KENYA

Kenya's varied habitats--savannas, rainforests, lakes, mountains, and deserts--support an astonishing array of birds. More than 800 species are year-round residents, and additionally many Afro-tropical and Palearctic migrants pass through each year. There are numerous iconic birding hotspots in the country.

Nairobi National Park is an incredible reserve just a half hour’s drive from downtown Nairobi. Here, birders can get their first introductions to Common Ostrich, Secretarybird, Gray Crowned-Crane, or a close Common Giraffe or Lion.

Naro Moru is a classic lodge set among lovely gardens that offer exciting birding right on the grounds. Lake Elementaita is an alkaline lake in the Great Rift Valley and often home to hundreds of thousands of flamingos.

At Samburu, the visiting birder will encounter a huge diversity of dry-country birds, including Somali Ostrich, Vulturine Guineafowl, Bateleur and Martial eagles, bustards, sandgrouse, mousebirds, woodhoopoes, bushshrikes, larks, chats, sunbirds, and weavers.

Masai Mara is a land of unending vistas of rolling plains, rounded hills, acacia woodlands, and rich riparian woodland along the Mara River. There are herds of ungulates everywhere, as well as the constant possibility of encountering a Leopard, a family of Cheetahs, or a pride of Lions. Highlight birds range from Ostrich, Secretary-bird, and Temminck's Courser to Southern Ground-Hornbill, Saddle-billed and Woolly-necked storks, Ross's and Schalow's turacos, and a long list of others. It's classic Kenya.

At The Ark, the surrounding forest and salt-lick feature Scaly Francolin, Long-crested Eagle, Red-fronted Parrot, Silvery-cheeked and Crowned hornbills, Cinnamon-chested Bee-eater, Spectacled Weaver, Eastern Double-collared and Golden-winged sunbirds, and many more; Cape Buffalo, Bushbuck, and Waterbuck are attracted to the natural watering hole, as might be Giant Forest Hog.

Around Lake Baringo, a Rift Valley fresh water lake where more than 500 species have been recorded, we find birds such as Dark Chanting-Goshawk, Black-headed Lapwing, Hemprich’s and Jackson's hornbills, Spotted Thick-knee, Grayish Eagle-Owl, Northern White-faced Owl, Nubian Woodpecker, Beautiful Sunbird, numerous colorful weavers, and perhaps a fruiting fig tree attracting barbets, mousebirds and starlings. The lake itself can be busy with waterbirds from Goliath and Purple herons to African Jacana and Black Crake.

Lake Nakuru is famous for flocks of Lesser and Greater flamingos, pelicans, and a wealth of other waterbirds, plus landbirds from tiny crombecs to giant Kori Bustards.

Kakamega Forest is Kenya's last remnant of equatorial rainforest, boasting colorful turacos, Blue-headed Bee-eater, and the majestic Crowned Eagle.

There is so much to see in Kenya, and we offer three distinct Field Guides birding tours, one focusing on the wonderful tented camp experience (Wild Kenya: A Tented Camp Safari, which visits Samburu, The Ark, Naro Moru, Lake Nakuru, Masai Mara, and Nairobi National Park), another, several days longer and using traditional well-known lodges (our Kenya Highlights itinerary, offered in some years and visiting Mt. Kenya, Samburu, Lake Baringo, Kakamega, Lake Nakuru, and Masai Mara), and a third combining the best of both Kenya and neighboring Tanzania (East Africa Highlights: Kenya & Tanzania, with the Kenya section visiting Mt. Kenya, Lake Baringo, Kakamega, Kisumu, Lake Nakuru, and Nairobi National Park).

Photo credit: Our thanks to guide Terry Stevenson for the image at the top of this page of a huge flock of Lesser Flamingos at Lake Elementaita.

We offer other AFRICA birding tours, too!