Birding

In addition to the spectacular big game and predator wildlife, Tanzania is one of the world’s prime destinations for Birding. At Transcendent Journeys TZ, we can design an itinerary to focus on the abundant and varied birdlife for photography and/or species counts.

The avifauna of Tanzania includes a total of 1156 confirmed species as of September 2021 – one of the largest species lists of any African country. 800 species are resident, and nearly 200 are regular migrants. There are 34 species endemic to Tanzania and another 43 near-endemic species restricted to Tanzania and neighboring countries.

Birding is good throughout the year with the prime season Sept-April when resident populations are boosted by the many Palaearctic migrants that spend the northern hemisphere winter in Africa. Oct-Dec and Mar-May are the best times to observe breeding plumage.

Birding Itinerary – 11 Days

Arusha/Arusha Nat Park: 2 nights
Engikaret/Longido: 2 nights
Tarangire: 2 nights
Lake Manyara/Ngorongoro Highlands: 1 night
Serengeti: 2 nights
Ngorongoro: 1 night

Tanzanian Birdlife

Large Ground Birds: Ostrich, Secretary Bird, Kori Bustard, Ground Hornbill, Francolins, Guineafowl
Large Waterbirds: Pelicans, Flamingoes, Herons & Egrets, Storks, Ibises & Spoonbills, Crowned Crane
Small Waterbirds: Hamerkop, Cormorants&Darters, African Skimmer, Waders and Plovers, African Jacana
Birds of Prey: Tanzania is home to 75 species of raptor: Verreoux’s Eagle, Fish Eagle, Bateleur, Auger Buzzard, Vultures, Kites
Other Large Birds: Crows, Hornbills, Owls, Turacos & Go-Away Birds, White-Browed Coucal, Lilac-Breasted Roller

Medium-Sized Birds: Superb Starlings, Red- and Yellow-Billed Oxpeckers, Common Bulbul, Fork-Tailed Drongo, Black-Headed Oriole, Paradise Flycather, Thrushes, Wagtails, Babblers, Shrikes, Boubous & Bush-Shrikes, Bishops & Widows
Medium-Small Birds: Parrots & Lovebirds, Doves, Cuckoos, Mousebirds, Trogons, Hoopoes, Kingfishers, Bee-Eaters, Woodpeckers, Barbets, Honeyguides, Swifts & Swallows
Small Birds: Warblers, White-eyes, Weavers, Sunbirds, Waxbills & Whydahs, Canaries