Tsavo East National Park birds

Tsavo East National Park birds: Tsavo East national park is one of the best birding destination across East Africa region. The Tsavo East National park birds are one of the precious Tsavo East National park attractions. Most of the travellers that flock at the park come for game viewing and birding. The birders call the park as birding paradise that inhabits both permanent and migratory birds. The closeness of the park to the coastal region also makes it one of the breeding grounds for the birds especially the water birds. The checklist of Tsavo East National park birds is over 500 bird species. The parks hosts almost all the Kenya dry savannah specials. The long checklist of birds are easy to spot due to the simple thick thickets found at the park.

The different vegetation cover at the park that ranges from the swampy vegetation to the rocky vegetation. The park is dominated by the dry open savannah vegetation. Tsavo national park is located in the remote Taru semi-desert kilometres away from the busy coastal area. It lies on the open low and semi-arid part of the country on the edge of the popular inland plateau. With good highway and railway that crosses the park in the centre running from the capital city to the busy Mombasa business town.

Tsavo national park terrain is one of the key factor that has led to the wide distribution of bird species at the park. The park is rockier with scattered rocky outcrops that are dotted at the park. The park also hosts the longest flat lava ridge called the Yatta Plateau. The Yatta Plateau runs from the Western part of the park beneath the Athi River. The Athi river and Tsavo river which later joins together to form the Galana river are the key source of water at the park. These rivers hosts a wide range of aquatic bird species and some swampy bird species that like leaving around the swamps like papyrus Gonolek.

Running along the rivers are the swamp forests also known as the thickets that is characterised by the woodlands and thickets. The most common tree species is the Acacia Elatior, Doum palm Hyphaene compressa and others. The Northern part of the park is mostly covered by grasslands which is dominated by the large herds of Elephants and other grazers. Along the Yatta Plateau, the dotted Baobab trees dominate. There are also seasonal water catchment areas around the plateau which birds use to come and bath, especially during the dry season. Tsavo East is drier than its counterpart Tsavo west national park that receives more rainfall than goes even up to 450 mm per year. This dry vegetation has made it more flexible for birders to enjoy bird watching in any time of the year at this park.

The peacefulness of the park which is contributed by the few tourists that explore the park annually has made birding safaris excellently achieved. The park is quite hence making the birds to be playfull in direct open places at the park. Tsavo East National park birds are easily spotted by the help of good experienced birding guide. Most travellers make mistakes after knowing that the park has a good list of birds and they think they will get them in one place hence choosing to use cheap driver-guides which are not birders. You will be disappointed but we guarantee our guests with our special birding guides that they view as many as possible bird species during their birding safari at the park.

The Tsavo East National park birds list include the rare bird visitors like Acrocephalus griseldis, Anhinga rufa, Casmerodius albus, Ephippiorhynchus senegalensis, Polemaetus bellicosus, trigonoceps occipitalis and others. The migratory birds mostly come to the park for breeding hence coming around March to May and some come around November. The coastal birds also come up out of the cost during this very time hence making a great time for birding at the park. The park is also found at the migratory route for birds from the Middle East crossing to other European countries hence making their break for the journey at this park. The huge diversified natural habitants at the park has attracted more permanent resident Tsavo East national park birds.

The long list of the Tsavo East national park birds include the following:

Somalia bee-eater, Somalia Ostrich, Masai Ostrich, Taita falcon, Taita fiscal, Vulturine guineafowl, Slender-tailed nightjar, Shelley’s starling, Rufous chatterer, Red-bellied parrot, Northern brownbul, Pangani longclaw, Martial eagle, Lesser kestrel, African finfoot, Fischer’s starling, Black-faced sandgrouse, Golden pipit, Golden-breasted Starling and many others.

Best time to do birding in Tsavo East National park

Tsavo East national park birds can be viewed any time of the year since the climatic conditions of the park give an added advantage. Secondly the largest population of the bird species at the park are permanent residents hence making it reliable for the birders to enjoying birding throughout the year. Majority of the Kenyan unusual specials at this park are all residents of the park. This makes is an open chance for birders to easily spot them at any time of the year. We can only advise that the peak season of enjoying birding is during the green season. This is the rainy season where the park receives low visitors hence making it very quiet and good for birders. During the rainy season, the birds breed hence easily spotted since they do not move far away. You can also have chance to see the young ones or follow their breeding system. Its also during this green season that the park hosts and receives their migratory birds from different parts of the world.

In conclusion, birding in Tsavo is excellent only need to use a reputable birding guide who will advise you the best peak season of birding at the park. Please check on a number of our birding safaris.