Birds in Amboseli National Park
Birds in Amboseli National Park are abundantly found all over the park. Amboseli National Park is one of the most popular Kenya national parks visited by tourists. It is usually visited along with Maasai Mara National Reserve, most famous for the annual wildebeest migration that has over 1 million wildebeests, gazelles and zebras crossing the Mara River to Serengeti National Park in Tanzania. Amboseli National Park is not only gifted with the scenic beauty with a backdrop of the Kilimanjaro Mountain, immense wild game including the big five but also is a haven of bird species.
Amboseli birds species recorded to be in the park are over 400, including migratory bird species. With over 400 bird species in Amboseli, the park is an important birding area in Kenya from where travellers can go and enjoy bird watching from. Amboseli National Park birds are usually common or land bird species that are found generally in Kenya, but the park does receive migratory birds which come in particular seasons say during the months of November and April.
Given that Amboseli National Park has an ecosystem that spreads through Kenya-Tanzania with low-level swamps, seasonal waters and semi-arid vegetation, bird life thrives here very much for the availability of food for the birds. These various natural features like swamps and vegetation attract birds which are akin to the surroundings say herons, pelicans, grey crowned cranes and egrets find swamps more alluring to them thus being found there.
Of the 400 bird species found in Amboseli National Park, 40 are birds of prey say the Lanner Falcons and secretary birds. Most commonly spotted Amboseli National Park birds include Kenya’s National bird called Lilac breasted Roller, Secretary bird, Marabou Stork, Kingfishers, Falcons, Madagascar Pond, Lesser Kestrel, African jacana, Goliath heron, Rufous-napped lark, African fish Eagle, Pied Kingfisher, white browed coucal, Mosque swallow, the vulnerable Lesser Kestrel, Falcon naumanni which is a migratory bird, steel-blue whydah and Double-banded courser. Lesser flamingo, Hartlaub’s bustard, long-toed lapwing, Greater flamingo, Dickson’s kestrel, African swamphen, Taveta golden weaver which is near endemic, yellow-necked spurfowl among so many other bird species can be spotted in Amboseli National Park with a kin birder spotting even up to 100 bird species per day during a bird watching spree.
With the various bird species found in Amboseli National Park, birders are widely attracted to visit to do various birding activities like;
Bird watching
Bird watching is the best activity that birders can do so as to spot and encounter the various Amboseli birds. Bird watching in Amboseli has birders walking through vegetation or drive through the park in the guidance of a bird guide to spot even the hard to find bird species. Bird watching in Amboseli National Park can be done all throughout the day. Birders are reminded to carry good binoculars, a camera, enough water and some snacks for their bird watching adventure in Amboseli National Park.
Bird documenting
Some travellers after documenting birds do visit Amboseli National Park of Kenya for bird documenting, an activity that requires special licencing from the regulatory body concerned. Be sure to ask more information about bird filming and documenting in Amboseli National Park from your tour operator.
Bird research
Researching about birds of Kenya can also be done in Amboseli National Park. Have your tour operator book this activity for you and get to know more about the bird life of Kenya especially in Amboseli National Park.
Best time to see Amboseli National Park birds/ Best time for bird watching in Amboseli National Park
Whereas Amboseli National Park can be visited all throughout the year, the best time to visit for a game safari is during the dry season which is also the peak season. For birding however, the best time for bird watching in Amboseli National Park is during the wet or rainy season. The months for which a traveller should therefore visit Amboseli National Park for bird watching are November through April, for it is also the time when migratory birds are abundant in the park.
Amboseli National Park has other activities like game viewing, game drives, nature walks, and community visits among others that travellers can do asides bird watching. Whereas Amboseli National Park can be visited solely, combining it with Maasai Mara National Reserve shall be more rewarding for you. Have your tour operator put together an awesome Kenya safari tour and get to explore Amboseli National Park birds among so many other attractions that the park has to offer.
