Best birding in Tanzania
Tanzania’s best birds
and where to spot them Tanzania is a birdwatcher’s dream. The country has, at last count, 1,116 species of bird, with 22 that can only be found here. We’ve highlighted a handful of the most spectacular endemic birds and provided some details on the best places to spot them. Time to plan your Tanzania birding adventure.
Ashy starling
Hartlaub’s turaco
Red and yellow Barbets
Fischer’s Lovebird
In brief: You’ll see plenty of this
In brief: This elegant bird, endemic
In brief: The name for these small,
endemic species across Tanzania’s
to Uganda, Kenya and northern
interior and they are worth getting a
Tanzania, looks resplendent in
A pair of Red and yellow Barbets in Tarangire National Park
closer look at. Though their plum-
flight when it reveals large crimson
and for the strong bonds formed
age is ostensibly ash-grey, it has
patches on the undersides of
between mating pairs. Lovebirds
a sheen that in certain lights can
its wings.
put in some serious PDAs – biting or
make this starling look like a metallic
Looks: Predominantly green plumage
nipping each other beaks in a manner
robot flying machine.
with dark blue wings, tail and crown.
that can look like they are kissing.
Looks: Uniformly ash-grey with some
It has unusual markings on the head
Such is the lasting love each bird feels
oily green sheen on wings and its
with a smudge of white between the
long, narrow tail. Pale cream eye with
eye and beak and a white arched line
dark inner ring. Black beak and legs.
below the eye.
Listen out for: Makes quiet mewing,
Listen out for: A gruff, accelerating
the cute birds are a target for trappers
rasping, and chattering calls.
series of “kow” calls.
who illegally capture the birds for sale
Where to spot: Found in moderately
Where to spot: Hartlaub’s turaco
as pets.
moist savannah and woodland,
prefers high altitudes and is
Looks: Females and males are identi-
usually in small flocks, often feeding
commonly found in montane forests
cal in appearance with green backs,
on the ground. The Ngorongoro
and woodlands at 1,500 to 3,300
chest, and wings. The neck is golden
Crater is home to many of them.
metres in elevation. hangout.
yellow to orange colour, which
Black crake A small waterbird found in rivers and lakes
brightly coloured parrots is derived from German explorer Gustav Fisher
for its partner that the physical health of each individual will suffer if they are separated. This is a real problem as
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