KAKUM and surroundings

GHANA

Abrafo, Central Region (S)

Lat: 5°25′N 1°19′W, 37,500 ha, 250 m ()

Protected/registered status 
Best Time for visit; anytime ()

Birding Site Guide

This proposed World Heritage Site is situated around the headwaters of the River Kakum and consists of moist tropical forest and swamp. It has an aerial walkway for tourists 350m long.

Species

Of the 260 species of birds, here are some which can be found. White-breasted Guineafowl Agelastes meleagrides, African Harrier-Hawk Polyboroides typus, Palm-nut Vulture Gypohierax angolensis, African Cuckoo-Hawk Aviceda cuculoides, Congo Serpent-Eagle Dryotriorchis spectabilis, Ayres's Hawk-Eagle Hieraaetus ayresii, Cassin's Hawk-Eagle Aquila africana, African Goshawk Accipiter tachiro, Long-tailed Hawk Urotriorchis macrourus, Nkulengu Rail Himantornis haematopus, White-spotted Flufftail Sarothrura pulchra, White-headed Lapwing Vanellus albiceps, Rock Pratincole Glareola nuchalis, Guinea Turaco Tauraco persa, Yellow-billed Turaco Tauraco macrorhynchus, Klaas's Cuckoo Chrysococcyx klaas, African Emerald Cuckoo Chrysococcyx cupreus, Olive Long-tailed Cuckoo Cercococcyx olivinus, Grayish Eagle-Owl Bubo cinerascens, Fraser's Eagle-Owl Bubo poensis (photo), Akun Eagle-Owl Bubo leucostictus, Black Spinetail Telacanthura melanopygia, Cassin's Spinetail Neafrapus cassini, Red-billed Dwarf Hornbill Lophoceros camurus, White-crested Hornbill Horizocerus albocristatus Vulnerable, Black-casqued Hornbill Ceratogymna atrata, Brown-cheeked Hornbill Bycanistes cylindricus, African Dwarf Kingfisher Ispidina lecontei, Giant Kingfisher Megaceryle maxima, Black Bee-eater Merops gularis, Rosy Bee-eater Merops malimbicus, Blue-throated Roller Eurystomus gularis, Yellow-billed Barbet Trachyphonus purpuratus, Bristle-nosed Barbet Gymnobucco peli, Naked-faced Barbet Gymnobucco calvus, Yellow-spotted Barbet Buccanodon duchaillui, Hairy-breasted Barbet Tricholaema hirsuta, Cassin's Honeyguide Prodotiscus insignis, Yellow-footed Honeyguide Melignomon eisentrauti, Spotted Honeyguide Indicator maculatus, African Piculet Sasia africana, Little Green Woodpecker Campethera maculosa, Buff-spotted Woodpecker Campethera nivosa, Brown-eared Woodpecker Campethera caroli, Gabon Woodpecker Dendropicos gabonensis, Fire-bellied Woodpecker Dendropicos pyrrhogaster, Gray Parrot Psittacus erithacus, Rufous-sided Broadbill Smithornis rufolateralis, Chestnut Wattle-eye Platysteira castanea, Red-cheeked Wattle-eye Platysteira blissetti, Red-billed Helmetshrike Prionops caniceps, Marsh Tchagra Tchagra minutus, Sulphur-breasted Bushshrike Telophorus sulfureopectus, Blue Cuckooshrike Cyanograucalus azureus, Western Black-headed Oriole Oriolus brachyrynchus, White-throated Swallow Hirundo albigularis, Rufous-chested Swallow Cecropis semirufa, Preuss's Swallow Petrochelidon preussi, Fanti Sawwing Psalidoprocne obscura, Slender-billed Greenbul Stelgidillas gracilirostris, Golden Greenbul Calyptocichla serinus, Green-tailed Bristlebill Bleda eximius, Spotted Greenbul Ixonotus guttatus, Swamp Greenbul Thescelocichla leucopleura, Red-tailed Greenbul Criniger calurus, Western Bearded-Greenbul Criniger barbatus, Yellow-bearded Greenbul Criniger olivaceus, Yellow-bearded Greenbul Criniger olivaceus, Green Crombec Sylvietta virens, Lemon-bellied Crombec Sylvietta denti, Kemp's Longbill Macrosphenus kempi, Tit-hylia Pholidornis rushiae, Willow Warbler Phylloscopus trochilus, Yellow-browed Camaroptera Camaroptera superciliaris, Rufous-crowned Eremomela Eremomela badiceps, Brown Illadopsis Illadopsis fulvescens, Puvel's Illadopsis Illadopsis puveli, Violet-backed Hyliota Hyliota violacea, Ussher's Flycatcher Bradornis ussheri, Fire-crested Alethe Alethe diademata, Seimund's Sunbird Anthreptes seimundi, Green Sunbird Anthreptes rectirostris, Blue-throated Brown Sunbird Cyanomitra cyanolaema, Blue-throated Brown Sunbird Cyanomitra cyanolaema, Buff-throated Sunbird Chalcomitra adelberti, Johanna's Sunbird Cinnyris johannae, Blue-billed Malimbe Malimbus nitens, Orange Weaver Ploceus aurantius, Preuss's Weaver Ploceus preussi, Gray-headed Nigrita Nigrita canicapillus, Chestnut-breasted Nigrita Nigrita bicolor, White-breasted Nigrita Nigrita fusconotus, Black-bellied Seedcracker Pyrenestes ostrinus and more incredible species.

Other Fauna

African Forest Elephant, Diana monkey, Giant Bongo Antelope, Yellow-backed Duiker.

Flora

There are 57 species of tree including mahogany species.

Trips can be booked through Kwame Brown: 

Name /  Kwame Brown
Email  /  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Company / Adventure Birding Tours Ghana
Website  / www.adventurebirdingtours.com
Number   / 233-554626748
Whatsapp / 233-271392937
Country  / Ghana
Province  / Tema  Accra
Interests  / Birdwatching, Twitching,  Photography, Adventure, Culture, Bespoke, Walking, Long walk, Tourist sites, Museum, Monument, Aboretum, Architecture appreciation and Sports.
Hotspots  / Parks, Forests, Reserves, Preserves, Conservations, Sanctuaries,  Mountains and Wetlands.
Sites     / Shai-hills, Sakumono Lagoon, Muni Lagoon, Winneba Plains, Kakum National Park and surroundings, Nsuta Forest, Ankasa Forest, Picathartes site, Bobiri Butterfly Sanctuary, Opuro Forest, Mole National Park, Tongo Hills, Tono Dam, Egyptian Plover site, Atewa Forest, Kalakpa Forest.

Author: Kwame Brown, BSG

www.birdingsiteguide.com