Serengeti National Park Birds.
Birds of Serengeti National Park: Serengeti National Park in Tanzania is not only known for its spectacular wildlife but also for its incredible variety of birdlife. There are more than 500 different bird species, ranging from raptor species, water birds, and migratory bird species, providing an opportunity for bird viewing all year round. From the lilac-breasted roller to martial eagles, Serengeti wild birds add yet another dimension of excitement to this rich ecosystem, making it a real bird paradise for bird lovers and nature enthusiasts at large.
Here are 10 of Tanzania’s most spottable birds. You are likely to see many of them while on your Tanzania safari, and you won’t need binoculars
Big Birds
Ostrich
These giant birds are instantly recognisable and enormous; the ostrich is prevalent throughout Tanzania. These flightless birds are capable of running at speeds over 43 miles per hour, making them the fastest land birds in the world. The male ostriches have black feathers, making them stealthy at night, while female ostriches have grey-brown plumage, which provides good camouflage during the day.
Ostriches make a range of sounds, including snorts, whistles and loud booming noises when predators are near. It is not uncommon to hear them before you see them.
Tawny Eagle
These fascinating birds are short-legged and heavily feathered in white and reddish-brown. Tawny eagles live and are spotted nearly everywhere in Tanzania. They are formidable hunters, diving from their perches and seizing prey in their sharp talons. They are not picky eaters, either, and are known to feed on insects when given the chance.
Short-legged and heavily feathered in white, reddish-brown or grey-brown, the tawny eagle lives nearly everywhere in Tanzania. They are formidable hunters, diving from their perches and seizing prey in their sharp talons. They’re not picky eaters, either, and are known to snack on insects when given the chance.
Marabou Stork
The Marabou Stork is a fascinating bird, noticeable by its massive dagger-like bill and pink head that appears sunburnt. This bird is found throughout Tanzania’s iconic destinations, including Serengeti National Park. Also, they have a huge wingspan that enables them to soar high above the ground. They are most often seen around carrion, stealing scraps from the kills of major predators. The lack of feathers around their head and neck enables them to stay clean while eating messy foods.
Marabou storks are intimidating, opportunistic creatures. When its throat sac is inflated, other marabous take this as a sign of dominance and get out of the way. If they are around a grass fire, it is common for a stork to march ahead of the flames, attempting to grab any prey trying to flee.
Medium-Sized Birds
Grey Crowned Crane
The strikingly beautiful grey crowned crane lives in the middle of Serengeti National Park, favouring flooded grasslands and open habitats when foraging. The males are commonly known for their performative dance, where they flap their colourful wings and skip around for potential mates.
Despite the name, their “crown” is always golden-yellow.
Kori Bustard
The three front-toed birds, buff and grey, prefer wide open grasslands and lightly wooded savannah. The kori bustards are notably carnivorous, their diet consisting of small mammals, lizards, snakes, seeds, berries and insects.
During mating, the male inflates his oesophagus up to four times its normal size and moves his tail feathers to reveal as much of his white underfeathers as possible. Just as striking as its appearance is its low-pitched booming sound, often made during courtship with a female.
Lesser Flamingo
Despite its tall, large body and question-mark-shaped neck, the lesser flamingo is the smallest flamingo in the world. Pink plumage defines this lanky bird, which lives in large groups around Tanzania’s Lake Natron. Its diet consists almost entirely of microscopic blue-green algae and other organisms found in the lake, but it will also eat small aquatic invertebrates.
Small Birds
Vitelline Masked Weaver
This beautiful vitelline masked weaver is a tiny, red-eyed bird found all over the Serengeti. Males have distinctive, bright yellow plumage with a pointy bill and chestnut colouring on the breast and crown. Females are much duller but have yellow streaks on their backs.
Their vocalisations include “chek” noises and a fuzzy, garbled song, like radio static.
Superb Starling
Stunning iridescent plumage makes the superb starling worthy of its name; they are found broadly across northern Tanzania and travel in small flocks. They are similar to many varieties of starlings but are easily distinguished by their white chest band, separating the blue breast from the fire-orange belly.
Lilac-breasted Roller
The lilac-breasted roller is extensively found throughout Tanzania; its rust-coloured cheeks, green crown, lilac breast and blue body make it highly visible. This bird is called a ‘roller‘ because of its mating display, which often includes aerial stunts, such as rolling from side to side quickly, not to mention plenty of diving, swooping and loud, harsh cries.
Von der Decken’s Hornbill
The Von der Decken’s hornbill, also recognised as Zazu from The Lion King, is a native bird to Tanzania’s dry regions. Males have clunky, red bills, while females have black bills. Females isolate themselves in small tree cavities to hatch and raise their chicks. During this time, the male feeds the female and the chicks through a slit in their nest.
Conclusion
The variety of birds found within Serengeti National Park makes for a wonderful addition to any Tanzania safari experience. Due to their variety of colours, sounds, and displays, observing these beautiful creatures can create a memorable experience regardless of whether you are a casual or serious birder. Pairing these characteristics with the abundance of wildlife and landscapes found within Serengeti National Park, any individual looking to get involved with nature and understand all that this incredible African park has to offer will find this to be a truly enriching experience.
