Bird Life

Tanzania is a great destination for bird lovers with more than 1,000 species resident across the vast savannahs including the Serengeti and Selous.

As it is not possible to include all the varieties, please see below details of a few of the more well known residents that will hopefully give a flavour of what can be seen.

Large Ground Birds
These include Ostrich, Kori Bustard and Francolins which can all be found wandering the Serengeti.

Large Water Birds
Pelicans, Flamingos, Storks and the Crowned Crane can be seen in the north of Tanzania, particularly around Lake Manyara and the Ngorongoro Crater. The Rufiji River in the Selous is known for good sightings of many of the 20 species of Herons and Egrets that reside in Tanzania.

Birds of Prey
There are over 50 species of raptor many of which can be seen in the Serengeti, Manyara, Selous and Ruaha. Of the more well known varieties, the Fish Eagle is particularly common along the Rufiji River in the Selous. The Auger Buzzard and several varieties of Kites are commonly seen in the north, including the Ngorongoro Crater, Kilimanjaro and Arusha.

Vultures are widespread across the whole of Tanzania, with the most common being the White-Backed Vulture.

To name but a few of the smaller residents, Kingfishers, including the giant Kingfisher, the Fork-Tailed Drongo, Weavers, Warblers and the African Pied Wagtail, which is one of Tanzania's most familiar birds.