Tsavo West National Park’s abundant birdlife features more than 500 recorded species. The park is situated along one of the world’s busiest avian migration routes and hosts one of Africa’s foremost bird-ringing projects. Since 1969, ringing enthusiasts have made a pilgrimage to the park’s Ngulia Hills every November, which is when most of the passage migrants pass through. More than 100 migrant and resident species have been ringed, with the most prolific being the marsh warbler, river warbler, red-backed shrike, thrush nightingale and common whitethroat.
Birding Specials Treats for Avid Birders
- African finfoot
- Basra reed warbler
- Black-faced sandgrouse
- Common ostrich
- Common whitethroat
- Corncrake
- Eastern black-headed oriole
- Fischer’s starling
- Golden palm weaver
- Golden pipit
- Golden-breasted starling
- Lesser kestrel
- Marsh warbler
- Martial eagle
- Narina trogon
- Northern brownbul
- Pangani longclaw
- Red-backed shrike
- Red-bellied parrot
- River warbler
- Rufous chatterer
- Shelley’s starling
- Slender-tailed nightjar
- Somali bee-eater
- Somali bunting
- Taita falcon
- Taita fiscal
- Thrush nightingale
- Vulturine guineafowl
Best Time for Bird Watching
Tsavo West offers great bird watching in all seasons. Many of the more unusual specials are resident and can be spotted at any time. Migratory birds, a highlight of birding in the park, fill the trees, waterways and skies from November to April. However, it’s good to keep in mind that November and April are the peak months for rainfall if birding is your primary interest here. The months in between are generally best for bird watching.