​Birds – Aberdare NP

Anthony Ham
Expert
By Anthony Ham

Anthony is a renowned Africa expert and author of many Lonely Planet guidebooks, including the guide to Kenya.

Anthony is a renowned Africa expert and author of the Lonely Planet guide to Kenya.

Anthony is the author of the Lonely Planet guide to Kenya.

Aberdare National Park is a birder’s paradise, with around 300 species recorded, including many rarities. Striking forest birds that might be seen at the tree hotels include Hartlaub’s turaco, silvery-cheeked hornbill and cinnamon-chested bee-eater. Birding highlights at higher altitudes include the localized Jackson’s francolin, handsome augur buzzard and endemic Aberdare cisticola. A variety of nectar-feeding sunbirds, including the very localized and colorful scarlet-tufted malachite sunbird, are attracted to flowering plants.

Notable Birds in Aberdare NP
› ‹
Baglafecht weaver
Locally common
Jackson’s spurfowl
Common & near-endemic
Hartlaub’s turaco
Locally common
Moorland chat
Common
Red-winged starling
Common

Birding Rating

Birding Specials –Treats for Avid Birders

(E) endemic = only lives in Kenya
(NE) near-endemic = also lives in neighboring countries

Facts & Figures

Birds in Aberdare NP
Bird Species
300
Migratory Birds
Nov to Apr

Best Time for Bird Watching

Aberdare offers good bird watching year-round, but November to April is when migrants from Europe and North Africa are present. This partly coincides with the Wet season (October to May), when many species can be seen in breeding plumage. Most forest and moorland specials are resident throughout the year, so the drier months (June to September and December to February) offer a good combination of rewarding bird watching and relatively agreeable weather.

Want To Visit Aberdare NP?

50 Aberdare Safaris

Birding Rating

Facts & Figures

Birds in Aberdare NP
Bird Species
300
Migratory Birds
Nov to Apr