List of birds of South Africa
Common name Binomial Status
Yellow-nosed albatross Thalassarche chlororhynchos Endangered
Indian yellow-nosed albatross Thalassarche carteri Endangered
Grey-headed albatross Thalassarche chrysostoma Vagrant ; endangered
Buller 's albatross Thalassarche bulleri Vagrant ; near threatened
White-capped albatross Thalassarche cauta Near threatened
Salvin 's albatross Thalassarche salvini Vagrant ; vulnerable
Chatham albatross Thalassarche eremita Vagrant ; vulnerable
Black-browed albatross Thalassarche melanophrys
Sooty albatross Phoebetria fusca Vagrant ; endangered
Light-mantled albatross Phoebetria palpebrata Vagrant ; near threatened
Royal albatross Diomedea epomophora Vagrant ; vulnerable
Wandering albatross Diomedea exulans Vulnerable
Laysan albatross Phoebastria immutabilis Vagrant ; near threatened
Albatrosses
Indian yellow-nosed albatross Order : Procellariiformes Family : Diomedeidae The albatrosses are among the largest of flying birds , with those of the genus Diomedea having the largest wingspan of any extant bird .
South Africa is a large country, ranked 25th by size in the world, and is situated in the temperate latitudes and subtropics. Due to a range of climate types present, a patchwork of unique habitat types occur, which contribute to its biodiversity and level of endemism. This list incorporates the mainland and nearshore islands and waters only. The submerged though ecologically important Agulhas Bank is for most part inside its territorial waters. Offshore, South Africa's territory includes the Prince Edward Islands in the Subantarctic Indian Ocean. 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, 2019 edition, except that South African spelling is used. Taxonomic changes are on-going. As more research is gathered from studies of distribution, behaviour and DNA, the order and number of families and species may change. Furthermore, different approaches to ornithological nomenclature have led to concurrent systems of classification (see Sibley-Ahlquist taxonomy and ). Unless otherwise noted, the list is that of BirdLife South Africa (BLSA). Notes in the status column are also from this source. Notes of population status, such as Endangered, refer to the worldwide population, not the South African part of it.