Tanzania consistently ranks as one of the top places in Africa to visit for wildlife safaris. What many do not know is that Tanzania also ranks as one of the world’s top birdwatching and photography spots. Bird photography in Tanzania can be an exciting and rewarding adventure and we will give you some insights as to how to make the most out of it.

Tanzania has a wide variety of climates and microclimates.  These range from tropical climates near the coast, to the highlands in the north, to the dry, arid plateau areas in the center of the country. Each of these climates attracts different species of birds and other wildlife, which leads to the wide variety of species a guest might see. This variety is what really makes birdwatching in Tanzania so intimate, exciting, and interesting.

With a range of endemic bird species, belonging or native to a particular area or country, Tanzania is the ideal country for a birdwatching holiday.  A tremendous amount of ornithological research has been conducted in the past twenty years that has vastly grown the resources for bird watching in Tanzania.  This ongoing research makes knowing an exact number of endemics difficult.  Researchers suggest around 20 – 23, however there are some groups that split them into sub-species and suggest as many as 34.  A handful of spectacular endemic birds include: the Udzungwa forest-partridge; Mrs Moreau’s warbler; Loveridge’s sunbird; and the Usambara eagle-owl.

Endemism is not the only reason to recommend Tanzania for birding. Over 1000 species have been recorded here and anyone with a fondness for birds will love the range of environments and the sheer variety of birds to be seen on a safari holiday in Tanzania.

A highlight for bird lovers is Serengeti National Park. Serengeti National Park is one of the larger national park regions in Tanzania, extending over approximately 5,700 sq miles. The landscape in the park ranges from grassland plains to savannas, forest and woodlands. The park is located in the northern part of Tanzania and extends to the border between Tanzania and Kenya. To see the migratory birds, you need to visit between November and April.

The Serengeti National Park is home to approximately 500 bird species. Here are the highlights: Kori bustard, grey-breasted spurfowl, Rufous-tailed weaver, grey-headed sparrow, variable sunbird, Secretary bird, Purple Grenadier, Black-headed Heron, Yellow-throated sandgrouse, White-bellied go-away bird, White-crowned shrike, Red-backed scrub, D’Arnaud’s barbet, Decken-Toko Tockus, Dark Chanting Goshawk.

About 100 species of birds are restricted in Serengeti with 11 of them endemic. The open grassland areas of the park also support species like ostriches, bustards, larches, and raptors.

Lake Manyara National Park is well-known for various species of waterfowl including many species of pelicans, flamingos, ducks and geese.  The dry season is the ideal time to visit, because all the birds generally can be found near the few remaining ponds of water in the lake bed. The park contains approximately 400 native species of birds. During the migratory season many additional species from other parts of Africa and Europe can be found in the lake.

The Ngorongoro Conservation Park is 110 miles west of Arusha in the crater highlands area of Tanzania. The Park features mostly plains landscape, yet it also contains Ngorongoro Crater: the largest inactive volcanic caldera in the world!  Additionally, this Conservation Area contains evidence of the earliest hominid life forms, it is often referred to as the Garden of Eden.

The park contains nearly 300 native species of birds. Herons, egrets and bitterns as well as hawks, eagles and kites are among the most common bird species in the Conservation Area. A trip to Tanzania will give any bird enthusiast an incredible adventure!