Birds in Saiwa Swamp National Park

Birds in Saiwa Swamp National Park: Saiwa Swamp National Park is one of the top birding Kenya safari destinations with over 370 species of birds are recorded in a very small area. This is the best place to spot out some of the western specials such as the unique Ross’s turaco. Note, the park is known as an impressive birding destination as no vehicles are allowed to enter inside the national park and you can enjoy the walking safari in here without a guide along the forest trails. The park has got several beautiful platforms around the marsh for adventuring the rare sitatunga antelopes, but they are also great viewpoint for identifying swamp specials as well as overlooking into the rewardable canopy.

This National Park is composed of forest and swamp vegetation. The swamp is dominated by tall bull-rushes and bordered by open savannah grassland and riverine forests. However, Saiwa Swamp national park was established in 1974 to protect the endangered Sitatunga ‘’semi –aquatic antelopes’’, plus other wildlife species which are commonly seen in the swamp include Genet cat, the Otter, Serval cat, bushbuck, mongoose and monkeys.

Birds that inhabits Saiwa Swamp national park include Critically endangered, Endangered, Vulnerable and Near threatened species.

Saiwa Swamp national park has impressive birding list which can be spotted by the tourists on your visit to the park as follow;

Anatidae species

Anatidae species found in Saiwa Swamp national park include Eurasian Wigeon, Yellow-billed Duck and Southern Pochard.

Numididae Species

Numididae species found in Saiwa Swamp national park include Crested Guinea fowl.

Podicipedidae species

Podicipedidae species found in Saiwa swamp national park include Little Grebe

Colombidae species

Colombidae species found in Saiwa swamp national park include Speckled Pigeon, Ring-necked Dove, Tambourine Dove and Blue- spotted Wood –Dove.

Musophagidae species

Musophagidae species found in Saiwa swamp national park include Eastern Plantain –eater and Ross’s Turaco.

Cuculidae species

Cuculidae species found in Saiwa swamp national park include Blue-headed Coucal, Pied Cuckoo, African Emerald Cuckoo, African Cuckoo, Senegal Coucal, Klaas’s Cuckoos.

Rallidae species

Rallidae species found in Saiwa swamp national park include African Rail, Eurasian Moorhen and Black Crake. There are three kinds of Rallidae species which are Rail, Gallinules and coots.

Gruidae species

Gruidae species found in Saiwa swamp national park include Gray Crowned –Crane.

Charadriidae species

Charadriidae species found in Saiwa Swamp national park include Spur –Winged Lapwing, Wattled Lapwing.

Scolopacidae species

Scolopacidae species found in Saiwa swamp national park include Common Sandpiper, Common Snipe and Wood Sandpiper.

Ciconiidae species

Ciconiidae species found in Saiwa swamp national park include Yellow –billed stork.

Phalacrocoracidae species

Phalacrocoracidae species found in Saiwa swamp national park include Long-tailed Cormorant.

Scopidae species

Scopidae species found in Saiwa swamp national park include Hamerkop.

Ardeidae species

Ardeidae species found in Saiwa swamp national park include Gray Heron, Goliath Heron, Intermediate Egret, Little Bittern.

Threskiornithidae species

Threskiornithidae species found in Saiwa Swamp national park include African Sacred Ibis, Hadada Ibis.

Accipitridae species

Accipitridae species found in Saiwa swamp national park include Black Goshawk, African Marsh –Harrier, African Hawk –Eagle, Wahlberg’s Eagle, long –Crested Eagle and Black.

Coliidae species

Coliidae species found in Saiwa Swamp national park include Speckled Mouse bird.

Trogonidae species

Trogonidae species found in Saiwa swamp national park include Narina Trogon.

Phoeniculidae species

Phoeniculidae species found in saiwa swamp national park include Green Wood hoopoe.

Bucerotidae species

Bucerotidae species found in Saiwa Swamp national park include Crowned Hornbill, Black and White Casqued Hornbill.

Alcedinadae species

Alcedinadae species found in Saiwa swamp national park include Malachite Kingfisher and Woodland Kingfisher.

Meropidae species

Meropidae species found in Saiwa swamp national park include European Bee-eater.

Coraciidae species

Coraciidae species found in Saiwa swamp national park include Lilac-breasted Roller, Broad –billed Roller.

Lybiidae species

Lybiidae species found in Saiwa swamp national park include Yellow-billed Barbet, Yellow-rumped Tinker bird and Double –toothed Barbet.

Indicatoridae species

Indicatoridae species found in Saiwa swamp national park include Lesser Honey guide.

Picidae species

Picidae species found in Saiwa swamp national park include African Gray Woodpecker, Tullberg’s Woodpecker and Golden –tailed Woodpecker.

Campephagidae species

Campephagidae species found in Saiwa swamp national park include Gray Cuckoo shrike, Purple –throated Cuckoo shrike and Black Cuckoo shrike.

Orialidae species

Orialidae species found in Saiwa swamp national park include Eurasian Golden Oriole and Africa Black-headed Oriole.

Platysteiridae species

Platysteiridae species found in Saiwa swamp national park include Brown –throated Wattle-eye and Black –throated Wattle –eye.

Malaconotidae species

Malaconotidae species found in Saiwa swamp national park include Sulphur-breasted Bush shrike, Tropical Boubou, Luehder’s Bush shrike, Marsh Tchagra, Pringle’s Puff back and Northern Puff back.

Dicruridae species

D icruridae species found in Saiwa swamp national park include Fork-tailed Drongo.

Monarchidae species

Monarchidae species found in Saiwa swamp national park include African Paradise –Flycatcher.

Corvidae species

Corvidae species found in Saiwa swamp national park include Pied Crow.

Stenostiridae species

Stenostiridae species found in Saiwa swamp national park include African Blue Flycatcher.

Paridae species

Paridae species found in Saiwa swamp national park include White-bellied Tit.

Cisticolidae species

Cisticolidae species found in Saiwa swamp national park include Black –Collared Apalis, Gray Apalis, Gray-backed Camaroptera, Gray-Capped Warbler, Tawny-flanked Prinia, Levaillant’s Cisticola, Chubb’s Cisticola.

Acrocephalidae species

Acrocephalidae species found in Saiwa swamp national park include Great Reed Warbler, Greater swamp warbler, African yellow warbler.

Locustellidae species found in Saiwa Swamp national park include Cinnamon Bracken-Warbler, Little Rush Warbler.

Hirundinidae species

Hirundinidae species found in Saiwa swamp national park include Angola Swallow, Red-rumped Swallow, White-headed Saw wing, Mosque Swallow and Gray-rumped Swallow.

Pycnonotidae species

Pycnonotidae species found in Saiwa swamp national park include Common Bulbul, Yellow-Whiskered Greenbul, Joyful Greenbul and Cabanis’s Greenbul.

Syviidae species

Syviidae species found in Saiwa Swamp national park include Eurasian Blackcap.

Zosteropidae species

Zosteropidae species found in Saiwa swamp national park include African Yellow White-eye.

Sturnidae species

Sturnidae species found in saiwa swamp national park include Splendid Starling and Lesser Blue-eared Starling.

Turdidae species

Turdidae species found in Saiwa Swamp national park include African Thrush.

Muscicapidae species

Muscicapidae species found in Saiwa swamp national park include White-starred Robin, Snowy-crowned Robin-chat, White-browed Robin-chat, Gray –Winged Robin –Chat, White-eyed Slaty-Flycatcher, African Dusky Flycatcher, Swamp Flycatcher.

Nectariniidae species

Nectariniidae species found in Saiwa swamp national park include Variable Sunbird, Northern Double-collared Sunbird, Green-throated sunbird, Green-headed Sunbird and Collared Sunbird.

Ploceidae species

Ploceidae species found in Saiwa swamp national park include Grosbeak Weaver, Fan-tailed Widowbird, Yellow-mantled Widowbird, Yellow Bishop, Brown-capped Weaver, Northern Brown-throated weaver, Holub’s Golden-Weaver, Black-billed Weaver, Spectacled Weaver and Baglafecht Weaver.

Estrildidae species

Estrildidae species found in Saiwa Swamp national park include Quail finch, African Fire finch, Black-bellied Fire finch, Black-crowned Waxbill, Common Waxbill and Gray-headed Negrita.

Viduidae species

Viduidae species found in Saiwa swamp national park include Pin-tailed Whydah.

Passeridae species

Passeridae species found in Saiwa swamp national park include Northern Gray-headed Sparrow.

Motacillidae species

Motacillidae species found in Saiwa swamp national park include African Pied Wagtail and Cape Wagtail.

Fringillidae species

Fringillidae species found in Saiwa Swamp national park include the Thick-billed Seedeater. On your visit, do carry a pair of binoculars and camera.

Although Saiwa swamp national park is small in size but sounds as a famous rewardable Kenya safari destination for birding. On your next visit to Kenya birding try to reach here and experience more about its greenery vegetation, a safari destination which is known for it’s sanctuary of the ‘’Sitatunga Antelopes’’.

Best Time For –Bird Watching

Saiwa Swamp national park is a great year-round birding destination. The unusual species can be spotted any time of the year, as they are permanent inhabitants here. The migratory birds are added to this birder paradise from November to April. Then April to August are the wettest months, during this period rain falls heavily which can interfere with your enjoyment of birding.