Although not the obvious choice of destination for Birding in Kenya, which after all is home to some of the best birding hotspots in the world, Masai Mara is still a very good place for Ornithological tours, with over 500 species recorded, with many of these being raptor species.

Abdim’s Stork (Ciconia abdimii)

Abdim’s stork also known as white-bellied stork, is the smallest of all storks. It has grey long legs, red knees and feet, and a grey bill. It has red facial skin next to the eye and, during the breeding season, it has blue skin near the bill. This species is widespread and common throughout its large range and can easily be seen in some parts of Masai Mara Game Reserve, Kenya.

African Darter (Anhinga rufa)

The African Darters are large, slim water birds that measure about 80 cm in length, including their long, rounded tails. These cormorant-like birds often swim with only the neck above water. They have very long and sharp beaks, which they use to spear their slippery fish prey. They are endemic to tropical sub-Saharan Africa, where they are typically found in or near bodies of both saline and fresh water. In Kenya you’ll mostly find these birds in Lake Baringo and Masai Mara Game Reserve.

African Grey Hornbill (Tockus nasutus)

The African grey hornbill is the smaller hornbill species of the hornbill family. It is a widespread and common resident breeder in much of Sub-Saharan Africa. These hornbills mostly feed on insects, fruit and reptiles. They typically forage in trees.

African Fish Eagle (Haliaeetus vocifer)

African fish eagle is a large species of eagle that is found throughout sub-Saharan Africa wherever large bodies of open water occur that have an abundant food supply. The adult is very distinctive in appearance with a mostly brown body with a white head and large, powerful, black wings. The head, breast, and tail of are snow white, with the exception of the featherless face, which is yellow. In Kenya you’ll mostly find these birds in Lake Baringo and Masai Mara Game Reserve.

African Harrier Hawk (Polyboroides typus)

African Harrier-Hawk is a medium-sized raptor. The upperparts, head and breast are pale grey. The belly is white with fine dark barring. The broad wings are pale grey with a black trailing edge fringed with a narrow white line. The tail is black with a single broad white band. Sexes are similar, but young birds have pale brown instead grey, and dark brown replacing black. It can be found in natural woodland, tree plantations and urban areas. Best places to spot this bird is Lake Nakuru National Park and Masai Mara Game Reserve.

African Openbill Stork (Anastomus lamelligerus)

The african openbill is a species of stork in the family of Ciconiidae. It is a stork 80–94 cm long with a weight of 1–1.3 kg. Its adult plumage is generally dark overall, with glossy green, brown, and purple on the mantle and breast. The bill is brownish and notably large. The legs are black and the eye is grey. The juvenile plumage is more dull and brown, with areas of pale feather tips. African openbill feeds almostly exclusively on aquatic snails and freshwater mussels.

African Spoonbill (Platalea alba)

African Spoonbill is a long-legged wading bird. Its body is predominantly white, except for its red legs, face, and bill. This bird can be easily recognised by its uniquely spoon-shaped bill. Both the male and female birds are similar in appearance. The African Spoonbill’s diet consists mainly of fish and aquatic invertebrates such as crustaceans or shellfishes, insects, larvae, and mollusks. These birds are commonly found in several of countries in the southern part of Africa and can be spotted in Masai Mara Game Reserve, Kenya.

African White Backed Vulture (Gyps africanus)

African White-backed vulture, an Old World vulture, is the most common large vulture in Africa. The white backed vultures have a grey neck with a collar of white feathers at the top of their back and their other plumage is various shades of grey. They feed mostly from carcasses of animals and bone fragments. African white backed vultures are highly social and diurnal. They can be found in all East African National Parks and Reserves, one of them being Masai Mara Game Reserve, Kenya.

Bateleur (Terathopius ecaudatus)

The Bateleur (Terathopius ecaudatus) is a medium-sized , short tailed and colorful species of Eagle. Its closest relatives are the snake eagles. Bateleurs are endemic to Africa and can be spotted in parts of Masai Mara Game Reserve, Kenya.

Black Chested Snake Eagle (Circaetus pectoralis)

Black Chested Snake Eagle s a large African bird of prey of the family Accipitridae. It is widespread in lightly wooded areas of Kenya, but not that commonly spotted. It eats snakes but also lizards and bats. It is easily identified by its dark brown head and chest, to which it owes its name.

Black Headed Heron (Ardea melanocephala)

Black-headed Herons is wading bird of the heron family, it is a large bird, standing 85 cm tall, and it has a 150 cm wingspan. Its plumage is largely grey above, and paler grey below. It has a powerful dusky bill. These birds are common and widespread through much of Africa south of the Sahara, including Masai Mara Game Reserve,Kenya.

Black-Winged Kite (Elanus caeruleus)

Black-Winged Kite also known as the black-shouldered kite, is a small diurnal bird of prey in the family Accipitridae. Black Winged Kites are found in open grasslands and you’ll be able to spot them in the Masai Mara, Samburu, and other parks.

Coqui Francolin (Francolinus coqui)

The Coqui francolin (Peliperdix coqui) is a species of bird in the family Phasianidae. Mainly found in Africa’s southern half but is also sparsely present in the western Sahel and Ethiopia. It is believed to be the most widespread francolin in Africa. It is mostly resident throughout its range and can be found in Masai Mara Game Reserve, Kenya.

Egyptian Goose (Alopochen aegyptiacus)

The Egyptian Goose is very common in Masai Mara Game Reserve, Kenya. It eats grasses, seeds, and leaves. Occasionally, it will eat locusts, worms, or other small animals. It is actually part of the shelduck family and pairs for life.

Fischer’s Sparrow Lark (Eremopterix leucopareia)

Fischer’s sparrow-lark is a species of passerine bird in the family Alaudidae. This inconspicuous dull-coloured bird is found on short grass plains and its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical dry lowland grassland. Best places to spot this bird includes Nairobi National Park and Northern Masai Mara Game Reserve, Kenya.

Green Wood Hoopoe (Phoeniculus purpureus)

The Green Wood Hoopoe is a large, up to 44cm long, near-passerine tropical bird native to Africa. Formerly known as the red-billed wood hoopoe. It feeds mainly on the ground, termite mounds, or on tree trunks, and forms flocks outside the breeding season. It is a common resident breader in Lake Baringo and Masai Mara Game Reserve, Kenya.

Grey Headed Kingfisher (Halcyon leucocephala)

The Grey-headed Kingfisher lives in dry woodlands, usually near a river or lake and can be found throughout Africa. It hunts primarily for lizards.

Grey Kestrel (Falco ardosiaceus)

The grey kestrel (Falco ardosiaceus) is an African bird of prey belonging to the falcon family Falconidae. It is a fairly small, stocky kestrel with a large, flat-topped head and fairly short wings that don’t reach past the tip of the tail when at rest. Grey kestrels inhabits savannas, open woodland and forest clearings and can be found in Masai Mara Game Reserve, Kenya.

Hamerkop (Scopus umbretta)

Hamerkop is a medium-sized wading bird found primarily in Africa. The colour of its plumage is brown and there are hints of iridescent purple on its back. The tail is faintly barred with darker brown. Hamerkops prefers wetland habitats and they are abundant around their habitat.

Hadeda Ibis (Bostrychia hagedash)

Hadeda ibis also known as Hadada, is named for its loud three to four note calls uttered in flight especially in the mornings and evenings when they fly out or return to their roost trees. They are medium sized with stout legs and a typical down-curved bill, the wing coverts are iridescent with a green or purple sheen. Hadadas can be found in many African countries and throughout open grasslands, savanna and wetlands, as well as urban parks, school fields, green corridors and large gardens.

Kori Bustard (Ardeotis kori)

The kori bustard (Ardeotis kori) is the largest flying bird native to Africa. This species, like most bustards, is a ground-dwelling bird and an opportunistic omnivore. These birds are very common in Kenya particularly in Masai Mara National Reserve and much of Africa in open, semi-arid or seasonally dry habitats. They are usually residential in their range, with some random, nomadic movement following rainfall.

Lappet Faced Vulture (Torgos tracheliotus)

Lappet faced vulture sometimes called Nubian vulture, is a a huge species, ranking as the longest and largest winged vulture in its range behind the closely related cinereous vulture. This vulture prefers to live in dry savannah, thornbush, arid plains, deserts with scattered trees in wadis and open mountain slopes. Lappet faced vulture is found in most of Kenya’s National parks and reserves including the Masai Mara National Reserve.

Lilac Breasted Roller (Coracias caudata)

Lilac-breasted Rollers are a common sight on tree-tops in many of Kenya’s national parks. They are african member of the roller family of birds. Widely distributed in sub-Saharan Africa and prefers open woodland and savanna. These colorful little guys eat insects, small rodents, and lizards.

Marabou Stork (Leptopilos crumeniferus)

Marabou stork (Leptoptilos crumenifer) is a large wading, unusual looking bird with hollow legs and toe bones, and is bald-headed. African marabou storks are bare, dull and have a red-spotted head with long black legs. They are mainly dark grey above and white below. They mainly feed on carrion and scraps.

Martial Eagle (Polemaetus bellicosus)

The Martial Eagle is Africa’s largest eagle with a wingspan that stretches up to 2.75m. They are nothing short of spectacular, with a captivating pair of bright yellow eyes, a slate-grey back and crest, a white belly with black speckles, and enormous feet with impressive 6cm hind talons. They are residents of Africa’s savanna grasslands, and can be spotted in Masai Mara Game Reserve.

Ostrich (Struthio camelus)

The very distinct and instantly identifiable ostrich is the largest living bird. It is widely distributed throughout the savannah plains in Kenya, and is commonly seen in the southern parks and reserves – Masai Mara, Amboseli and Tsavo. Ostrich are classified in the ratite group of birds, all extant species of which are flightless, including the kiwis, emus, and rheas.

Rufous Naped Lark (Mirafra africana)

The rufous-naped lark (Mirafra africana) or rufous-naped bush lark is a widespread and conspicuous species of lark in the lightly wooded grasslands, open savannas and farmlands of the Afrotropics. They have consistently rufous outer wings and a short erectile crest, but the remaining plumage hues and markings are individually and geographically variable. They can be spotted in Kenyan highlands and Masai Mara Game Reserve.

Ruppell’s Vulture (Gyps rueppellii)

The Ruppell’s Vulture is a large vulture that can be found throughout the Sahel region of central Africa. It holds the record as the highest flying bird in the world, with a wingspan of 8 feet. They can eat the hide and even bones of a carcass.

Secretary bird ( Sagittaruis serpentaruis)

Secretary bird is a very large, mostly terrestrial bird of prey. Easily recognised by its eagle-like body on crane-like legs with a hooked bill and rounded wings. Endemic to Africa, it is usually found in the open grasslands and savannah of the sub-Saharan region. These birds can be spotted in some parts of Masai Mara Game Reserve, Kenya.

Southern Ground Hornbill (Bucorvus leadbeateri)

Southern Ground Hornbill is one of two species of ground hornbill, which are both found solely within Africa, and the largest species of hornbill worldwide. It lives in open habitats, travels in groups and feeds on insects, small reptiles, and mammals. It’s a fun bird to watch if you can spot it.

Southern Masked Weaver (Ploceus velatus)

The Southern Masked Weaver is found in a wide range of habitats, including shrubland, savanna, grassland, open woodland, inland wetlands and semi-desert areas. It also occurs in suburban gardens and parks. These birds are common sight on tree-tops in many of Kenya’s national parks/reserves particularly Masai Mara National Reserve.

Speckled Mousebird (Colius striatus)

The speckled mousebird (Colius striatus) is the largest species of mousebird, as well as one of the most common and can be found particularly in Masai Mara National Reserve. It is an active and playful-seeming bird with very long tail and the alert crest make them fun to watch.

Spotted Thick Knee (Burhinus capensis)

The spotted thick-knee, which can reach up to 45 cm in height, has long legs and brown-and-white speckled plumage which provides camouflage, making it difficult to spot the bird in the grasslands and savannas where it roams. The spotted thick-knee is nocturnal and squats on the ground during the daytime, making it difficult to spot. It hunts exclusively on the ground, feeding on insects, small mammals and lizards. These birds can be found in Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya.

Striped Kingfisher (Halcyon chelicuti)

The Striped Kingfisher is common in the dry bush and open woodlands, especially around the Masai Mara. It is the smallest and least colourful of the non-aquatic kingfishers, so hard to spot.

Superb Starling (Lamprotornis superbus)

The Superb Starlings are very conspicuous birds of open disturbed habitats. Commonly found in East Africa and if you’re in Kenya, it’s very likely you’ll see their colorful body punctuated by a white breast band.

Usambiro Barbet (Trachyphonus usambiro)

Usambiro barbet is a subspecies of bird in the African barbet family Lybiidae. It is found in southern Kenya and northern Tanzania, and is found in Maasai Mara National Reserve and Serengeti National Park. The species inhabits open areas including savannah, grassland, shrubland and pastures. Mainly feeds on seeds, fruit and a wide range of insects.

Vulturine Guineafowl (Acryllium vulturinum)

Vulturine Guineafowl is a stunning bird, with a gorgeous body and typically “homely” looking bald head. It is the largest extant species of guineafowl and has a longer wings, neck, legs and tail than other guineafowl. It eats seeds, worms, and insects. Common in Kenya’s National Parks and Reserves including Samburu and Masai Mara National Reserve and Tsavo East National Park.