MOUNT KENYA NATIONAL PARK & LIST

KENYA

region (near), (Compass)

Lat:00o00´S/00o00´W 71,500ha, c.1,500-5,199m, volcanic origin with lower montane tropical forest, Afroalpine moorlands to barren rock and glaciers 

Protected/registered status

 
January & February & September (time visited), entry $10 each per day

Birding Site Guide

This popular national park is easily reached by travelling around 120km nne from Nairobi, by public or private transport. Trekking to the lower of the 3 summits is very popular and the terrain is easy. What is not easy is the altitude, cold and navigation which can all be far worse with bad preparation. People get lost and sometimes die every year here. For serious well prepared mountain climbers the 2 highest peaks can be climbed, but thankfully this is not essential to seeing the wildlife or views. Accommodation is usually outside the park in one of the villages, camping for treks can be done by tent or in the camping huts along the trails, though the better maintained ones of these may be for private use by the trekking companies that own them. There is a road around the park with public transport access to the main entrances. Vehicle access into the park is possible via Sirimon or Naro Moru Gates (we did the latter), other routes such as Chogoria will require 4 wheel-drive. It is advisable to ask about road conditions beforehand as these vary dramatically with the weather. 

For birding, driving up the road past the dense forest and bamboo and thinner, lower trees near the tree line and birding back down is the best option. Driving any higher probably will not be possible. One day is usually sufficient, depending on your luck with the weather. For a few higher altitude species found in the giant heath, senecios and lobelias and for rewarding scenery a few days trek will be required. The first glaciers are around 500m from the highest summit.

 

 
Mount Kenya is part of the Kenyan Mountains (EBA109) which extend into n Tanzania and include such area as Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest peak. Some birds are endemic to this EBA, most though not all occur on Mount Kenya (species not occurring are in square brackets), they are Jackson’s Francolin, Sharpe’s Pipit, Hinde’s Pied-Babbler, Hunter’s Cisticola, [Aberdare Cisticola], [South Pare White-eye, not recognised by Clements], Jackson’s Widowbird, Kenrick’s and Abbot’s Starlings. 

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

  • Black Stork Ciconia nigra Mt, S
  • White-faced Whistling-Duck Dendrocygna viduata Mt, SF
  • Red-billed Duck Anas erythrorhyncha Mt, SF
  • White-headed Vulture Trigonoceps occipitalis Mt, S, LN
  • Pallid Harrier Circus macrourus NT Mt
  • Black Goshawk Accipiter melanoleucus Mt
  • Crowned Hawk-Eagle Stephanoaetus coronatus Mt, LN
  • Shelley's Francolin Francolinus shelleyi Mt, K
  • Jackson's Francolin Francolinus jacksoni e Mt
  • Red-knobbed Coot Fulica cristata Mt, SF, LB
  • Delegorgue's Pigeon Columba delegorguei Mt
  • Dusky Turtle-Dove Streptopelia lugens Mt
  • Red-eyed Dove Streptopelia semitorquata Mt
  • African Green-Pigeon Treron calvus Mt, KE
  • Red-fronted Parrot Poicephalus gulielmi Mt
  • Abyssinian Nightjar Caprimulgus poliocephalus Mt
  • Scarce Swift Schoutedenapus myoptilus Mt
  • Alpine Swift Tachymarptis melba Mt
  • Nyanza Swift Apus niansae Mt, LN
  • Horus Swift Apus horus Mt
  • Giant Kingfisher Megaceryle maximus Mt, LN
  • Violet Woodhoopoe Phoeniculus damarensis Mt, LN
  • Silvery-cheeked Hornbill Ceratogymna brevis Mt
  • White-headed Barbet Lybius leucocephalus Mt, K
  • White-headed Sawwing Psalidoprocne albiceps Mt, K
  • Mosque Swallow Cecropis senegalensis MM, Mt, SF
  • Plain-backed Pipit Anthus leucophrys Mt, LN
  • Tree Pipit Anthus trivialis Mt, K
  • Gray Cuckoo-shrike Coracina caesia Mt
  • Black Cuckoo-shrike Campephaga flava Mt, K
  • Abyssinian Ground-Thrush Zoothera piaggiae Mt
  • Olive Thrush Turdus olivaceus Mt, LN
  • Hunter's Cisticola Cisticola hunteri Mt
  • Chestnut-throated Apalis Apalis porphyrolaema Mt
  • Gray Apalis Apalis cinerea Mt, LN
  • Cinnamon Bracken-Warbler Bradypterus cinnamomeus Mt
  • Mountain Yellow Warbler Chloropeta similis Mt
  • White-browed Crombec Sylvietta leucophrys Mt
  • Brown Woodland-Warbler Phylloscopus umbrovirens Mt, LNa
  • Silverbird Empidornis semipartitus Mt, K
  • Southern Black-Flycatcher Melaenornis pammelaina Mt, S
  • African Dusky Flycatcher Muscicapa adusta Mt, LN
  • White-starred Robin Pogonocichla stellata MT, S, LNa
  • Cape Robin-Chat Cossypha caffra Mt, LN
  • Snowy-crowned Robin-Chat Cossypha niveicapilla Mt
  • Chinspot Batis Batis molitor Mt, LN
  • White-tailed Crested-Flycatcher Elminia albonotata Mt
  • Northern Pied-Babbler Turdoides hypoleuca Mt
  • White-bellied Tit Melaniparus albiventris Mt, LNa
  • Tacazze Sunbird Nectarinia tacazze Mt
  • Bronze Sunbird Nectarinia kilimensis Mt, LN
  • Malachite Sunbird Nectarinia famosa Mt
  • Eastern Double-collared Sunbird Cinnyris mediocris Mt
  • Variable Sunbird Cinnyris venustus Mt, LN
  • Copper Sunbird Cinnyris cupreus Mt
  • Broad-ringed White-eye Zosterops poliogastrus Mt, LN, LNa
  • Black-tailed Oriole Oriolus percivali Mt
  • Black-backed Puffback Dryoscopus cubla Mt
  • Greater Blue-eared Glossy-Starling Lamprotornis chalybaeus Mt, LN
  • Violet-backed Starling Cinnyricinclus leucogaster Mt
  • Waller's Starling Onychognathus walleri Mt, K, LNa
  • Yellow-billed Oxpecker Buphagus africanus Mt
  • Kenya Rufous Sparrow Passer rufocinctus Mt, LN
  • Spectacled Weaver Ploceus ocularis Mt, LNa
  • Brown-capped Weaver Ploceus insignis Mt, K
  • Cardinal Quelea Quelea cardinalis Mt
  • Red-collared Widowbird Euplectes ardens Mt
  • Fan-tailed Widowbird Euplectes axillaris Mt, T
  • Gray-headed Negrofinch Nigrita canicapillus Mt
  • Yellow-bellied Waxbill Coccopygia quartinia Mt, LN
  • Abyssinian Crimson-wing Cryptospiza salvadorii Mt
  • Common Waxbill Estrilda astrild Mt
  • Black-headed Waxbill Estrilda atricapilla Mt
  • Bronze Mannikin Spermestes cucullatus Mt, K
  • Black-and-white Mannikin Spermestes bicolor Mt, LN
  • Gray-headed Munia Lonchura caniceps intro Mt, LB
  • African Citril Serinus citrinelloides Mt, K
  • Thick-billed Seedeater Serinus burtoni Mt, LNa
  • Golden-breasted Bunting Emberiza flaviventris Mt


  • 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