Birding safaris Kenya

Birding in Kenya is in a class of its own. Kenya, boasts over 1000 bird species lies on the equator. Seasons like ‘summer’ and ‘winter’ have no meaning, only wet and dry. The absence of these extreme climatic changes gives rise to the best home for birds.

Guideforafrica.com introduces you to the National Parks and Reserves of Kenya.

These reserves form various habitats, from Highland forests and afro-alpine moorlands, Savannah, Lakes, forests to Desert and semi-desert surroundings. Depending on the time you have and your interests, they will be included in your birding in Kenya package.

Aberdare Eagle

Each of the National Parks and Reserves has their own quota of the ‘paradise’. With a few exceptions each one of them covers a different habitat or overlaps one, which also has to be taken into account by the keen ornithologist.

From the world’s biggest bird, the Ostrich, to spectacular flamingos that congregate in their millions at the various Lakes of the Great Rift Valley and camouflage them in pink, Kenya holds some remarkable birding sights that you have to see them to believe.

Birding tours is an upcoming favourite past time amongst the Kenyans. It is evident that this has been influenced greatly by tourists visiting our country. Bird watching is just that – watching the birds without hunting or catching them. The are mainly interested in knowing more about birds – their names, origin characteristics, eating habits, etc. It is common to see people with binoculars gazing up the sky just observing the birds. Usually they will have a book on birds to refer to just to try and identify the birds.

Some of the most rare indigenous bird species in Kenya include Sokoke Scops Owl, Sokoke Pipit, Spotted Ground Thrush, East Coast Akalat, Amani Sunbird, Clarke’s Weaver, beautiful Taita Thrush and Taita Apali, Taita White-eye and several other species.

There are many spots in Kenya where one can go for bird watching on a single Kenya Safari. The bird gallery at the National Museum displays about 900 species and serves as an introduction and varied birdlife of Eastern Africa. The gallery is arranged to follow the order in which scientist believe birds evolved. Many of the exhibit cases include eggs and nests.

Species of interest include the greater and lesser flamingoes, which provide magnificent spectacles on saline lakes such as Nakuru and Bogoria. The skill of the weaver birds, of which Kenya has over forty species, is impressive. The colorful and often iridescent sunbirds occupy a similar ecological niche as the hummingbirds in the Americas.

In Nairobi you are guaranteed to find birds everywhere you travel. A stroll in hotel gardens, a trip to the Nairobi National Park is likely to turn up bright black and yellow weavers, tiny iridescent sunbirds resembling flying jewels, Secretary Bird, Bustards and Mousebirds with long tails, which are unique to Africa. Prominent spots are Nairobi Snake Park, the Ostrich farm and National Museums, Lake Naivasha in the Rift Valley, the dry bush around the Olorgesailie Prehistoric Site and the Valley Forests in the Aberdare ranges.

Best Time for Birding

Bird watching is good all year round in Kenya. The rainy seasons of April and November coincide with migration of birds from and to Europe and Asia, and some of the top day’s totals have been recorded at that time.

Local Guides

Local Birding guides and Kenya Tour Operators enhance your birding tours when they accompany you on your safari. They provide additional insights about the birds as well as guiding services that will broaden your boost your enjoyment. We recommend your use of well stationed local bird guides for your birding safari.