CoraciiformesFamily: Coraciidae

Rollers resemble crows in size and build, but are more closely related to the kingfishers and bee-eaters. They share the colourful appearance of those groups with blues and browns predominating. The two inner front toes are connected, but the outer toe is not.

 * European roller, Coracias garrulus
 * Abyssinian roller, Coracias abyssinica
 * Rufous-crowned roller, Coracias naevia
 * Blue-bellied roller, Coracias cyanogaster
 * Broad-billed roller, Eurystomus glaucurus

African barbets
Order: PiciformesFamily: Lybiidae

The African barbets are plump birds, with short necks and large heads. They get their name from the bristles which fringe their heavy bills. Most species are brightly coloured.

 * Red-rumped tinkerbird, Pogoniulus atroflavus
 * Yellow-rumped tinkerbird, Pogoniulus bilineatus
 * Yellow-fronted tinkerbird, Pogoniulus chrysoconus
 * Hairy-breasted barbet, Tricholaema hirsuta (A)
 * Vieillot's barbet, Lybius vieilloti
 * Bearded barbet, Lybius dubius

Honeyguides
Order: PiciformesFamily: Indicatoridae

Honeyguides are among the few birds that feed on wax. They are named for the greater honeyguide which leads traditional honey-hunters to bees' nests and, after the hunters have harvested the honey, feeds on the remaining contents of the hive.

 * Cassin's honeyguide, Prodotiscus insignis (A)
 * Wahlberg's honeyguide, Prodotiscus regulus (A)
 * Least honeyguide, Indicator exilis
 * Lesser honeyguide, Indicator minor
 * Spotted honeyguide, Indicator maculatus
 * Greater honeyguide, Indicator indicator

Woodpeckers
Order: PiciformesFamily: Picidae

Woodpeckers are small to medium-sized birds with chisel-like beaks, short legs, stiff tails and long tongues used for capturing insects. Some species have feet with two toes pointing forward and two backward, while several species have only three toes. Many woodpeckers have the habit of tapping noisily on tree trunks with their beaks.

 * Eurasian wryneck, Jynx torquilla
 * Little grey woodpecker, Chloropicus elachus
 * Cardinal woodpecker, Chloropicus fuscescens
 * Brown-backed woodpecker, Chloropicus obsoletus
 * African gray woodpecker, Chloropicus goertae
 * Buff-spotted woodpecker, Campethera nivosa
 * Little green woodpecker, Campethera maculosa (A)
 * Fine-spotted woodpecker, Campethera punctuligera
 * Golden-tailed woodpecker, Campethera abingoni

Falcons and caracaras
Order: FalconiformesFamily: Falconidae

Falconidae is a family of diurnal birds of prey. They differ from hawks, eagles and kites in that they kill with their beaks instead of their talons.

 * Lesser kestrel, Falco naumanni
 * Eurasian kestrel, Falco tinnunculus
 * Fox kestrel, Falco alopex(A)
 * Gray kestrel, Falco ardosiaceus
 * Red-necked falcon, Falco chicquera
 * Red-footed falcon, Falco vespertinus(A)
 * Eurasian hobby, Falco subbuteo
 * African hobby, Falco cuvierii
 * Lanner falcon, Falco biarmicus
 * Peregrine falcon, Falco peregrinus

Old World parrots
Order: PsittaciformesFamily: Psittaculidae

Characteristic features of parrots include a strong curved bill, an upright stance, strong legs, and clawed zygodactyl feet. Many parrots are vividly colored, and some are multi-colored. In size they range from 8 cm to 1 m in length. Old World parrots are found from Africa east across south and southeast Asia and Oceania to Australia and New Zealand.

 * Rose-ringed parakeet, Psittacula krameri

African and New World parrots
Order: PsittaciformesFamily: Psittacidae

Parrots are small to large birds with a characteristic curved beak. Their upper mandibles have slight mobility in the joint with the skull and they have a generally erect stance. All parrots are zygodactyl, having the four toes on each foot placed two at the front and two to the back. Most of the more than 150 species in this family are found in the New World.

 * Brown-necked parrot, Poicephalus fuscicollis
 * Senegal parrot, Poicephalus senegalus

Cuckooshrikes
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Campephagidae

The cuckooshrikes are small to medium-sized passerine birds. They are predominantly greyish with white and black, although some species are brightly coloured.

 * White-breasted cuckooshrike, Coracina pectoralis
 * Red-shouldered cuckooshrike, Campephaga phoenicea

Old World orioles
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Oriolidae

The Old World orioles are colourful passerine birds. They are not related to the New World orioles.

 * Eurasian golden oriole, Oriolus oriolus(A)
 * African golden oriole, Oriolus auratus

Wattle-eyes and batises
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Platysteiridae

The wattle-eyes, or puffback flycatchers, are small stout passerine birds of the African tropics. They get their name from the brightly coloured fleshy eye decorations found in most species in this group.

 * Brown-throated wattle-eye, Platysteira cyanea
 * Senegal batis, Batis senegalensis

Vangas, helmetshrikes, and allies
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Vangidae

The helmetshrikes are similar in build to the shrikes, but tend to be colourful species with distinctive crests or other head ornaments, such as wattles, from which they get their name.

 * White helmetshrike, Prionops plumatus
 * African shrike-flycatcher, Megabyas flammulatus(A)
 * Black-and-white shrike-flycatcher, Bias musicus(A)

Bushshrikes and allies
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Malaconotidae

Bushshrikes are similar in habits to shrikes, hunting insects and other small prey from a perch on a bush. Although similar in build to the shrikes, these tend to be either colourful species or largely black; some species are quite secretive.

 * Brubru, Nilaus afer
 * Northern puffback, Dryoscopus gambensis
 * Black-crowned tchagra, Tchagra senegala
 * Yellow-crowned gonolek, Laniarius barbarus
 * Sulphur-breasted bushshrike, Telophorus sulfureopectus
 * Gray-headed bushshrike, Malaconotus blanchoti

Drongos
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Dicruridae

The drongos are mostly black or dark grey in colour, sometimes with metallic tints. They have long forked tails, and some Asian species have elaborate tail decorations. They have short legs and sit very upright when perched, like a shrike. They flycatch or take prey from the ground.

 * Western square-tailed drongo, Dicrurus occidentalis
 * Glossy-backed drongo, Dicrurus divaricatus

Monarch flycatchers
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Monarchidae

The monarch flycatchers are small to medium-sized insectivorous passerines which hunt by flycatching.

 * Black-headed paradise-flycatcher, Terpsiphone rufiventer
 * African paradise-flycatcher, Terpsiphone viridis

Shrikes
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Laniidae

Shrikes are passerine birds known for their habit of catching other birds and small animals and impaling the uneaten portions of their bodies on thorns. A shrike's beak is hooked, like that of a typical bird of prey.

 * Red-backed shrike, Lanius collurio (A)
 * Red-tailed shrike, Lanius phoenicuroides
 * Isabelline shrike, Lanius isabellinus(A)
 * Great gray shrike, Lanius excubitor(A)
 * Yellow-billed shrike, Lanius corvinus
 * Woodchat shrike, Lanius senator

Crows, jays, and magpies
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Corvidae

The family Corvidae includes crows, ravens, jays, choughs, magpies, treepies, nutcrackers, and ground jays. Corvids are above average in size among the Passeriformes, and some of the larger species show high levels of intelligence.

 * Piapiac, Ptilostomus afer
 * Pied crow, Corvus albus
 * Brown-necked raven, Corvus ruficollis(A)

Hyliotas
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Hyliotidae

The members of this small family, all of genus Hyliota, are birds of the forest canopy. They tend to feed in mixed-species flocks.

 * Yellow-bellied hyliota, Hyliota flavigaster
 * Southern hyliota, Hyliota australis

Fairy flycatchers
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Stenostiridae

Most of the species of this small family are found in Africa, though a few inhabit tropical Asia. They are not closely related to other birds called "flycatchers".

 * African blue flycatcher, Elminia longicauda

Tits, chickadees, and titmice
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Paridae

The Paridae are mainly small stocky woodland species with short stout bills. Some have crests. They are adaptable birds, with a mixed diet including seeds and insects.

 * White-shouldered black-tit, Melaniparus guineensis

Penduline-tits
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Remizidae

The penduline-tits are a group of small passerine birds related to the true tits. They are insectivores.

 * Yellow penduline-tit, Anthoscopus parvulus

Larks
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Alaudidae

 * Rufous-rumped lark, Pinarocorys erythropygia (A)
 * Dusky lark, Pinarocorys nigricans (A)
 * Chestnut-backed sparrow-lark, Eremopterix leucotis
 * Black-crowned sparrow-lark, Eremopterix nigriceps (A)
 * Flappet lark, Mirafra rufocinnamomea
 * Kordofan lark, Mirafra cordofanica
 * Horsfield's bushlark, Mirafra javanica
 * Temminck's lark, Eremophila bilopha(A)
 * Sun lark, Galerida modesta
 * Crested lark, Galerida cristata

Nicators
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Nicatoridae

The nicators are shrike-like, with hooked bills. They are endemic to sub-Saharan Africa.

 * Western nicator, Nicator chloris

African warblers
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Macrosphenidae

African warblers are small to medium-sized insectivores which are found in a wide variety of habitats south of the Sahara.

 * Green crombec, Sylvietta virens
 * Lemon-bellied crombec, Sylvietta denti(A)
 * Northern crombec, Sylvietta brachyura
 * Green hylia, Hylia prasina

Cisticolas and allies
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Cisticolidae

The Cisticolidae are warblers found mainly in warmer southern regions of the Old World. They are generally very small birds of drab brown or grey appearance found in open country such as grassland or scrub.

 * Yellow-bellied eremomela, Eremomela icteropygialis
 * Senegal eremomela, Eremomela pusilla
 * Green-backed eremomela, Camaroptera brachyura
 * Olive-green camaroptera, Camaroptera chloronota
 * Yellow-breasted apalis, Apalis flavida
 * Tawny-flanked prinia, Prinia subflava
 * River prinia, Prinia fluviatilis
 * Oriole warbler, Hypergerus atriceps
 * Red-faced cisticola, Cisticola erythrops
 * Singing cisticola, Cisticola cantans
 * Whistling cisticola, Cisticola lateralis
 * Dorst's cisticola, Cisticola guinea
 * Winding cisticola, Cisticola marginatus
 * Croaking cisticola, Cisticola natalensis
 * Siffling cisticola, Cisticola brachypterus
 * Rufous cisticola, Cisticola rufus
 * Zitting cisticola, Cisticola juncidis
 * Desert cisticola, Cisticola aridulus
 * Black-backed cisticola, Cisticola eximius

Reed warblers and allies
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Acrocephalidae

The members of this family are usually rather large for "warblers". Most are rather plain olivaceous brown above with much yellow to beige below. They are usually found in open woodland, reedbeds, or tall grass. The family occurs mostly in southern to western Eurasia and surroundings, but it also ranges far into the Pacific, with some species in Africa.

 * Eastern olivaceous warbler, Iduna pallida
 * Western olivaceous warbler, Iduna opaca
 * Melodious warbler, Hippolais polyglotta
 * Icterine warbler, Hippolais icterina(A)
 * Moustached warbler, Acrocephalus melanopogon (A)
 * Sedge warbler, Acrocephalus schoenobaenus
 * Marsh warbler, Acrocephalus palustris (A)
 * Common reed warbler, Acrocephalus scirpaceus
 * Greater swamp warbler, Acrocephalus rufescens
 * Great reed warbler, Acrocephalus arundinaceus(A)

Grassbirds and allies
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Locustellidae

Locustellidae are a family of small insectivorous songbirds found mainly in Eurasia, Africa, and the Australian region. They are smallish birds with tails that are usually long and pointed, and tend to be drab brownish or buffy all over.

 * Savi's warbler, Locustella luscinioides (A)
 * Common grasshopper-warbler, Locustella naevia(A)

Swallows
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Hirundinidae

The family Hirundinidae is adapted to aerial feeding. They have a slender streamlined body, long pointed wings, and a short bill with a wide gape. The feet are adapted to perching rather than walking, and the front toes are partially joined at the base.

 * Plain martin, Riparia paludicola
 * Bank swallow, Riparia riparia
 * Banded martin, Neophedina cincta (A)
 * Eurasian crag-martin, Ptyonoprogne rupestris
 * Barn swallow, Hirundo rustica
 * Red-chested swallow, Hirundo lucida
 * Ethiopian swallow, Hirundo aethiopica
 * Wire-tailed swallow, Hirundo smithii
 * Pied-winged swallow, Hirundo leucosoma
 * Red-rumped swallow, Cecropis daurica
 * Lesser striped swallow, Cecropis abyssinica (A)
 * Rufous-chested swallow, Cecropis semirufa
 * Mosque swallow, Cecropis senegalensis
 * Common house-martin, Delichon urbicum
 * Fanti sawwing, Psalidoprocne obscura
 * Gray-rumped swallow, Pseudhirundo griseopyga (A)

Bulbuls
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Pycnonotidae

Bulbuls are medium-sized songbirds. Some are colourful with yellow, red or orange vents, cheeks, throats or supercilia, but most are drab, with uniform olive-brown to black plumage. Some species have distinct crests.

 * Gray-headed bristlebill, Bleda canicapillus
 * Sjöstedt's greenbul, Baeopogon clamans
 * Yellow-throated greenbul, Atimastillas flavicollis
 * Swamp greenbul, Thescelocichla leucopleura(A)
 * Red-tailed greenbul, Criniger calurus
 * Little greenbul, Eurillas virens
 * Leaf-love, Phyllastrephus scandens
 * White-throated greenbul, Phyllastrephus albigularis
 * Common bulbul, Pycnonotus barbatus

Leaf warblers
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Phylloscopidae

Leaf warblers are a family of small insectivorous birds found mostly in Eurasia and ranging into Wallacea and Africa. The species are of various sizes, often green-plumaged above and yellow below, or more subdued with greyish-green to greyish-brown colours.

 * Wood warbler, Phylloscopus sibilatrix(A)
 * Western Bonelli's warbler, Phylloscopus bonelli
 * Yellow-browed warbler, Phylloscopus inornatus(A)
 * Willow warbler, Phylloscopus trochilus
 * Common chiffchaff, Phylloscopus collybita
 * Iberian chiffchaff, Phylloscopus ibericus (A)

Sylviid warblers, parrotbills, and allies
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Sylviidae

The family Sylviidae is a group of small insectivorous passerine birds. As another common name, Old World warblers, implies, they mainly occur as breeding species in Europe, Asia and, to a lesser extent, Africa. Most are of generally undistinguished appearance, but many have distinctive songs.

 * Eurasian blackcap, Sylvia atricapilla
 * Garden warbler, Sylvia borin
 * Barred warbler, Curruca nisoria (A)
 * Lesser whitethroat, Curruca curruca(A)
 * Western Orphean warbler, Curruca hortensis (A)
 * Rüppell's warbler, Curruca ruppeli(A)
 * Western subalpine warbler, Curruca iberiae
 * Eastern subalpine warbler, Curruca cantillans
 * Greater whitethroat, Curruca communis
 * Spectacled warbler, Curruca conspicillata(A)

White-eyes, yuhinas, and allies
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Zosteropidae

The white-eyes are small and mostly undistinguished, their plumage above being generally some dull colour like greenish-olive, but some species have a white or bright yellow throat, breast, or lower parts, and several have buff flanks. As their name suggests, many species have a white ring around each eye.

 * Northern yellow white-eye, Zosterops senegalensis

Ground babblers and allies
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Pellorneidae

These small to medium-sized songbirds have soft fluffy plumage but are otherwise rather diverse. Members of the genus Illadopsis are found in forests, but some other genera are birds of scrublands.

 * Brown illadopsis, Illadopsis fulvescens (A)
 * Puvel's illadopsis, Illadopsis puveli

Laughingthrushes and allies
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Leiothrichidae

The members of this family are diverse in size and colouration, though those of genus Turdoides tend to be brown or greyish. The family is found in Africa, India, and southeast Asia.

 * Capuchin babbler, Turdoides atripennis
 * Blackcap babbler, Turdoides reinwardtii
 * Brown babbler, Turdoides plebejus

Treecreepers
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Certhiidae

Treecreepers are small woodland birds, brown above and white below. They have thin pointed down-curved bills, which they use to extricate insects from bark. They have stiff tail feathers, like woodpeckers, which they use to support themselves on vertical trees.

 * African spotted creeper, Salpornis salvadori

Oxpeckers
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Buphagidae

As both the English and scientific names of these birds imply, they feed on ectoparasites, primarily ticks, found on large mammals.

 * Yellow-billed oxpecker, Buphagus africanus

Starlings
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Sturnidae

Starlings are small to medium-sized passerine birds. Their flight is strong and direct and they are very gregarious. Their preferred habitat is fairly open country. They eat insects and fruit. Plumage is typically dark with a metallic sheen.

 * Wattled starling, Creatophora cinerea(A)
 * Violet-backed starling, Cinnyricinclus leucogaster
 * Neumann's starling, Onychognathus neumanni
 * Long-tailed glossy starling, Lamprotornis caudatus
 * Splendid starling, Lamprotornis splendidus
 * Chestnut-bellied starling, Lamprotornis pulcher
 * Lesser blue-eared starling, Lamprotornis chloropterus
 * Greater blue-eared starling, Lamprotornis chalybaeus
 * Purple starling, Lamprotornis purpureus
 * Bronze-tailed starling, Lamprotornis chalcurus

Thrushes and allies
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Turdidae

The thrushes are a group of passerine birds that occur mainly in the Old World. They are plump, soft plumaged, small to medium-sized insectivores or sometimes omnivores, often feeding on the ground. Many have attractive songs.

 * African thrush, Turdus pelios

Old World flycatchers
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Muscicapidae

Old World flycatchers are a large group of small passerine birds native to the Old World. They are mainly small arboreal insectivores. The appearance of these birds is highly varied, but they mostly have weak songs and harsh calls.

 * Spotted flycatcher, Muscicapa striata
 * Swamp flycatcher, Muscicapa aquatica
 * Pale flycatcher, Agricola pallidus
 * Gray tit-flycatcher, Fraseria plumbea
 * Northern black-flycatcher, Melaenornis edolioides
 * White-tailed alethe, Alethe diademata
 * Black scrub-robin, Cercotrichas podobe
 * Rufous-tailed scrub-robin, Cercotrichas galactotes (A)
 * Snowy-crowned robin-chat, Cossypha niveicapilla
 * White-crowned robin-chat, Cossypha albicapilla
 * Common nightingale, Luscinia megarhynchos
 * Bluethroat, Luscinia svecica (A)
 * European pied flycatcher, Ficedula hypoleuca
 * Common redstart, Phoenicurus phoenicurus
 * Rufous-tailed rock-thrush, Monticola saxatilis
 * Blue rock-thrush, Monticola solitarius
 * Whinchat, Saxicola rubetra
 * African stonechat, Saxicola torquatus (A)
 * Northern anteater-chat, Myrmecocichla aethiops
 * Northern wheatear, Oenanthe oenanthe
 * Isabelline wheatear, Oenanthe isabellina(A)
 * Western black-eared wheatear, Oenanthe hispanica(A)
 * White-fronted black-chat, Oenanthe albifrons
 * Blackstart, Oenanthe melanura(A)
 * White-crowned wheatear, Oenanthe leucopyga (A)

Sunbirds and spiderhunters
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Nectariniidae

The sunbirds and spiderhunters are very small passerine birds which feed largely on nectar, although they will also take insects, especially when feeding young. Flight is fast and direct on their short wings. Most species can take nectar by hovering like a hummingbird, but usually perch to feed.

 * Mouse-brown sunbird, Anthreptes gabonicus
 * Western violet-backed sunbird, Anthreptes longuemarei
 * Collared sunbird, Hedydipna collaris
 * Pygmy sunbird, Hedydipna platura
 * Green-headed sunbird, Cyanomitra verticalis
 * Scarlet-chested sunbird, Chalcomitra senegalensis
 * Olive-bellied sunbird, Cinnyris chloropygia
 * Beautiful sunbird, Cinnyris pulchellus
 * Splendid sunbird, Cinnyris coccinigaster
 * Variable sunbird, Cinnyris venustus
 * Copper sunbird, Cinnyris cupreus

Weavers and allies
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Ploceidae

The weavers are small passerine birds related to the finches. They are seed-eating birds with rounded conical bills. The males of many species are brightly coloured, usually in red or yellow and black. Some species show variation in colour only in the breeding season.

 * White-billed buffalo-weaver, Bubalornis albirostris
 * Speckle-fronted weaver, Sporopipes frontalis
 * Chestnut-crowned sparrow-weaver, Plocepasser superciliosus
 * Red-headed weaver, Anaplectes rubriceps (A)
 * Little weaver, Ploceus luteolus
 * Olive-naped weaver, Ploceus brachypterus
 * Vitelline masked weaver, Ploceus velatus
 * Heuglin's masked weaver, Ploceus heuglini
 * Chestnut-and-black weaver, Ploceus castaneofuscus
 * Village weaver, Ploceus cucullatus
 * Black-headed weaver, Ploceus melanocephalus
 * Red-headed quelea, Quelea erythrops
 * Red-billed quelea, Quelea quelea
 * Northern red bishop, Euplectes franciscanus
 * Southern red bishop, Euplectes orix
 * Black-winged bishop, Euplectes hordeaceus
 * Yellow-crowned bishop, Euplectes afer
 * Yellow-mantled widowbird, Euplectes macroura
 * Red-collared widowbird, Euplectes ardens (A)

Waxbills and allies
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Estrildidae

The estrildid finches are small passerine birds of the Old World tropics and Australasia. They are gregarious and often colonial seed eaters with short thick but pointed bills. They are all similar in structure and habits, but have wide variation in plumage colours and patterns.

 * Bronze mannikin, Spermestes cucullata
 * Magpie mannikin, Spermestes fringilloides
 * African silverbill, Euodice cantans
 * Indian silverbill, Euodice malabarica (I)
 * Chestnut-breasted nigrita, Nigrita bicolor(A)
 * Gray-headed oliveback, Delacourella capistrata(A)
 * Lavender waxbill, Glaucestrilda caerulescens
 * Orange-cheeked waxbill, Estrilda melpoda
 * Black-rumped waxbill, Estrilda troglodytes
 * Quailfinch, Ortygospiza atricollis
 * Cut-throat, Amadina fasciata
 * Zebra waxbill, Amandava subflava
 * Red-cheeked cordonbleu, Uraeginthus bengalus
 * Western bluebill, Spermophaga haematina
 * Crimson seedcracker, Pyrenestes sanguineus
 * Black-bellied seedcracker, Pyrenestes ostrinus (A)
 * Green-winged pytilia, Pytilia melba (A)
 * Red-winged pytilia, Pytilia phoenicoptera
 * Dybowski's twinspot, Euschistospiza dybowskii
 * Red-billed firefinch, Lagonosticta senegala
 * Bar-breasted firefinch, Lagonosticta rufopicta
 * Black-faced firefinch, Lagonosticta larvata

Indigobirds
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Viduidae

The indigobirds are finch-like species which usually have black or indigo predominating in their plumage. All are brood parasites which lay their eggs in the nests of waxbills and other estrildid finches.

 * Pin-tailed whydah, Vidua macroura
 * Sahel paradise-whydah, Vidua orientalis
 * Exclamatory paradise-whydah, Vidua interjecta
 * Village indigobird, Vidua chalybeata
 * Wilson's indigobird, Vidua wilsoni (A)
 * Quailfinch indigobird, Vidua nigeriae
 * Baka indigobird, Vidua larvaticola
 * Cameroon indigobird, Vidua camerunensis
 * Parasitic weaver, Anomalospiza imberbis (A)

Old World sparrows
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Passeridae

Sparrows are small passerine birds. In general, sparrows tend to be small, plump, brown or grey birds with short tails and short powerful beaks. Sparrows are seed eaters, but they also consume small insects.

 * House sparrow, Passer domesticus(I)
 * Northern gray-headed sparrow, Passer griseus
 * Sudan golden sparrow, Passer luteus
 * Sahel bush sparrow, Gymnoris dentata

Wagtails and pipits
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Motacillidae

Motacillidae is a family of small passerine birds with medium to long tails. They include the wagtails, longclaws, and pipits. They are slender ground-feeding insectivores of open country.

 * Western yellow wagtail, Motacilla flava
 * African pied wagtail, Motacilla aguimp(A)
 * White wagtail, Motacilla alba
 * Tawny pipit, Anthus campestris
 * Plain-backed pipit, Anthus leucophrys
 * Tree pipit, Anthus trivialis
 * Red-throated pipit, Anthus cervinus
 * Yellow-throated longclaw, Macronyx croceus

Finches, euphonias, and allies
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Fringillidae

Finches are seed-eating passerine birds, that are small to moderately large and have a strong beak, usually conical and in some species very large. All have twelve tail feathers and nine primaries. These birds have a bouncing flight with alternating bouts of flapping and gliding on closed wings, and most sing well.

 * White-rumped seedeater, Crithagra leucopygius
 * Yellow-fronted canary, Crithagra mozambicus

Old World buntings
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Emberizidae

The emberizids are a large family of passerine birds. They are seed-eating birds with distinctively shaped bills. Many emberizid species have distinctive head patterns.

 * Brown-rumped bunting, Emberiza affinis
 * Ortolan bunting, Emberiza hortulana(A)
 * Golden-breasted bunting, Emberiza flaviventris (A)
 * Gosling's bunting, Emberiza goslingi
 * House bunting, Emberiza sahari(A)
 * Striolated bunting, Emberiza striolata (A)

title: List of birds of the Gambia


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Hayk

Hayk (Հայկ, ), also known as Hayk Nahapet (Հայկ Նահապետ,, lit. 'Hayk the Patriarch' ), is the legendary patriarch and founder of the Armenian nation. His story is told in the History of Armenia attributed to the Armenian historian Movses Khorenatsi and in the Primary History traditionally attributed to Sebeos. Fragments of the legend of Hayk are also preserved in the works of other authors, as well as in Armenian folk tradition.

Etymology
The name of the patriarch, Hayk (Հայկ), is not exactly homophonous with the Armenian name for "Armenia," Haykʻ (Հայք). In Classical Armenian, Haykʻ is the nominative plural of hay (հայ), the Armenian word for "Armenian." While Robert W. Thomson considers the etymology of Haykʻ (Հայք) from Hayk (Հայկ) to be impossible, other scholars consider the connection between the two to be obvious and derive Hayk from hay/Haykʻ via the suffix -ik. Armen Petrosyan proposes a possible connection between the name Hayk and the Proto-Indo-European *poti- "master, lord, master of the house, husband." Armenian historiography of the Soviet era connected Hayk and hay with Hayasa, a people mentioned in Hittite inscriptions. Some authors derive Hayk and hay from Khaldi/Ḫaldi, the chief god of the Urartian pantheon, and also identify Hayk with the Urartian deity.

The Armenian word haykakan (հայկական, 'that which pertains to Armenians') derives from the name Hayk. Additionally, the poetic names for the Armenian nation, Haykazun (հայկազուն) or Haykazn (հայկազն, consisting of Hayk and azn 'generation, nation, tribe'), also derive from Hayk (Haykazn/Haykaz later became a masculine given name among Armenians).

Genealogy
Integrating the Armenian tradition into biblical tradition, Movses Khorenatsi describes Hayk as a descendant of Noah through the latter's son Japheth: "Yapheth begat Gamer [Gomer]; Gamer begat T‘iras; T‘iras begat T‘orgom [Togarmah]; T‘orgom begat Hayk." Hayk's descendants through his son Aramaneak (Aramanyak) are listed as follows: "Aramaneak begat Aramayis; Aramayis begat Amasya; Amasya begat Gełam [Gegham]; Gełam begat Harmay [Harma]; Harmay begat Aram; Aram begat Ara the Handsome." Hayk's other sons, according to Moses, were Khoṛ and Manavaz. Moses also gives the names of numerous other descendants of Hayk (s, "of Hayk's lineage," also known as the Haykids ), such as Sisak, Skayordi, Paruyr, and Vahe, some of which he identifies as kings of Armenia. In reference to Hayk's descent from Torgom/Togarmah, medieval Armenian sources sometimes referred to Armenia as T‘orgoma tun ("House of Torgom") and to Armenians as T‘orgomyan azg ("the people of Torgom"). The connection between Hayk and the descendants of Noah was created by Christian authors following the Christianization of Armenia in order to connect Armenians to the biblical narrative of human history.

In the Georgian history attributed to Juansher, Hayk is likewise identified as the son of Torgom/Togarmah and described as "prince of the seven brothers and stood in service to the giant Nimrod (Nebrovt') who first ruled the entire world as king."

One of Hayk's most famous scions, Aram (whose name Moses purports to be the origin of the name Armenia), settled in Eastern Armenia from the Mitanni kingdom (Western Armenia), when Sargon II mentions a king of part of Armenia who bore the (Armenian-Indo-Iranian) name Bagatadi (which, like the Greek-based "Theodore" and the Hebrew-based "Jonathan," means "god-given").

Legend
According to the accounts of Movses Khorenatsi and the anonymous Primary History, Hayk fought against and killed the tyrannical Babylonian king Bel (Belos, Belus). Depending on the mythological tradition, Belus can refer to a symbolic Babylonian/Akkadian god of war or mythical founder of Babylon. Moses identifies Bel with the biblical Nimrod and gives a list of his ancestors and successors, drawing from the Bible and Abydenus via Eusebius's works.

In Movses Khorenatsi's account (which he claims to have learned from Mar Abas Catina's writings), Hayk, son of Torgom, had a child named Aramaneak while he was living in Babylon. After the arrogant Titanid Bel made himself king over all, Hayk emigrated to the region near Mount Ararat with his extended family, servants, followers and about 300 warriors and founded a village called Haykashen. On the way he had left a detachment in another settlement with his grandson Kadmos. Bel sent one of his sons to entreat him to return, but Hayk refused. Bel decided to march against him with a massive force, but Hayk was warned ahead of time by Kadmos of his pending approach. He assembled his own army along the shore of Lake Van and told them that they must defeat and kill Bel, or die trying to do so, rather than become his slaves.

Moses writes that the armies of Hayk and Bel clashed near Lake Van "in a plain between very high mountains." King Bel was initially in the vanguard, but seeing that the outcome of the battle was uncertain, he withdrew to a hill to await the arrival of the rest of his army. Seeing this, Hayk slew Bel with a nearly impossible shot using his long bow, sending the king's forces into disarray. Hayk named the hill where Bel fell with his warriors Gerezmankʻ, meaning "tombs". He embalmed the corpse of Bel and ordered it to be taken to Hark‘ where it was to be buried in a high place in the view of the wives and sons of the king. Soon after, Hayk established the fortress or settlement (dastakert) of Haykʻ or Haykaberd at the site of the battle, which, Movses Khorenatsi says, is why the district is called Hayotsʻ Dzor ("The Valley of the Armenians") and the country of the Armenians is called Hayk‘.

The 18th- and 19th-century scholars Ghevont Alishan and Mikayel Chamchian, using different methods, calculated the date of the mythical battle (also known as the Dyutsaznamart, Դյուցազնամարտ, "Battle of the Giants") between Hayk and Bel to have been August 11, 2492 BCE or 2107 BCE, respectively.

Comparative mythology
Armen Petrosyan describes Hayk as "a complex epic figure that combines the characteristics of the god creator, the father and patriarch of gods, the thunder god, and the war god" that derives from Indo-European archetypes and influenced by Near Eastern mythology. Hayk is a culture hero and an etiological founding figure, like Asshur for the Assyrians, for example. The figure slain by Hayk's arrow is variously given as Bel or Nimrod. Hayk is also the name of the constellation Orion in the Armenian translation of the Bible. Hayk's flight from Babylon and his eventual defeat of Bel has been compared to Zeus's escape to the Caucasus and eventual defeat of the Titans. Petrosyan considers the Indian deity Rudra to be the most similar mythological figure to Hayk. Both are associated with the constellation Orion, both have descendants or followers of the same name (Hays and Rudras) and both are archers that kill their enemy with an arrow.

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: Hayk


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Brian Moore (football commentator)

Brian Baden Moore (28 February 1932 – 1 September 2001) was an English football commentator and television presenter who covered nine World Cups and more than twenty FA Cup finals.

Early life
Moore was born in Benenden, Kent. After passing his eleven-plus, he was educated at Cranbrook School, Kent, which was also the school of fellow commentators Peter West and Barry Davies.

Career
Moore began his career in newspapers. His first job, in 1954, was as a sub-editor on the monthly World Sports magazine. He subsequently worked for The Exchange Telegraph for two years before moving to The Times in 1958.

Radio
In 1961, Moore became a football commentator and presenter on BBC Radio, and the corporation's first football correspondent in 1963. Moore, Alan Clarke and Maurice Edelston were the commentators for BBC Radio when England won the 1966 World Cup. Moore also covered the FA Cup Final from 1964 to 1967, and European Cup Winners' Cup victories for Tottenham Hotspur in 1963 and West Ham United in 1965, and Celtic's European Cup victory in 1967.

London Weekend Television and ITV
Shortly after that Moore moved to London Weekend Television, which was preparing for its launch on the ITV network in 1968. Brought to the station by head of sport Jimmy Hill, Moore remained with LWT and ITV Sport over the next three decades.

In 1970, Moore was the host of ITV's World Cup coverage, when Moore and Hill presided over a month of panel-based coverage. Malcolm Allison, Derek Dougan, Pat Crerand and Bob McNab were nicknamed the "Midnight Cowboys" by the press due to the late-night kick off times. In subsequent years, Brian Clough also appeared frequently with Moore as a pundit on ITV.

Although primarily a commentator, Moore also presented a number of other ITV Sport shows, including Saturday lunchtime preview On the Ball, Sunday highlights show The Big Match and Midweek Sports Special. He also presented Big League Soccer in the 1970s and 1980s, a show produced in England for broadcast in Australia and New Zealand. In the late 1970s he made a six-part documentary series for ITV, Brian Moore Meets..., with guests including Kevin Keegan, Niki Lauda and Björn Borg.

During thirty years at ITV, Moore commentated on European trophy wins by Arsenal, Liverpool, Nottingham Forest, Aston Villa, Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester United, Everton and Aberdeen. Moore's commentary of the winning goal in Aston Villa's 1982 European Cup Final win over Bayern Munich is displayed on a giant banner across the North Stand of Villa Park:

Shaw, Williams, prepared to venture down the left. There's a good ball played in for Tony Morley. Oh, it must be! It is! Peter Withe!!

Moore also covered the FA Cup Final for ITV every year from 1969 to 1988, and again in 1998, as well as six European Championships between 1972 and 1996, missing 1984 due to England's absence.

Moore presented ITV's coverage of the FIFA World Cup in 1970, 1974, 1978 and 1982. In 1986, he presented the coverage from London for most of the tournament before flying out to commentate on the final. From 1990 to 1998, he commentated throughout the tournament.

He retired as a commentator in 1998 after France's 1998 World Cup final victory at the Stade de France against Brazil, but continued to broadcast, presenting an interview programme for Sky Sports in 1999, and hosting programmes for BBC Radio 5 Live and Talksport in addition to his commentary on Gladiators. His time on Talksport included hosting Inside the Boardroom, where club chairmen and directors joined him in the studio to answer phone-in questions from the public.

In retirement he joined the team of readers for Bromley Talking Newspapers, making weekly recordings for the blind of stories from the local papers.

Personal life
Moore married Betty Cole in 1955. They had two sons.

Moore was a lifelong supporter of Gillingham and served as a director at the club for seven years. A stand at the club's Priestfield Stadium is named after him.

Moore suffered from serious heart problems in his later life and twice underwent life-saving surgery for blocked arteries. After the first health scare, he became a regular churchgoer and a committed Christian. He died at the age of 69 on 1 September 2001, the day that England beat Germany 5–1 in Munich during the qualifying stages of the 2002 World Cup.

title: Brian Moore (football commentator)


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Gary Ablett Sr.

Gary Robert Ablett (born 1 October 1961) is a former professional Australian rules footballer who represented and  in the Australian Football League (AFL). Nicknamed "God", Ablett is widely regarded as one of Australian football's greatest players, and was especially renowned for his high-flying spectacular marks and his prolific goalkicking.

After playing for several country teams in and around his hometown of Drouin, Victoria, Ablett was recruited by Hawthorn and made his Victorian Football League (VFL) debut in 1982. However, he struggled to adjust to city life and retreated to Myrtleford the following year. The Geelong Football Club managed to lure him back to professional football in 1984, and by the late '80s, he had become one of the VFL's biggest stars. His 1989 VFL Grand Final appearance, during which he kicked a grand final record nine goals for a losing side (and tying the outright grand final record with Gordon Coventry), is regarded as one of football's greatest individual performances, earning him the Norm Smith Medal. At the beginning of the 1991 season, Ablett shocked the football world by abruptly announcing his retirement from the game, but he made a comeback midway through the year. He went on to appear in the 1992, 1994, and 1995 grand finals, before officially retiring after on September 25, 1997.

Ablett's individual accolades and achievements include an induction into the Australian Football Hall of Fame, an AFL Team of the Century selection, the 1993 AFL Players Association MVP award (now known as the Leigh Matthews Trophy), and three Coleman Medals. He remains Geelong's all-time leading goalkicker, with 1021 goals; and, in 2006, was voted by past and present Geelong Football Club players as the greatest Geelong footballer of all time.

Early life
Born in Drouin to Alfred and Colleen Ablett, Gary Ablett grew up in Gippsland, Victoria, alongside his four elder brothers and three sisters. Ablett displayed a love for sport at an early age, winning the state school high jump at 10 years of age. He was also awarded both club and competition best-and-fairest awards for Drouin at the under-11s, under-12s and under-14s levels.

After his interest waned in attending school, Ablett dropped out of high school at 15 to become a bricklayer's labourer. He also began to concentrate on his football and joined his brothers in the Drouin senior team at just 16 years of age. After appearing in several country league representative games, the Hawthorn Football Club, which had already signed Gary's elder brothers Geoff and Kevin onto their lists, invited him to play reserves football.

The Hawthorn experience (1981–1983)
After signing a reserves contract and featuring in six reserves games for Hawthorn, Ablett retreated back to his home in Drouin. He returned to Hawthorn in 1982 and made his senior VFL debut versus Geelong in Round 2, kicking 1 goal and helping the Hawks defeat the Cats by 19 points. He played a further five games for Hawthorn that year for a total of six games and ten goals. Ablett claimed difficulty coping with city life in Melbourne and his continual absenteeism from training sessions forced Hawthorn coach, Allan Jeans into parting ways with the talented, but wayward young half forward.

In 1983, he moved with his young family to the country town of Myrtleford. Ablett spent the year playing under the tutelage of his cousin Len Ablett for Myrtleford in the Ovens and Murray Football League. Ablett's footballing ability soon came on notice again, this time to the Geelong Football Club and their long-time recruiting officer Bill McMaster. McMaster convinced Ablett to give the game another shot, this time in the confines of the rural city of Geelong. After protracted negotiations with Hawthorn, Geelong finally paid a $60,000 transfer for Ablett in 1984.

The early years at Geelong (1984–1988)
Ablett signed a one-year contract for the 1984 season with Geelong, and he began his first season under the guidance of Tom Hafey. He debuted for the Cats in Round 1 and after just nine games on the wing, Ablett was selected to his first State of Origin game for Victoria. Ablett earned best-on-ground honours after kicking 8 goals from the half-forward flank. He played 15 games and kicked 33 goals in the 1984 season, and was awarded the Carji Greeves Medal as the Geelong Football Club's "best and fairest" player of the year. Following his first season with Geelong, Ablett signed a new three-year contract with the club.

Playing mostly on the half forward flank, Ablett won the club's goalkicking award for the following two seasons with 82 and 65 goals respectively. Although Ablett had developed a reputation for his laconic, lazy attitude to training under coach John Devine, this did not prevent him from earning top three placings in the best and fairest awards from 1985 to 1987.

With his contract expiring at the conclusion of the 1987 season, Ablett shocked the VFL by signing a new five-year contract with his former club, Hawthorn. After a "cooling-off" period, however, Ablett opted to remain with Geelong by agreeing to a lucrative five-year contract that tied him to the club for the long-term.

Ablett began the 1988 season with 59 goals after just 11 games, placing him second on the goalkicking list behind Hawthorn's Jason Dunstall. In these games, he kicked 10 goals against Richmond in the Anzac Day game, and 11 against Brisbane—one shy of breaking the ground record of 12 goals at Carrara. Although he missed out on State honours and failed to place within the top three in the club best and fairest award, Ablett finished with 82 goals during the season for the second time in his career.

A September to remember (1989–1990)
The 1989 season was marked by the arrival of Ablett's third coach, former North Melbourne Brownlow Medallist Malcolm Blight. Ablett helped the Cats reach the finals on the back of a ten match winning streak to end the regular season. In a 134-point victory against Richmond, Ablett scored 14 goals, breaking a 22-year club record, and moving club legend and former club premiership coach Bobby Davis to laud Ablett as the equal of the legendary Graham 'Polly' Farmer, the finest footballers he had seen at Geelong. His season lowlight occurred in Round 12 when he was suspended for 3 matches after he controversially felled the Melbourne captain, Gary Lyon behind the play.

In his first ever final, the Qualifying Final at the MCG versus Essendon, Gary Ablett kicked three goals, but this was not enough. The Bombers humbled Geelong by 76 points to force the Cats into a sudden-death Semi Final showdown with Melbourne. The Cats posted a 63-point win against the Demons. Ablett kicked seven goals, and helped set up another meeting with Essendon in the Preliminary Final. Ablett kicked 8 goals this time, as the Cats crushed Essendon by 94 points to advance to their first grand final since 1967.

Against the reigning premiers Hawthorn in the 1989 VFL Grand Final, Ablett asserted himself from the opening bounce, leading out from full forward, marking the first centre clearance kick and slotting through the game's first goal. By half-time, Ablett had kicked four goals, but the Cats trailed at the main break by 37 points. Ablett kicked a further five goals in the second half, which saw an injury-depleted Hawthorn's lead reduced to just 6 points with less than a minute to go. However, the Cats fell short, and Hawthorn held on to defeat Geelong in one of the toughest grand finals of the modern era, winning by 6 points. Ablett's performance in kicking 9 goals earned him the Norm Smith Medal, and in doing so became only the second member of the losing team in VFL/AFL history to be awarded the honour – a performance regarded by many as unrivalled on football's biggest stage. Ablett's 9 goals also saw him equal Gordon Coventry's goals record set in the 1928 Grand Final.

Shock retirement and return (1991–1992)
On 1 February 1991, Ablett, aged 29, stunned most football fans when he announced his retirement, citing personal reasons and a loss of enjoyment for the game. His previous season in 1990 was marred by injury, dipping motivation, and personal issues, including a separation from his wife. He was eventually encouraged to reverse his decision and he made his return in Round 12 for the Geelong reserves team. This generated enormous media interest and drew an abnormally large crowd for the curtain-raiser game at Princes Park. Ablett was named in the senior side for the following game against, which drew a crowd of over 40,000 to the MCG. He had ten possessions and kicked two goals, one of them an important steadier for the Cats in the last quarter after the Demons had closed to within 24 points. Due to his late season start and lack of conditioning, it was probably no surprise that Ablett failed to recapture his best form, ending his season on a sour note when he was suspended for striking St Kilda rover Nathan Burke in the first week of the finals, and he subsequently missed Geelong's finals defeats to Hawthorn and West Coast.

Ablett put the disappointment of 1991 behind him, and he dedicated himself to improving his fitness base ahead of the 1992 season. A consistent first half of the year helped the Cats achieve an 11–3 record, eventually earning them a spot in the grand final—this time against the West Coast Eagles. After establishing a two-goal lead at half-time, the Cats failed to sustain their momentum during the second half, eventually going down by 28 points to the fast-finishing Eagles. Ablett, who finished with 3 goals, had again failed to finish the year with the same good form in which he had begun it.

One special season (1993)
Before the 1993 season, Ablett was encouraged by his coach, Malcolm Blight, to move from his customary roaming half-forward position to full-forward, in an effort to prolong his career. The move up forward proved to be a master-stroke, with Ablett thriving in his goal-kicking role, reaching the 50-goal mark in just six games, equalling the sixty-year record of South Melbourne legend Bob Pratt. He brought up his maiden century of goals in the season just eight games later, one game slower than record-holder Pratt, and became the first Geelong player to kick 100 goals in a season since Larry Donohue in 1976. Although the Cats did not make the Finals, Ablett's new-found dominance up forward was highlighted during the season with his bags of ten or more goals on five occasions, including a 14-goal performance against Essendon in Round 6. His end-of-season total of 124 goals, achieved in just 17 appearances, earned him his first Coleman Medal as the League's leading goal-scorer, the Leigh Matthews Trophy, the AFMA Player of the Year Award, and a top-ten placing in the Brownlow Medal.

1993 to 1996
Ablett continued his dominance as a full-forward in 1994 and 1995 by winning the Coleman Medal in each year. Ablett is the only player in VFL/AFL history to kick 100 goals and win the Coleman Medal in three successive seasons. In addition to his explosive pace and skills, Ablett was also an accomplished aerialist with strong hands. A highlight was the 1994 Mark of the Year over Collingwood's Gary Pert on Mother's Day at the MCG, a mark which is captured in Jamie Cooper's painting the Game That Made Australia, commissioned by the AFL in 2008 to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the sport. There is still debate over whether he had enough control of the ball to be paid a mark.

In early 1996, Ablett was suspended for five games for striking St Kilda's 172 cm Kristian Bardsley with a raised forearm. He later remarked that his lengthy suspension was the "beginning of the end", and he finished out the season with 69 goals in 17 games. His last AFL appearance was against North Melbourne in a Qualifying Final in 1996. Ablett managed to kick only one goal in a disappointing 60-point loss. In October 1996, he missed Geelong's first training session and was fined $10,000.

On 22 November 1996, Ablett was admitted to hospital with a severe bout of gastro. On 28 November, Ablett faced traffic charges.

1997, end of career
Ablett was ready to start the serious training with the club by the first week of January. By February, it was reported that he was still under pressure to improve his fitness. In March, Geelong confirmed that Ablett would play in 1997. On Sunday, 31 March 1997, Ablett played in the reserves against Richmond. Gary booted 7 goals but injured his knee. Three days later, on 3 April, he underwent arthroscopic surgery. In early June, Ablett had still not recovered; he faced knee surgery. During the preliminary finals in September, he announced his retirement from football.

State of Origin
Ablett had a prolific State of Origin career, kicking 43 goals in 11 games. He was first selected to play for Victoria in 1984, against Western Australia, only nine games into his career at Geelong, kicking 8 goals in a best-on-ground performance.

He performed well again the following year, kicking 4 goals against South Australia. In the following few years Ablett was largely out of the side, apart from 1987, when he kicked 2 goals against South Australia. Ablett again performed at the highest level in 1990, kicking 6 goals, against Western Australia in Perth. After returning from retirement midway through 1991, and after only several games, Ablett was controversially selected for Victoria, kicking 2 goals. In 1992 Ablett performed well, kicking 3 goals and being named among the best players, against Western Australia.

In 1993, he kicked 4 goals, against a combined New South Wales–Australian Capital Territory side, and in the same year Ablett again performed on the big stage, kicking 5 goals in the State of Origin Carnival Grand Final. In 1994, he kicked 4 goals, against South Australia, in what has been regarded as "one of the greatest Australian football games of all time" and followed up that performance with 4 goals against South Australia in 1995. On representing Victoria, Ablett has said "I've always found it a tremendous honour to represent your state, in a State of Origin game".

Legacy
Ablett combined strength, speed, and skill to produce many spectacular highlights and goal-kicking feats. A noted big game player, Ablett kicked 43 goals in 11 State appearances. Also significantly, he booted 64 goals over the course of his 16 finals – an average of four goals a game. His individual haul of 27 goals in the 1989 finals series from four games is a VFL/AFL record that still stands. He was awarded the Norm Smith Medal for his performance in the 1989 Grand Final, where he was adjudged best player afield. In doing so, he became one of only four players to win the medal playing for the losing side (the others being Maurice Rioli in 1982, Nathan Buckley in 2002, and Chris Judd in 2005). In 1996, Ablett joined Gordon Coventry, Doug Wade, Jason Dunstall, and Tony Lockett as the only players in league history to kick 1000 VFL/AFL goals. Lance Franklin would join this exclusive club in 2022.

Martin Flanagan's representation of Australian football pioneer Tom Wills in his 1996 novel The Call is modeled on Ablett. According to Flanagan, Wills and Ablett polarised opinion in similar ways, and displayed a lack of insight into their actions—they simply did what came naturally to them, "like a lot of artists". Ablett is the subject of the song "Kicking the Footy with God", released by The Bedroom Philosopher on his 2005 debut album In Bed with My Doona.

In 1996, Ablett was named in the AFL Team of the Century on the interchange bench, alongside Jack Dyer and Greg Williams. In 2001, Ablett was named in the Geelong Team of the Century, on a half-forward flank. In 2005, after many years of controversy and debate (see below), he was inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame. The following year, he was honoured yet again when he was voted as the Greatest Geelong player of all-time ahead of Graham Farmer.

In 2006, Ablett was honoured with the naming of a terrace in his name within the newly renovated Skilled Stadium. Ablett once had a set of gates named in his honour, but he was upgraded to a terrace at the beginning of the 2006 AFL season.

Induction into the Australian Football Hall of Fame
Despite his footballing achievements on the field, Ablett's induction into the Australian Football Hall of Fame was initially delayed. Despite Ablett's undoubted footballing credentials, his well-publicised contribution to the death of Alisha Horan was responsible for the Australian Football Hall of Fame committee's reluctance to induct him. In 2004, after several years of speculation over his induction, Ablett personally requested that the Geelong Football Club stop nominating him for selection, which the club agreed to. However, the following year it was announced that Ablett would be inducted into the Hall of Fame as part of the 2005 intake.

Ablett did not attend the induction ceremony and instead released a statement through his then-manager, Michael Baker: "'Due to my current battle with depression I am not in a position to be able to accept this award in person. I did not make this decision lightly but due to medical advice it was deemed best for my health that I do not attend tonight. I feel blessed to have had the opportunity to play this great game and also to have played at the elite level alongside many celebrated champions. Being chosen to be inducted into the Hall of Fame is one of the highest honours a player could dream of.  I thank those who deem me worthy enough to be placed alongside such respected company.'"

Personal life
The youngest of eight children, Ablett grew up alongside four elder brothers and three elder sisters. In 1985, Ablett wed his long-time girlfriend Sue, and the couple had four children – Natasha, Gary Jr., Nathan, and Alisha.

In 1986, Ablett became a born-again Christian and has been said to be slightly aggrieved at constantly being referred to as "God" by fans, a nickname based on his supreme football abilities. Ablett's faith was often highlighted in several tribunal appearances, in one case confessing and pleading guilty to striking Garry Lyon in a 1989 incident, declaring he "wasn't prepared to lie about it or compromise the truth in [his] relationship with God". Ablett's public acknowledgement of his faith, in particular the influence of God in his life, during his acceptance speech for the Norm Smith Medal in the 1989 Grand Final, was also much publicised.

On 26 June 2006, Ablett was allegedly assaulted at 11:15pm while browsing through a car yard in Fyans Street, South Geelong. A 31-year-old Geelong man was charged with the assault. However, he was reported to have committed suicide on 10 July 2006 by jumping from a Melbourne high-rise apartment block the day before he was due to appear before the Geelong Magistrates court to defend the assault charges.

In December 2007, Ablett hit back at media claims that his son Nathan had walked away from his football career because of the publicity surrounding the release of a new book about his father. Although normally reluctant to make public comments, Ablett felt that the media intrusion into his family life had gone too far. As part of a series of books, Legends of Australian Sport, Ablett contributed to a book regarding himself. It was the first time he revealed intimate details regarding his life publicly.

In September 2020, Ablett released a 27-minute YouTube video discussing his belief in the rapture as being forthcoming. In this video, he declared that the COVID-19 pandemic had been manufactured and released by the Illuminati and Freemasons in order to depopulate Earth, create a cashless society and "put Lucifer on the throne of the world".

A footballing family
Two of Ablett's brothers played in the Victorian Football League – Kevin Ablett, who played for Hawthorn, Richmond and Geelong, and Geoff Ablett, who played for Hawthorn, Richmond and St Kilda.

Ablett's eldest son, Gary Jr., has followed in his footsteps to play for Geelong. In 2007 and 2009, Ablett Jr. won the Cats' best and fairest award, emulating a feat established by his father in his first season with the Cats back in 1984; he also won the Brownlow Medal in 2009 and 2013. Another son, Nathan, was drafted in 2004 (48th pick) by Geelong under the father-son rule. Nathan initially refused to play AFL Football because of his father's experience with the media, but, with encouragement from the club, was signed ahead of the 2005 AFL Season and established himself in the full forward role Gary Sr. made his own.

On 29 September 2007, both Gary Jr. and Nathan contributed to Geelong winning its first flag in 44 years, capturing the premiership that proved elusive to Gary Snr in his 12 years at the club. Nathan retired suddenly before the 2008 season, but he and his brother Gary Jr. were members of the Gold Coast Football Club's inaugural team for the 2011 season.

In addition to his sons, Ablett has a nephew, Luke Ablett, who played for the Sydney Swans and won a premiership with them in 2005. Two other nephews, from his sister's marriage to Hawthorn legend Michael Tuck, also played in the AFL – Richmond's Shane Tuck and Travis Tuck, who played for Hawthorn.

Criminal offences
Ablett had well-documented off-field problems, particularly with illegal drug use, and depression in the wake of the Alisha Horan death. In 1990, Ablett was placed on a $10,000 good behaviour bond after he pleaded guilty to repeatedly hitting a man he found sitting in a car with his estranged wife.

In 2000, Ablett was investigated, charged and convicted of four drug offences as a result of twenty-year-old Geelong woman Alisha Horan dying of a drug overdose (involving heroin, ecstasy and amphetamines) while in Ablett's hotel room. After a prolonged period of refusing to answer police questions and refusing to answer questions at an April 2001 inquest (on the grounds that he may incriminate himself), Ablett later admitted to providing Horan with heroin and ecstasy. Horan had found a small quantity of heroin in Ablett's coat pocket and asked him what it was. Rather than admit that it was heroin, Ablett told her it was cocaine, which they both then ingested, leading to Horan's overdose. Ablett was charged with, and pleaded guilty to four drugs charges, and was convicted and fined $1500.

Concussion lawsuit
In April 2023, Ablett commenced legal proceedings in the Supreme Court of Victoria against the AFL and the Geelong and Hawthorn football clubs claiming breach of duty and negligence over AFL-related brain injuries that he suffered during his playing career.

Statistics
In 2019, a sharp-eyed "footy history enthusiast" by the name of Stephen Wade noticed a statistical discrepancy while watching a YouTube video of a 1982 game that had been uploaded in 2017. He found a discrepancy with the goal total, as he saw Ablett kick two but was only credited for one. Wade brought his discovery to the attention of Col Hutchinson, the AFL's statistics and history consultant, who updated the official records. The goal, which had been erroneously attributed to Hawthorn teammate Richard Loveridge for 37 years, increased Ablett's total goal tally from 1,030 to 1,031.

! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 1982 ! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 1984 ! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 1985 ! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 1986 ! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 1987 ! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 1988 ! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 1989 ! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 1990 ! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 1991 ! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 1992 ! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 1993 ! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 1994 ! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 1995 ! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 1996 ! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 1997 ! colspan=3| Career ! 248 ! 1031 ! 690 ! 3186 ! 561 ! 3747 ! 1435 ! 197 ! 4.2 ! 2.8 ! 12.8 ! 2.3 ! 15.1 ! 5.8 ! 1.0 ! colspan=3| Career ! 248 ! 1031 ! 690 ! 3186 ! 561 ! 3747 ! 1435 ! 197 ! 4.2 ! 2.8 ! 12.8 ! 2.3 ! 15.1 ! 5.8 ! 1.0
 * - style="background-color: #EAEAEA"
 * style="text-align:center;"|
 * 35 || 6 || 11 || 13 || 47 || 21 || 68 || 26 || N/A || 1.5 || 2.2 || 7.8 || 3.5 || 11.3 || 4.3 || N/A
 * style="text-align:center;"|
 * 5 || 15 || 33 || 28 || 238 || 61 || 299 || 86 || N/A || 2.2 || 1.9 || 15.9 || 4.1 || 19.9 || 5.7 || N/A
 * - style="background-color: #EAEAEA"
 * style="text-align:center;"|
 * 5 || 20 || 82 || bgcolor="DD6E81"| 67 || 274 || 62 || 336 || 135 || N/A || 4.1 || bgcolor="DD6E81"| 3.4 || 13.7 || 3.1 || 16.8 || 6.8 || N/A
 * style="text-align:center;"|
 * 5 || 15 || 65 || 49 || 185 || 39 || 224 || 101 || N/A || 4.3 || bgcolor="DD6E81"| 3.3 || 12.3 || 2.6 || 14.9 || 6.7 || N/A
 * - style="background-color: #EAEAEA"
 * style="text-align:center;"|
 * 5 || 17 || 53 || 38 || 200 || 46 || 246 || 86 || 19 || 3.1 || 2.2 || 11.8 || 2.7 || 14.5 || 5.1 || 1.1
 * style="text-align:center;"|
 * 5 || 21 || 82 || bgcolor="CFECEC"| 62 || 253 || 42 || 295 || 117 || 19 || 3.9 || bgcolor="DD6E81"| 3.0 || 12.0 || 2.0 || 14.0 || 5.6 || 0.9
 * - style="background-color: #EAEAEA"
 * style="text-align:center;"|
 * 5 || 23 || 87 || 54 || 378 || 68 || 446 || 151 || 29 || 3.8 || 2.3 || 16.4 || 3.0 || 19.4 || 6.6 || 1.3
 * style="text-align:center;"|
 * 5 || 17 || 75 || 43 || 224 || 47 || 271 || 100 || 21 || 4.4 || 2.5 || 13.2 || 2.8 || 15.9 || 5.9 || 1.2
 * - style="background-color: #EAEAEA"
 * style="text-align:center;"|
 * 5 || 12 || 28 || 27 || 144 || 21 || 165 || 55 || 20 || 2.3 || 2.3 || 12.0 || 1.8 || 13.8 || 4.6 || 1.7
 * style="text-align:center;"|
 * 5 || 21 || 72 || 54 || 324 || 61 || 385 || 118 || 33 || 3.4 || 2.6 || 15.4 || 2.9 || 18.3 || 5.6 || 1.6
 * - style="background-color: #EAEAEA"
 * style="text-align:center;"|
 * 5 || 17 || bgcolor="CFECEC"| 124 || bgcolor="CFECEC"| 60 || 233 || 13 || 246 || 111 || 10 || bgcolor="DD6E81"| 7.3 || bgcolor="DD6E81"| 3.5 || 13.7 || 0.8 || 14.5 || 6.5 || 0.6
 * style="text-align:center;"|
 * 5 || 25 || bgcolor="DD6E81"| 129 || bgcolor="DD6E81"| 79 || 263 || 30 || 293 || 130 || 15 || 5.2 || bgcolor="DD6E81"| 3.2 || 10.5 || 1.2 || 11.7 || 5.2 || 0.6
 * - style="background-color: #EAEAEA"
 * style="text-align:center;"|
 * 5 || 22 || bgcolor="DD6E81"| 122 || bgcolor="DD6E81"| 85 || 264 || 19 || 283 || 148 || 18 || bgcolor="CFECEC"| 5.5 || bgcolor="DD6E81"| 3.9 || 12.0 || 0.9 || 12.9 || 6.7 || 0.8
 * style="text-align:center;"|
 * 5 || 17 || 69 || 31 || 159 || 31 || 190 || 71 || 13 || 4.1 || 1.8 || 9.4 || 1.8 || 11.2 || 4.2 || 0.8
 * style="text-align:center;"|
 * 5 || - || - || - || - || - || - || - || - || - || - || - || - || - || - || -
 * - class="sortbottom"
 * - class="sortbottom"
 * }

Honours and achievements
Team
 * McClelland Trophy : 1992

Individual
 * Norm Smith Medal: 1989
 * 3× Coleman Medal: 1993, 1994, 1995
 * 4× All-Australian team: 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995
 * Carji Greeves Medal: 1984
 * Leigh Matthews Trophy (AFL MVP Award): 1993
 * 9× Geelong leading goalkicker: 1985, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996
 * Geelong Team of the Century
 * Geelong captain: 1995–1996
 * 2× Alex Jesaulenko Medal: 1985, 1994
 * Geelong F.C. Hall of Fame
 * Australian Sports Medal: 2000
 * Centenary Medal: 2001
 * Australian Football League Team of the Century 1897-1996
 * '''VFL/AFL players with 1,000 goals
 * 8× State of Origin (Victoria): 1984, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995 (c)
 * Australian Football Media Association Player of the Year: 1993
 * Australian Football Hall of Fame: 2005 Inductee
 * 5th on all-time leading goal-kickers
 * All-time leading goal kicker for Geelong F.C. (1021 goals)
 * Only player to have won Coleman Medal and kicked 100 goals in three consecutive seasons (1993–1995)
 * Oldest player to kick 100 goals in a season (33 years old in 1995)
 * Most goals in an AFL/VFL Grand Final (9 goals in 1989 Grand Final)
 * Most goals in an AFL/VFL finals series (27 goals in 1989)
 * Highest goals-per-game ratio in Geelong F.C. history (4.22 goals per game)
 * 4-time runner-up in Carji Greeves Medal (1985, 1993, 1994, 1995)
 * 3-time third-place getter in Carji Greeves Medal (1986, 1989, 1990)

title: Gary Ablett Sr.


text:
Talk:Augusta Holmès

Untitled
I looked at the format for dates in the articles on the other composers mentioned in htis article. They all have it as monthname daynumber, yearnumber; none of them have it as yearnumber, monthnumber-daynumber. 141.217.70.237 17:09, 21 May 2004 (UTC)

Proposals by Saint-Saëns??
I have removed this text: « Saint-Saëns several times asked Holmès to marry him. »

This is extremely unlikely since Saint-Saëns made no secret that he preferred intimate companionships with men. Charvex (talk) 05:16, 7 February 2008 (UTC)

possible bisexuality and affair with Colette
in their book Creating Colette, Fernande Gontier and Claude Francis say that Augusta Holmes had an affair with Colette, although Colette's later biographer Judith Thurman has queried this. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 188.30.54.44 (talk) 17:11, 21 June 2022 (UTC)

title: Talk:Augusta Holmès