Birdlife of Nairobi National Park

Why Nairobi National Park is special for birders

Grassland, riverine forest and the Athi Basin dams sit within a compact, easily covered area, giving the park one of the highest species counts per square kilometre of any protected area in Kenya. A good morning's drive can produce well over a hundred species.

Species to look for

• Secretary bird striding across the open grassland
• Grey crowned crane around the dams and wetter grassland
• Common ostrich on the plains
• Kori bustard and black-bellied bustard
• Long-crested eagle perched along the forest edge
• Various weavers, sunbirds and cisticolas in the acacia scrub

Raptors

Martial eagle, augur buzzard and African fish eagle around the dams, alongside tawny eagle and pale chanting goshawk on the open plains. Migrant raptors pass through in large numbers between October and April.

Habitats

• Athi Basin dams — herons, storks, crakes, ducks and grey crowned crane.
• Riverine forest — turacos, flycatchers, robin-chats and forest raptors.
• Open grassland — bustards, larks, pipits and secretary bird.

Best months for birding

November to April is the peak, when Palaearctic migrants join the resident species. The green weeks following the rains in April, May and November are especially productive around the dams. Resident specials are present all year, so no month is a poor one.

Practical tips

Bring 8x42 binoculars and a field guide to the birds of East Africa. Because the park is so close to the city, an early-morning birding drive can easily be combined with an afternoon of sightseeing elsewhere in Nairobi.