The challenge: two weeks, two young families (four adults, four children under five years) and one thousand pounds for our friends to spend.
The plan: Clearly, this was not going to be the typical birding mania of a safari to Northern Tanzania, but as my family is currently resident in Tanzania we have some advantages on the usual holiday options – local knowledge, two bush-worth cars and some special accommodation deals certainly help. As any birder with a young family knows a holiday is going to be compromise: huge drives, long walks, daily dawn starts and dusk finishes are not going to happen. Instead, we settled on a mixture of short trips out of Arusha where we aimed to find a range of habitats and associated birds an mammals, whilst not exceeding the total budget for our friends of £1000. So, although this trip was a real one-off tailored to our particular needs, many of the things we did might still be of interest to people visiting northern Tanzania. As I met our friends from the long (at least, it is when you've got two small children!) KLM flight to Kilimanjaro I suggested we should see about 300 species fairly easily, and that 350 would be the target for the weekend. That's nothing like the totals that are possible if all you focus on is birding and covering the ground – but does make it both family friendly and far more affordable than the usual birding safari!
The activities:
Two nights bush camping, Nyumba ya Mungu reservoir.
Various day trips from Arusha – Local birding sites around town (gardens, Lake Duluti and on the lower slopes of Mt. Meru), longer expeditions to Lark Plains and a full day in Arusha National Park
Safari to Tarangire (two nights) and on to Manyara Ranch (one night)
Overnight trip to Ngorongoro Crater (for our friends only – we posted them off with a driver and looked after the kids for them)
The results:
Despite my initial suggestion that we meet our friends and drag them straight to the bush late at night, this was vetoed. Instead we let them recover on Saturday morning, with the first lifers for C being garden birds before breakfast (it's great to have Hadada Ibis on the roof)! Lunch saw us with full cars heading to Nyumba ya Mungu to set up camp for a couple of days. More new birds followed on the road, but unfortunately an unhelpful direction saw us floowing a much longer and slower route than we'd hoped, eventually choosing a spot near the reservoir dam to camp with little time to bird among fire-wood collection and tent pitching. Still, by the end of the day we were nearly 50 species on the way, sipping cool beers whilst the Night Herons came out of roost and had found some good dryland species that I'd hoped for in the Somali biome around the reservoir: Pink-breasted Larks are always nice.
Birding proper started on Sunday 26th and I had my one lifer of the trip over breakfast: a gorgeous male Black-bellied Sunbird. Fish Eagles all around the reservoir and morning flights of Ibis and cormorants were nice, and a Willow Warbler keeping the Yellow-bellied Eremomelas company reminded us all of the homeland. A trip further down the river resulted in lots of happy children swimming with the Maasai at a spot we were told the crocodiles were unlikely to be and some more neat birds: Giant Kingfisher and African Darter were probably the highlights here, but a confiding African Cuckoo was nice and we found the only Rufous-crowned Roller of the trip nearby. We also managed the key request from the four-year old with our first primates: Yellow Baboons, Blue/Sykes and Vervet Monkeys.
The 27th saw us making paying more attention to the dry bush and reservoir edges with a walk before striking camp, then driving back along the edge of the reservoir. It was pretty neat to find White-headed Mousebirds on a nest, but I love Palm-nut Vultures and in Tanzanian terms the flock of over 30 Black-becked Grebes was probably rarest. Along the reservoir edge we managed a good haul of herons and egrets (though missed the Skimmers – at this time of year they're off breeding on exposed sandbanks) and found a nice range of returning Palearctic waders among the resident Blacksmith, Spurwinged and Kittlitz' plovers.
With a number of the party suffering slightly from the hot drive back, the 28th was a quieter day: C and I opted to drop my daughter at school and bird the plot next door (home to Dorobo safaris, good friends of ours). Although rather quieter than sometimes, this resulted in quite a number of birds we didn't see elsewhere: among other, African Reed Warbler, Singing and Red-faced Cisticola and Black Bishop were all one-offs, whilst large numbers of Black Cuckoo-shrikes were passing through and a calling Lizard Buzzard was as close as we were to get in the fortnight!
Recovery complete by the 29th We had a full day in Arusha NP – always a favourite birding destination, and the first chance for our visitors to see most of the plains animals. As usual, the gate area was productive – first with the obligatory Giraffe roaming about nearby (always surprises me how many people don't see them though!) and Cape Robin Chat on the road, then as we were enjoying a Bronze Sunbird a breeding herd of 60-odd Elephants came wandering past – a real bonus as they're not often seen here. A pair of Crowned Eagles were in a tree not much further in too, which was nice. I'd planned on heading up to the Ngurdoto Crater whilst it was still cool in the morning, then heading on around to the Momella Lakes for the afternoon. As it happened, the cloud came down and we missed the best view from the crater – but it didn't stop us connecting with a good range of the forest specials: cleaning up on the available greenbuls in one feeding flock (which also held the beautiful Black-fronted Bush-shrike), another mixed flock holding Red-billed Helmet-shrike as well as African Golden and Black-headed Orioles. Highlight for me was a busy group of starlings around some Kendrick's Starling nests – plenty of Waller's and Sharpe's around too. In the afternoon the Momella Lakes were full of flamingos, and we found (only) four Maccoa Ducks among the Southern Pochards and thousands of Little Grebes. Roosting Painted Snipe was a bonus too. All in all a great day, topped off by a lovely African Moustached Warbler on the way out.
The following morning C and I headed off alone for a morning on the Lark Plains, north of Arusha. We made a stop en route for one of the many Schalow's Wheatears along side the road, then to photograph a couple of Giraffe strolling across the plains. Sadly the Greater Kestrels were not at their nest, but we enjoyed good views of Short-tailed, Athi, Red-capped and Faun-coloured Larks before we met the local guys as arranged to pay our village fees. An hour or two of strolling around the plains then followed as we tried to locate the Beesley's, and after a shift of location we eventually enjoyed good views of three. By now it was pretty hot and getting dusty as the wind picked up – not much activity in the nearby bush, but another group of 4 Beesley's right beside the track were nice (I've always said the best birds can be seen from a car!).
The 30th had us packing cars again in the morning, with a little time squeezed in for a walk through the shambas behind our house. Amazingly, we came across a Blue-spotted Wood-dove only a fw hundred yards away – there's only a tiny population around Arusha. C also found an eclipse Golden-winged Sunbird, which is always good value. We then headed off at lunch time to Tarangire, stopping en route for our first Ground Hornbills beside the main road – particularly nice as they were on Manyara Ranch and I've been compiling a bird list for the site, but was missing this one! At the gate we ticked Ashy Starling and genuine Yellow-collared Lovebirds, plus the usual mix, and we made it to Tarangire Safari Lodge in time to throw the kids in the pool before an evening game drive. Tarangire in the dry season never disappoints, and the Safari Lodge is definitely the best location to enjoy it. Our hour and a half evening drive netted loads of typical birds (some obliging Grey Kestrels were great and we saw our first Pearl-spotted Owlets here too) and a lovely group of four cheetah who were just thinking about going hunting. Sitting on the terrace after dinner a lion was giving the occasional full-throated roar in the darkness below, the African Scops Owls were hooting, the cocktails were cold and we were reminded again of how wonderful it is to live only a couple of hours from this amazing wilderness.
We started the 1st with C and I walking the length of the tents at the safari lodge at dawn – an excellent way to start the day with 62 species in the notebook in the 45mins before breakfast! Even with the family constraints I expect well over 100 species for a day in Tarangire, and we weren't disappointed. Highlights of our morning drive (as well as a nice close lioness and then a honeymooning pair later on) were the first Ostriches of the trip, and a couple of Secretary Birds – all with the constant backdrop of magnificent scenery crammed full of elephants, zebra, wildebeest, etc. With over 100 species notched up by the time we stopped for luch we weren't doing badly at all, and birds in the trees by the swimming pool (there's a lovely Pygmy Kingfisher that is there seasonally, among others) kept us ticking over even whilst swimming away the heat of the day! An evening drive out onto the plains to the north allowed us to find some nice bustards and coursers and we ended the day watching a grey kestrel attempting to catch the free-tailed bats coming out of roost from the lodge roof with a very respectable total of 130 species.
Our intented re-run of the pre-breakfast walk was halted early on 2nd when we spotted a male lion – presumably one of the two that had been rather noisy the night before – dragging a wildebeest off by the river below. Rousing the others, we then enjoyed it dragging said beest across the river to a shady spot, trailed by a couple of Black-backed Jackals, for his breakfast. Only to beat a hasty retreat when a herd of about 200 Buffalo came past the lodge and down to the river from the other side! Very good breakfast entertainment. And our morning drive was good too, with more new birds for the list, including our only Brown Parrots and a roosting Verreaux's Eagle Owl. But sadly not the hoped for Leopard...
After lunch and another swim we headed along to Manyara Ranch (www.manyararanch.com) and the most expensive night of our trip. I've been helping the team here develop a bird list and had persuaded our friends that it would be worth forking out the extra $$, if only for the chance to go on a night drive – but also because I know how nice it is to enjoy the luxury version for a bit: an open game viewer instead of my closed up landrover, amazing luxury tents, etc. And, of course, for some of the birds that are hard to find elsewhere. Our evening drive took us to the Spoonbill colony, where we enjoyed sundowners and great birds – but not as much wildlife as often. After dinner and tying the kids into the tents sound asleep we headed off at about 10pm on what was, for me, one of the highlights of the holiday: two hours of amazing nocturnal wildlife! It started slowly, after 30mins we'd disturbed only sleeping antelopes and a couple of elephants, but then we spotted an interesting looking pair of eyes and, sure enough a Serval was watching us. We enjoyed great views for several minutes as it hopped about in the grass, before it bolted off to a thicket. And then the mammals kept coming – first a distant Aardvark, then a pair of Bat-eared Foxes before another Aardvark came trundling right up to the car! Then two Aardwolves and yet another Aardvark! These are incredibly rarely seen animals and to find three in a night is quite extraordinary. By the time we returned home to bed we'd managed 18 mammal species in a two hour drive. And a Flap-necked Chameleon. But sadly we'd not found the Grass Owl that is sometimes there, or indeed any of the noctural coursers we usually see and only one or two Slender-tailed Nightjars. Still, I'm not complaining!
We managed more of the regular species on our walks and drives the next morning – the highlight was probably a nice Spot-flaked Barbet along the river whilst we were trying to find what the 100s of vultures had been homing in on. Unfortunately we failed, having decided that walking to a possible kill site with four young children was probably an unwise plan – had we got there we'd probably have found the lions that were responsible for killing three cows in the night. Still, we'd had our fill of lions by now anyway, and headed for home after lunch having had an excellent three-day trip.
I had to do some work on 5th and we had planned to send our friends off in the afternoon, whilst we looked after the kids for 24hrs and let them enjoy an evening free of kids. I'm sure there were some new birds somewhere, but they're not in my notebook now... We'd booked C & S in a new (and relatively cheap) lodge in Karatu for the night – the Country Lodge (http://countrylodgekaratu.com/) which they reported as fine, but not particularly birdy (and sadly missing the Montane Nightjars we've seen at other lodges in town...). They enjoyed a day on 6th in the crater the next day and managed yet more new birds (the inevitable Kori Bustards, Eastern Double-collared Sunbirds, Jackson's Widowbirds, etc.) as well as the great wildlife down there, but since I wasn't part of this particular jaunt I'll leave it off for now... Returning in the evening we'd survived with four kids for the time and were ready for another family-friendly walk around Lake Duluti on 7th. Duluti always has some highlights – Taveta Golden Weaver is one, though we'd seen them twice before by now – and we found most of the usual: Olive-grey Greenbul, Black-throated Wattle-eye, etc. As well as some surprises: I've never seen Grey-headed Gull there before, and Red-capped Robin Chat is usually hard to find among the Ruppell's. All topped off with a nice coffee at the nearby Serena Mountain Lodge.
Totting up the bird list on the last evening, we realised that we were tantalisingly close to the 350 species I thought we should make our target, so planned a last morning walk along the (dry) Ngaramtoni River above our house on Mt. Meru where I thought we stood the best chance of a good haul of novelties. And as it turned out, we'd got three before even leaving the car: two Red-collared Widowbirds just coming into plumage, a White-naped Raven overhead and a Spotted Flycatcher where I was about to park. Encouraging! We managed even more on our walk, finding almost all of the ones I'd hoped for: Cinnamon Bracken Warbler, Brown Woodland Warbler, White-starred Forest Robin, Mountain Yellow Warbler, Bar-throated Apalis, etc.and one or two extras: Thick-billed Seedeater was good, as C had missed this at the Ngorongoro entrance gate, and a roosting African Wood Owl was great. Inevitably, much of the rest of the day was spent packing up, but we had one last flash of success as we'd planned to have a last meal at Mt Meru Game Lodge on the way to the airport to let the kids feed the tame Eland (always good value), and whilst we were enjoying our drinks along came a lovely adult Bat Hawk. Not a bad way to end a trip, and just enough to make 350 bird species (and a very respectable 42 mammal species) for C! The (not quite complete, because sometimes I was driving and not writing in my notebook) list is below.
Systematic List:
In the list below (H) is heard only, N = Nyumba ya Mungu, T = Tarangire, M = Manyara Ranch, L = Lark Plains, A = Arusha NP, R = Ngaramtoni River, D = Duluti, G = gardens and Shambas around Arusha
Ostrich Struthio camelus T, M (nest)
Black-necked Grebe Podiceps nigricollis N, A
Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis N, A, M
White Pelican Pelecanus onocrotalus T
Pink-backed Pelican Pelecanus rufescens N,
Long-tailed Cormorant Phalacrocorax africanus N, D
Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo N, A, D
African Darter Anhinga rufa N
Little Bittern Ixobrychus minutus D
Grey Heron Ardea cinerea N, M
Black-headed Heron Ardea melanocephala N, M, A
Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis N
Striated Heron Butorides striatus N, A, D, G
Great Egret Egretta alba N, A
Little Egret Egretta garzetta N, A
Intermediate Egret Mesophoyx intermedia N
Black-crowned Night Heron Nycticorax nycticorax N, A, D
Hamerkop Scopus umbretta N, T
Yellow-billed Stork Mycteria ibis G
Saddle-billed Stork Ephippiorhynchus senegalensis T
Marabou Stork Leptoptilos crumeniferus N, T, D
Hadada Ibis Bostrychia hagedash G, N, D
Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus N
Sacred Ibis Threskiornis aethiopica N, A
African Spoonbill Platalea alba M
Lesser Flamingo Phoeniconaias minor A
Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus ruber N
White-faced Whistling-Duck Dendrocygna viduata N
Egyptian Goose Alopochen aegyptiacus N, A, T, M,
Cape Teal Anas capensis A
Red-billed Teal Anas erythrorhynchos N, M
Hottentot Teal Anas hottentota N
Southern Pochard Netta erythrophthalma A
Maccoa Duck Oxyura maccoa A
Spur-winged Goose Plectopterus gambensis A
Knob-billed Duck Sarkidiornis melanotos D
Secretary Bird Sagittarius serpentarius T
Palm-nut Vulture Gypohierax angolensis N, D
African White-backed Vulture Gyps africanus T, M,
Rüppell's Griffon Vulture Gyps rueppellii T, M
Lappet-faced Vulture Torgos tracheliotus T, M, L
White-headed Vulture Trigonoceps occipitalis T
African Marsh Harrier Circus ranivorus A
Gymnogene Polyboroides radiatus N
Black-chested Snake-Eagle Circaetus pectoralis M
Bateleur Terathopius ecaudatus N, T
Little Sparrowhawk Accipiter minullus N, M
African Goshawk Accipiter tachiro M
Lesser Spotted Eagle Aquila pomarina T
Tawny Eagle Aquila rapax T, M, L
Augur Buzzard Buteo augur G, D
Ayres' Hawk-Eagle Hieraaetus ayresii A
African Hawk-Eagle Hieraaetus spilogaster T, M
Lizard Buzzard Kaupifalco monogrammicus (H) G, D
Long-crested Eagle Lophaetus occipitalis T, R
Gabar Goshawk Micronisus gabar M
Eastern Chanting Goshawk Melierax poliopterus L, M
Martial Eagle Polemaetus bellicosus T
Crowned Eagle Stephanoaetus coronatus A
African Fish Eagle Haliaeetus vocifer N, A, D
Black-shouldered Kite Elanus caeruleus A, M
Bat Hawk Macheiramphus alcinus G
Grey Kestrel Falco ardosiaceus T
Lanner Falcon Falco biarmicus M
Red-necked Spurfowl Francolinus afer T
Coqui Francolin Francolinus coqui (H) T
Yellow-necked Spurfowl Francolinus leucoscepus T, M
Crested Francolin Francolinus sephaena N, T, M
Scaly Francolin Francolinus squamatus A
Hildebrandt's Francolin Francolinus hildebrandti T
Helmeted Guineafowl Numida meleagris T, M
Common Moorhen Gallinula chloropus G
Black Crake Amaurornis flavirostra N, G, D
Red-knobbed Coot Fulica cristata N, A, D
Buff-crested Bustard Eupodotis ruficrista N, T, M
White-bellied Bustard Eupodotis cafra T, M
Greater Painted-snipe Rostratula benghalensis A, M
Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula N, T
Kittlitz's Plover Charadrius pecuarius N
Three-banded Plover Charadrius tricolarius N, A, T
Blacksmith Lapwing Vanellus armatus N, A, T
Crowned Lapwing Vanellus coronatus N, T, M
Spur-winged Lapwing Vanellus spinosus N, M, A
Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos N, A, T, M
Wood Sandpiper Tringa glareola N, A, T
Common Greenshank Tringa nebularia N, A, T, M
Green Sandpiper Tringa ochropus N, A, T, M
Marsh Sandpiper Tringa stagnatilis N, A, T, M
Curlew Sandpiper Calidris ferruginea N
Little Stint Calidris minuta N, A, T
Black-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica N
Ruff Philomachus pugnax N, A, T, M
Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus N, A,
Spotted Thick-knee Burhinus capensis M
Water Thick-knee Burhinus vermiculatus N, T, M
Two-banded Courser Rhinoptilus africanus T, M
Grey-headed Gull Larus cirrocephalus N, D
Whiskered Tern Chlidonias hybridus N
White-winged Black Tern Chlidonias leucopterus N, A
Gull-billed Tern Gelochelidon nilotica N
Black-faced Sandgrouse Pterocles decoratus N, T, M
Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse Pterocles exustus N, T
Yellow-throated Sandgrouse Pterocles gutturalis T
Olive Pigeon Columba arquatrx A
Namaqua Dove Oena capensis N, T, M
Ring-necked Dove Streptopelia capicola N, T, M, G
African Mourning Dove Streptopelia decipiens L, T, M
Red-eyed Dove Streptopelia semitorquata A, G
Laughing Dove Streptopelia senegalensis N, T, M
Blue-spotted Wood-Dove Turtur afer G
Emerald-spotted Wood-Dove Turtur chalcospilos N, A, T, M, G, D
African Green Pigeon Treron australis D
Yellow-collared Lovebird Agapornis personatus T, M
Brown Parrot Poicephalus meyeri T
African Orange-bellied Parrot Poicephalus rufiventris N, T, M
White-bellied Go-away Bird Corythaixoides leucogaster N, T, M
Bare-faced Go-away Bird Corythaixoides personata T
Hartlaub's Turaco Tauraco hartlaubi A, D
Klaas' Cuckoo Chrysococcyx klaas (H) N
African Cuckoo Cuculus gularis N, M
White-browed Coucal Centropus superciliosus N, A, T, M, G
Verreaux's Eagle-Owl Bubo lacteus T
African Wood Owl Strix woodfordii R
Pearl-spotted Owlet Glaucidium perlatum T
African Scops-Owl Otus senegalensis T
Slender-tailed Nightjar Caprimulgus clarus N, T, M
Mottled Swift Apus aequatorialis A, G
Little Swift Apus affinis N, T, G
Eurasian Swift Apus apus A, T, M, G
White-rumped Swift Apus caffer T
Alpine Swift Apus melba M
Nyanza Swift Apus niansae R
Palm Swift Cypsiurus parvus N, T, M, G, D
Mottle-throated Spinetail Telacanthura ussheri T
White-headed Mousebird Colius leucocephalus N
Speckled Mousebird Colius striatus N, A, T, M, D, G
Blue-naped Mousebird Urocolius macrourus N, T, M
Giant Kingfisher Megaceryle maxima N
Pied Kingfisher Ceryle rudis N, D
Malachite Kingfisher Corythornis cristata N, D
Brown-hooded Kingfisher Halcyon albiventris A, G
Striped Kingfisher Halcyon chelicuti T
Grey-headed Kingfisher Halcyon leucocephala N, A, T, M
African Pygmy Kingfisher Ispidina picta T
Eurasian Bee-eater Merops apiaster T, M, G
White-fronted Bee-eater Merops bullockoides A, G
Little Bee-eater Merops pusillus N, A, T, M, G
Lilac-breasted Roller Coracias caudata N, T, M
Rufous-crowned Roller Coracias naevia N
Abyssinian Scimitarbill Phoeniculus minor M
Silvery-cheeked Hornbill Ceratogymna brevis A, G
Crowned Hornbill Tockus alboterminatus G
Von der Decken's Hornbill Tockus deckeni N, T, M
Red-billed Hornbill Tockus erythrorhynchus N, T
African Grey Hornbill Tockus nasutus N, T, M, G
Southern Ground Hornbill Bucorvus cafer M, T
White-eared Barbet Stactolaema leucotis A, G, R
Spot-flanked Barbet Tricholaema lacrymosus M
Black-throated Barbet Tricholaema melanocephalus M
Brown-breasted Barbet Lybius melanopterus G
Red-fronted Tinkerbird Pogoniulus pusillus N, T
Red & Yellow Barbet Trachyphonus erythrocephalus L, T, M
Greater Honeyguide Indicator indicator N
Pallid Honeyguide Indicator meliphilus D
Lesser Honeyguide Indicator minor N, T, M, G
Scaly-throated Honeyguide Indicator variegatus D
Nubian Woodpecker Campethera nubica T, M
Cardinal Woodpecker Dendropicos fuscescens N, A, T, M
Grey Woodpecker Dendropicus goertae T, G
Bearded Woodpecker Dendropicus namaquus M
Red-capped Lark Calandrella cinerea L
Somali Short-toed Lark Calandrella athiensis L
Spike-heeled Lark Chersomanes albofasciata L
Fischer's Sparrow-Lark Eremopterix leucopareia N, L, T, M,
Short-tailed Lark Pseudalaemon fremantlii L
Rufous-naped Lark Mirafra africana A
Fawn-coloured Lark Mirafra africanoides L, T, M
Pink-breasted Lark Mirafra poecilosterna N
Common House Martin Delichon urbica A, M
Lesser Striped Swallow Hirundo abyssinica T
Red-rumped Swallow Hirundo daurica A
Rock Martin Hirundo fuligula G
Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica N, L, A, T, M, D, G
Mosque Swallow Hirundo senegalensis T
Wire-tailed Swallow Hirundo smithii N, A, T
Black Saw-wing Psalidoprocne holomelas A, D, R
Plain Martin Riparia paludicola A
Fork-tailed Drongo Dicrurus adsimilis N, A, T, M, G
African Golden Oriole Oriolus auratus A, T
African Black-headed Oriole Oriolus larvatus N, A, T, G
Eurasian Golden Oriole Oriolus oriolus N
White-naped Raven Corvus albicollis R
Pied Crow Corvus albus N, T, G
Northern Pied Babbler Turdoides hypoleucus T
Arrow-marked Babbler Turdoides jardineii T, M
Black Cuckoo-shrike Campephaga flava A, G
Zanzibar Sombre Greenbul Andropadus importunus N, G
Stripe-cheeked Greenbul Andropadus olivaceps A
Mountain Greenbul Andropadus tephrolaemus A
Little Greenbul Andropadus virens A, D
Yellow-bellied Greenbul Chlorocichla flaviventris G, D
Grey-olive Greenbul Phyllastrephus cerviniventris D
Northern Brownbul Phyllastrephus strepitans N, D
Common Bulbul Pycnonotus barbatus G, N, L, A, T, M, D, G
White-browed Scrub-Robin Cercotrichas leucophrys N, L, T, M
Collared Palm-Thrush Cichladusa arquata T
Spotted Morning-Thrush Cichladusa guttata N, L, T, M, G
Cape Robin-Chat Cossypha caffra A, G
Red-capped Robin-Chat Cossypha natalensis D
Rüppell's Robin-Chat Cossypha semirufa G, D, R
Thrush Nightingale Luscinia luscinia N
Schalow's Wheatear Oenanthe schalowi L, G
Northern Wheatear Oenanthe oenanthe L
White-starred Robin Pogonocichla stellata R
Common Stonechat Saxicola torquata A, R
Bare-eyed Thrush Turdus tephronotus N
African Reed Warbler Acrocephalus baeticatus G
Lesser Swamp Warbler Acrocephalus gracilirostris G, D
Yellow-breasted Apalis Apalis flavida N, A, T, M, G, R
Bar-throated Apalis Apalis thoracica R
Cinnamon Bracken Warbler Bradypterus cinnamomeus R
Grey-backed Camaroptera Camaroptera brachyura G, N, A, T, M, G, R
Grey Wren-Warbler Camaroptera simplex N, M
Mountain Yellow Warbler Chloropeta similis R
Desert Cisticola Cisticola aridulus T, M
Singing Cisticola Cisticola cantans A, G
Rattling Cisticola Cisticola chinianus N, T, M, G
Red-faced Cisticola Cisticola erythrops G
Winding Cisticola Cisticola galactotes A, T, G
Trilling Cisticola Cisticola woosnami A
Yellow-bellied Eremomela Eremomela icteropygialis N, T, M
Banded Parisoma Sylvia boehmi N, L, T, M
Buff-bellied Warbler Phyllolais pulchella N, T, M,
Willow Warbler Phylloscopus trochilus N, M
Brown Woodland Warbler Phylloscopus umbrovirens R
Tawny-flanked Prinia Prinia subflava N, T, M
African Moustached Warbler Melocichla mentalis A
Red-fronted Warbler Spiloptila rufifrons N
Northern Crombec Sylvietta brachyura N, M
African Grey Flycatcher Bradornis microrhynchus N, L, T, M, G
White-eyed Slaty Flycatcher Melaenornis fischeri A
African Dusky Flycatcher Muscicapa adusta D, R
Spotted Flycatcher Muscicapa striata R
Chin-spot Batis Batis molitor A, M
Pygmy Batis Batis perkeo N
Black-throated Wattle-eye Platysteira peltata D
African Paradise-flycatcher Terpsiphone viridis N, T, G
Long-billed Pipit Anthus similis A
African Pied Wagtail Motacilla aguimp N, T, M
Yellow Wagtail Motacilla flava A
Black-backed Puffback Dryoscopus cubla A, D, G
Tropical Boubou Laniarius aethiopicus A, G, D
Slate-coloured Boubou Laniarius funebris N, T, M
Grey-headed Bush-shrike Malaconotus blanchoti (H) N
Black-fronted Bush-shrike Malaconotus nigrifrons A
Sulphur-breasted Bush-shrike Malaconotus sulfureopectus N, T, G
Brubru Nilaus afer N, T
Rosy-patched Bush-shrike Rhodophoneus cruentus N, T, M
Brown-crowned Tchagra Tchagra australis M, G
Black-crowned Tchagra Tchagra senegala A
Magpie Shrike Corvinella melanoleuca T, M
Long-tailed Fiscal Lanius cabanisi N, T, M
Common Fiscal Lanius collaris G, A
Taita Fiscal Lanius dorsalis L
Northern White-crowned Shrike Eurocephalus rueppellii T, M
White-crested Helmet-shrike Prionops plumatus T
Retz's Helmet -shrike Prionops retzii A
Violet-backed Starling Cinnyricinclus leucogaster G, R
Sharpe's Starling Cinnyricinclus sharpii A
Ashy Starling Cosmopsarus unicolor T, M
Wattled Starling Creatophora cinerea N, L, T, M
Red-winged Starling Onychognathus morio G, T
Waller's Starling Onychognathus walleri A
Kenrick's Starling Poeoptera kenricki A
Fischer's Starling Spreo fischeri N
Hildebrandt's Starling Lamprotornis hildebrandti M, T
Superb Starling Lamprotornis superbus N, L, T, M
Yellow-billed Oxpecker Buphagus africanus T
Red-billed Oxpecker Buphagus erythrorhynchus N, L, T, M
Collared Sunbird Anthreptes collaris G, D, R
Eastern Violet-backed Sunbird Anthreptes orientalis N, T
Hunter's Sunbird Nectarinia hunteri N
Bronze Sunbird Nectarinia kilimensis A, G
Marico Sunbird Nectarinia mariquensis T
Black-bellied Sunbird Nectarinia nectarinioides N
Beautiful Sunbird Nectarinia pulchella T, M
Golden-winged Sunbird Nectarinia reichenowi G
Scarlet-chested Sunbird Nectarinia senegalensis T, M, G
Variable Sunbird Nectarinia venusta G, A, T
Abyssinian White-eye Zosterops abyssinicus G, N, T, M, R
Montane White-eye Zosterops poliogaster A
Grosbeak Weaver Ambylospiza albifrons D
White-winged Widowbird Euplectes albonotatus G
Red-collared Widowbird Euplectes ardens R
Yellow Bishop Euplectes capensis A
Black Bishop Euplectes gierowii G
Baglafecht Weaver Ploceus baglafetch G, A
Taveta Golden Weaver Ploceus castaneiceps A, G, D
Lesser Masked Weaver Ploceus intermedius N, T, M
Golden-backed Weaver Ploceus jacksoni T
Black-necked Weaver Ploceus nigrocollis N, T
Spectacled Weaver Ploceus ocularis A, G
Chestnut Weaver Ploceus rubiginosus G, R
Speke's Weaver Ploceus spekei A
African Golden Weaver Ploceus subaureus N
Vitelline Masked Weaver Ploceus vitellinus N, M
Red-billed Quelea Quelea quelea N, T, M
Red-billed Buffalo-Weaver Bubalornis niger T, M
White-headed Buffalo-Weaver Dinemellia dinemelli N, L, T, M
White-browed Sparrow-Weaver Plocepasser mahali N
Rufous-tailed Weaver Histurgops ruficauda T, M
Grey-capped Social Weaver Pseudonigrita arnaudi L
Chestnut Sparrow Passer eminibey T, M
Grey-headed Sparrow Passer griseus T, M, G
Swahili Sparrow Passer suahelicus T, M
Rufous Sparrow Passer rufocinctus M
Yellow-spotted Petronia Petronia pyrgita N
Speckle-fronted Weaver Sporopipes frontalis T
Pin-tailed Whydah Vidua macroura N, T
Eastern Paradise-Whydah Vidua paradisaea T
Black-faced Waxbill Estrilda erythronotus T, M
Crimson-rumped Waxbill Estrilda rhodopyga N, G, T
Jameson's Firefinch Lagonosticta rhodopareia T
Red-billed Firefinch Lagonosticta senegala N, M, G
Green-winged Pytilia Pytilia melba N, T, M
Red-cheeked Cordon-bleu Uraeginthus bengalus T, M
Blue-capped Cordon-bleu Uraeginthus cyanocephalus N, T, M
Purple Grenadier Uraeginthus ianthinogaster M
Cut-throat Finch Amadina fasciata T, M
Black-and-white Mannikin Lonchura bicolor G, D
African Golden-breasted Bunting Emberiza flavivenrtris N
Yellow-rumped Seedeater Serinus reichenowi N, T
Thick-billed Seedeater Serinus burtoni R
African Citril Serinus hypostictus G, D, R
Southern Grosbeak Canary Serinus buchanani L
White-bellied Canary Serinus dorsostriatus N, M
Streaky Seedeater Serinus striolatus G, R
The plan: Clearly, this was not going to be the typical birding mania of a safari to Northern Tanzania, but as my family is currently resident in Tanzania we have some advantages on the usual holiday options – local knowledge, two bush-worth cars and some special accommodation deals certainly help. As any birder with a young family knows a holiday is going to be compromise: huge drives, long walks, daily dawn starts and dusk finishes are not going to happen. Instead, we settled on a mixture of short trips out of Arusha where we aimed to find a range of habitats and associated birds an mammals, whilst not exceeding the total budget for our friends of £1000. So, although this trip was a real one-off tailored to our particular needs, many of the things we did might still be of interest to people visiting northern Tanzania. As I met our friends from the long (at least, it is when you've got two small children!) KLM flight to Kilimanjaro I suggested we should see about 300 species fairly easily, and that 350 would be the target for the weekend. That's nothing like the totals that are possible if all you focus on is birding and covering the ground – but does make it both family friendly and far more affordable than the usual birding safari!
The activities:
Two nights bush camping, Nyumba ya Mungu reservoir.
Various day trips from Arusha – Local birding sites around town (gardens, Lake Duluti and on the lower slopes of Mt. Meru), longer expeditions to Lark Plains and a full day in Arusha National Park
Safari to Tarangire (two nights) and on to Manyara Ranch (one night)
Overnight trip to Ngorongoro Crater (for our friends only – we posted them off with a driver and looked after the kids for them)
The results:
Despite my initial suggestion that we meet our friends and drag them straight to the bush late at night, this was vetoed. Instead we let them recover on Saturday morning, with the first lifers for C being garden birds before breakfast (it's great to have Hadada Ibis on the roof)! Lunch saw us with full cars heading to Nyumba ya Mungu to set up camp for a couple of days. More new birds followed on the road, but unfortunately an unhelpful direction saw us floowing a much longer and slower route than we'd hoped, eventually choosing a spot near the reservoir dam to camp with little time to bird among fire-wood collection and tent pitching. Still, by the end of the day we were nearly 50 species on the way, sipping cool beers whilst the Night Herons came out of roost and had found some good dryland species that I'd hoped for in the Somali biome around the reservoir: Pink-breasted Larks are always nice.
Birding proper started on Sunday 26th and I had my one lifer of the trip over breakfast: a gorgeous male Black-bellied Sunbird. Fish Eagles all around the reservoir and morning flights of Ibis and cormorants were nice, and a Willow Warbler keeping the Yellow-bellied Eremomelas company reminded us all of the homeland. A trip further down the river resulted in lots of happy children swimming with the Maasai at a spot we were told the crocodiles were unlikely to be and some more neat birds: Giant Kingfisher and African Darter were probably the highlights here, but a confiding African Cuckoo was nice and we found the only Rufous-crowned Roller of the trip nearby. We also managed the key request from the four-year old with our first primates: Yellow Baboons, Blue/Sykes and Vervet Monkeys.
The 27th saw us making paying more attention to the dry bush and reservoir edges with a walk before striking camp, then driving back along the edge of the reservoir. It was pretty neat to find White-headed Mousebirds on a nest, but I love Palm-nut Vultures and in Tanzanian terms the flock of over 30 Black-becked Grebes was probably rarest. Along the reservoir edge we managed a good haul of herons and egrets (though missed the Skimmers – at this time of year they're off breeding on exposed sandbanks) and found a nice range of returning Palearctic waders among the resident Blacksmith, Spurwinged and Kittlitz' plovers.
With a number of the party suffering slightly from the hot drive back, the 28th was a quieter day: C and I opted to drop my daughter at school and bird the plot next door (home to Dorobo safaris, good friends of ours). Although rather quieter than sometimes, this resulted in quite a number of birds we didn't see elsewhere: among other, African Reed Warbler, Singing and Red-faced Cisticola and Black Bishop were all one-offs, whilst large numbers of Black Cuckoo-shrikes were passing through and a calling Lizard Buzzard was as close as we were to get in the fortnight!
Recovery complete by the 29th We had a full day in Arusha NP – always a favourite birding destination, and the first chance for our visitors to see most of the plains animals. As usual, the gate area was productive – first with the obligatory Giraffe roaming about nearby (always surprises me how many people don't see them though!) and Cape Robin Chat on the road, then as we were enjoying a Bronze Sunbird a breeding herd of 60-odd Elephants came wandering past – a real bonus as they're not often seen here. A pair of Crowned Eagles were in a tree not much further in too, which was nice. I'd planned on heading up to the Ngurdoto Crater whilst it was still cool in the morning, then heading on around to the Momella Lakes for the afternoon. As it happened, the cloud came down and we missed the best view from the crater – but it didn't stop us connecting with a good range of the forest specials: cleaning up on the available greenbuls in one feeding flock (which also held the beautiful Black-fronted Bush-shrike), another mixed flock holding Red-billed Helmet-shrike as well as African Golden and Black-headed Orioles. Highlight for me was a busy group of starlings around some Kendrick's Starling nests – plenty of Waller's and Sharpe's around too. In the afternoon the Momella Lakes were full of flamingos, and we found (only) four Maccoa Ducks among the Southern Pochards and thousands of Little Grebes. Roosting Painted Snipe was a bonus too. All in all a great day, topped off by a lovely African Moustached Warbler on the way out.
The following morning C and I headed off alone for a morning on the Lark Plains, north of Arusha. We made a stop en route for one of the many Schalow's Wheatears along side the road, then to photograph a couple of Giraffe strolling across the plains. Sadly the Greater Kestrels were not at their nest, but we enjoyed good views of Short-tailed, Athi, Red-capped and Faun-coloured Larks before we met the local guys as arranged to pay our village fees. An hour or two of strolling around the plains then followed as we tried to locate the Beesley's, and after a shift of location we eventually enjoyed good views of three. By now it was pretty hot and getting dusty as the wind picked up – not much activity in the nearby bush, but another group of 4 Beesley's right beside the track were nice (I've always said the best birds can be seen from a car!).
The 30th had us packing cars again in the morning, with a little time squeezed in for a walk through the shambas behind our house. Amazingly, we came across a Blue-spotted Wood-dove only a fw hundred yards away – there's only a tiny population around Arusha. C also found an eclipse Golden-winged Sunbird, which is always good value. We then headed off at lunch time to Tarangire, stopping en route for our first Ground Hornbills beside the main road – particularly nice as they were on Manyara Ranch and I've been compiling a bird list for the site, but was missing this one! At the gate we ticked Ashy Starling and genuine Yellow-collared Lovebirds, plus the usual mix, and we made it to Tarangire Safari Lodge in time to throw the kids in the pool before an evening game drive. Tarangire in the dry season never disappoints, and the Safari Lodge is definitely the best location to enjoy it. Our hour and a half evening drive netted loads of typical birds (some obliging Grey Kestrels were great and we saw our first Pearl-spotted Owlets here too) and a lovely group of four cheetah who were just thinking about going hunting. Sitting on the terrace after dinner a lion was giving the occasional full-throated roar in the darkness below, the African Scops Owls were hooting, the cocktails were cold and we were reminded again of how wonderful it is to live only a couple of hours from this amazing wilderness.
We started the 1st with C and I walking the length of the tents at the safari lodge at dawn – an excellent way to start the day with 62 species in the notebook in the 45mins before breakfast! Even with the family constraints I expect well over 100 species for a day in Tarangire, and we weren't disappointed. Highlights of our morning drive (as well as a nice close lioness and then a honeymooning pair later on) were the first Ostriches of the trip, and a couple of Secretary Birds – all with the constant backdrop of magnificent scenery crammed full of elephants, zebra, wildebeest, etc. With over 100 species notched up by the time we stopped for luch we weren't doing badly at all, and birds in the trees by the swimming pool (there's a lovely Pygmy Kingfisher that is there seasonally, among others) kept us ticking over even whilst swimming away the heat of the day! An evening drive out onto the plains to the north allowed us to find some nice bustards and coursers and we ended the day watching a grey kestrel attempting to catch the free-tailed bats coming out of roost from the lodge roof with a very respectable total of 130 species.
Our intented re-run of the pre-breakfast walk was halted early on 2nd when we spotted a male lion – presumably one of the two that had been rather noisy the night before – dragging a wildebeest off by the river below. Rousing the others, we then enjoyed it dragging said beest across the river to a shady spot, trailed by a couple of Black-backed Jackals, for his breakfast. Only to beat a hasty retreat when a herd of about 200 Buffalo came past the lodge and down to the river from the other side! Very good breakfast entertainment. And our morning drive was good too, with more new birds for the list, including our only Brown Parrots and a roosting Verreaux's Eagle Owl. But sadly not the hoped for Leopard...
After lunch and another swim we headed along to Manyara Ranch (www.manyararanch.com) and the most expensive night of our trip. I've been helping the team here develop a bird list and had persuaded our friends that it would be worth forking out the extra $$, if only for the chance to go on a night drive – but also because I know how nice it is to enjoy the luxury version for a bit: an open game viewer instead of my closed up landrover, amazing luxury tents, etc. And, of course, for some of the birds that are hard to find elsewhere. Our evening drive took us to the Spoonbill colony, where we enjoyed sundowners and great birds – but not as much wildlife as often. After dinner and tying the kids into the tents sound asleep we headed off at about 10pm on what was, for me, one of the highlights of the holiday: two hours of amazing nocturnal wildlife! It started slowly, after 30mins we'd disturbed only sleeping antelopes and a couple of elephants, but then we spotted an interesting looking pair of eyes and, sure enough a Serval was watching us. We enjoyed great views for several minutes as it hopped about in the grass, before it bolted off to a thicket. And then the mammals kept coming – first a distant Aardvark, then a pair of Bat-eared Foxes before another Aardvark came trundling right up to the car! Then two Aardwolves and yet another Aardvark! These are incredibly rarely seen animals and to find three in a night is quite extraordinary. By the time we returned home to bed we'd managed 18 mammal species in a two hour drive. And a Flap-necked Chameleon. But sadly we'd not found the Grass Owl that is sometimes there, or indeed any of the noctural coursers we usually see and only one or two Slender-tailed Nightjars. Still, I'm not complaining!
We managed more of the regular species on our walks and drives the next morning – the highlight was probably a nice Spot-flaked Barbet along the river whilst we were trying to find what the 100s of vultures had been homing in on. Unfortunately we failed, having decided that walking to a possible kill site with four young children was probably an unwise plan – had we got there we'd probably have found the lions that were responsible for killing three cows in the night. Still, we'd had our fill of lions by now anyway, and headed for home after lunch having had an excellent three-day trip.
I had to do some work on 5th and we had planned to send our friends off in the afternoon, whilst we looked after the kids for 24hrs and let them enjoy an evening free of kids. I'm sure there were some new birds somewhere, but they're not in my notebook now... We'd booked C & S in a new (and relatively cheap) lodge in Karatu for the night – the Country Lodge (http://countrylodgekaratu.com/) which they reported as fine, but not particularly birdy (and sadly missing the Montane Nightjars we've seen at other lodges in town...). They enjoyed a day on 6th in the crater the next day and managed yet more new birds (the inevitable Kori Bustards, Eastern Double-collared Sunbirds, Jackson's Widowbirds, etc.) as well as the great wildlife down there, but since I wasn't part of this particular jaunt I'll leave it off for now... Returning in the evening we'd survived with four kids for the time and were ready for another family-friendly walk around Lake Duluti on 7th. Duluti always has some highlights – Taveta Golden Weaver is one, though we'd seen them twice before by now – and we found most of the usual: Olive-grey Greenbul, Black-throated Wattle-eye, etc. As well as some surprises: I've never seen Grey-headed Gull there before, and Red-capped Robin Chat is usually hard to find among the Ruppell's. All topped off with a nice coffee at the nearby Serena Mountain Lodge.
Totting up the bird list on the last evening, we realised that we were tantalisingly close to the 350 species I thought we should make our target, so planned a last morning walk along the (dry) Ngaramtoni River above our house on Mt. Meru where I thought we stood the best chance of a good haul of novelties. And as it turned out, we'd got three before even leaving the car: two Red-collared Widowbirds just coming into plumage, a White-naped Raven overhead and a Spotted Flycatcher where I was about to park. Encouraging! We managed even more on our walk, finding almost all of the ones I'd hoped for: Cinnamon Bracken Warbler, Brown Woodland Warbler, White-starred Forest Robin, Mountain Yellow Warbler, Bar-throated Apalis, etc.and one or two extras: Thick-billed Seedeater was good, as C had missed this at the Ngorongoro entrance gate, and a roosting African Wood Owl was great. Inevitably, much of the rest of the day was spent packing up, but we had one last flash of success as we'd planned to have a last meal at Mt Meru Game Lodge on the way to the airport to let the kids feed the tame Eland (always good value), and whilst we were enjoying our drinks along came a lovely adult Bat Hawk. Not a bad way to end a trip, and just enough to make 350 bird species (and a very respectable 42 mammal species) for C! The (not quite complete, because sometimes I was driving and not writing in my notebook) list is below.
Systematic List:
In the list below (H) is heard only, N = Nyumba ya Mungu, T = Tarangire, M = Manyara Ranch, L = Lark Plains, A = Arusha NP, R = Ngaramtoni River, D = Duluti, G = gardens and Shambas around Arusha
Ostrich Struthio camelus T, M (nest)
Black-necked Grebe Podiceps nigricollis N, A
Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis N, A, M
White Pelican Pelecanus onocrotalus T
Pink-backed Pelican Pelecanus rufescens N,
Long-tailed Cormorant Phalacrocorax africanus N, D
Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo N, A, D
African Darter Anhinga rufa N
Little Bittern Ixobrychus minutus D
Grey Heron Ardea cinerea N, M
Black-headed Heron Ardea melanocephala N, M, A
Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis N
Striated Heron Butorides striatus N, A, D, G
Great Egret Egretta alba N, A
Little Egret Egretta garzetta N, A
Intermediate Egret Mesophoyx intermedia N
Black-crowned Night Heron Nycticorax nycticorax N, A, D
Hamerkop Scopus umbretta N, T
Yellow-billed Stork Mycteria ibis G
Saddle-billed Stork Ephippiorhynchus senegalensis T
Marabou Stork Leptoptilos crumeniferus N, T, D
Hadada Ibis Bostrychia hagedash G, N, D
Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus N
Sacred Ibis Threskiornis aethiopica N, A
African Spoonbill Platalea alba M
Lesser Flamingo Phoeniconaias minor A
Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus ruber N
White-faced Whistling-Duck Dendrocygna viduata N
Egyptian Goose Alopochen aegyptiacus N, A, T, M,
Cape Teal Anas capensis A
Red-billed Teal Anas erythrorhynchos N, M
Hottentot Teal Anas hottentota N
Southern Pochard Netta erythrophthalma A
Maccoa Duck Oxyura maccoa A
Spur-winged Goose Plectopterus gambensis A
Knob-billed Duck Sarkidiornis melanotos D
Secretary Bird Sagittarius serpentarius T
Palm-nut Vulture Gypohierax angolensis N, D
African White-backed Vulture Gyps africanus T, M,
Rüppell's Griffon Vulture Gyps rueppellii T, M
Lappet-faced Vulture Torgos tracheliotus T, M, L
White-headed Vulture Trigonoceps occipitalis T
African Marsh Harrier Circus ranivorus A
Gymnogene Polyboroides radiatus N
Black-chested Snake-Eagle Circaetus pectoralis M
Bateleur Terathopius ecaudatus N, T
Little Sparrowhawk Accipiter minullus N, M
African Goshawk Accipiter tachiro M
Lesser Spotted Eagle Aquila pomarina T
Tawny Eagle Aquila rapax T, M, L
Augur Buzzard Buteo augur G, D
Ayres' Hawk-Eagle Hieraaetus ayresii A
African Hawk-Eagle Hieraaetus spilogaster T, M
Lizard Buzzard Kaupifalco monogrammicus (H) G, D
Long-crested Eagle Lophaetus occipitalis T, R
Gabar Goshawk Micronisus gabar M
Eastern Chanting Goshawk Melierax poliopterus L, M
Martial Eagle Polemaetus bellicosus T
Crowned Eagle Stephanoaetus coronatus A
African Fish Eagle Haliaeetus vocifer N, A, D
Black-shouldered Kite Elanus caeruleus A, M
Bat Hawk Macheiramphus alcinus G
Grey Kestrel Falco ardosiaceus T
Lanner Falcon Falco biarmicus M
Red-necked Spurfowl Francolinus afer T
Coqui Francolin Francolinus coqui (H) T
Yellow-necked Spurfowl Francolinus leucoscepus T, M
Crested Francolin Francolinus sephaena N, T, M
Scaly Francolin Francolinus squamatus A
Hildebrandt's Francolin Francolinus hildebrandti T
Helmeted Guineafowl Numida meleagris T, M
Common Moorhen Gallinula chloropus G
Black Crake Amaurornis flavirostra N, G, D
Red-knobbed Coot Fulica cristata N, A, D
Buff-crested Bustard Eupodotis ruficrista N, T, M
White-bellied Bustard Eupodotis cafra T, M
Greater Painted-snipe Rostratula benghalensis A, M
Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula N, T
Kittlitz's Plover Charadrius pecuarius N
Three-banded Plover Charadrius tricolarius N, A, T
Blacksmith Lapwing Vanellus armatus N, A, T
Crowned Lapwing Vanellus coronatus N, T, M
Spur-winged Lapwing Vanellus spinosus N, M, A
Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos N, A, T, M
Wood Sandpiper Tringa glareola N, A, T
Common Greenshank Tringa nebularia N, A, T, M
Green Sandpiper Tringa ochropus N, A, T, M
Marsh Sandpiper Tringa stagnatilis N, A, T, M
Curlew Sandpiper Calidris ferruginea N
Little Stint Calidris minuta N, A, T
Black-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica N
Ruff Philomachus pugnax N, A, T, M
Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus N, A,
Spotted Thick-knee Burhinus capensis M
Water Thick-knee Burhinus vermiculatus N, T, M
Two-banded Courser Rhinoptilus africanus T, M
Grey-headed Gull Larus cirrocephalus N, D
Whiskered Tern Chlidonias hybridus N
White-winged Black Tern Chlidonias leucopterus N, A
Gull-billed Tern Gelochelidon nilotica N
Black-faced Sandgrouse Pterocles decoratus N, T, M
Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse Pterocles exustus N, T
Yellow-throated Sandgrouse Pterocles gutturalis T
Olive Pigeon Columba arquatrx A
Namaqua Dove Oena capensis N, T, M
Ring-necked Dove Streptopelia capicola N, T, M, G
African Mourning Dove Streptopelia decipiens L, T, M
Red-eyed Dove Streptopelia semitorquata A, G
Laughing Dove Streptopelia senegalensis N, T, M
Blue-spotted Wood-Dove Turtur afer G
Emerald-spotted Wood-Dove Turtur chalcospilos N, A, T, M, G, D
African Green Pigeon Treron australis D
Yellow-collared Lovebird Agapornis personatus T, M
Brown Parrot Poicephalus meyeri T
African Orange-bellied Parrot Poicephalus rufiventris N, T, M
White-bellied Go-away Bird Corythaixoides leucogaster N, T, M
Bare-faced Go-away Bird Corythaixoides personata T
Hartlaub's Turaco Tauraco hartlaubi A, D
Klaas' Cuckoo Chrysococcyx klaas (H) N
African Cuckoo Cuculus gularis N, M
White-browed Coucal Centropus superciliosus N, A, T, M, G
Verreaux's Eagle-Owl Bubo lacteus T
African Wood Owl Strix woodfordii R
Pearl-spotted Owlet Glaucidium perlatum T
African Scops-Owl Otus senegalensis T
Slender-tailed Nightjar Caprimulgus clarus N, T, M
Mottled Swift Apus aequatorialis A, G
Little Swift Apus affinis N, T, G
Eurasian Swift Apus apus A, T, M, G
White-rumped Swift Apus caffer T
Alpine Swift Apus melba M
Nyanza Swift Apus niansae R
Palm Swift Cypsiurus parvus N, T, M, G, D
Mottle-throated Spinetail Telacanthura ussheri T
White-headed Mousebird Colius leucocephalus N
Speckled Mousebird Colius striatus N, A, T, M, D, G
Blue-naped Mousebird Urocolius macrourus N, T, M
Giant Kingfisher Megaceryle maxima N
Pied Kingfisher Ceryle rudis N, D
Malachite Kingfisher Corythornis cristata N, D
Brown-hooded Kingfisher Halcyon albiventris A, G
Striped Kingfisher Halcyon chelicuti T
Grey-headed Kingfisher Halcyon leucocephala N, A, T, M
African Pygmy Kingfisher Ispidina picta T
Eurasian Bee-eater Merops apiaster T, M, G
White-fronted Bee-eater Merops bullockoides A, G
Little Bee-eater Merops pusillus N, A, T, M, G
Lilac-breasted Roller Coracias caudata N, T, M
Rufous-crowned Roller Coracias naevia N
Abyssinian Scimitarbill Phoeniculus minor M
Silvery-cheeked Hornbill Ceratogymna brevis A, G
Crowned Hornbill Tockus alboterminatus G
Von der Decken's Hornbill Tockus deckeni N, T, M
Red-billed Hornbill Tockus erythrorhynchus N, T
African Grey Hornbill Tockus nasutus N, T, M, G
Southern Ground Hornbill Bucorvus cafer M, T
White-eared Barbet Stactolaema leucotis A, G, R
Spot-flanked Barbet Tricholaema lacrymosus M
Black-throated Barbet Tricholaema melanocephalus M
Brown-breasted Barbet Lybius melanopterus G
Red-fronted Tinkerbird Pogoniulus pusillus N, T
Red & Yellow Barbet Trachyphonus erythrocephalus L, T, M
Greater Honeyguide Indicator indicator N
Pallid Honeyguide Indicator meliphilus D
Lesser Honeyguide Indicator minor N, T, M, G
Scaly-throated Honeyguide Indicator variegatus D
Nubian Woodpecker Campethera nubica T, M
Cardinal Woodpecker Dendropicos fuscescens N, A, T, M
Grey Woodpecker Dendropicus goertae T, G
Bearded Woodpecker Dendropicus namaquus M
Red-capped Lark Calandrella cinerea L
Somali Short-toed Lark Calandrella athiensis L
Spike-heeled Lark Chersomanes albofasciata L
Fischer's Sparrow-Lark Eremopterix leucopareia N, L, T, M,
Short-tailed Lark Pseudalaemon fremantlii L
Rufous-naped Lark Mirafra africana A
Fawn-coloured Lark Mirafra africanoides L, T, M
Pink-breasted Lark Mirafra poecilosterna N
Common House Martin Delichon urbica A, M
Lesser Striped Swallow Hirundo abyssinica T
Red-rumped Swallow Hirundo daurica A
Rock Martin Hirundo fuligula G
Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica N, L, A, T, M, D, G
Mosque Swallow Hirundo senegalensis T
Wire-tailed Swallow Hirundo smithii N, A, T
Black Saw-wing Psalidoprocne holomelas A, D, R
Plain Martin Riparia paludicola A
Fork-tailed Drongo Dicrurus adsimilis N, A, T, M, G
African Golden Oriole Oriolus auratus A, T
African Black-headed Oriole Oriolus larvatus N, A, T, G
Eurasian Golden Oriole Oriolus oriolus N
White-naped Raven Corvus albicollis R
Pied Crow Corvus albus N, T, G
Northern Pied Babbler Turdoides hypoleucus T
Arrow-marked Babbler Turdoides jardineii T, M
Black Cuckoo-shrike Campephaga flava A, G
Zanzibar Sombre Greenbul Andropadus importunus N, G
Stripe-cheeked Greenbul Andropadus olivaceps A
Mountain Greenbul Andropadus tephrolaemus A
Little Greenbul Andropadus virens A, D
Yellow-bellied Greenbul Chlorocichla flaviventris G, D
Grey-olive Greenbul Phyllastrephus cerviniventris D
Northern Brownbul Phyllastrephus strepitans N, D
Common Bulbul Pycnonotus barbatus G, N, L, A, T, M, D, G
White-browed Scrub-Robin Cercotrichas leucophrys N, L, T, M
Collared Palm-Thrush Cichladusa arquata T
Spotted Morning-Thrush Cichladusa guttata N, L, T, M, G
Cape Robin-Chat Cossypha caffra A, G
Red-capped Robin-Chat Cossypha natalensis D
Rüppell's Robin-Chat Cossypha semirufa G, D, R
Thrush Nightingale Luscinia luscinia N
Schalow's Wheatear Oenanthe schalowi L, G
Northern Wheatear Oenanthe oenanthe L
White-starred Robin Pogonocichla stellata R
Common Stonechat Saxicola torquata A, R
Bare-eyed Thrush Turdus tephronotus N
African Reed Warbler Acrocephalus baeticatus G
Lesser Swamp Warbler Acrocephalus gracilirostris G, D
Yellow-breasted Apalis Apalis flavida N, A, T, M, G, R
Bar-throated Apalis Apalis thoracica R
Cinnamon Bracken Warbler Bradypterus cinnamomeus R
Grey-backed Camaroptera Camaroptera brachyura G, N, A, T, M, G, R
Grey Wren-Warbler Camaroptera simplex N, M
Mountain Yellow Warbler Chloropeta similis R
Desert Cisticola Cisticola aridulus T, M
Singing Cisticola Cisticola cantans A, G
Rattling Cisticola Cisticola chinianus N, T, M, G
Red-faced Cisticola Cisticola erythrops G
Winding Cisticola Cisticola galactotes A, T, G
Trilling Cisticola Cisticola woosnami A
Yellow-bellied Eremomela Eremomela icteropygialis N, T, M
Banded Parisoma Sylvia boehmi N, L, T, M
Buff-bellied Warbler Phyllolais pulchella N, T, M,
Willow Warbler Phylloscopus trochilus N, M
Brown Woodland Warbler Phylloscopus umbrovirens R
Tawny-flanked Prinia Prinia subflava N, T, M
African Moustached Warbler Melocichla mentalis A
Red-fronted Warbler Spiloptila rufifrons N
Northern Crombec Sylvietta brachyura N, M
African Grey Flycatcher Bradornis microrhynchus N, L, T, M, G
White-eyed Slaty Flycatcher Melaenornis fischeri A
African Dusky Flycatcher Muscicapa adusta D, R
Spotted Flycatcher Muscicapa striata R
Chin-spot Batis Batis molitor A, M
Pygmy Batis Batis perkeo N
Black-throated Wattle-eye Platysteira peltata D
African Paradise-flycatcher Terpsiphone viridis N, T, G
Long-billed Pipit Anthus similis A
African Pied Wagtail Motacilla aguimp N, T, M
Yellow Wagtail Motacilla flava A
Black-backed Puffback Dryoscopus cubla A, D, G
Tropical Boubou Laniarius aethiopicus A, G, D
Slate-coloured Boubou Laniarius funebris N, T, M
Grey-headed Bush-shrike Malaconotus blanchoti (H) N
Black-fronted Bush-shrike Malaconotus nigrifrons A
Sulphur-breasted Bush-shrike Malaconotus sulfureopectus N, T, G
Brubru Nilaus afer N, T
Rosy-patched Bush-shrike Rhodophoneus cruentus N, T, M
Brown-crowned Tchagra Tchagra australis M, G
Black-crowned Tchagra Tchagra senegala A
Magpie Shrike Corvinella melanoleuca T, M
Long-tailed Fiscal Lanius cabanisi N, T, M
Common Fiscal Lanius collaris G, A
Taita Fiscal Lanius dorsalis L
Northern White-crowned Shrike Eurocephalus rueppellii T, M
White-crested Helmet-shrike Prionops plumatus T
Retz's Helmet -shrike Prionops retzii A
Violet-backed Starling Cinnyricinclus leucogaster G, R
Sharpe's Starling Cinnyricinclus sharpii A
Ashy Starling Cosmopsarus unicolor T, M
Wattled Starling Creatophora cinerea N, L, T, M
Red-winged Starling Onychognathus morio G, T
Waller's Starling Onychognathus walleri A
Kenrick's Starling Poeoptera kenricki A
Fischer's Starling Spreo fischeri N
Hildebrandt's Starling Lamprotornis hildebrandti M, T
Superb Starling Lamprotornis superbus N, L, T, M
Yellow-billed Oxpecker Buphagus africanus T
Red-billed Oxpecker Buphagus erythrorhynchus N, L, T, M
Collared Sunbird Anthreptes collaris G, D, R
Eastern Violet-backed Sunbird Anthreptes orientalis N, T
Hunter's Sunbird Nectarinia hunteri N
Bronze Sunbird Nectarinia kilimensis A, G
Marico Sunbird Nectarinia mariquensis T
Black-bellied Sunbird Nectarinia nectarinioides N
Beautiful Sunbird Nectarinia pulchella T, M
Golden-winged Sunbird Nectarinia reichenowi G
Scarlet-chested Sunbird Nectarinia senegalensis T, M, G
Variable Sunbird Nectarinia venusta G, A, T
Abyssinian White-eye Zosterops abyssinicus G, N, T, M, R
Montane White-eye Zosterops poliogaster A
Grosbeak Weaver Ambylospiza albifrons D
White-winged Widowbird Euplectes albonotatus G
Red-collared Widowbird Euplectes ardens R
Yellow Bishop Euplectes capensis A
Black Bishop Euplectes gierowii G
Baglafecht Weaver Ploceus baglafetch G, A
Taveta Golden Weaver Ploceus castaneiceps A, G, D
Lesser Masked Weaver Ploceus intermedius N, T, M
Golden-backed Weaver Ploceus jacksoni T
Black-necked Weaver Ploceus nigrocollis N, T
Spectacled Weaver Ploceus ocularis A, G
Chestnut Weaver Ploceus rubiginosus G, R
Speke's Weaver Ploceus spekei A
African Golden Weaver Ploceus subaureus N
Vitelline Masked Weaver Ploceus vitellinus N, M
Red-billed Quelea Quelea quelea N, T, M
Red-billed Buffalo-Weaver Bubalornis niger T, M
White-headed Buffalo-Weaver Dinemellia dinemelli N, L, T, M
White-browed Sparrow-Weaver Plocepasser mahali N
Rufous-tailed Weaver Histurgops ruficauda T, M
Grey-capped Social Weaver Pseudonigrita arnaudi L
Chestnut Sparrow Passer eminibey T, M
Grey-headed Sparrow Passer griseus T, M, G
Swahili Sparrow Passer suahelicus T, M
Rufous Sparrow Passer rufocinctus M
Yellow-spotted Petronia Petronia pyrgita N
Speckle-fronted Weaver Sporopipes frontalis T
Pin-tailed Whydah Vidua macroura N, T
Eastern Paradise-Whydah Vidua paradisaea T
Black-faced Waxbill Estrilda erythronotus T, M
Crimson-rumped Waxbill Estrilda rhodopyga N, G, T
Jameson's Firefinch Lagonosticta rhodopareia T
Red-billed Firefinch Lagonosticta senegala N, M, G
Green-winged Pytilia Pytilia melba N, T, M
Red-cheeked Cordon-bleu Uraeginthus bengalus T, M
Blue-capped Cordon-bleu Uraeginthus cyanocephalus N, T, M
Purple Grenadier Uraeginthus ianthinogaster M
Cut-throat Finch Amadina fasciata T, M
Black-and-white Mannikin Lonchura bicolor G, D
African Golden-breasted Bunting Emberiza flavivenrtris N
Yellow-rumped Seedeater Serinus reichenowi N, T
Thick-billed Seedeater Serinus burtoni R
African Citril Serinus hypostictus G, D, R
Southern Grosbeak Canary Serinus buchanani L
White-bellied Canary Serinus dorsostriatus N, M
Streaky Seedeater Serinus striolatus G, R
