Birding in Ngorongoro crater
Birding in Ngorongoro crater : Ngorongoro is an a great home for a variety of bird species and an excellent birding area in Tanzania, the crater is a resident to over 500 birds species which stay both in highlands and crater of the Ngorongoro conservation area . Among the birds in Ngorongoro crater annual migrant birds which migrate to the crater from Europe and Asia in the period of September to April, these birds include Lesser Kestrel, the European swallow, European bee eater, the Northern Wheatear, European roller, Pallid Harrier, Caspian Lapwing and the Montagu’s Harrier.
Ngorongoro crater is a bird watcher’s paradise and a home for many bird species such as grassland birds, sandy-grounds nestling birds, tree nestling birds, birds of prey and water birds. Birds seen while on birding safari in Ngorongoro crater include
Ostriches
Ostriches species sighted while on birding experience in Ngorongoro crater include Common Ostrich
Guinea fowl
Guinea fowl species sighted while on birding experience in Ngorongoro include Helmeted Guinea fowl and Eastern Crested Guinea fowl
Pheasants, Partridges, Turkeys, Grouse
Pheasants, Partridges, Turkeys, Grouse species sighted while on birding experience in Ngorongoro crater include Hildebrandt’s Francolin
Ducks, Geese, Swans
Ducks, Geese, Swans species sighted while on birding experience in Ngorongoro crater include Fulvous Whistling-duck, Egyptian Goose, Spur-winged Goose, Hottentot Teal and Red-billed Teal.
Flamingos
Flamingoes species sighted while on birding experience in Ngorongoro include Greater Flamingo and Lesser Flamingo
Pigeons, Doves
Pigeons, Doves species sighted while on birding experience in Ngorongoro include Dusky Turtle-dove and Emerald-spotted Wood-dove
Rails, Gallinules, Coots
Rails, Gallinules, coots species sighted while on birding experience in Ngorongoro include Black Crake
Cranes
Cranes species sighted while on birding experience in Ngorongoro crater include Grey Crowned-crane
Bustards
Bustards species sighted while on birding experience in Ngorongoro crater include Black-bellied Bustard and Kori Bustard
Storks
Stocks species sighted while on birding experience in Ngorongoro include Marabou, Yellow-billed Stork, Abdim’s Stork, White Stork and Saddle bill
Ibises, Spoonbills
Ibises, Spoonbills species sighted while on birding experience in Ngorongoro include African Sacred Ibis
Herons
Herons species sighted while on birding experience in Ngorongoro include Black-headed Heron
Pelicans
Pelicans species sighted while on birding experience in Ngorongoro crater include Great White Pelican
Avocets, Stilts
Avocets, stilts species sighted while on birding experience in Ngorongoro crater include Black-winged Stilt
Plovers
Plovers species sighted while on birding experience in Ngorongoro crater include Kittlitz’s Plover, Blacksmith Lapwing, Black-winged Lapwing and Crowned Lapwing
Sandpipers, Snipes, Phalaropes
Sandpipers, snipes, Phalaropes species sighted while on birding experience in Ngorongoro crater include Marsh Sandpiper
Secretary bird
Secretary bird species sighted while on birding experience in Ngorongoro include secretary bird
Hawks, Eagles
Black-winged Kite, Black-chested Snake-eagle, White-backed Vulture, Lappet-faced Vulture, Martial Eagle, Tawny Eagle, Levant Sparrow hawk, Black Kite, Augur Buzzard and Mountain Buzzard
Bee-eaters
Bee-eater species sighted while on birding experience in Ngorongoro include Cinnamon-chested Bee-eater
Kingfishers
Kingfishers species sighted while on birding experience in Ngorongoro crater include Malachite Kingfisher and Woodland Kingfisher.
Woodpeckers
Woodpeckers species sighted while on birding experience in Ngorongoro include Brown-backed Woodpecker
Falcons, Caracaras
Falcons, caracaras species sighted while on birding experience in Ngorongoro include Grey Kestrel Falco and Lanner Falcon
Bush-shrikes
Bush shrikes species sighted while on birding experience in Ngorongoro include Black-crowned Tchagra and Tropical Boubou
Monarch-flycatchers
Monarch-flycatchers species sighted while on birding experience in Ngorongoro crater include African Paradise-flycatcher
Shrikes
Shrikes species sighted while on birding experience in Ngorongoro include Common Fiscal
Larks
Larks species sighted while on birding experience in Ngorongoro include Fischer’s Sparrow-lark, Rufous-naped Lark and Red-capped Lark
Cisticolas and allies
Cisticolas and allies species sighted in Ngorongoro while on birding experience include Bar-throated Apalis, Singing Cisticola, Hunter’s Cisticola, Wailing Cisticola and Zitting Cisticola
Reed-warblers
Reed- warblers species sighted while on birding experience in Ngorongoro crater include Mountain Yellow Warbler
Swallows and Martins
Swallows and Martins species sighted while on birding experience in Ngorongoro crater include Wire-tailed Swallow
White-eyes and Yuhinas
White eyes and Yuhinas species sighted while on birding experience in Ngorongoro crater include Mbulu White-eye
Oxpeckers
Oxpeckers species sighted while on birding experience in Ngorongoro crater Red-billed Oxpecker and Yellow-billed Oxpecker
Starlings
Starlings species seen while Wattled Starling and Hildebrandt’s Starling
Old World Flycatchers and Chats
Old world flycatchers and chats species sighted while on birding experience in Ngorongoro crater include African Dusky Flycatcher, African Grey Flycatcher, Ashy Flycatcher, White-eyed Slaty-flycatcher, Cape Robin-chat, Northern Anteater-chat, Capped Wheatear, Isabelline Wheatear and Mourning Wheatear
Sunbirds
Sunbirds species seen while birding in Ngorongoro include Tacazze Sunbird, Golden-winged Sunbird, Eastern Double-collared Sunbird and Variable Sunbird
Weavers
Species of weavers seen while on birding experience in Ngorongoro include Rufous-tailed Weaver, Yellow Bishop, Fan-tailed Widowbird, Jackson’s Widowbird, Baglafecht Weaver, Holub’s Golden Weaver, Tanzanian Masked Weaver, Speke’s Weaver and Village Weaver
Waxbills
Wax bills seen while on birding safari in Ngorongoro include Purple Grenadier, Yellow-bellied Waxbill, Grey-headed Nigrita and African Qualifinch
Pipits and Wagtails
Pipits and wagtails seen while on birding safari in Ngorongoro crater include African Pipit, Yellow-throated Longclaw, Rosy-throated Longclaw and Western Yellow Wagtail
Finches
Species of finches seen in Ngorongoro include Thick-billed Seedeater, Streaky Seedeater, White-bellied Canary, and East African Citril.
Note: the above listed bird species are not the full list of bird species residing and seen in Ngorongoro crater, they are more than the mentioned ones above.
Best time to go for birding safari in Ngorongoro
Birding in Ngorongoro crater is good throughout the year in but the best birding experience is got in the dry season, dry season in Ngorongoro crater is experienced in the months of June to October. Another perfect time is in the months of September to April when migratory bird species are present in the crater
What to carry on birding safari in Ngorongoro crater
When going for a birding safari in Ngorongoro there is many essentials which should not miss on your packing list
- camera and extra batteries
- binoculars
- clothing fit for field that’s is long sleeved shirts
- a safari journal
- first Aid kit
- safari guide books
- Perfectly fitting hiking shoes.a
