Kenya is a super cool place to go on a safari and see big animals, but did you know it’s also a great spot for bird watching? There are over 1100 different kinds of birds in Kenya, and you can see over 600 of them in just three weeks! The reason there are so many different birds in Kenya is because of its diverse geography.
Kenya can be split into five main regions: the Highlands, the Rift Valley, the Western Plateau, the Coastal Region, and the Northern Plains. The Highlands are split into two parts on either side of the Rift Valley. This area gets more rain and has cooler temperatures than other parts of Kenya. Nairobi, the capital city, is on the eastern side of the Rift Valley, along with Mt. Kenya. The Mau Forest, the biggest forest in Kenya, is on the western side of the Rift Valley.
The Highlands are home to lots of people and farms, which can be a threat to the forests and birds that live there. Some cool spots to go bird watching in the Highlands are Nairobi National Park, Mount Kenya, and the Aberdares Mountains. On the western side, you can check out the Molo Grasslands, the Mau Narok region, and the Kongelai Escarpment. So next time you’re in Kenya, don’t forget to look up and see all the amazing birds flying around!
Photo by Odd Rune Falch
The Rift Valley in Kenya and Tanzania is a really cool place with lots of lakes and birds. The lakes there have different types of water – some are freshwater and some are alkaline. The alkaline lakes are where you can find a bunch of flamingos, especially at Lake Nakuru. But there are also other lakes with different kinds of birds. The Rift Valley is also home to the Serengeti Plains in Tanzania and the Masai Mara in Kenya, where you can see lots of animals like wildebeest, zebras, giraffes, and big cats. There are over 500 different kinds of birds in the Masai Mara alone!
The Western Plateau is another area near Lake Victoria with faults and valleys. There’s a rainforest in Kakamega with birds that you can’t find anywhere else in Kenya. The different habitats in this region, like swamps and lakeshores, have their own special birds too. It’s a great place to see all kinds of birds and animals!
Photo by Magda Ehlers
ABOUT KENYA BIRD PHOTOGRAPHY
Photo by Jit Roy:
When you go on a safari in Kenya, most people are there to take pictures of big animals. You can find lots of chances to snap photos of mammals in the open grasslands of the game parks, especially Masai Mara during the wildebeest migration in July and August. And there are also plenty of birds to photograph! You can see birds like the Common Ostrich, bustards, and Secretarybird in the savanna, as well as flamingos at soda lakes like Lake Nakuru. You might also get lucky and see birds like the Bateleur, African Fish-Eagle, and other raptors in the open country. During mating season, whydahs and widowbirds put on a colorful show that’s great for photos. You can easily snap pictures of birds like fiscals and weavers in the open country. If you’re patient, you might even get a chance to photograph birds in the Kakamega Forest and other forested areas. It’s surprising how many opportunities there are to take pictures of birds, along with mammals, while on safari!
WHEN TO VISIT KENYA
Photo by Ayman Muhammad Elshahat:
If you want to see the cool wildebeest migration and watch them cross the Mara River, the best time to go is in July and early August. But, there’s no guarantee you’ll see them cross the river because it doesn’t happen every day. Sometimes you have to wait a long time to see it! Unfortunately, July and August are dry months, so there aren’t as many birds around and they’re not as colorful. Some years, the wildebeest stay in Kenya until September or October, depending on the rain. If you’re lucky, you might see them cross the river as they head back to the Serengeti. The timing of the migration changes every year and has been hard to predict lately.
If you’re into bird watching, November and early December are great times to visit Kenya. That’s when most birds are in their fancy breeding outfits and you can see cool mating displays. In January, things start to calm down as birds change into their regular clothes. Another good time to visit is during the long rains in April and May, but it can get pretty muddy and hard to see animals. June is a better time for birding because the weather is nice and many birds are still looking fancy. Sometimes the wildebeest show up in June instead of July, so keep an eye out!
