Bird List-Kenya Saiwa Swamp National Park
Bird List-Kenya Saiwa Swamp National Park : Saiwa Swamp national park is an impressive birding destination on Kenya safaris, hosting over 370 species of birds recorded. Though the park is small in size but offers the best walking safari guided along the forest tails where you can be able to watch a unique Ross’s turaco and other several bird species. More so, the park boasts with several rewardable platforms where you can adventure the rare sitatunga antelopes but also offering a great view point of overlooking the canopy.
This national park is comprised of forest and swamp vegetation, dominated by tall bull-rushes and open savannah grassland best for birding and game viewing. However, Saiwa Swamp national park was gazette in 1974 to protect the number of endangered Sitatunga ‘’Semi-aquatic antelopes’’ and other wildlife species which are inhabits of the swamp and can be easily explored on safari here including Genet cat, Otter, Serval cat, bushbuck, mongoose and monkeys many more.
Birds of Saiwa Swamp national park are categorized of Critically endangered, Vulnerable and Near threatened species. Below is the Bird list which can be encountered by the visitors on their safari to Saiwa Swamp is as high lightened;
Anatidae species
Anatidae species to see in Saiwa Swamp national park include Eurasian Wigeon, Yellow-billed Duck and Southern Pochard.
Numididae Species
Numididae species to see in Saiwa Swamp national park include Crested Guinea fowl.
Podicipedidae species
Podicipedidae species to see in Saiwa swamp national park include Little Grebe
Colombidae species
Colombidae species to see in Saiwa swamp national park include Speckled Pigeon, Ring-necked Dove, Tambourine Dove and Blue- spotted Wood –Dove.
Musophagidae species
Musophagidae species to see in Saiwa swamp national park include Eastern Plantain –eater and Ross’s Turaco.
Cuculidae species
Cuculidae species to see 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 to see 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 to see in Saiwa swamp national park include Gray Crowned –Crane.
Charadriidae species
Charadriidae species to see in Saiwa Swamp national park include Spur –Winged Lapwing, Wattled Lapwing.
Scolopacidae species
Scolopacidae species to see in Saiwa swamp national park include Common Sandpiper, Common Snipe and Wood Sandpiper.
Ciconiidae species
Ciconiidae species to see in Saiwa swamp national park include Yellow –billed stork.
Phalacrocoracidae species
Phalacrocoracidae species to see in Saiwa swamp national park include Long-tailed Cormorant.
Scopidae species
Scopidae species to see in Saiwa swamp national park include Hamerkop.
Ardeidae species
Ardeidae species to see in Saiwa swamp national park include Gray Heron, Goliath Heron, Intermediate Egret, Little Bittern.
Threskiornithidae species
Threskiornithidae species to see in Saiwa Swamp national park include African Sacred Ibis, Hadada Ibis.
Accipitridae species
Accipitridae species to see 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 to see in Saiwa Swamp national park include Speckled Mouse bird.
Trogonidae species
Trogonidae species to see in Saiwa swamp national park include Narina Trogon.
Phoeniculidae species
Phoeniculidae species to see in Saiwa swamp national park include Green Wood hoopoe.
Bucerotidae species
Bucerotidae species to see in Saiwa Swamp national park include Crowned Hornbill, Black and White Casqued Hornbill.
Alcedinadae species
Alcedinadae species to see in Saiwa swamp national park include Malachite Kingfisher and Woodland Kingfisher.
Meropidae species
Muroidea species to see in Saiwa swamp national park include European Bee-eater.
Coraciidae species
Coraciidae species to see in Saiwa swamp national park include Lilac-breasted Roller, Broad –billed Roller.
Lybiidae species
Lybiidae species to see in Saiwa swamp national park include Yellow-billed Barbet, Yellow-rumped Tinker bird and Double –toothed Barbet.
Indicatoridae species
Indicatoridae species to see in Saiwa swamp national park include Lesser Honey guide.
Picidae species
Picidae species to see in Saiwa swamp national park include African Gray Woodpecker, Tullberg’s Woodpecker and Golden –tailed Woodpecker.
Campephagidae species
Campephagidae species to see in Saiwa swamp national park include Gray Cuckoo shrike, Purple –throated Cuckoo shrike and Black Cuckoo shrike.
Orialidae species
Orialidae species to see in Saiwa swamp national park include Eurasian Golden Oriole and Africa Black-headed Oriole.
Platysteiridae species
Platysteiridae species to see in Saiwa swamp national park include Brown –throated Wattle-eye and Black –throated Wattle –eye.
Malaconotidae species
Malaconotidae species to see in Saiwa swamp national park include Tropical Boubou, Sulphur-breasted Bush shrike, Luehder’s Bush shrike, Marsh Tchagra, Pringle’s Puff back and Northern Puff back.
Dicruridae species
Dicruridae species to see in Saiwa swamp national park include Fork-tailed Drongo.
Monarchidae species
Monarchidae species to see in Saiwa swamp national park include African Paradise –Flycatcher.
Corvidae species
Corvidae species to see in Saiwa swamp national park include Pied Crow.
Stenostiridae species
Stenostiridae species to see in Saiwa swamp national park include African Blue Flycatcher.
Paridae species
Paridae species to see in Saiwa swamp national park include White-bellied Tit.
Cisticolidae species
Cisticolidae species to see in Saiwa swamp national park include Gray Apalis, Gray-Capped Warbler, Black –Collared Apalis, Gray-backed Camaroptera, Tawny-flanked Prinia, Levaillant’s Cisticola, Chubb’s Cisticola.
Acrocephalidae species
Acrocephalidae species to see in Saiwa swamp national park include Great Reed Warbler, Greater swamp warbler, African yellow warbler.
Locustellidae species in Saiwa Swamp national park include Cinnamon Bracken-Warbler, Little Rush Warbler.
Hirundinidae species
Hirundinidae species to see in Saiwa swamp national park include White-headed saw wing, Angola Swallow, Red-rumped Swallow, Mosque Swallow and Gray-rumped Swallow.
Pycnonotidae species
Pycnonotidae species to see in Saiwa swamp national park include Joyful Greenbul, Common Bulbul, Yellow-Whiskered Greenbul and Cabanis’s Greenbul.
Syviidae species
Syviidae species to see in Saiwa Swamp national park include Eurasian Blackcap.
Zosteropidae species
Zosteropidae species to see in Saiwa swamp national park include African Yellow White-eye.
Sturnidae species
Sturnidae species to see in saiwa swamp national park include Splendid Starling and Lesser Blue-eared Starling.
Turdidae species
Turdidae species to see in Saiwa Swamp national park include African Thrush.
Muscicapidae species
Muscicapidae species to see in Saiwa swamp national park include White-Eyed-Salty-Flycatcher, White-starred Robin, Snowy-crowned Robin-chat, White-browed Robin-chat, Gray –Winged Robin –Chat, African Dusky Flycatcher, Swamp Flycatcher.
Nectariniidae species
Nectariniidae species to see 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 to see 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 to see 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 to see in Saiwa swamp national park include Pin-tailed Whydah.
Passeridae species
Passeridae species to see in Saiwa swamp national park include Northern Gray-headed Sparrow.
Motacillidae species
Motacillidae specie to see in Saiwa swamp national park include African Pied Wagtail and Cape Wagtail.
Fringillidae species
Fringillidae species to see in Saiwa Swamp national park include Thick-billed Seedeater. On your visit, do carry a pair of binoculars, insect repellent, hiking shoes, hat, sun screen glasses and camera.
On your next birding or wildlife safari to Kenya safaris try to add a trip to Saiwa Swamp on your bucket list to experience greenery vegetation in the heart of Africa, above all, a famous safari destination for viewing Sitatunga Antelopes. Book now your safari to Saiwa Swamp national park the most rewardable Kenya safari destination for birdwatching.
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.
