Bird Watching

Tanzania is an excellent destination for birders. Besides Lake Manyara and Arusha National Parks which are famous for water birds and other savannah and forest species, all the game parks in Tanzania have an amazing array of birdlife including Eurasian migrants. The most interesting part is that the birdlife may vary from park to park depending on habitats providing a richer viewing experience to the birder. It may be useful to learn that over 1,130 different species of birds have been recorded in Tanzania – the largest number in Africa second only to the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Below is a list of a few game parks and the number of bird species that have been recorded in each:

• Arusha National Park – over 400 bird species including water birds in Momella Lakes
• Lake Manyara National Park – over 400 bird species including water birds
• Ngorongoro Conservation Area – over 550 bird species
• Tarangire National Park – over 550 bird species
• Serengeti National Park – over 400 bird species
• Mikumi National Park – over 400 bird species
• Selous Game Reserve – over 440 bird species
• Ruaha National Park – over 571 bird species
• Udzungwa Mountains – over 250 species mainly forest species