Bird-Watching Itinerary

dorze 2
Duration DURÉE À DÉFINIR
Region TOUT LE TERRITOIRE
Price PRIX À DÉFINIR
Difficulty DIFFICULTÉ 0
Quote request DEMANDE DE DEVIS
  • Key spot on migration road, Ethiopia is a paradise for bird lovers.
  • More than 400 birds can be easily observed in the country all year long, including Erckel’s Francolin, African White-winged Dove, Gillett’s Lark, Sombre Rock Chat, and Juba Weaver.
  • A birding trip made especially from November to March is advantageous because a large number of migrants are present, including species that can be hard to see on their breeding grounds.
  • There is also a certain number of species that are non-migratory and endemic than can only be seen in Ethiopia (see birds listed below).

The itineraries

Our birding itineraries are flexible in time and place, depending on clients’ wishes. Observing these birds require patience and sometimes luck. But Ethiopia offers the greatest chance to observe that many birds in a short period of time and amazing encounters are guaranteed.

Birds that can only be seen in Ethiopia

  • WATTLED IBIS (sometime in Eritrea)
  • BLUE-WINGED GOOSE
  • HARWOOD'S FRANCOLIN
  • ROUGET'S RAIL (sometime in Eritrea)
  • SPOT-BREASTED PLOVER
  • WHITE-COLLARED PIGEON (sometime in Eritrea)
  • YELLOW-FRONTED PARROT
  • BLACK-WINGED LOVEBIRD (sometime in Eritrea)
  • PRINCE RUSPOLI'S TURACO
  • BANDED BARBET (sometime in Eritrea)
  • GOLDEN-BACKED WOODPECKER
  • WHITE-TAILED SWALLOW
  • ABYSSINIAN LONG-CLAW
  • WHITE-WINGED CLIFF-CHAT (sometime in Eritrea)
  • RUPPELL'S CHAT (sometime in Eritrea)
  • ABYSSINIAN CATBIRD
  • WHITE-BACKED BLACK TIT (sometime in Eritrea)
  • YELLOW-THROATED SEED-EATER
  • BLACK-HEADED SISKIN
  • WHITE-BILLED STARLING (sometime in Eritrea)
  • BLACK HEADED FOREST ORIOLE
  • STRESEMANN'S BUSH-CROW (sometime in Eritrea)
  • THICK-BILLED RAVEN (sometime in Eritrea)

While Ethiopia as a country is great for bird-watching, the following areas, among others in the country, can be the best to spot endemic as well as other African birds.

 

Addis Ababa Area

Addis Ababa is the third-highest altitude capital in the world where endemic birds can easily be seen even in the city center. Many excellent sites can also be reached in a day or half-day trips. Entoto Natural Park and Menagesha Forest both offer a good number of Ethiopia’s forest endemics (including the hard-to-find Yellow-fronted Parrot). In addition, within a couple of hours from Addis, the Gibe Gorge offers access to one of the country’s trickier endemics (White-throated Seedeater) as well as a star African bird (Egyptian Plover).

The Central Rift Valley Area

Birding along the Rift Valley is extremely productive and diverse. It is exceptionally good along its string of lakes (the Debre Zeit Lakes, Lake Ziway, Abiatta-Shalla, Lake Langano & Lake Awassa) which are surrounded mostly by savannahs. Among others, main birds that can be spotted here are: Bat Hawk, Black-winged Lovebird, Banded Barbet, Thick-billed Raven, and Abyssinian oriole.

Bale Mountains

The Bale Mountains in Ethiopia’s Southern Highlands are a vast and beautiful mountain range easily accessible by car. Birding here is easy, full of endemics, and complemented by other endemic animals. It is also a great place for bird-lovers because that is where 3 of the top bird-watching sites are located: Dinsho (headquarters of Bale Mountains National Park that is home to Spot-breasted Plover & Rouget’s Rail), the Sanetti Plateau (which houses the Ruddy Shelduck and Golden Eagle) and Harenna Forest (where the Abyssinian Wooodpecker and African Hill Babbler can easily be spotted).

The Southern Lowlands

This area, which includes Negele, Bogol Manyo, Yabello region, as well as Agere Maryam, are found south of the Bale Mounatins where the altitude drops. This area is another center of remarkable bird endemism which has been recognized as a global Endemic Bird Area containing six restricted-range species: Nechisar Nightjar, Prince Ruspoli’s Turaco, Liben Lark, White-tailed Swallow, Ethiopian Bush-crow and Salvadori’s Seedeater. All but the first of these are readily seen in this area.

The North-Central Highlands

The highlands north of Addis house deep river gorges and impressive escarpments. Birding in this spectacular setting is wonderfully easy and exciting. The top endemic birds that prefer this area are: Harwood’s Francolin, Ruppel’s Black Chat, White-billed Starling, and sometimes the Yellow-throated Seed-eater. This area includes Debre Libanos, Jemma Valley, Ankober Escarpment, and Melka Ghebdu.

En option :

  • Pension complète
  • Guide Francophone

Le prix comprend :

  • Le transport avec chauffeur-guide anglophone

  • L’hébergement, en base chambre double ou lit jumeaux, petit-déjeuner inclus

  • L’ensemble des frais d’accès aux sites, ainsi que les guides locaux et excursion en bateau

  • Toutes taxes

Le prix ne comprend pas :

  • Les repas, hors petit-déjeuner, et les boissons

  • Dépenses personnelles

  • Droits à l’image pour les photos et vidéos (à payer aux personnes photographiées)