Birdwatching:
Tanzania is one of the most biodiversity countries in the world, with over half a million different species calling this area home. The tropical climate, gorgeous sandy beaches, and the incredibly rich and diverse ecosystems are the reason Tanzania has such an abundant offering of wildlife. Your journey will take you through national parks and reserves to see the very best of this ecological paradise. We offer some departures with a specialist bird-watching guide for those with an interest in ornithology and bird watching.
For keen birders, we have designated a number of departures that will be accompanied by a specialist bird-watching guide. Imagine Over 1108 bird species have been recorded in Tanzania as well as migrant birds which visit to breed and ‘summer’ in the southern hemisphere, bird watching in Africa is packed full of variety and on these special departures walks and visits to national parks will be led with the intention of seeing as much bird life as possible.
OVERVIEW OF BIRD WATCHING DESTINATIONS
ARUSHA NATIONAL PARK
Flamingoes are common in at Momela lakes, though bird life on these lakes vary seasonally from October to April the lakes are populated by water fowls from Europe and the rest of the year the resident birds grebes, pochards, eagles and geese dominate the lakes.
AMANI NATURE RESERVES
Amani Forest nature reserves is one of the latest nature reserve established by the Government of United Republic of Tanzania to protect flora and fauna of East Usambara. It harbours some of the animals only seen in Usambara such as Nduk eagle owl and most endemic plants. It was first established in 1902 as an agricultural research station by the Germans and it was turned into nature reserve in 1997.
MKOMAZI NATIONAL PARK
Attractions include the river and other water holes that keep water reserve teeming with small and large mammals, including silver
backed jackal, lion, cheetah, leopard, lesser kudu, giraffe, buffalo, elephant and zebra. Bird watchers also delight in trying to spot any number of Mkomazi 450's avian species, from wood hoopoe to tawny eagle, parrot to kingfisher. Herds of tall slender-necked gerenuks, with their bizarre alien-like heads, survive in mkomazi's arid lands where other antelope cannot; Gerenuk even stand on their hind legs to stretch for tiny leaves of thorny bushes and trees.
TARANGIRE NATIONAL PARK
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Tarangire national park is among of the best park in Tanzania for bird watching and avid twitch watching. With about 450 species occuring here, including 49 Tanzania's 60 raptor species. Tarangire is also seasonal home for a large number of Eurasian migrating birds. Some of the species you will see in Tarangire National Park includes Secretary birds, large and powerful martial eagles, striking long-crested eagle, large lappet-faced vultures, red and yellow-necked spurfowl and the endemic yellow-collared loverbirds and many more species to be seen.
LAKE MANYARA NATIONAL PARK
Over 300 species have been recorded within the park. Some of the species include eurasian migrant birds, raptor, acacia associated birds and three species of birds which are endemic to Tanzania; the ashystirling, rofus and black collared lover bird.
NGORONGORO CONSERVATION AREA
Owing to its soda lakes the crater provides a breeding ground for flamingos, crown cranes and other water birds as waders,ducks and herons. It is also a good place to see striking ground birds such as Kori bustard, which is regarded as the world's heaviest flying bird. You are more likely to see Ostrich here, as well asmigrant storks during the rainy season than any other time. Birds of prey are commonly seen in Ngorongoro are the augur buzzard and the floppish long crested eagle. Other small birds have been recorded here.
USAMBARA MOUNTAINS
This little-known mountains range is one of the gems of Tanzania. Lying north coast, the Usambara's are relict patch of the great tropical forests that once spanned Africa from the Atlantic to the Indian Oceans.
SERENGETI NATIONAL PARK
Ostriches are common here. This opening grassland supports other variety of birds such as Kori bustard, larks, fiches and raptors. The park is home to the amazing lilac-breasted roller and three endemic species of Tanzania; Fischer's loverbird, grey-rumped spur fowl and babbler-like rufous-tailed weaver. Many more species to be seein in and within Serengeti National Park.
LAKE NATRON
Is the only regular breeding site for Lesser flamingos in East Africa. The 2million lesser flamingos which represents three quarters of the world population- breeding only at Lake Natron
LAKE VICTORIA
Lake Victoria is the world's second largest freshwater lake and has an area of more than 65,000sq km. Bird species seen around the lake but rarely seen anywhere else includes; Blue-breasted bee eater, blue swallow, swamp flycatchers, greater swamp warber, white-winged warber, papyrus yellow warber, carruther's cristicola, papyrus gonolek, red-chested sunbird, red-headed quelea, slender billed weaver, yellow-backed weaver, northern brown-throated weaver and the papyrus canary.
SAADANI NATIONAL PARK
This is where the beach meets the bush. The only wildlife sanctuary in east Africa to boast an Indian Ocean beachfront. Protected as a game reserve since 1960's, in 2002 it was expanded twice to cover its former area and upgraded to National status.
UDZUNGWA MOUNTAINS
The Udzungwa mountains park has an area of 1990sq km is the part of Eastern Arc Mountains, which cover about 10,000sq km.The major attraction is biologically diverse plants, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, birds, butterflies, andinsects of which some species are only found here and nowhere else in the world.
SELOUS GAME RESERVES
Birdlife is largely influenced with the Rufiji River, the huge variety of birds drawn to this area. The river and its natural features, which range from sandbanks, oxbow lakes, lagoons, islands and channels is magnet for birds and other wildlife mammals.
RUAHA NATIONAL PARK
With more than 350 bird species this park is regarded as bird watcher's paradise, Ruaha remained untouchable and poorly visited park in Tanzania due to its remoteness. Ruaha is home of new Ruaha Redbilled(Tanzania Redbilled) Hornbill another one of Tanzania's endemics.
KILOMBERO FLOOD PLAINS & WETLAND
Geographically isolated wetlands of Kilombero floodplains in Tanzania is where the new undescribed species occur. The kilombero weaver and Kilombero Cristicolas and several other specialities are found here.
MIKUMI NATIONAL PARK
With more than 400species of birds been recorded here Mkata river floods area richs with birds species hence a very good spot for bird lovers.