Mkomazi National Park is a fantastic destination for bird-watchers. More than 450 bird species have been recorded, including several northern dry-country specials such as Shelley's starling and three-streaked tchagra. It is also the only place in Tanzania where you are likely to see the striking vulturine guineafowl. Large ground birds such as ostrich, kori bustard, secretary bird and southern ground hornbill are all quite common on the grassy plains. Migratory birds such as European roller are present from November to April.
Birding Specials Treats for Avid Birders
- Bare-eyed thrush
- Black-bellied sunbird
- Common ostrich
- Eastern chanting goshawk
- Friedmann’s lark
- Hunter’s sunbird
- Kori bustard
- Martial eagle
- Mouse-coloured penduline tit
- Pink-breasted lark
- Pringle’s puffback
- Red-bellied parrot
- Red-fronted warbler
- Rosy-patched bush-shrike
- Scaly chatterer
- Secretary bird
- Shelley’s starling
- Somali crombec
- Southern ground hornbill
- Three-streaked tchagra
- Violet wood-hoopoe
- Vulturine guineafowl
- White-headed mousebird
Best Time for Bird Watching
Although bird watching is good all year long, November to April is the best time, as Palearctic and intra-African migratory birds are present. This is also the time for nesting, so many resident birds can be seen in their breeding plumage.