Kenya
Hotspot for wildlife and rich cultural heritage
Discover Kenya - a country where the word 'safari' was born
Kenya is located on the east coast of Africa, with the Equator running almost straight through the middle of the country. It has an area of 582,644 Sq. Kms (224,900 Sq. miles) of which 45,240 Sq. Kms (7.8%) is under Wildlife Conservation sanctuaries (National Parks and National Reserves). The country shares common borders with Somalia (east), Ethiopia (north), Sudan (north-west), Uganda (west) and Tanzania (south). To the south east lies the Indian Ocean, making the country the greatest marine gateway to East Africa.
The remarkable geographical ranges give Kenya a variety of climates and landscapes, attracting the second-highest country number of species in Africa, making it a truly birdwatcher’s paradise, with over 1100 species recorded.
where to go birding in kenya
masai mara national reserve, kenya
The 1510sqkm Masai Mara, was named in honour of the Maasai people, the ancestral inhabitants of the area. The word ‘Mara’ means ‘spotted’ in the Maasai (Maa) language. The Greater Masai Mara ecosystem is massive. The area is bordered by the Serengeti in the south and to the north, east and west lie Maasai ranches.
Although the riverbanks of the area’s three rivers (The Sand, Talek River and Mara River) are lined with shrubs and trees, most of the reserve is made up of open grassland spotted by an occasional flat-topped acacia tree. With almost 500 bird species and a daunting 47 species of birds of prey, the Masai Mara’s treetops, bushes and skies are a feast for birdwatcher’s eyes.
African finfoot, African wood owl, Ayres’s hawk eagle, Cinnamon-breasted bunting, Denham’s bustard, Giant kingfisher, Grey-crested helmet-shrike (NE), Hildebrandt’s starling, Jackson’s widowbird, Lazy cisticola, Ostrich, Red-throated tit, Rosy-throated longclaw, Rufous-bellied heron, Rufous-throated wryneck, Schalow’s turaco, Secretary bird, Southern ground hornbill, Swahili sparrow, Tabora cisticola, Temminck’s courser, Trilling cisticola, Usambiro barbet (NE), Yellow-mantled widowbird, Yellow-throated sandgrouse etc are some of the specials of the park
Lake Baringo Reserve, Kenya
Lake Baringo is one of the two freshwater lakes in the Rift Valley in Kenya, the other being Lake Naivasha, with a surface area of 130 square Kilometres (50 sq mi) and an elevation of 970 metres (3,180 ft). The lake is fed by several rivers: the Molo, Perkerra and Ol Arabel. Water flows into the lake from the Mau Hills and Tugen Hills. It has no obvious outlet; the waters are assumed to seep through lake sediments into the faulted volcanic bedrock.
The lake is in a remote hot and dusty area with close to 500 species of birds, occasionally including migrating flamingos. A Goliath heronry is located on a rocky islet in the lake known as Gibraltar.
The Baringo reserve area has a semi-arid environment as that of Samburu, though the faunal and floral diversity differ. There are steep cliffs on one side of the lake and mixed woodland and grasslands on its opposite shores, which are both important spots for birds from the northern territory.
The lake also provides a habitat for seven fresh water fish species. One, Oreochromis niloticus baringoensis (a Nile tilapia subspecies), is endemic to the lake. Lake fishing is important to local social and economic development. Additionally the area is a habitat for many species of animals including the hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius), Nile crocodile (Crocodylus niloticus) and many other mammals, amphibians, reptiles and the invertebrate communities.
The lake has several small islands, the largest being Ol Kokwe Island. Ol Kokwe, an extinct volcanic centre related to Korosi volcano north of the lake, has several hot springs and fumaroles, some of which have precipitated sulfur deposits. A group of hot springs discharge along the shoreline at Soro near the northeastern corner of the island.
Along the cliffs, is a good birding spot; plus the grassy plains, the lake shores, all habitats combined, the list is endless: Verreaux’s Eagle, Grayish Eagle Owl, Northern White-faced and African Scops Owls, Hemprichs Hornbill, Fan-tailed Raven, Brown-tailed Rock Chat and Mocking Cliff Chats. The dry scrub around the cliffs has Bristle-Crowned Starlings, Pygmy Batis, Three-streaked Tchagra, Brubru, Red-fronted Warbler, Heuglin’s Courser, Jackson’s Hornbill, Spotted Thicknee and Lichtenstein’s Sandgrouse, Northern Red Bishop, Northern Masked, Little and Golden-backed Weavers etc.
nairobi national park, kenya
Beyond the towering skyscrapers and the deafening music from the most popular Nairobi’s means of commute – Matatus (Taxis), lies a haven of peace and tranquility. About 10Km drive out of Nairobi Central Business District is Nairobi National Park, the world’s only wildlife capital that plays host to a wide variety of wildlife, birdlife (including the Big 5, and close to 500 species of birds) and the best scenic views from the park and beyond.
The Park measures about 117 sq.km. A great game viewing experience awaits wildlife lovers against the city backdrop. Common animal species include – Giraffe, leopard, zebra, buffalo, antelope, lion, black and white rhino, hippo, and crocodile. The park is a thriving rhino sanctuary and is one of Kenya’s most successful rhino sanctuaries.
Its varied habitats including open savannah grasslands, lightly wooded plains, rocky valleys, seasonal wetlands, dams, forest lined rivers and stream, and montane forests, attract a variety of passerines including Orange-breasted Waxbills and Black-cheeked Waxbill, Yellow bishop, Endemic Jackson’s Widowbird, Shelley’s Francolins, Kori Bustard, Secretary Bird, Black-winged Kites etc as grassland specialists, whereas the rivers/streams, dams and seasonal wetlands inhabit a huge number of water birds, including: Grey Herons, African Darters, African Water Rail, Saddle-billed, Yellow-billed stork, African Finfoot, plus many others. And the montane forest is great for Palearctic migrants such as Eurasian Bee-eaters, Blackcaps, Common Nightingale, Upcher’s and Willow Warblers.
lake nakuru national park, kenya
Resting squarely on the floor of the Great Rift Valley and surrounded by the characteristic woody and bushy grassland, her sky mirrored lake waters extending to an expansive mass of semi-alkaline water. A wide ecological diversity, varied wildlife habitats, plant and animal species await the wild outdoor lovers.
Established as Kenya’s first rhino sanctuary, the Park hosts one of the largest black rhino concentrations in the country while substantial numbers of white rhino have also been introduced.
The Park is motor-able and pleasurable to drive around due to its easy to maneuver topography. Being an ornithological paradise, the park hosts over 450 species of birds both resident and migratory; Common Ostrich, Pelicans, African Fish eagles, Secretary bird, Lesser and greater flamingoes, Blacksmith Lapwing, Little Grebes, African Spoonbill, Ruppell’s Griffon Vultures etc are abundant. However, due to lake flooding in 2011, the surface area of the lake was expanded hence upsetting the chemical balance that is behind its ecosystem. Due to the huge amounts of water, the alkaline levels supporting the algae that flamingoes feed on were diluted and thus the numbers declined as the flamingos were driven flamingos to other Rift Valley lakes.
Lake Nakuru is also one of the best places in Kenya to see the Greater Blue-eared starling, Hottentot teal, and the striking, long-tailed widowbird. There is a good variety of raptors, including Verreaux’s and long-crested eagle.
The acacia woodlands shelter species of birds like the Nubian Woodpecker, Greater Honeyguide, Red-fronted Barbet, African black-headed Oriole, White-bellied Tit, red-faced Crombec, little rock thrush, Amethyst Sunbird, Speke’s weaver, plus herds of graceful impalas, shaggy waterbucks and the shy bushbuck.
Present carnivores include lions and leopards. Other wildlife species include the spotted and stripped hyena, serval cats as well as the silver-backed and side-stripped jackal, civet, genet and mongoose. Giraffes, zebras, buffalos are also present. The most visible primates are the somber olive baboons and the mysterious black-faced vervet monkey, and the Blac-and-white colobus.
amboseli national park, kenya
The unrivalled views of Mt. Kilimanjaro- the highest free standing mountain in Africa rising at 5,896m above sea level, dominates the landscape making it a superb backdrop for scenic beauty of Amboseli National Park
The Park embodies 5 main wildlife habitats (Savanna grassland, acacia woodland, rocky thorn bush, swamps and marshland) and covers part of a Pleistocene lake basin. Within this basin is a temporary lake Amboseli that floods during heavy rainy seasons thus attracting flamingoes. The lake is characterized by very alkaline water but is usually extremely dry and dusty during the hot and dry season, weather that characterizes the Amboseli ecosystem most of the year.
Water springs associated with Mt. Kilimanjaro give rise to several swamps in the park e.g. Enkong Narok swamp and other permanent swamps which are critical for drawing large wildlife in the Amboseli ecosystem.
Amboseli is one of the 60 Important Bird Areas in Kenya and thus it is recognized as globally significant for bird conservation. The ecosystem has a rich birdlife with over 420 species recorded, of which 40 are birds of prey.
The swamps are great for water-associated birds such as egrets, herons, pelicans, and crowned cranes. Large numbers of flamingos may be present in the Wet seasons (March to May and October to December). The grassland areas offer some interesting ground birds, such as Hartlaub’s bustard and the localized Pangani Longclaw. The acacia woodland holds some dry country specials such as steel-blue whydah, white-bellied go-away bird, and the Von der Decken’s hornbill.
Other likely encounters in this park include: common ostrich, yellow-necked spur fowl, Chestnut-bellied, yellow-throated and black-faced sandgrouses, kori bustard, double-banded courser, goliath heron, secretary bird, pygmy falcon, taita fiscal, red-capped lark, Taveta Golden Weaver, pangani Longclaw, white-browed sparrow-weaver, Nubian woodpecker, etc
tsavo west national park, coastal region - kenya
Spanning a 9,065 sq.km, Tsavo West National Park is the second largest protected area in Kenya and is famous for the man eater lions which to date carry a bizarre history long after they terrorized, maimed and killed construction workers of the Kenya-Uganda Railway in 1898. The railway construction was abruptly halted by the most voracious and insatiable man-eating lions. The Nairobi-Mombasa and a railway divides it from the adjoining Tsavo East National Park. Together with adjoining ranches and protected areas, they comprise the Tsavo Conservation Area.
Tsavo remained the homeland for the Orma and Maasai pastoralists and Waata hunter-gatherers until 1948, when it was gazetted a national park. At that time, the indigenous populations were relocated to Voi and Mtito Andei as well as other locations within the nearby Taita Hills. Following Kenyan independence in 1963, hunting was banned in the park and management of Tsavo was turned over to the authority that eventually became the Kenya Wildlife Service.
The Park features over 1,000 plant species and a mixed habitat of bush, grasslands and acacia woodlands dotted with baobab, ivory palm, saltbush, doum palm, tamarind and fig trees. The habitat protects a very prolific numbers of wildlife like Leopard, Cheetah, Wild dogs, Cape Buffalo, Rhino, Elephant, Maasai Giraffe, Zebra, Lion,Crocodile, Mongoose, Hyrax, Dik- dik, Lesser Kudu, Klipspringer and Nocturnal Porcupine, plus up to about 600species of birds.
Ngulia Hills, one of the landmarks in the park, is situated along one of the world’s busiest avian migration routes. Ngulia is the site of Africa’s foremost bird-ringing projects. More than 100 migrant and resident species have been ringed here – the most prolific being Marsh Warbler, River Warbler, Red-backed Shrike, Thrush Nightingale, and Common Whitethroat.
Tsavo West is also home to the Ngulia Rhino Sanctuary; with a growing population of highly endangered black Rhino.
Lake Jipe, part of south Tsavo West, lies astride Kenya and Tanzania boarder and is teeming with aquatic life, Bird watching is also major activity around the lake
Common birds of Tsavo West Include among others: Tsavo Sunbird, Green-winged Pytilia, Eastern Paradise Whydah, Blue-capped Cordon-blue, rufous chatterer, ashy cisticola, red-fronted Prinia, Gray-Wren Warbler, Lesser Gray shrike, Roy-patched Bush-shrike, Pringle’s Puffback, Red-bellied Parrot, Slate-colored Boubou, D’arnaud’s Barbet, Von Der Decken’s Hornbill, Gabar Goshawk, Tawny Eagle, Lesser, Spotted eagle, Vulturine Guinea fowl, Parrot-billed Sparrow, Fischer’s Starling and Amethyst Sunbird
tsavo east national park, kenya
Tsavo East national park is the largest national park in Kenya covering total land area of 13,747 square kilometres. It’s the oldest national park in Kenya. It was established in April 1948 together with its counterpart Tsavo West national park. It’s situated in the Semi-arid area of the famous Taru Desert. Tsavo East national park is located near the coast few kilometres a way from Voi town. The park is located in the South East of the Kenya capital Nairobi, its 250 kilometres away from the city. From Mombasa through Voi its only 96 kilometres. You can also use the Western road which enters into the park through Sala. This covers a total distance of 153 kilometres. Tsavo East National park is among the few protected areas in Africa that can be accessed by railway. The Railway line passes through the middle of the park together with the highway
Best described as the Elephants in Eden’’, the atmosphere is caressed with large herds of the red-dusted Elephants, with young ones spayed in red-dusted soils, rolling with the adults, near the clear Blue water of the Palm-shaded Galana River, forming the most evocative experience not only in Kenya but entire Africa!
Tsavo East national park is drained by two key Rivers those are Tsavo River and Athi river. The two rivers join together at the later stage forming the large and famous Galana River. The park is considered as one of the biodiversity strongholds not only in Kenya but entire world. This park is also home of the longest Plateau in the world covering a distance of over 300 kilometres. The Yatta Plateau is a key tourist attraction in Tsavo East national park. Tsavo East is drier compared to Tsavo West hence making it mostly dominated by the open savannah grassland. The geography of park is also dotted with some Acacia trees together with some rough rocky surface area.
Tsavo East National Park offers some of the most magnificent game drives in the world – vast herds of dust-red elephants, fat pods of hippos, giant crocodiles, Waterbucks, Lesser Kudu, Rhino, buffalo, lion, leopard, Giraffe, Wildebeest, Zebras, Gerenuk and a kaleidoscope of bird life are set against a blazing backdrop of endless bush.
The park has a prolific bird life featuring over 500 bird species recorded across the park. The different habitants at the park has contributed greatly to the large number of bird species at the park that include ostriches, buzzards, krestrels, starlings, hornbills, secretary bird, lovebirds, herons, weaver birds, kingfishers and many more. Birding can be done throughout the year though it’s excellently during the rainy season when the park receives most of the immigrants across the world. Specials here include the Golden Pipit, Somali Bee-eater, Somali Courser, Cut-throat, Taita Fiscal, Lesser Gray Shrike, Pink-breasted Lark, Chestnut-headed Sparrow Lark, Harleqin Quail, European Roller, Buff-crested Bustard, Red-backed shrike, Golden-breasted Starling, Black-capped Socail Weaver, White-throated Robin, Greater White-throat, Three-banded Courser etc.
mount kenya national park, kenya
Mount Kenya, a Biosphere reserve and a World Heritage site, is the second highest peak in Africa and is an ancient extinct volcano. There are 12 remnant glaciers on the mountain, all receding rapidly, and four secondary peaks that sit at the head of the U-shaped glacial valleys. With its rugged glacier-clad summits and forested middle slopes, Mount Kenya is one of the most impressive landscapes in East Africa.
There are about 20 glacial tarns (small lakes) of varying sizes and numerous glacial moraine features between 3,950 m and 4,800 m. The highest peaks are Batian (5,199m) and Nelion (5,188m). The third peak is Point Lenana (4,984m).
Wildlife includes Elephants, tree hyrax, white tailed mongoose, sykes monkey, suni, black fronted duiker, mole rat, bushbucks, water buck and Elands. Animals rarely seen include leopard, bongo, giant forest hog. Over 130 bird species have been recorded. The Mountain hosts a wide variety of montane forest and moorland species.
The forests on the slopes of the mountain are most productive in birds. The cold montane forest are a haven for more elusive species like the Olive Ibis, Abyssinian Ground Thrush, Black-fronted Bushshrike, Montane White-eye, Bar-tailed Trogon, Jackson’s Francolin, Mountain Buzzard and Abbot’s Starling.
The higher bamboo zone hosts a different array of species like Mountain and Slender-billed Greenbuls, White-headed Woodhoopoe, White-starred Robins, Thick-billed Seedeater and Oriole Finch.
After having passed the bamboo zone, the moorland welcomes you to the land of Sunbirds, like Northern and Eastern Double-collared, Tacazze, Malachite, Scarlet-tufted and Golden-winged Sunbirds. The moors are also good for spotting Moorland Chat and White-naped Ravens
shaba national reserve, kenya
Shaba is home to the endangered Grevy’s zebra and the rare Williams’s lark. The park was first made famous by Joy Adamson and the lioness Elsa, subjects of the 1966 film Born Free. In January 1980, Adamson was murdered in the reserve, where there is a monument to her. Shaba was the setting for the book and film Born Free, for the film Out of Africa and for the reality show Survivor: Africa.
Shaba is valuable for its diverse fauna of the Somali–Masai biome, and is important as a home for the poorly known Williams’s lark. Neither the reserve, nor the lark’s habitat are immediately threatened.
Aardvarks, warthogs and bat-eared foxes make their homes in domed termite mounds in the shrubland. Common eland, Impala, Grant’s gazelle (Bright’s sub-species) and gerenuk graze the shrubs, and zebras, Beisa oryx, greater kudu and lesser kudu graze in the grasslands. Shaba is well known for the large lion prides, which rest under thickets of toothbrush trees during the day. At night, predators include the black-backed jackal, striped hyena and spotted hyena. The reserve is home to rare species that include the reticulated giraffe, Somali ostrich and the endangered Grevy’s zebra. Other fauna include African leopards and elephants.
Bird life is plentiful in Shaba, and similar to that of the Samburu and Buffalo Springs National Reserves. The near-threatened and poorly known Williams’s lark is found in the reserve in regions of rocky lava semi-desert with low Barleria shrubs. It has not been observed in any other protected area. Resident resident white-headed vulture, martial eagle and yellow-billed oxpecker, are fairly common.
kakamega forest reserve, kenya
Kakamega forest is the only remnant of the great tropical Guinea-congolese rainforest that stretched across central Africa. It is one of Africa’s most famous birding forests, and it supports over 80 species on the eastern limit of their range from central and West Africa.
As an Important Bird Area, more than 350 bird species have been recorded, 36 of which are restricted to the forest.
The forest has species found here that are not well respresented anywhere else in East Africa such as; Blue-headed Bee-eater, Ansorge’s and Kakamega Greenbul. Other uncommon birds that can be found in the forest are; Yellow-bellied Wattle-eye, Equatorial Akalat, Turner’s Eremomela, Southern Hyliota and African Broadbill.
The streams in the forest are great for spotting White-spotted Flufftails, Banded Prinia, Grey-chested and Black-faced Rufous Warblers and Scaly-Breasted Illadopsis. While clearings in the forest are good places to look for Great Blue Turaco, African Crowned Eagle, Western Banded Snake-eagle and Black-and-white Casqued Hornbills.
About a dozen different greenbuls (most challenging forest skulkers in the forest in identification) can be found in the canopy, in mid-level strata, to lower canopy of the forest. Not forgetting the lovely barbets of which there are many species like; Yellow-spotted, Grey-throated, Hairy-breasted and Yellow-billed Barbets.
kinangop plateau, kenya
The Kinangop Plateau is a region in Kenya that lies between the Kenyan Rift Valley to the west and the Aberdare Range to the east. It takes its name from Kinangop Mountain, which rises in the Aberdares to the east. The edge of the plateau is over 2,400 metres (7,900 ft) in elevation. The plateau is relatively flat, sloping gradually upwards towards the foothills of the Aberdares.
Kinangop is home to a wide variety of bird species, most notably the Sharpe’s Longclaw. The area is designated an IBA, and countless studies and conservation efforts have been undertaken to try and save this incredibly range-restricted species from extinction due to massive farming activities by the Kikuyu farmers.
The plateau has been settled by Kikuyu farmers since the 1960s who have ploughed much of the land to grow maize, wheat, cabbage, and potatoes. They have replaced the tussocks with grasses that are easier for livestock to eat, and have planted woodlots across the plateau. Birds commonly seen around these farmlands are; Sharpe’s Longclaw, Rufous-naped and Red-capped Larks, Cape Rook, Capped Wheatear, Long-tailed and Jackson’s Widowbirds, Hunter’s, Leveillants and Stout Cisticolas, Red-throated Wryneck and Augur Buzzards.
The wetlands have mostly been drained. Where drainage has not been deliberate, the trees planted for poles and firewood have absorbed the water.
Marshes and seasonal lily ponds in the grasslands attract Grey-crowned Cranes, Yellow-crowned Bishop, Glossy Ibis and the elusive Lesser Jacana.
taita hills, Taveta - kenya
The Taita Hills, are a mountain range located in the Taita-Taveta County in south-eastern Kenya. The hills consist of three massifs: Dawida, Sagalla in the southern side of Voi township and Kasigau in the south near the border of Tanzania. The Dawida massif is the largest and tallest of the three, with an altitude of 2,228 metres (7,310 ft) above sea level. Spanning about 4,390 ha in totality, the Taita Hills, with others in the Eastern Arc Mountains, were formed more than one hundred million years ago. About thirty million years ago, the area was covered by extensive rainforest. During a cooler and drier period some ten million years ago, the lowland forests were converted to savanna, leaving the mountain ranges as “islands” where the tropical forests continued to flourish. The isolation of each mountain range has led to a great deal of endemism, and a very diverse flora and fauna. Of particular interest, is the Ngangao Forest which is one of the few remaining indigenous tropical montane cloud forest fragments of the Taita Hills. It is dominated by rocky hills, lush valleys, and an abundance of wildlife. With its 120 hectares (297 acres), Ngangao is the second largest forest and one of the lesser disturbed forests of the Taita Hills. The hills are known for their moist forests with a unique fauna and flora. Known endemic bird species are the Taita thrush (Turdus helleri), Taita apalis (Apalis fuscigularis) and the Taita White-eye (Zosterops (poliogaster) silvanus). The Taita falcon (Falco fasciinucha) and the Taita fiscal (Lanius dorsalis) were first discovered at the hills but occur elsewhere, too. Taita Hills are also home to Small-Eared Greater Galago (Otolemur garnettii) and rare (but locally abundant) tree hyrax (Dendrohyrax sp.). Dwarf galago (Paragalago cocos) are still also found in the Taita Hills, although its numbers are dangerously low.
The native Taita people are living at the edge of the forests and farming the soil, which is very productive. Fifty percent of indigenous forests were replaced by exotic tree plantations between 1955 and 2004. The region was severely logged in the past and the remaining indigenous forest is now part of a nature reserve, the Taita Hills Wildlife Sanctuary. On the plains and foothills surrounding the hills, the land is predominantly used for cropping and grazing. The largest fragments of forest are located in the most inaccessible areas. The land is being degraded by deforestation, the lowering of the water table, and soil erosion.
arabuko-sokoke forest reserve, kenya
The Arabuko Sokoke Forest Reserve is located on the coast of Kenya, 110 km north of Mombasa and is protected as a national Forest Reserve.
It is the largest remaining coastal forest in East Africa and famous for its diversity in mammals, butterflies, amphibians and birds, many of which are only found here. The endemic Clarke’s Weaver is also found here.
The Forest Reserve, on the other hand, is jointly managed by the Kenya Forest Service, Kenya Wildlife Service, National Museums of Kenya and the Kenya Forest Research Institute, Community Forest Associations and Friends of Arabuko Sokoke Forest, and is one of the better protected forests in Kenya. The forest was first protected as a Crown Forest in 1943, and was gazetted in the 1960s.
The Arabuko Sokoke Forest is an area of high endemism, containing endemic mammals, birds and plants. It contains three forest types, mixed forest,Miombo woodland, Brachystegia and Cynometra, each of which protects different communities of plants and animals.
More than 230 bird species have been recorded in Arabuko Sokoke It protects many endemic and near-endemic species. The endemic Clarke’s weaver (known to breed in a very small area in the nearby Dakatcha Woodland forest) is found here. While the lovely Sokoke scops owl, Sokoke pipit, and the Amani sunbird and spotted ground thrush are found only here and in a forest fragment in Tanzania. Other forest highlights include East Coast Akalat, Red-tailed Ant-thrush, Fischers Turaco, Mombasa Woodpecker, Little Yellow Flycatcher, gorgeous Bush-shrike, Forest and Pale Batis, Dark-backed Weaver, Southern-banded Snake-eagle, African Pygmy Kingfisher, Yellow-bellied and Fischer’s Greenbuls, Chestnut-fronted Helmet-shrike, trumpeter and silvery-cheeked hornbill.
The mixed forest is much denser and sometimes impenetrable, and inhabits Blue-mantle Crested Flycatcher, Tiny Greenbul, Terrestrial and Northern Brownbul, Green Barbet, Eastern Green Tinkerbird, Peter’s and Green-backed Twinspot, Fiery-necked Nightjar and African Wood Owl
The reserve adjoins Mida Creek, a mangrove forest that is an important shorebird wintering ground, protecting species such as the Terek sandpiper and the crab plover.
The endearing golden-rumped elephant shrew, an endemic elephant shrew, is the most noticeable of the park’s endemic mammals; the Sokoke bushy-tailed mongoose and Aders’s duiker (found only here and in Zanzibar) are more elusive. The forest also has savannah elephants, African civets, as well as sokokes, baboons and vervet monkeys. The park is also recognised as an outstanding centre of amphibian diversity.
mida creek, kenya
Mida creek is a wonderful and important place for migrants’ seabirds and is a locally protected site. The creek floods during high tide, but when the tide goes out, all the waders and seabirds forage the beach to feed. The mangroves around the creek are important in sheltering the coast from the harsh winds of the sea.
Many of the palearctic waders come here during the Eurasian winter (September-April). Before the tide, it’s the perfect opportunity for them to feed. Migrants like; Common Ringed Plovers, Greater and Lesser Sand Plovers, Crab Plovers, Common Greenshanks, Whimbrel, Grey Plovers, Eurasian Curlews, Terek, Marsh and Common Sandpipers are easily spotted and seen in good numbers. Gull-billed, Caspian, Saunders and Common Terns can be seen flying with Sooty Gulls and an occasional Osprey as they go out to sea.
The nearby mangroves and coastal scrub are great to get coastal resident birds like; Black-headed Batis, Three-banded Plover, African Paradise Flycatcher, Black-bellied Starling, Zanzibar Greenbul, Speckled Mousebird, Village Weavers, Purple-banded, Amethyst and Violet-breasted Sunbird, Some afro-tropical migrants can also be found from April-August, such as; African Golden Oriole, Mangrove Kingfisher and Red-capped Robin-chats.
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