Birding in Kenya, East Africa

Bird Watching in Kenya

  With over 1,000 species of birds East Africa can be a birders dream trip. You can find them in all sizes from the tiny ruby breasted sunbird to the heaviest flying bird, the kory bustard. They come in every color imaginable and some you have probably never imagined before. The experienced birder will be in birding heaven, but what I also see happen here time and time again is novice birders get hooked on bird watching and gain a lifelong passion.

Bateleur Eagle

Combing birding and photography is also a wonderful challenge in a place like Kenya. You may end up seeing six different species of eagles on one game drive. The birds-of-prey are often out hunting over the plains and perched up in the acacia trees. The brightly colored bateleur eagle (Terathopius ecaudatus) is always a favorite with its orange and yellow beak contrasting its dark body feathers.

Lilac Breasted Roller

European Roller

  My ultimate Kenyan bird species to photograph is the beautiful Lilac Breasted Roller (Coracias caudatus), pictured here on the left. To see this beautiful bird at its most brilliant, in flight, check out my photos for sale here. The European Roller (Coracias garrulus), is the often overlooked relative which isn't as bright but still shines in the eyes of birders.

  Kenya has such a vast array of bird species because of all the open land as well as the different climates throughout the country. The soda lakes like Nakuru house uncountable pink flamingos from time to time while rare species can be spotted high in the moors in the Aberdare Mountains.

Crowned Crane

Vulturine Guineafowl

   Other birds enjoy the open grasslands that the big mammals share. Cranes, bustards, and ostrich work the plains looking for food underfoot. Big flocks of guinea fowl also spend a lot of time on the planes. Kory bustards, the heaviest flying bird native to Africa, also work the tall grass, sometimes putting on incredible dancing shows when a female is nearby.

Kory Bustard (Ardeotis kori)

 Kenya isn't the only major birdwatching destination in Africa. Some people will claim that the Okavango Delta in Botswana is the place to be which may very well be true. Just across the border into South Africa I've always had good luck self-driving through Kruger National Park. There are some dedicated hides at waterholes here that are perfect for the advanced or enthusiastic birder. You can my post on bird photography in Kruger here.