The wintering palearctic migrant bird population in Namibia was recorded in the course of four excursions in the period October to December in the years 1997, 1998, 2001 and 2005. Almost all parts of the country were visited at least once, the northern part several times. There were gaps in recording in the northwest (Kunene mouth) and the extreme east (northeast and southeast of Gobabis). A total of 52 winter visitor species was registered. Species which winter in the country but also breed in southern Africa (e.g. Herons, Black Stork, Pied Avocet, Black-winged Stilt, Whiskered Tern and Great Spotted Cuckoo) were ignored. Only maximum totals of the large numbers of shore birds wintering on the Atlantic coast were registered. The whole of the coastline is still of great importance for most wader species, in particular for Grey Plover, Ruddy Turnstone, Sanderling, Curlew Sandpiper, Little Stint and Common Tern. The most important wetland in Southern Africa is Walvis Bay with the average 156 000 water birds present. The wintering populations of most species have increased with the exception of the Red Knot. For the other species groups the observation locations, numbers recorded and, as far as possible, sex and age are given. A comparison with the relevant literature was made for each species to check if any population changes are evident.