Author: kenyabirding

I am passionate about ornithology and the environment. I love to bird watch anywhere I can! I am involved with the Lake Baringo Biodiversity Conservation Group and also run an local eco-tourism company Silent Fliers of Kenya Safaris that specializes in birding, Wildlife photography and general wildlife holidays in East Africa
Bird of the Week

African Darter (Anhinga rufa)

African Darter (Anhinga rufa)

Photo@Tony Crocetta

In Kenya, African Darter is the most commonly seen aquatic bird in Kenya wetland after Long-tailed Cormorant. It frequents fresh and brackish waters, fringed with vegetation, especially near fresh water lakes in Kenya Rift Valley lakes. This species is often seen perched on bare branches or stumps above the water. If alarmed, it drops vertically into the water. It needs to dry its plumage after fishing with wings outstretched.
African Darter dives for long periods, to search for aquatic preys. It swims with the body under water, allowing ambushing prey items. It propels itself with its webbed feet. It spears the fish in flank, and brings it to the surface, where it tosses it into the air, catches it with the bill and swallows it head first.
Anhinga Darter nests and roosts with other species, such as Egrets, Herons and Cormorants.
African Darter male has crown and back of the neck black and chestnut. Rest of the neck is chestnut, with conspicuous white stripe from the sides of the face to mid-neck. Its plumage is glossy black, streaked with white and silver on wings and mantle, and prominently on elongated black scapulars’ feathers. It has long black tail, held fanned when resting. Legs and webbed feet are brown. Female and immature are paler than male, mostly buffy-brown. Female has brown crown and upper neck. She has less distinct white stripe on the neck sides. Chicks are covered with white down. Darters are sometimes referred to as “snake bird”, because it swims very low, with only head and neck above the water.
In Kenya it is commonly seen in Lake Baringo.

Bird of the Week

White-bellied go-away-bird (Corythaixoides leucogaster)

White-bellied go-away-bird (Corythaixoides leucogaster)

Photo@Jurg Hosang

White-bellied Go-away Bird is one of the two dry land Turacos that we have in Kenya, the other is Bare-faced Go-away Bird.It South Africa they are referred to as Lorries . These birds are non-migratory. They are weak flyers and, therefore, only fly short distances in a dipping motion. They can climb trees and vines and run almost like squirrels over tree limbs. They are often seen single, pairs or small groups. The bird got its name because of its call that sound like “Go Away”. In Kenya this species is commonly found in arid and semi-arid areas and sometimes bushland grassland habitat. White-bellied and Bare-faced Go-Away bird don’t overlap in their distribution in our region.

Uncategorized

Spur-winged Lapwing (Vanellus spinosus)

Spur-winged Lapwing (Vanellus spinosus)

Photo@Jurg Hosang

Spur-winged Lapwing belongs Charadriidae, the largest a group of waders. It is commonly seen in lakes, swamp and river banks. During breeding season, they tend to lay their eggs on sandy beaches and they can defend their next ferociously and even passing by herbivores are intimidated.
These are conspicuous and unmistakable birds. They are medium-large waders with black crown, chest, foreneck stripe and tail. The face, the rest of the neck and belly are white and the wings and back are light brown. The bill and legs are black.
In Kenya, they are easily picked up from large concentration of waders in Lake Naivasha, Nakuru and Baringo. They are also frequently seen at Amboseli and Masai Mara National Parks.

Bird of the Week

Bronzy Sunbird (Nectarinia kilimensis)

Bronzy Sunbird (Nectarinia kilimensis)

Photo@Jurg Hosang

Bronzy Sunbird is the commonly seen sunbird in high altitude habitat.This species is sexually dimorphic. The adult male usually have brilliantly colored plumage of shinny green-yellowish breast and all over the entire head, while the belly and back being dark –black while the female has a yellowish belly contrasting with the dark-grey back and wings. The young are duller in coloration.
Sunbirds have long thin down-curved bills and brush tipped tubular tongues – both adaptations to their nectar feeding, although sometimes it take insects particularly during the breeding season to feed their young and to satisfy their own need for increased protein in their diet during this demanding time.
In Kenya, this sunbird is commonly recorded in Nairobi,Mt.Kenya region, Lake Nakuru and Naivasha, Eldoret and Mt.Elgon.

Bird of the Week

Greater Sand Plover (Charadrius leschenaultii)

Greater Sand Plover (Charadrius leschenaultii

Photo@Joe.Aengwo

Although it has a relatively dull appearance for most of the year, the Greater Sand Plover’s plumage changes during the breeding season. At this time, the crown changes from greyish-brown to a dull brick red, as does the white breast, and the small feathers that cover the ear region change colour from a dusky grey to black. The chin and throat remain white throughout the year, while the nape and forehead are a greyish-brown colour all year round.
The greater sand plover is a carnivorous species that varies its diet seasonally; during the breeding season it feeds mainly on terrestrial insects and their larvae, especially preying on midges, ants, beetles and termites, but also occasionally hunting larger animals such as lizards. During the non-breeding season, the greater sand plover mainly eats marine invertebrates, such as snails, worms, crabs and shrimp. Usually feeding at low tide on wet ground, just away from the water’s edge, the greater sand plover detects and catches prey with the help of good eyesight and the ability to sprint over short distances. A sociable species, the greater sand plover often feeds and roosts in flocks. It typically feeds in flocks of between two and fifty individuals but sometimes congregates in groups as large as one thousand whilst roosting, which is mainly done on sand bars at high tide.
The bird above was photographed at Mida-Creek, when the tide was low and the bird was in mixture of species like Crab Plover, Lesser Sand Plover, Eurasian Curlew, Whimbrel and White-fronted Plover. All my records on this species were in Mida-creek, Watamu.

Bird watching

Birding Team 2014!

Birding Team 2014!

Photo@Joe.Aengwo

Leis, Herbert, Joke and Koos are clients we hosted for 20 days birding trip in Kenya and Northern Tanzania. It was a productive trip in terms of species listed. Check out for our trip report which will be posted soon on this blog!Cheers.

Bird of the Week

African Pygmy Kingfisher (Ispidina picta)

African Pygmy Kingfisher (Ispidina picta)

Photo@Yan Van Duine

African Pygmy Kingfisher is a small insectivorous kingfisher found mostly in woodland habitats and not necessarily restricted to wetland.In Kenya, its range widespread in bushland of Lake Baringo, Kerio Vallye,Samburu,Meru and Nakuru National and southern parks of Amboseli, Tsavo East and West. Its habitat range from woodland habitats, savannas and riverine forests, but also scrublands, grasslands, open rivers and streams, coastal bushes, plantations and gardens.The dark blue crown of the adult separates it from the African Dwarf Kingfisher. The smaller size and violet wash on the ear coverts distinguish it from the similar Malachite Kingfisher.