Top 5 Birding Destinations in Tanzania
Top 5 Birding Destinations in Tanzania: Tanzania is located in East Africa, and it’s one of the best wilderness areas in Africa for wildlife viewing and a bird watching paradise with over 1125 bird species, of which about 800 birds are resident, 200 regular migrants, 24 endemic to only Tanzania and about 43 near-endemic species to Tanzania and other neighbouring countries. Bird watching in Tanzania can be done in various national parks, lakes, forests, mountains, rivers, and swamps, among others. The top 5 birding destinations include Serengeti National Park, Tarangire National Park, Lake Manyara National Park, Arusha National Park and Ngorongoro Conservation Area. Birding safaris in Tanzania give you lifetime and memorable experiences as you walk through different birding destinations where you will spot colourful bird species.
Top 5 birding destinations in Tanzania
Birding in Serengeti National Park
Serengeti National Park is located in northern Tanzania, and it’s the oldest and one of the most visited national parks in the country due to its abundant wildlife and the great wildebeest migration. The national park comprises different vegetation types such as savannah shrubs, woodlands, Riverine forests, grasslands and acacia trees, which act as habitats for different bird species. Serengeti national park has recorded over 500 bird species including endemic species which are only found in Tanzania, near endemic species and migratory birds therefore during the birding safari you will be able to spot bird species like grey breasted spurfowl, usambiro barbet, grey crested helmet shrike, fischers lovebird, black headed gonolek, ruppells vulture, schalows turaco, rufous tailed weaver, yellow throated sandgrouse, hildebrandts starling, grey crested helmet shrike, red capped robin chat among others. Birds in Serengeti National Park can be viewed during the game drives in a 4WD pop-up safari vehicle and guided nature walks.
Birding in Tarangire National Park
Tarangire National Park is one of the most visited protected areas located in the northern part of Tanzania, famous for harbouring large herds of elephants and other animals like buffaloes, gazelles, elands, bushbucks and different bird species. The name Tarangire was derived from the name of a river which flows through the park and originates from the word of the Wambugwe tribe, meaning meandering. Tarangire River is a permanent water source that provides refuge for different wildlife species and attracts high concentrations of animals and bird species during the dry season. Tarangire National Park is one of the birding paradises with over 500 recorded bird species, including migratory, water birds, endemic species which are only found in Tanzania and near-endemic species which are also found in neighbouring countries.
During your Tanzania birding safari, you will be able to spot bird species like vulturine guinefowl, northern pied babbler, yellow collared lovebird, ashy starling, rufous tailed weaver, African grey flycatcher, pink-breasted lark, great white pelican, bare-faced go-away bird, ostrich, slate colored boubou, and Donaldson-Smith’s nightjar, among others. Birds in Tarangire National Park can be viewed during the game drive, guided nature walks, and hot air balloon among others.
Birding in Ngorongoro Conservation Area
Ngorongoro Conservation Area is one of the best wilderness areas located in the northern part of Tanzania. Birding is one of the major activities in the area with more than 500 recorded bird species, including forest, endemic and migratory species. during bird watching in Ngorongoro conservation area you will be able to spot bird species like livingstone turaco, white eyed slaty flycatcher, kori bustard, ostrich, Kenya rufous sparrow, secretary bird, grey crowned crane, black winged lapwing, black kite, augur buzzard, Egyptian vulture, greater flamingo, hildebrandts starling, namaqua dove, rufous chatterer, yellow barbet, white naped raven, Jacksons widowbird, Egyptian vulture among others. Bird species can be viewed during the game drives and guided nature walks.
Birding in Arusha National Park
Arusha National Park is one of the smallest protected areas located in north-eastern Tanzania. The national park is famously known for harbouring abundant wildlife that cannot be found in other national parks. Due to the presence of several water bodies, the park is one of the best birding destinations with over 400 recorded bird species ranging from aquatic, endemic, near-endemic, forest and migratory species.
Bird species that will be spotted during bird watching include hadada ibis, greater pink flamingo, African fish eagle, hartlaubs turaco, narina trogon, bar tailed trogon, red fronted parrot, crowned eagle, saddle billed stork, augur buzzard, little grebes, spur winged goose, secretary birds, African fish eagle, black saw wing, bearded vulture, red fronted parrot, tawny eagle, Egyptian goose, African olive pigeon among others. Birds in Arusha National Park can be viewed during the game drives, canoeing on the small Momella Lake, guided nature walks and climbing Mount Meru, which is the second-highest mountain in Tanzania after Mount Kilimanjaro.
Birding in Lake Manyara National Park
Lake Manyara National Park is the smallest national park located at the base of the Great Rift Valley in northern Tanzania, along the road to Serengeti National Park and Ngorongoro Conservation Area. The national park is famously known for the tree-climbing lions, which can be viewed during the game drive, lying up in the acacia tree branches, staring at the antelopes. Lake Manyara National Park is home to over 400 recorded bird species, with more than 50 birds of prey, migratory and aquatic species which inhabit the savannah vegetation, woodland, rainforest and marshlands.
Birds that will be spotted during a Tanzania birding safari include pink-backed pelicans, black heron, African fish eagle, African jacana, greater flamingo, crowned eagle, pied kingfisher, yellow-billed stork, spur-winged goose, saddle-billed stork, sacred ibis, little stint, lesser flamingo, grey crowned crane, among others. Birds in Lake Manyara National Park can be viewed during the game drives, guided nature walks, mountain biking and canoeing on Lake Manyara.
Apart from the top 5 destinations mentioned above, birding in Tanzania is done in other places like Lake Tanganyika, which harbours over 500 bird species, including migratory, endemic and aquatic species. Lake Tanganyika is the second-longest freshwater lake in the world and the second deepest after Lake Baikal in Russia. Other birding places include Mount Kilimanjaro, Selous Game Reserve, Ruaha National Park, Mahale National Park, Katavi National Park, and Gombe National Park, among others.
Best time to go for birding in Tanzania
Birding in Tanzania can be carried out anytime throughout the year, though the best period is during the wet season in the months of November to April, because this is the best time to spot the migratory birds from Europe and northern Africa. During this time, you will also see birds in their breeding plumage.
Conclusion
Tanzania is a veritable paradise for birdwatchers, with over 1,100 species of birds, spread out in its incredible landscapes. From the pink flamingos of Lake Manyara National Park to the soaring raptors above the Serengeti Park Plains, there is always a completely different adventure in every region for the nature lover. The misty Usambara Mountains contain rare endemic species, and the wetland areas of Ruaha National Park and coastal regions of Saadani National Park attract both migratory and resident birds. Whether taking a dedicated Tanzania birding safari or blending bird observation in a classic Tanzania wildlife safari, these prime top 5 birding destinations in Tanzania provide incredible experiences in the heart of East Africa.
Tour guides, eco-lodges, and protected reserves are all working to help sustain a future for bird habitat and wildlife in and around Tanzania. Tanzania remains one of the leading birding destinations in Africa because of its extraordinary biodiversity, professional birding guides, and ease of accessing birding throughout each season of the year. Make sure you have your binoculars, a camera, and a spirit for birding and adventure; the Tanzanian sky and savannas are ready, and every true birder is welcome to check off their next exciting Tanzania safari destination.
