Birdlife Checklist in Lake Nakuru National Park : Lake Nakuru National Park is Kenya main stopping birding site, that hosts more than 500 species of birds which can be spotted in various area of the park especially around Lake Nakuru. Fact is that, Lake Nakuru is renowned as a soda lake covering the biggest part of the park and sounds as a remarkable birding site. The park is the best site in Kenya for watching various long -tailed widow bird. Continue reading this article to get acquainted the birdlife checklist in lake Nakuru.
NB; Lake Nakuru National Park is famously known for its millions of flamingos that are seen nesting along the shores. Despite that, the surface of the shallow lake is often hardly recognizable due to the continually shifting mass of pink. More so, the park sits on land totaling over 188 square kilometers and was established in 1961 around a beautiful permanent lake ‘’Lake Nakuru’’ which locates near Nakuru Town.
Lake Nakuru National Park famously home to wide range of birds such as endemic, near endemic species, critically endangered and globally threatened species. The endangered species including; Gray Crowned -Crane, White-backed Vulture and Rueppell’s Griffon. Vulnerable species like; Abyssinian Thrush, White-headed vulture, Lappet -faced Vulture, Greater Spotted Eagle and Imperial Eagle.
Near threatened species includes; Maccoa Duck, lesser Flamingo, Black-tailed Godwit, Bateleur, Great Snipe, Crowned Eagle, European Roller, Sooty Falcon and Gray -crested Helmet shrike among others.
Birdlife Checklist in Lake Nakuru National Park
Ostriches
Ostrich’s species to see in Lake Nakuru include Common Ostrich.
Ducks
Ducks’ species found in Lake Nakuru National Park includes; White-faced Whistling -Duck, Egyptian Goose, Garganey, Northern Shoveler, Yellow-billed Duck, Cape Teal, Red-billed Duck, Northern Pintail, Southern Pochard, Tufted Duck and Maccoa Duck among others.
Guinea fowl
Guinea fowl species found in Lake Nakuru National Park includes Helmeted Guinea fowl
Pheasants, Grouse and Allies
Pheasants, Grouse and Allies species to see in Lake Nakuru National Park includes Hildebrandt’s Francolin and Coqui Francolin.
Flamingos
Flamingos’ species to see in Lake Nakuru National Park includes Greater Flamingo and Lesser Flamingo.
Grebes
Grebes’ species to see in Lake Nakuru National Park includes Little Grebe
Pigeons and Doves
Pigeons and Dove species in Lake Nakuru National Park includes; Speckled pigeon, Red-eyed Dove, Dusky Turtle-Dove, Ring-necked Dove, Laughing Dove, Tambourine Dove and Namaqua Dove among others.
Sandgrouse
Sandgrouse species to see in Lake Nakuru National Park includes Black -faced Sandgrouse.
Bustards
Bustards’ species to see in Lake Nakuru National Park includes; White-bellied Bustard and Black -bellied Bustard.
Cuckoos
Cuckoos’ species to see in Lake Nakuru National Paek include; Levaillant’s Cuckoo, Great Spotted Cuckoo, Klaas’s Cuckoo, Dideric cuckoo, Red-chested cuckoo, Black cuckoo, Common cuckoo, White-browed Coucal among others.
Nightjar and Allies
Night jars and Allies species to see in Lake Nakuru National Park includes; Eurasian Nightjar.
Swifts
Swifts’ species in Lake Nakuru National Park include; Nyanza Swift, Pallid Swift, Little Swift, Horus Swift and African palm -Swift.
Cranes
Cranes species to see in Lake Nakuru National Park includes; Gray Crowned -Crane
Rails, Gallinules and Coots
Rail, Gallinules and coot’s species found in Lake Nakuru National Park includes; Eurasian Moorhen and Red-Knobbed coot.
Stilts and Avocets
Stilts and avocet’s species found in Lake Nakuru National Park includes Black -aged stilt and Pied Avocet.
Plover and Lapwings
Plover and Lapwings species in Lake Nakuru National Park includes; Common Ringed Plover, Little Ringed Plover, Black-winged Lapwing, Crowned Lapwing, Lesser Sand-plover, Caspian Plover, Kittlitz’s Plover, Blacksmith Lap smith Lapwing, Spur-winged Lapwings.
Crab Plover
Crab plover species to see in Lake Nakuru National Park include; Crab-plover.
Sandpipers and Allies
Sandpipers and Allies species to see in Lake Nakuru National Park includes; Wood Sandpiper, Common Redshank, Spotted Redshank, Common Green shank March Sandpiper, Little stint, Whimbrel, Black-tailed Godwit, Ruddy Turnstone, Ruff, Curlew Sandpiper, Green Sandpiper, Temminck Stint, Sanderling.
Painted – Snipes
Painted – snipes’ species in Lake Nakuru National Park include Greater Painted -Snipe
Storks
Stork’s species in Lake Nakuru National Park include Black stork, White stork, Saddle-billed stork, Marabou Stork, Abdim’s stork, Yellow-billed stork
Gulls, Terns and Skimmers
Gulls, Tern and Skimmers species to see in Lake Nakuru National Park includes Gray-hooded Gull, Black-head Gull, Bull-billed Tern, White-winged Tern and Whiskered Tern.
Cormorants and Shags
Cormorants and shags species to see in Lake Nakuru National Park include; Long -tailed Cormorant and Great Cormorant.
Pelicans
Pelican’s species to see in Lake Nakuru National Park include; Great White Pelican and Pink-backed pelican.
Osprey
Osprey species in Lake Nakuru National Park include; Osprey
Hamerkop
Hamerkop species in Lake Nakuru National Park include; Hamerkop
Herons, Egrets and Bitterns
Herons, Egrets and Bittern species to see in Lake Nakuru National Park include; Goliath Heron, Cattle Egret, Squacco Heron, Striated Heron, Little Egret, Western Reef-Heron, Gray Heron, Black headed Heron, Purple Heron
Ibises and Spoonbills
Ibises and spoon bills species found in Lake Nakuru National Park include African Sacred Ibis, Hadada Ibis and African Spoon bill
Hawks, Eagles and Kites
Hawks ,Eagles and Kites species in Lake Nakuru National Park include ;Dark Chanting -Goshawk ,Gabar Goshawk ,Grasshopper Buzzard ,Eurasian March-Harrier ,Pallid Harrier ,Black Goshawk , African Fish -Eagle ,Black kite ,Common Buzzard and Augur Buzzard ,Black-winged kite ,Scissor -tailed kite ,European Honey -buzzard ,White -headed Vulture ,Lappet -faced Vulture ,Bateleur ,Rueppell’s Griffon ,Black -chested -Snake-Eagle ,Brown Snake-Eagle ,Long-crested Eagle ,Crowned Eagle ,Lesser Spotted Eagle ,Greater Spotted Eagle ,Wahlberg’s Eagle ,Booted Eagle ,Tawny Eagle ,Imperial Eagle ,Steppe Eagle .
Old world Sparrows
Old world and sparrow’s species in Lake Nakuru includes Kenya Rufous Sparrow and Northern Gray- headed Sparrow.
Wagtail and Pipits
Wagtails and pipit’s species in Lake Nakuru National Park includes; Red-throated Pipit, Yellow-throated Longclaw, Western Yellow Wagtail, African pied wagtail, Long-billed Pipit, Plain-backed pipit, Mountain Wagtail.
Finches, Euphonias and Allies
Finches, Euphonias and Allies species in Lake Nakuru National Park include; Brimstone Canary, Reichenow’s seedeater
Old World Buntings
Old world bunting species in Lake Nakuru National Park include; Golden-breasted Bunting and Cinnamon-breasted Bunting.
Sunbirds and Spider hunters
Sunbirds and spider hunter’s species to see in Lake Nakuru National Park includes Golden -winged Sunbird, Northern Double -collared Sunbird, Shinning sunbird, Eastern Violet- Back sunbirds, Green -headed Sunbird, Scarlet -chested Sunbirds, Amethyst Sunbirds, Bronze Sunbirds
Weavers and Allies
Weavers and Allies in species in Lake Nakuru National Park includes; Weaver, Spectacles weaver, lesser Masked -weaver, Speke’s Weaver and Long-tailed Widowbird.
Crow, Jays and Magpies
Crows, jays and Magpies species in Lake Nakuru National Park include; Cape Crow and pied crow.
Tits, Chickadees and Titmice
Tits, Chickadees, and Titmice species in Lake Nakuru National Park include; White- bellied Tit
African Warblers
African Warblers species in Lake Nakuru National Park include; Red-faced Crombec
Larks’ species in Lake Nakuru National Park include; Red-capped Lark and Foxy Lark
Vangas, Helmet shrikes and Allies
Vangas, Helmet shrikes and Allies species in Lake Nakuru National Park include White Helmet shrike and Gray -crested Helmet shrike
Drongos
Drongos species in Lake Nakuru National include Fork -tailed Drongo
Monarch Flycatcher
Monarch Flycatcher species in Lake Nakuru National Park include Africa Paradise -Flycatcher
Shrikes
Shrikes’ species in Lake Nakuru National Park includes Gray backed Fiscal, Red-backed shrike and Northern Fiscal
Falcon and Caracaras
Falcons and caracaras species found in Lake Nakuru National Park include Eleonora’s Falcon, Sooty Falcon, Lesser Kestrel, Eurasian Kestrel, Greater Kestrel, Amur Falcon, Eurasian Hobby and Lanner Falcon.
Old-world Orioles
Old world Orioles species in Lake Nakuru National Park include African Black -headed Oriole and Eurasian Golden Oriole
Wattle – eye and Batises
Wattles -eyes and Batises species found in Lake Nakuru National Park include Chin spot Batis
Owls
Owls’ species to see in Lake Nakuru National Park includes Spotted Eagle-Owl and Verreaux’s Eagle-Owl
Mouse birds
Mouse bird’s species includes Speckled Mouse bird and Blue -napped Mousebird
Hoopoes
Hoopoe species includes Eurasian Hoopoe and African Hoopoe
Wood hoopoes and Scimitar bills
Wood hooper and scimitar bills species includes; Violet whooper and Green Woodhoopoe and Common Scimitar bill
Hornbills
Hornbills’ species includes African Gray Hornbills
Kingfishers
Kingfishers’ species includes Malachi kingfisher, Giant kingfisher, Pied Kingfisher, Gray-healed Kingfisher, Stripped Kingfisher.
Bee-eaters
Bee-eaters species includes Madagascar Bee-eater, European Bee-eater, Northern Carmine Bee-eater, White-fronted Bee-eater
In summary; the above article enlightens us more with a Birdlife Checklist in Lake Nakuru National Park
Get started now – planning a visit to Kenya’s main stopping birding destination ‘’Lake Nakuru National Park’’. You can decide to combine Bird Watching safari in Lake Nakuru with wildlife viewing in Tsavo National Park or visit Amboseli national park or Masai Mara National Reserve or even take park in primate safaris in Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable National Park for Gorilla Trekking Tours.
