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Category: KENYA
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KAKAMEGA NATIONAL RESERVE & LIST

KENYA

region (near), (Compass)

Lat:00o00´S/00o00´W 4,468ha tropical foothill forest

Protected/registered status

Best Time for visit (time visited)

Birding Site Guide

This is a very good forest reserve and is the closest one can get to real tropical lowland forest in Kenya. As such it harbours many species on their e range limits and only commonly found further to the w of Kenya. The road can be birded, as we did, and there are also some side trail which are better for shier species such as Akalats etc. The Forest Department have a choice of 2 places to stay; the centrally located guest house at Isecheno and the northern located Udo’s Bandas and campsite at Buyangu.

Altogether 335 species have been recorded and several species of primate occur. 

Species seen. For full bird and mammal species list with scientific names go to KENYA FULL TRIP LIST 

  • Pink-backed Pelican Pelecanus rufescens KE to K
  • Woolly-necked Stork Ciconia episcopus KE to K
  • Dark Chanting-Goshawk Melierax metabates LB, K, T
  • Shelley's Francolin Francolinus shelleyi Mt, K
  • Crested Guineafowl Guttera pucherani K
  • White-crested Turaco Tauraco leucolophus K
  • African Emerald Cuckoo Chrysococcyx cupreus K
  • Dideric Cuckoo Chrysococcyx caprius SF, K
  • Blue-headed Bee-eater Merops muelleri K
  • African Gray Hornbill Tockus nasutus MM, K, T,
  • Black-&-white-casqued Hornbill Ceratogymna subcylindrica K
  • Gray-throated Barbet Gymnobucco bonapartei K
  • Red-fronted Tinkerbird Pogoniulus pusillus LB, K
  • Yellow-spotted Barbet Buccanodon duchaillui K
  • Hairy-breasted Barbet Tricholaema hirsuta K
  • Spot-flanked Barbet Tricholaema lacrymosa K
  • White-headed Barbet Lybius leucocephalus Mt, K
  • Black-billed Barbet Lybius guifsobalito K
  • Double-toothed Barbet Lybius bidentatus K
  • Pallid Honeyguide Indicator meliphilus LB, K
  • Least Honeyguide Indicator exilis K
  • Thick-billed Honeyguide Indicator conirostris K
  • Tullberg's Woodpecker Campethera tullbergi K
  • Buff-spotted Woodpecker Campethera nivosa K
  • Brown-eared Woodpecker Campethera caroli K
  • Speckle-breasted Woodpecker Dendropicos poecilolaemus K
  • Golden-crowned Woodpecker Dendropicos xantholophus K
  • White-headed Sawwing Psalidoprocne albiceps Mt, K
  • Angola Swallow Hirundo angolensis K, R
  • Long-billed Pipit Anthus similis LN, K
  • Tree Pipit Anthus trivialis Mt, K
  • Gray Wagtail Motacilla cinerea K
  • Petit's Cuckoo-shrike Campephaga petiti K
  • Black Cuckoo-shrike Campephaga flava Mt, K
  • Shelley's Greenbul Andropadus masukuensis K
  • Little Greenbul Andropadus virens K
  • Ansorge's Greenbul Andropadus ansorgei K
  • Plain Greenbul Andropadus curvirostris K
  • Slender-billed Greenbul Andropadus gracilirostris LN, K
  • Joyful Greenbul Chlorocichla laetissima K
  • Placid Greenbul Phyllastrephus placidus K, LNa
  • Toro Olive-Greenbul Phyllastrephus hypochloris K
  • Common Bristlebill Bleda syndactylus K
  • White-tailed Ant-Thrush Neocossyphus poensis K
  • African Bare-eyed Thrush Turdus tephronotus K
  • Brown-chested Alethe Alethe poliocephala K, LNa
  • Chubb's Cisticola Cisticola chubbi K
  • Stout Cisticola Cisticola robustus K
  • Banded Prinia Prinia bairdii K
  • White-chinned Prinia Schistolais leucopogon K
  • Black-throated Apalis Apalis jacksoni K
  • Buff-throated Apalis Apalis rufogularis K
  • Olive-green Camaroptera Camaroptera chloronota K
  • Black-faced Rufous-Warbler Bathmocercus rufus K
  • Turner's Eremomela Eremomela turneri E K
  • Green Hylia Hylia prasina K
  • Uganda Wood-Warbler Phylloscopus budongoensis K
  • Garden Warbler Sylvia borin K
  • Silverbird Empidornis semipartitus Mt, K
  • Northern Black-Flycatcher Melaenornis edolioides K
  • Swamp Flycatcher Muscicapa aquatica K
  • Blue-shouldered Robin-Chat Cossypha cyanocampter K
  • Gray-winged Robin-Chat Cossypha polioptera K
  • White-browed Robin-Chat Cossypha heuglini K
  • Red-backed Scrub-Robin Cercotrichas leucophrys K, T
  • African Shrike-flycatcher Megabyas flammulatus K
  • Brown-throated Wattle-eye Platysteira cyanea K
  • Chestnut Wattle-eye Platysteira castanea K
  • Jameson's Wattle-eye Platysteira jamesoni K
  • African Blue-Flycatcher Elminia longicauda SS, K
  • Dusky Crested-Flycatcher Elminia nigromitrata K
  • Black-headed Paradise-Flycatcher Terpsiphone rufiventer K
  • Brown Illadopsis Illadopsis fulvescens K
  • Dusky Tit Melaniparus funereus K
  • Spotted Creeper Salpornis spilonotus K
  • Eastern Olive Sunbird Cyanomitra olivacea K
  • Olive-bellied Sunbird Cinnyris chloropygius K
  • Mariqua Sunbird Cinnyris mariquensis K
  • Red-chested Sunbird Cinnyris erythrocercus K, LNa
  • Orange-tufted Sunbird Cinnyris bouvieri K
  • Western Black-headed Oriole Oriolus brachyrhynchus K
  • Red-backed Shrike Lanius collurio K
  • Mackinnon's Shrike Lanius mackinnoni K
  • Yellow-billed Shrike Corvinella corvina K
  • Pink-footed Puffback Dryoscopus angolensis K
  • Luehder's Bushshrike Laniarius luehderi SS, K
  • Rosy-patched Bushshrike Rhodophoneus cruentus S, K
  • Gray-green Bushshrike Telophorus bocagei K
  • White Helmetshrike Prionops plumatus K, T
  • Square-tailed Drongo Dicrurus ludwigii K
  • Slender-billed Starling Onychognathus tenuirostris K
  • Waller's Starling Onychognathus walleri Mt, K, Lna
  • Red-headed Malimbe Malimbus rubricollis K
  • Black-necked Weaver Ploceus nigricollis K
  • Black-billed Weaver Ploceus melanogaster K
  • Vieillot's Weaver Ploceus nigerrimus K
  • Golden-backed Weaver Ploceus jacksoni K, R
  • Forest Weaver Ploceus bicolor K, SF
  • Brown-capped Weaver Ploceus insignis Mt, K
  • Compact Weaver Pachyphantes superciliosus K
  • Grosbeak Weaver Amblyospiza albifrons K
  • Red-headed Bluebill Spermophaga ruficapilla K, T, A
  • Red-billed Firefinch Lagonosticta senegala K
  • Black-bellied Firefinch Lagonosticta rara K
  • Bronze Mannikin Spermestes cucullatus Mt, K
  • African Citril Serinus citrinelloides Mt, K
  • Papyrus Canary Serinus koliensis K
  • Yellow-fronted Canary Serinus mozambicus K

 

Common Kenyan species some of which were seen here and the rest generally

  • Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis
  • Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo
  • Long-tailed Cormorant Phalacrocorax africanus
  • Gray Heron Ardea cinerea
  • Black-headed Heron Ardea melanocephala
  • Goliath Heron Ardea goliath
  • Purple Heron Ardea purpurea
  • Great Egret Ardea alba
  • Little Egret Egretta garzetta
  • Western Reef-Heron Egretta gularis
  • Squacco Heron Ardeola ralloides
  • Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis
  • Striated Heron Butorides striata
  • Hamerkop Scopus umbretta
  • Yellow-billed Stork Mycteria ibis
  • Abdim's Stork Ciconia abdimii
  • Saddle-billed Stork Ephippiorhynchus senegalensis
  • Marabou Stork Leptoptilos crumeniferus
  • Sacred Ibis Threskiornis aethiopicus
  • Hadada Ibis Bostrychia hagedash
  • Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus
  • Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus roseus
  • Egyptian Goose Alopochen aegyptiaca
  • Yellow-billed Duck Anas undulata
  • Osprey Pandion haliaetus
  • Black-shouldered Kite Elanus caeruleus
  • Scissor-tailed Kite Chelictinia riocourii
  • Black Kite Milvus migrans
  • African Fish-Eagle Haliaeetus vocifer
  • White-backed Vulture Gyps africanus
  • Black-breasted Snake-Eagle Circaetus pectoralis
  • Western Marsh-Harrier Circus aeruginosus
  • African Marsh-Harrier Circus ranivorus
  • Montagu's Harrier Circus pygargus
  • African Harrier-Hawk Polyboroides typus
  • Lizard Buzzard Kaupifalco monogrammicus
  • Gabar Goshawk Micronisus gabar
  • Eurasian Buzzard Buteo buteo
  • Augur Buzzard Buteo augur
  • Tawny Eagle Aquila rapax
  • Long-crested Eagle Lophaetus occipitalis
  • Secretary-bird Sagittarius serpentarius
  • Eurasian Kestrel Falco tinnunculus
  • Lanner Falcon Falco biarmicus
  • Hildebrandt's Francolin Francolinus hildebrandti
  • Yellow-necked Francolin Francolinus leucoscepus
  • Helmeted Guineafowl Numida meleagris
  • Black Crake Amaurornis flavirostra
  • Common Moorhen Gallinula chloropus
  • African Jacana Actophilornis africanus
  • Greater Painted-snipe Rostratula benghalensis
  • Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus
  • Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta
  • Blacksmith Plover Vanellus armatus
  • Crowned Lapwing Vanellus coronatus
  • Black-bellied Plover Pluvialis squatarola
  • Three-banded Plover Charadrius tricollaris
  • Greater Sandplover Charadrius leschenaultii
  • Common Snipe Gallinago gallinago
  • Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus
  • Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata
  • Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos
  • Green Sandpiper Tringa ochropus
  • Common Greenshank Tringa nebularia
  • Marsh Sandpiper Tringa stagnatilis
  • Wood Sandpiper Tringa glareola
  • Common Redshank Tringa totanus
  • Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres
  • Sanderling Calidris alba
  • Little Stint Calidris minuta
  • Curlew Sandpiper Calidris ferruginea
  • Dunlin Calidris alpina
  • Ruff Philomachus pugnax
  • European Herring Gull Larus argentatus
  • Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus
  • Gray-headed Gull Larus cirrocephalus
  • Saunders' Tern Sternula saundersi
  • Gull-billed Tern Gelochelidon nilotica
  • Common Tern Sterna hirundo
  • Rock Pigeon Columba livia
  • African Mourning Dove Streptopelia decipiens
  • Laughing Dove Streptopelia senegalensis
  • Emerald-spotted Wood-Dove Turtur chalcospilos
  • Tambourine Dove Turtur tympanistria
  • Hartlaub's Turaco Tauraco hartlaubi
  • Eastern Plantain-eater Crinifer zonurus
  • Great Spotted Cuckoo Clamator glandarius
  • Klaas' Cuckoo Chrysococcyx klaas
  • Yellowbill Ceuthmochares aereus
  • White-browed Coucal Centropus superciliosus
  • African Palm-Swift Cypsiurus parvus
  • Common Swift Apus apus
  • Little Swift Apus affinis
  • Speckled Mousebird Colius striatus
  • Narina Trogon Apaloderma narina
  • Malachite Kingfisher Alcedo cristata
  • Gray-headed Kingfisher Halcyon leucocephala
  • Pied Kingfisher Ceryle rudis
  • Cinnamon-chested Bee-eater Merops oreobates
  • White-throated Bee-eater Merops albicollis
  • Blue-cheeked Bee-eater Merops persicus
  • European Bee-eater Merops apiaster
  • Northern Carmine Bee-eater Merops nubicus
  • Lilac-breasted Roller Coracias caudatus
  • Common Scimitar-bill Rhinopomastus cyanomelas
  • Yellow-rumped Tinkerbird Pogoniulus bilineatus
  • Greater Honeyguide Indicator indicator
  • Cardinal Woodpecker Dendropicos fuscescens
  • Gray Woodpecker Dendropicos goertae
  • Singing Bushlark Mirafra cantillans
  • Rufous-naped Lark Mirafra africana
  • Chestnut-headed Sparrow-Lark Eremopterix signatus
  • Black Sawwing Psalidoprocne pristoptera
  • Plain Martin Riparia paludicola
  • Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica
  • Wire-tailed Swallow Hirundo smithii
  • House Martin Delichon urbicum
  • Lesser Striped-Swallow Cecropis abyssinica
  • Red-rumped Swallow Cecropis daurica
  • African Pipit Anthus cinnamomeus
  • Rosy-throated Longclaw Macronyx ameliae
  • African Pied Wagtail Motacilla aguimp
  • Yellow Wagtail Motacilla flava
  • Purple-throated Cuckoo-shrike Campephaga quiscalina
  • Common Bulbul Pycnonotus barbatus
  • Yellow-whiskered Greenbul Andropadus latirostris
  • Eastern Mountain-Greenbul Andropadus nigriceps
  • Honeyguide Greenbul Baeopogon indicator
  • Rufous-tailed Rock-Thrush Monticola saxatilis
  • African Thrush Turdus pelios
  • Singing Cisticola Cisticola cantans
  • Winding Cisticola Cisticola galactotes
  • Carruthers' Cisticola Cisticola carruthersi
  • Yellow-breasted Apalis Apalis flavida
  • Green-backed Camaroptera Camaroptera brachyura
  • African Bush-Warbler Bradypterus baboecala
  • Red-faced Crombec Sylvietta whytii
  • Willow Warbler Phylloscopus trochilus
  • Common Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita
  • Southern Hyliota Hyliota australis
  • Blackcap Sylvia atricapilla
  • Pale Flycatcher Bradornis pallidus
  • White-eyed Slaty-Flycatcher Melaenornis fischeri
  • Gray Tit-Flycatcher Myioparus plumbeus
  • Collared Flycatcher Ficedula albicollis
  • Equatorial Akalat Sheppardia aequatorialis
  • Rufous-tailed Scrub-Robin Cercotrichas galactotes
  • African Stonechat Saxicola torquatus
  • Isabelline Wheatear Oenanthe isabellina
  • Yellow-bellied Wattle-eye Platysteira concreta
  • African Paradise-Flycatcher Terpsiphone viridis
  • Scaly-breasted Illadopsis Illadopsis albipectus
  • Pale-breasted Illadopsis Illadopsis rufipennis
  • Gray Tit Melaniparus afer
  • Green-headed Sunbird Cyanomitra verticalis
  • Green-throated Sunbird Chalcomitra rubescens
  • Amethyst Sunbird Chalcomitra amethystina
  • Hunter's Sunbird Chalcomitra hunteri
  • African Black-headed Oriole Oriolus larvatus
  • Gray-backed Fiscal Lanius excubitoroides
  • Long-tailed Fiscal Lanius cabanisi
  • Common Fiscal Lanius collaris
  • White-crowned Shrike Eurocephalus anguitimens
  • Marsh Tchagra Tchagra minutus
  • Black-crowned Tchagra Tchagra senegalus
  • Brown-crowned Tchagra Tchagra australis
  • Fork-tailed Drongo Dicrurus adsimilis
  • House Crow Corvus splendens intro
  • Pied Crow Corvus albus
  • Wattled Starling Creatophora cinerea
  • Superb Starling Lamprotornis superbus
  • Red-winged Starling Onychognathus morio
  • Stuhlmann's Starling Poeoptera stuhlmanni
  • House Sparrow Passer domesticus
  • Red-billed Buffalo-Weaver Bubalornis niger
  • White-headed Buffalo-Weaver Dinemellia dinemelli
  • White-browed Sparrow-Weaver Plocepasser mahali
  • Chestnut-crowned Sparrow-Weaver Plocepasser superciliosus
  • Baglafecht Weaver Ploceus baglafecht
  • Holub's Golden-Weaver Ploceus xanthops
  • Northern Brown-throated Weaver Ploceus castanops
  • Red-billed Quelea Quelea quelea
  • Jackson's Widowbird Euplectes jacksoni NT
  • White-breasted Negrofinch Nigrita fusconotus
  • Green-backed Twinspot Mandingoa nitidula
  • Red-cheeked Cordonbleu Uraeginthus bengalus
  • Bar-breasted Firefinch Lagonosticta rufopicta
  • Pin-tailed Whydah Vidua macroura
  • Streaky Seedeater Serinus striolatus

 

KEY

CR = Critical

E = Endangered

V = Vulnerable

NT = Near-threatened

e = endemic

intro = introduced


no sites given for common species or species more readily found in Europe

A = Athi Plains

L = Liota Plains

LB = Lake Baringo

LN = Lake Nakuru

LNa = Lake Naivasha

MM = Masia Mara NP

Mt = Mount Kenya NP

N = Niarobi NP

N to M = Niarobi to Mombasa

R = Red Brick Dam, Lake Victoria

S = Samburu GR

SF = Sokoke Forest & coast

SS = Saiwa Swamp

T = Tsavo

h = heard only

 

Author: BSG

www.birdingsiteguide.com