Tanzania is one of the finest bird watching destinations in Africa, with 1140 species including 200 migrants and 74 marine birds present. Tanzanian avian safaris are best in the rains for migrants and residents in breeding plumage. The preeminent birding locations include Arusha National Park, with 400 birds in a diversity of habitats contained in a small area. You may observe on a white-faced whistling duck, with its whistling three-note lament, or a dusky flycatcher.
Tawny eagles and buzzards hover above Ngurdoto Crater, whilst the Momella Lakes is the place for water birds and waders. Lake Manyara National Park offers pink flamingos, pelicans, storks, cormorants, hornbills and many more with over 400 recorded species. Greater and lesser flamingos are also found in Ngorongoro Crater and millions mass on their breeding ground at Lake Natron.
Tarangire’s swamps are home to over 550 species, with weighty kori bustards, ostriches, secretary bird and helmeted guinea fowls on the drier plains, where weavers and lovebirds are also common. A Serengeti 500 birding species safari reveals endemic Fischer’s lovebird, a bright-hued small parrot also found in Ngorongoro Conservation Area, grey crowned crane, and the brown snake eagle. Buff-crested bustards and spike-heeled larks nest on the plains below Mount Kilimanjaro, best known for Abbot’s starlings with white bellies and purple capes, alpine hill chats and scarlet-tufted malachite sunbirds, whilst lammergeyer haunt its upper slopes.
A bird watching trip to the southern parks with AfricanMecca overlaps the ranges of both southern and eastern species. With over 440 recorded listing for the vast Selous Game Reserve, the Rufiji and the Great Ruaha Rivers provides ideal habitats for mangrove kingfishers, yellow-billed stork, malachite kingfishers, African skimmers and palm-nut vultures.