Tanzania

SUB-REGION
East Africa

SIZE
947,300 km² including the islands of Mafia, Pemba and Unguja (Zanzibar)

BIRDS AND BIRDING

SPECIES
Diversity
Strongly Afrotropical avifauna
Approximately 1,130 recorded species (3rd longest bird list of any country in the ABC region)

Birds best found in Tanzania but occurring more widely (BT), including ESS
Yellow-throated Sandgrouse
Eastern Bronze-naped Pigeon | Delegorgue’s Pigeon
Dark Batis
Green-headed Oriole
Stripe-faced Greenbul
Churring Cisticola | Njombe Cisticola (ESS njombe)
Karamoja Apalis
Long-billed Forest Warbler | Long-billed Tailorbird (ESS moreaui)
Red-capped Forest Warbler | African Tailorbird (ESS altus)
Mbulu White-eye
Tanzanian Illadopsis | Grey-breasted Illadopsis (ESS puguensis)
Dapple-throat | Dappled Mountain Robin (ESS sanjei + amani)
Sharpe’s Akalat (ESS usambarae)
Swahili Sparrow

Birds best found in two territories but occurring in more (B2), including ESS
Eastern Crested Guineafowl | Kenya Crested Guineafowl
Ring-necked Francolin
Fischer’s Turaco (ESS zanzibaricus)
Hartlaub’s Turaco
Black-faced Sandgrouse
Dimorphic Egret
White-headed Mousebird
Mangrove Kingfisher
Böhm’s Bee-eater
Green Tinkerbird | Eastern Green Tinkerbird
Brown-breasted Barbet
Speckle-throated Woodpecker | Reichenow’s Woodpecker
Mombasa Woodpecker
Taita Falcon
Eastern Black-headed Batis
East Coast Boubou | Zanzibar Boubou
Chestnut-fronted Helmetshrike
Long-tailed Fiscal
Cinnamon-breasted Tit
Fischer’s Sparrow-Lark
Pink-breasted Lark
Red-winged Lark
Black-browed Greenbul | Black-browed Mountain Greenbul | Southern Mountain Greenbul
Lowland Tiny Greenbul | Tiny Greenbul
Fischer’s Greenbul
Little Yellow Flycatcher | Yellow Flycatcher
Hunter’s Cisticola
Black-lored Cisticola
Lynes’s Cisticola
Coastal Cisticola
Long-tailed Cisticola | Tabora Cisticola
White-winged Apalis
Miombo Wren-Warbler
Banded Parisoma | Banded Warbler
Scaly Chatterer (ESS mentalis)
Fischer’s Starling
White-chested Alethe
Olive-flanked Ground Robin | Olive-flanked Robin-Chat
Plain-backed Sunbird
Golden-winged Sunbird
Forest Double-collared Sunbird | Fülleborn’s Sunbird
Black-bellied Sunbird
Grey-capped Social Weaver | Gray-headed Social Weaver (ESS dorsalis)
Fire-fronted Bishop
Black Bishop
Zanzibar Red Bishop
Montane Widowbird | Buff-shouldered Widowbird
Red-cowled Widowbird
Grey-headed Silverbill
Blue-capped Cordon-bleu
Steel-blue Whydah
Pangani Longclaw
Rosy-throated Longclaw | Rosy-breasted Longclaw
Yellow-browed Seedeater

Zambezian endemics or near-endemics (Z) occurring in Tanzania, including ESS
Coppery-tailed Coucal (ESS songweensis)
Pale-billed Hornbill
Racket-tailed Roller
Böhm’s Bee-eater (B2)
Whyte’s Barbet
Miombo Pied Barbet | Miombo Barbet
Stierling’s Woodpecker
Dickinson’s Kestrel
Lilian’s Lovebird | Nyasa Lovebird
Souza’s Shrike
White-tailed Blue Flycatcher
Cinnamon-breasted Tit (B2)
Miombo Tit | Miombo Grey Tit
Angola Lark
Red-capped Crombec
Laura’s Woodland Warbler | Laura’s Warbler
Kilombero Cisticola (E)
White-tailed Cisticola (E)
Chirping Cisticola
Miombo Wren-Warbler | Pale Wren-Warbler (B2)
Stierling’s Wren-Warbler
Black-necked Eremomela | Black-collared Eremomela
Hartlaub’s Babbler
Miombo Blue-eared Starling
Sharp-tailed Starling | Sharp-tailed Glossy Starling
Babbling Starling | White-winged Starling
Kurrichane Thrush
Miombo Scrub Robin
Böhm’s Flycatcher
Bocage’s Akalat | Bocage’s Ground Robin (ESS ilyai)
Collared Palm Thrush
Miombo Rock Thrush
Ruaha Chat
Arnot’s Chat | White-headed Black Chat
Anchieta’s Sunbird | Red-and-blue Sunbird
Eastern Miombo Sunbird
Western Miombo Sunbird
Shelley’s Sunbird
Hofmann’s Sunbird (E)
Oustalet’s Sunbird | Angola White-bellied Sunbird
White-bellied Sunbird | White-breasted Sunbird
Chestnut-backed Sparrow-Weaver | Chestnut-mantled Sparrow-Weaver
Kilombero Weaver (E)
Tanzanian Masked Weaver | Tanganyika Masked Weaver (1/2)
Olive-headed Weaver | Olive-headed Golden Weaver
Red-throated Twinspot | Peters’s Twinspot
Brown Firefinch
Zambezi Indigobird | Green Indigobird
Broad-tailed Paradise Whydah
Fülleborn’s Longclaw (ESS fuelleborni)
Reichard’s Seedeater
Black-eared Seedeater

Proposed new species or splits not yet accepted by IOC
Kirk’s Francolin
Crawshay’s Francolin
Schuett’s Spurfowl
Cranch’s Spurfowl (B2)
Black-shouldered Nightjar
Abyssinian Nightjar
Usambara Nightjar (B2)
Black-faced Go-away-bird
Eastern Black-billed Turaco
Reichenow’s Turaco (BT)
Grey-breasted Green Pigeon
Steppe Whimbrel
Mackinder’s Eagle-Owl
Usambara Eagle-Owl (E)
Scheffler’s Owlet (B2)
Ngami Owlet
Grey-headed Barbet
White-lined Barbet (E)
Woodwards’ Barbet | Rondo Green Barbet (1/2)
Coastal Tinkerbird | Fischer’s Tinkerbird (1/2)
Northern Red-fronted Tinkerbird
Eastern Yellow-spotted Barbet
Streaky-throated Barbet
Yellow-cheeked Barbet (E)
White-faced Barbet (Z)
Black-capped Barbet | Emin’s Barbet (E)
Northern Olive Woodpecker
Grey-headed Parrot
East African Pitta
Four-colored Bushshrike
Southern Rosy-patched Bushshrike (1/2)
Anchieta’s Tchagra
East Coast Puffback (B2)
Uhehe Fiscal (E)
Usambara Drongo (E)
Buff-bellied Penduline Tit (BT)
Sentinel Lark | Athi Rufous-naped Lark (1/2)
Blackish Lark | Ukinga Rufous-naped Lark
Singing Bush Lark
Northern Red-capped Lark (1/2)
Pale-throated Greenbul
Eastern Saw-wing
Eastern Crombec
African Reed Warbler
Rufous-crowned Cisticola
Eastern Buff-throated Apalis
Tawny-breasted Camaroptera
White-winged Scrub Robin
East Coast Flycatcher (B2)
Mbulu Ground Robin | Mbulu Robin-Chat (E)
Northern Olive-flanked Ground Robin | Olive-flanked Robin-Chat
Southern Olive-flanked Ground Robin | Rusty-flanked Robin-Chat
Nguru Akalat (E)
Schalow’s Wheatear (1/2)
Skye Sunbird (E)
Gorgeous Sunbird (BT)
Reichenow’s Weaver (B2)
Stuhlmann’s Weaver
Black-fronted Red Bishop
Red-backed Mannikin
Spectacled Quailfinch | African Quailfinch
Black-chinned Quailfinch
Usambara Bluebill (E)
Nairobi Pipit (1/2)
Vincent’s Bunting | Southern Rock Bunting
Three-streaked Bunting

Other taxa of interest (see also under Birding Sites), including more ESS
Common Ostrich
White-backed Duck
African Pygmy Goose
African Black Duck
Cape Teal
Southern Pochard
Maccoa Duck
Southern Crested Guineafowl
Crested Francolin (grantii)
Shelley’s Francolin
Hildebrandt’s Spurfowl
Red-necked Spurfowl (humboldtii)
Fiery-necked Nightjar (shelleyi)
Slender-tailed Nightjar
Square-tailed Nightjar | Gabon Nightjar
Pennant-winged Nightjar
Mottled Spinetail
Böhm’s Spinetail | Bat-like Spinetail
Nyanza Swift
African Black Swift | African Swift
Horus Swift
Grey Go-away-bird
White-bellied Go-away-bird
Purple-crested Turaco
Ross’s Turaco
Livingstone’s Turaco (cabanisi)
Kori Bustard
Denham’s Bustard
Buff-crested Bustard
Senegal Coucal
White-browed Coucal
Burchell’s Coucal
Black Coucal
Green Malkoha | Eastern Yellowbill
Barred Long-tailed Cuckoo
Thick-billed Cuckoo
Lesser Cuckoo
Madagascar Cuckoo
Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse
African Finfoot
Lesser Moorhen
Grey Crowned Crane
Great Crested Grebe
Black-necked Grebe | Eared Grebe
Lesser Flamingo
Long-toed Lapwing
Blacksmith Lapwing
Senegal Lapwing
Crowned Lapwing
Brown-chested Lapwing
Forbes’s Plover
Chestnut-banded Plover
Greater Painted-snipe
Lesser Jacana
African Snipe
Double-banded Courser
Three-banded Courser | Heuglin’s Courser
Madagascar Pratincole
Rock Pratincole
African Skimmer
Saddle-billed Stork
White-backed Night Heron
Malagasy Pond Heron
Rufous-bellied Heron
Pink-backed Pelican
Secretarybird
Egyptian Vulture
Rüppell’s Vulture | Rüppell’s Griffon
Southern Banded Snake Eagle | Fasciated Snake Eagle
Western Banded Snake Eagle | Banded Snake Eagle
Ayres’s Hawk-Eagle
Verreaux’s Eagle
Eastern Chanting Goshawk
African Marsh Harrier
Grasshopper Buzzard
Augur Buzzard
African Grass Owl
Southern White-faced Owl
Marsh Owl
Spotted Eagle-Owl
Blue-naped Mousebird (ESS massaicus)
Red-faced Mousebird
Common Scimitarbill
Abyssinian Scimitarbill
Southern Ground Hornbill
Von der Decken’s Hornbill
Crowned Hornbill
Trumpeter Hornbill
Silvery-cheeked Hornbill
Lilac-breasted Roller
Brown-hooded Kingfisher
Half-collared Kingfisher
Swallow-tailed Bee-eater
White-fronted Bee-eater
Olive Bee-eater | Madagascar Bee-eater
Northern Carmine Bee-eater
Southern Carmine Bee-eater
Yellow-rumped Tinkerbird (bilineatus)
Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird
Red-fronted Barbet
Spot-flanked Barbet
Black-throated Barbet (stigmatothorax)
White-headed Barbet (ESS lynesi)
Black-collared Barbet
Crested Barbet | Levaillant’s Barbet
Red-and-yellow Barbet
Green-backed Honeybird | Eastern Honeybird
Pallid Honeyguide
Scaly-throated Honeyguide
Red-throated Wryneck | Rufous-necked Wryneck
Bennett’s Woodpecker
Nubian Woodpecker
Golden-tailed Woodpecker
Little Spotted Woodpecker | Green-backed Woodpecker
Bearded Woodpecker
Pygmy Falcon
Rock Kestrel
Greater Kestrel
Meyer’s Parrot
Brown-headed Parrot
Red-bellied Parrot | African Orange-bellied Parrot
African Broadbill
Chinspot Batis
Pale Batis | East Coast Batis
Black-throated Wattle-eye
Black-backed Puffback (nairobiensis/hamatus)
Slate-colored Boubou
Retz’s Helmetshrike
Black-and-white Shrike-flycatcher
Magpie Shrike
Northern White-crowned Shrike | White-rumped Shrike
Grey-backed Fiscal
Northern Fiscal
Black-headed Oriole | African Black-headed Oriole
Common Square-tailed Drongo
Blue-mantled Crested Flycatcher | African Crested Flycatcher
Cape Crow
White-necked Raven
White-winged Black Tit
Southern Black Tit
White-bellied Tit
Grey Penduline Tit | African Penduline Tit (robertsi/sylviella)
Eastern Nicator
Dusky Lark
Foxy Lark
White-tailed Lark
Sombre Greenbul
Yellow-bellied Greenbul
Terrestrial Brownbul
Northern Brownbul
Grey-olive Greenbul
White-headed Saw-wing
White-throated Swallow
Angola Swallow
Red-faced Crombec
Long-billed Crombec | Cape Crombec
Lesser Swamp Warbler
Fan-tailed Grassbird | Broad-tailed Warbler
Trilling Cisticola
Rattling Cisticola (ESS fischeri + keithi + mbeya)
Neddicky | Piping Cisticola
Red-winged Prinia
Buff-bellied Warbler
Green-backed Camaroptera
Yellow-bellied Eremomela
Green-capped Eremomela | Greencap Eremomela
Pale White-eye | Kenya White-eye
Rufous Chatterer (heuglini)
Arrow-marked Babbler
Black-lored Babbler
African Spotted Creeper
Rüppell’s Starling
Superb Starling
Red-winged Starling
Yellow-billed Oxpecker
Red-billed Oxpecker
Bare-eyed Thrush | African Bare-eyed Thrush
White-browed Scrub Robin | Red-backed Scrub Robin (ESS sclateri)
Grey Tit-Flycatcher | Lead-colored Flycatcher
Southern Black Flycatcher
Silverbird
African Grey Flycatcher
White-browed Robin-Chat
Red-capped Robin-Chat
Spotted Palm Thrush | Spotted Morning Thrush
Mocking Cliff Chat
Sooty Chat
Capped Wheatear
Western Violet-backed Sunbird
Eastern Violet-backed Sunbird
Green-headed Sunbird
Amethyst Sunbird
Marico Sunbird | Mariqua Sunbird
Purple-banded Sunbird
Yellow-spotted Bush Sparrow
Yellow-throated Bush Sparrow
Chestnut Sparrow
Northern Grey-headed Sparrow
Southern Grey-headed Sparrow
Red-billed Buffalo Weaver
White-headed Buffalo Weaver
White-browed Sparrow-Weaver
Speckle-fronted Weaver
Spectacled Weaver
Black-necked Weaver
Eastern Golden Weaver | African Golden Weaver
Holub’s Golden Weaver
Lesser Masked Weaver
Vitelline Masked Weaver
Golden-backed Weaver
Chestnut Weaver
Dark-backed Weaver | Forest Weaver
Cardinal Quelea
Black-winged Red Bishop | Black-winged Bishop
Yellow Bishop
Fan-tailed Widowbird
Yellow-mantled Widowbird (macroura)
White-winged Widowbird
Red-collared Widowbird
African Silverbill
Green Twinspot | Green-backed Twinspot
Black-faced Waxbill
Grey Waxbill | Black-tailed Waxbill
Crimson-rumped Waxbill
Cut-throat Finch | Cut-throat
Purple Grenadier
Blue Waxbill | Southern Cordon-bleu
Lesser Seedcracker
Green-winged Pytilia
Orange-winged Pytilia
Jameson’s Firefinch
Purple Indigobird
Dusky Indigobird | Variable Indigobird
Straw-tailed Whydah
Long-tailed Paradise Whydah | Eastern Paradise Whydah
Cuckoo-finch | Parasitic Weaver
Golden Pipit
Wood Pipit | Woodland Pipit
Reichenow’s Seedeater | Kenya Yellow-rumped Seedeater
White-bellied Canary
Brimstone Canary
Cinnamon-breasted Bunting | Cinnamon-breasted Rock Bunting
Golden-breasted Bunting

Introduced species
House Crow
Java Sparrow

MAIN HABITATS
Montane forest and grassland, swamps, savannas, miombo woodland, lowland forest

BIRD AREAS
Albertine Rift mountains Endemic Bird Area (EBA)
East African coastal forests EBA
Kenyan mountains EBA
Kilombero floodplain EBA
Pemba EBA
Serengeti plains EBA
Tanzania – Malawi mountains EBA
Dry woodlands west of Lake Victoria Secondary Area (SA)
Southwest Tanzanian swamps SA
80 Important Bird Areas

BIRDING SITES
Usambara, Uluguru, Udzungwa, Rubeho, Pare and other Eastern Arc Mountains, Southern Highlands (Mbeya Range, Poroto Mountains, Kipengere Range, Mount Rungwe, Kitulo Plateau, Umalila Mountains and Dabaga Highlands) and Ufipa Plateau for Tanzanian Eastern Arc endemics and near-endemics, Fraser’s Eagle-Owl (ESS vosseleri), White-eared Barbet (ESS leucogrammica), Green Barbet (olivacea/ESS howelli/ESS rungweensis), Forest Batis, Dark Batis, Fülleborn’s Boubou (ESS usambaricus/fuelleborni), Green-headed Oriole (amani), Southern Fiscal (ESS marwitzi), Mountain Greenbul (usambarae), Stripe-faced Greenbul, Churring Cisticola (ESS njombe), Long-billed Forest Warbler (ESS moreaui), Red-capped Forest Warbler (ESS altus), Tanzanian Illadopsis (distans), Dapple-throat (ESS amani + sanjei), Kenrick’s Starling (kenricki), Olive-flanked Ground Robin (ESS grotei/macclounii), East Coast Akalat (ESS alticola), Sharpe’s Akalat (ESS usambarae/sharpei), Amani Sunbird, Whyte’s Double-collared Sunbird (ESS skye), Red-headed Bluebill (ESS cana) and Fülleborn’s Longclaw (ESS fuelleborni), as well as Red-winged Francolin (kikuyuensis), Common Quail, Scaly Spurfowl (schuetti), Montane Nightjar (guttifer), Scarce Swift, Livingstone’s Turaco (reichenowi), Schalow’s Turaco (marungensis), African Olive Pigeon, Eastern Bronze-naped Pigeon, Lemon Dove, Dusky Turtle Dove, Striped Flufftail, Olive Ibis, Cassin’s Hawk-Eagle, Rufous-breasted Sparrowhawk, Mountain Buzzard, Cape Eagle-Owl (mackinderi), Bar-tailed Trogon, Moustached Tinkerbird, Olive Woodpecker (ESS kilimensis), Black-fronted Bushshrike (nigrifons), Grey Cuckooshrike, Purple-throated Cuckooshrike (ESS muenzneri), White-tailed Blue Flycatcher, White-tailed Crested Flycatcher (albonotata/subcaerulea), Grey Penduline Tit (rhodesiae), Rufous-naped Lark (ESS nigrescens/nyikae), Black-browed Greenbul, Olive-headed Greenbul, Little Greenbul (zombensis), Yellow-whiskered Greenbul (ESS australis), Placid Greenbul, Yellow-streaked Greenbul (ESS uzungwensis), Sharpe’s Greenbul, Black Saw-wing (orientalis), Blue Swallow, Yellow-throated Woodland Warbler (minullus/johnstoni), Brown Woodland Warbler (ESS fugglescouchmani), Mountain Yellow Warbler, Little Rush Warbler (msiri), Evergreen Forest Warbler (usambarae/ufipae), Cinnamon Bracken Warbler, Black-lored Cisticola, Lazy Cisticola (nyika), Wailing Cisticola (semifasciatus), Levaillant’s Cisticola (shiwae), Stout Cisticola (awemba), Pale-crowned Cisticola, Wing-snapping Cisticola, Bar-throated Apalis (ESS pareensis/murina/ESS uluguru/youngi), Black-headed Apalis (moschi), Chapin’s Apalis (ESS chapini/strausae), Brown-headed Apalis, African Hill Babbler (stierlingi/abyssinica), Brown Parisoma (ESS clara), Southern Yellow White-eye (stierlingi), Slender-billed Starling, Waller’s Starling, Sharpe’s Starling, Orange Ground Thrush (otomitra), African Thrush (stormsi), Abyssinian Thrush (nyikae), White-eyed Slaty Flycatcher (nyikensis), African Dusky Flycatcher (ESS fuelleborni), Cape Robin-Chat (iolaema), Swynnerton’s Robin (ESS rodgersi), White-starred Robin (orientalis), Brown-chested Alethe (ufipae), White-chested Alethe, African Stonechat (axillaris/promiscuus/stonei), Bronzy Sunbird (arturi), Malachite Sunbird (cupreonitens), Scarlet-tufted Sunbird (nyikensis), Forest Double-collared Sunbird (fuelleborni), Baglafecht Weaver (reichenowi/sharpii), Bertram’s Weaver, Southern Brown-throated Weaver, Marsh Widowbird (hartlaubi), Montane Widowbird, Yellow-bellied Waxbill (kilimensis/stuartirwini), Red-faced Crimsonwing (australis), Fawn-breasted Waxbill (ESS marwitzi), Locust Finch, Buffy Pipit (marungensis), Striped Pipit, Short-tailed Pipit (brachyurus), Oriole Finch (kilimensis), Western Citril, Southern Citril (hyposticta), Black-throated Canary (lwenarum), Streaky Seedeater, Yellow-browed Seedeater and Yellow-crowned Canary (sassii)
Kilimanjaro National Park (NP), Mount Longido, Mount Meru (Arusha NP), Monduli Forest Reserve (FR), Crater Highlands (Ngorongoro Conservation Area), Mbulu Highlands, Loliondo Highlands and Gol Mountains for Forest Batis, Mountain Greenbul (nigriceps), Stripe-faced Greenbul, Mbulu White-eye, Broad-ringed White-eye, Olive-flanked Ground Robin (ESS mbuluensis), Kenrick’s Starling (kenricki), Abbott’s Starling, Eastern Double-collared Sunbird, Jackson’s Widowbird, Long-billed Pipit (chyuluensis) and Abyssinian Wheatear (schalowi), as well as Shelley’s Francolin (uluensis), Schalow’s Turaco (ESS chalcolophus), Hartlaub’s Turaco, Black-winged Lapwing, Bearded Vulture, White-headed Wood Hoopoe, Cinnamon-chested Bee-eater, Yellow-rumped Tinkerbird (jacksoni), Fine-banded Woodpecker (hausburgi), Eastern Grey Woodpecker (rhodeogaster), Brown-backed Woodpecker (ingens/ESS crateri), Red-fronted Parrot, White-tailed Blue Flycatcher, Highland Rush Warbler (centralis), Hunter’s Cisticola, Lynes’s Cisticola, Stout Cisticola (nuchalis), Chestnut-throated Apalis, Grey Apalis, Grey-capped Warbler, Northern Yellow White-eye (jacksoni), Abyssinian Ground Thrush (kilimensis/rowei), Rüppell’s Robin-Chat (intercedens), Little Rock Thrush, Moorland Chat (ESS olimotiensis + hypospodia), Anteater Chat (cryptoleuca), Tacazze Sunbird (jacksoni), Golden-winged Sunbird (reichenowi), Speke’s Weaver, Brown-capped Weaver, Red-cowled Widowbird (suahelicus), Abyssinian Crimsonwing (kilimensis), Grey-headed Nigrita (diabolicus), Long-billed Pipit (hararensis) and Thick-billed Seedeater (kilimensis), also Common Quail, Scaly Spurfowl (maranensis), Montane Nightjar (poliocephalus), Scarce Swift, African Olive Pigeon, Eastern Bronze-naped Pigeon, Lemon Dove, Dusky Turtle Dove, Striped Flufftail, Olive Ibis, Rufous-breasted Sparrowhawk, Mountain Buzzard, Cape Eagle-Owl (mackinderi), Bar-tailed Trogon, White-eared Barbet (kilimensis), Moustached Tinkerbird, Olive Woodpecker (ESS kilimensis), Black-fronted Bushshrike (nigrifons), Grey Cuckooshrike, Purple-throated Cuckooshrike (martini), White-tailed Crested Flycatcher (subcaerulea), Yellow-whiskered Greenbul (latirostris), Placid Greenbul, Black Saw-wing (massaica), Brown Woodland Warbler (mackenzianus/dorcadichroa), Mountain Yellow Warbler, Evergreen Forest Warbler (mariae), Cinnamon Bracken Warbler, Bar-throated Apalis (griseiceps), Black-headed Apalis (moschi), Brown-headed Apalis, African Hill Babbler (abyssinica), Brown Parisoma (jacksoni), Slender-billed Starling, Waller’s Starling, Sharpe’s Starling, Orange Ground Thrush (otomitra), Abyssinian Thrush (abyssinicus/deckeni/ESS oldeani), White-eyed Slaty Flycatcher (fischeri), African Dusky Flycatcher (pumila/murina), Cape Robin-Chat (iolaema), White-starred Robin (intensa/guttifer/helleri), African Stonechat (axillaris), Bronzy Sunbird (kilimensis), Malachite Sunbird (cupreonitens), Scarlet-tufted Sunbird (johnstoni), Baglafecht Weaver (reichenowi), Yellow-bellied Waxbill (kilimensis), Red-faced Crimsonwing (australis), Striped Pipit, Oriole Finch (kilimensis), Southern Citril, Streaky Seedeater and Yellow-crowned Canary (flavivertex)
Mahale Mountains NP for two Albertine Rift endemics, namely Kungwe Apalis and Regal Sunbird (ESS anderseni), as well as Western Crested Guineafowl, Schalow’s Turaco (marungensis), Blue Malkoha, Blue-breasted Kingfisher, Blue-breasted Bee-eater, Cinnamon-chested Bee-eater, Grey-throated Barbet (cinereiceps), Yellow-rumped Tinkerbird (mfumbiri), Fine-banded Woodpecker (taeniolaema), Olive Woodpecker (ruwenzori), Yellow-bellied Wattle-eye (ESS kungwensis), Lühder’s Bushshrike, Pink-footed Puffback (ESS kungwensis), Mountain Oriole, Grey Penduline Tit (ESS pallescens), Western Nicator, Slender-billed Greenbul (gracilirostris), Kakamega Greenbul (ESS kungwensis), Little Greenbul (virens), Yellow-whiskered Greenbul (latirostris), Cabanis’s Greenbul (cabanisi), Red-tailed Leaflove (orientalis), Yellow-streaked Greenbul (ESS kungwensis), Black Saw-wing (ruwenzori), White-browed Crombec (chloronota), Yellow-throated Woodland Warbler (ESS ochrogularis), Bamboo Warbler (kungwensis), White-chinned Prinia, Green White-eye, Brown Illadopsis (ugandae), Mountain Illadopsis (pyrrhoptera), Stuhlmann’s Starling, African Thrush (graueri), African Dusky Flycatcher (ESS fuelleborni), Brown-chested Alethe (ESS kungwensis), Short-tailed Akalat (ESS kungwensis), Bocage’s Akalat (ESS ilyai), Olive Sunbird (ragazzii), Olive-bellied Sunbird, Western Miombo Sunbird, Baglafecht Weaver (stuhlmanni), Vieillot’s Black Weaver, Brown-capped Weaver, Grey-headed Nigrita (ESS candidus), Red-headed Bluebill (ruficapilla), Western Citril and Thick-billed Seedeater (kilimensis), also Common Quail, Scaly Spurfowl (schuetti), Scarce Swift, African Olive Pigeon, Lemon Dove (jacksoni), Dusky Turtle Dove, Mountain Buzzard, Grey Cuckooshrike, African Hill Babbler (ansorgei), Waller’s Starling, Sharpe’s Starling, Orange Ground Thrush (otomitra), White-starred Robin (orientalis), Malachite Sunbird (cupreonitens), Yellow-bellied Waxbill (kilimensis), Red-faced Crimsonwing (australis), Striped Pipit and Oriole Finch (kilimensis)
North-western Highlands for Northern Puffback (erwini), White-tailed Blue Flycatcher, Chubb’s Cisticola, Grey Apalis, Abyssinian Thrush (bambusicola), Cape Robin-Chat (kivuensis), African Stonechat (axillaris), Bronzy Sunbird (kilimensis) and Western Citril
Zanzibar Archipelago for Pemba Island endemics as well as African Goshawk (ESS pembaensis) and Black-bellied Starling (ESS vaughani) in Ngezi FR, Fischer’s Turaco (ESS zanzibaricus), Green Malkoha, African Green Pigeon (ESS granti), Mangrove Kingfisher, Olive Bee-eater, Green Tinkerbird, Yellow-rumped Tinkerbird (fischeri), Little Spotted Woodpecker (cailliautii), Forest Batis, Pale Batis, Black-backed Puffback (affinis), East Coast Boubou, Blue-mantled Crested Flycatcher (bivittatus), African Paradise Flycatcher (ESS ungujaensis), Eastern Nicator, Sombre Greenbul (insularis), Little Greenbul (ESS zanzibarica), Common Reed Warbler (suahelicus), Green-backed Camaroptera (pileata), Black-bellied Starling (corusca), Bearded Scrub Robin (ESS greenwayi), East Coast Akalat (sokokensis), Red-capped Robin-Chat, Collared Sunbird (elachior), Olive Sunbird (ESS granti), Grey Sunbird (ESS zanzibarica), Purple-banded Sunbird (microrhynchus), Dark-backed Weaver (kersteni) and Zanzibar Red Bishop in or near Jozani Forest (Unguja Island), breeding seabirds including Brown Noddy, Greater Crested Tern, Sooty Tern and Masked Booby on Latham Island/Fungu Kizimkazi, waders/shorebirds in Chwaka Bay (Unguja Island) including Eurasian Oystercatcher, Greater Sand Plover, Tibetan Sand Plover, Steppe Whimbrel, Terek Sandpiper and Crab-plover, as well as for Red-necked Phalarope, Lesser Noddy, Sooty Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull (heuglini), Caspian Tern, Lesser Crested Tern, Sandwich Tern, Saunders’s Tern, Bridled Tern, Roseate Tern, Common Tern, White-cheeked Tern, White-tailed Tropicbird, Great Frigatebird and Lesser Frigatebird, Black Heron and Dimorphic Egret, Forbes-Watson’s Swift and Mascarene Martin
Rondo Plateau for Reichenow’s Batis as well as Green Barbet (woodwardi), Kretschmer’s Longbill (griseiceps) and Uluguru Violet-backed Sunbird, also Southern Crested Guineafowl, African Pitta (longipennis), Green-headed Oriole (amani), Yellow-streaked Greenbul (tenuirostris), Livingstone’s Flycatcher (thomsoni), Little Rush Warbler (tongensis), Black-headed Apalis (ESS muhuluensis), Spotted Ground Thrush (fischeri), East Coast Akalat and other coastal forest species
Kihuhwi-Sigi FR for Usambara Hyliota and more coastal forest taxa including Fischer’s Turaco (fischeri), Little Yellow Flycatcher, Black-headed Apalis (melanocephala) and Red-tailed Ant Thrush (rufus)
Kwamgumi FR for Sokoke Scops Owl
Pugu Hills FR for Tanzanian Illadopsis (ESS puguensis) and Sokoke Pipit, also Gorgeous Bushshrike (nigricauda)
Serengeti NP and Wembere Steppe for Grey-breasted Spurfowl, Tanzanian Red-billed Hornbill and Fischer’s Lovebird, as well as Usambiro Barbet, Grey-crested Helmetshrike, Grey Penduline Tit (sharpei), Hildebrandt’s Starling, Kenya Sparrow and Rufous-tailed Weaver, also Coqui Francolin (hubbardi), Red-winged Francolin (kikuyuensis), Hartlaub’s Bustard, Black-winged Lapwing, Black-throated Barbet (ESS flavibuccalis), Melodious Lark, Rock-loving Cisticola (emini), Long-tailed Cisticola, Black-backed Cisticola, Pectoral-patch Cisticola (nakuruensis), Karamoja Apalis (stronachi), Rufous Chatterer (ESS emini), Northern Black Flycatcher, Little Weaver (kavirondensis), Speke’s Weaver, Black-rumped Waxbill, Plain-backed Pipit (goodsoni) and Bushveld Pipit (blayneyi)
Tarangire NP for Yellow-collared Lovebird and Ashy Starling as well as D’Arnaud’s Barbet (emini), Northern Pied Babbler, Hildebrandt’s Starling and Rufous-tailed Weaver, also Yellow-necked Spurfowl, Hartlaub’s Bustard, Northern Red-billed Hornbill and Pangani Longclaw
Engikaret Lark Plains for Beesley’s Lark as well as Red-throated Tit, Athi Short-toed Lark and Southern Grosbeak-Canary, also Short-tailed Lark, Pectoral-patch Cisticola (hindii) and Scaly Chatterer (keniana)
Lake Duluti for Taveta Weaver
Mkomazi NP and Maasai Steppe for Friedmann’s Lark and Tsavo Sunbird as well as Vulturine Guineafowl, Yellow-necked Spurfowl, Sombre Nightjar, Donaldson-Smith’s Nightjar, Plain Nightjar, Hartlaub’s Bustard, Black-headed Lapwing, White-headed Mousebird, Northern Red-billed Hornbill, Eastern Yellow-billed Hornbill, D’Arnaud’s Barbet (boehmi), Pygmy Batis, Rosy-patched Bushshrike (cathemagmenus), Three-streaked Tchagra, Pringle’s Puffback, Taita Fiscal, Acacia Tit, Mouse-colored Penduline Tit, Pink-breasted Lark, Dodson’s Bulbul, Somali Crombec, Ashy Cisticola, Tiny Cisticola, Pale Prinia, Red-fronted Prinia, Brown-tailed Apalis, Grey Wren-Warbler, Golden-breasted Starling, Shelley’s Starling, Hunter’s Sunbird, Black-bellied Sunbird, Parrot-billed Sparrow, Black-capped Social Weaver, Black-cheeked Waxbill and Somali Bunting
Mikumi NP for Hofmann’s Sunbird and miombo woodland species including Pale-billed Hornbill, Racket-tailed Roller, White-breasted Cuckooshrike, Cinnamon-breasted Tit, Miombo Tit, Stierling’s Wren-Warbler, Yellow-bellied Hyliota (barbozae), Miombo Blue-eared Starling, Arnot’s Chat and Black-eared Seedeater
Kilombero Valley for Kilombero Cisticola, White-tailed Cisticola and Kilombero Weaver as well as Coppery-tailed Coucal
Nyerere NP for Ruvu Weaver as well as White-crowned Lapwing, Pel’s Fishing Owl, Dickinson’s Kestrel, Böhm’s Bee-eater, Livingstone’s Flycatcher and Collared Palm Thrush, also Humblot’s Heron
Ruaha NP for Tanzanian Red-billed Hornbill, Yellow-collared Lovebird and Ashy Starling as well as Shelley’s Francolin (shelleyi), White-crowned Lapwing, Black-backed Barbet (macclounii), D’Arnaud’s Barbet (emini), Pearl-breasted Swallow, Groundscraper Thrush and Ruaha Chat
Sassi River, Lake Rukwa and Katavi NP for Tanzanian Masked Weaver
Malagarasi-Moyowosi Ramsar Site for Wattled Crane and Shoebill
Burigi-Chato NP for Ring-necked Francolin, Fiery-necked Nightjar (nigriscapularis), Shoebill, Red-faced Barbet, African Grey Woodpecker, Western Black-headed Batis, Souza’s Shrike, Cinnamon-breasted Tit, Grey Penduline Tit (roccatii), Long-tailed Cisticola, Miombo Wren-Warbler, Ruaha Chat, Short-tailed Pipit (leggei) and Black-throated Canary (somereni)
Lake Victoria (Speke Bay, Rubondo Island NP and Bukoba) and Kagera Swamps for Eastern Plantain-eater, Blue-headed Coucal, Blue-breasted Bee-eater, Black-billed Barbet, Brown-throated Wattle-eye, Marsh Tchagra, Papyrus Gonolek, Black-headed Gonolek, Yellow-throated Leaflove (flavigula), Greater Swamp Warbler, Common Reed Warbler (cinnamomeus), [Papyrus Yellow Warbler,] White-winged Swamp Warbler, Highland Rush Warbler, Carruthers’s Cisticola, Wing-snapping Cisticola (entebbe), Grey-capped Warbler, Green White-eye, Swamp Flycatcher, Snowy-crowned Robin-Chat, Red-chested Sunbird, Slender-billed Weaver, Little Weaver, Orange Weaver (rex), Northern Brown-throated Weaver, Black-headed Weaver (fischeri), Yellow-mantled Widowbird (ESS conradsi), Cape Wagtail [and Papyrus Canary]
Minziro FR for lowland forest species including Latham’s Francolin, Great Blue Turaco, Black-billed Turaco (emini), Dusky Long-tailed Cuckoo, Afep Pigeon, White-spotted Flufftail, Black-and-white-casqued Hornbill, Blue-breasted Kingfisher, White-bellied Kingfisher, Shining-blue Kingfisher, Yellow-spotted Barbet (duchaillui), Least Honeyguide, Buff-spotted Woodpecker, Brown-eared Woodpecker, Yellow-crested Woodpecker, Grey Parrot, Red-headed Lovebird, Chestnut Wattle-eye, Jameson’s Wattle-eye, African Shrike-flycatcher, Purple-throated Cuckooshrike (martini), Mackinnon’s Shrike, Western Oriole, Red-bellied Paradise Flycatcher, [Dusky Crested Flycatcher,] Western Nicator, Slender-billed Greenbul, Red-tailed Bristlebill, Yellow-eyed Bristlebill, Spotted Greenbul, Red-tailed Greenbul, Little Greenbul (virens), Yellow-whiskered Greenbul (latirostris), Plain Greenbul, Little Grey Greenbul, Xavier’s Greenbul, [Icterine Greenbul,] Cabanis’s Greenbul (sucosus), Toro Olive Greenbul, Yellow Longbill, Grey Longbill, Green Crombec, Green Hylia, White-chinned Prinia, Lowland Masked Apalis, Black-throated Apalis (jacksoni), Buff-throated Apalis (nigrescens), Black-faced Rufous Warbler, Olive-green Camaroptera (toroensis), Brown Illadopsis, Pale-breasted Illadopsis (rufipennis), Scaly-breasted Illadopsis, Fraser’s Rufous Thrush, White-tailed Ant Thrush, Fire-crested Alethe, Brown-backed Scrub Robin, Grey-throated Tit-Flycatcher, Brown-chested Alethe (carruthersi), Blue-shouldered Robin-Chat, Yellow-breasted Forest Robin, Grey-winged Robin-Chat, Lowland Akalat, [Grey-headed Sunbird, Little Green Sunbird,] Grey-chinned Sunbird, Blue-throated Brown Sunbird, Green-throated Sunbird, Olive-bellied Sunbird, Superb Sunbird, Weyns’s Weaver, Compact Weaver, Red-headed Malimbe, White-collared Oliveback, [Jameson’s Antpecker,] Grey-headed Nigrita (schistaceus), Black-crowned Waxbill, Fawn-breasted Waxbill (roseicrissa), Red-headed Bluebill (ruficapilla) and Black-bellied Seedcracker
Bwanjai for Ross’s Turaco, Blue Malkoha, Hairy-breasted Barbet (ansorgii), Double-toothed Barbet, African Blue Flycatcher, Splendid Starling, African Thrush (centralis), Copper Sunbird (cupreus), Vieillot’s Black Weaver, Plain-backed Pipit (zenkeri) and Western Citril

TIMING (Apr, Sep–Oct)
The north-west is best during the rains (Feb–May), when most birds breed
The mountains are best before the rains (Sep–Oct)
Avoid the main rains in the mountains (Nov–May)

RESOURCES
Apps
Birds of Africa (iOS or Android)
eGuide to Birds of East Africa

Field guides
Birds of East Africa by Terry Stevenson & John Fanshawe (2020)
Birds of Eastern Africa by Ber Van Perlo (2009)
Kiongozi cha Ndege wa Tanzania by Maria A Mbilinyi, Furaha A Mbilinyi & Liz Baker (2007) is a pictorial guide to 291 bird species found in Tanzania written in Swahili and illustrated by Katie Boswell
Birds of Kenya and Northern Tanzania by Dale A Zimmerman, Donald A Turner & David J Pearson (2005) effectively covers some 90% of bird species known from Tanzania as a whole
Birds of the Serengeti and Ngorongoro Conservation Area by Adam Scott Kennedy (2014)
Pocket Guide Birds of East Africa by Dave Richards (2016)
Collins Traveller’s Guide to Wildlife of Kenya, Tanzania & Uganda by David Hosking & Martin Withers (2007) is a pocket-sized photographic guide covering over 475 commonly-seen species of birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, insects, trees and flowers

Sounds
The Bird Song of Kenya and Tanzania: an Introductory Aid to Identification by John Hammick

Site guides
Birding around Arusha by James Wolstencroft (2006)
Birding in the Usambara Mountains, Tanzania by Eddie Williams (1997)
Birding in and around the East Usambaras, north-east Tanzania by Tom Evans, Alan Tye, Norbert Cordeiro & Nathalie Seddon (1997)

Atlases
Tanzania Bird Atlas

Further reading
Tanzania by Neil E Baker & Liz M Baker in Important Bird Areas in Africa and Associated Islands: Priority Sites for Conservation edited by Lincoln D C Fishpool & Michael I Evans (2001)
Important Bird Areas in Tanzania: a First Inventory by Neil & Elizabeth Baker (2002)
Birds of Dar es Salaam: Common Birds of Coastal East Africa by Gudrun Wium-Andersen & Fiona Reid (2000)
Birds, Butterflies and Flowers of Mikumi National Park/Ndege, Vipepeo na Maua wa Hifadhi ya Taifa ya Mikumi by Alexandra Boswell, Leah Collett, Furaha Mbilinyi, Maria Mbilinyi & Colin Watkins (2010)
Udzungwa: Tales of Discovery in an East African Rainforest edited by Nikolaj Scharff, Francesco Rovero, Flemming Pagh Jensen & Steffen Brøgger-Jensen (2015)
Community-based Conservation in Tanzania edited by N Leader-Williams, J A Kayera & G L Overton (2011)
Checklist of the Birds of Selous Game Reserve by Neil Stronach (2003)
Waterbird Count of Zanzibar and Pemba Islands, Tanzania, January 1998 edited by Rienk Geene (2001)
Tanzania Waterbird Count: the First Coordinated Count on the Major Wetlands of Tanzania, January 1995 compiled by Neil E Baker (1997)
The Live Bird Trade in Tanzania edited by N Leader-Williams & R K Tibanyenda (1996)
A Biological and Human Impact Survey of the Lowland Forests, East Usambara Mountains, Tanzania by T D Evans, M Hague, A Hipkiss, J Kiure, A Makange, A Perkin, R Timmins & L Watson (1994)
A Wildlife Survey of the East Usambara and Ukaguru Mountains, Tanzania: the Birds, Amphibians, Reptiles, Butterflies, Fishes and Mammals edited by Tom D Evans & Guy Q A Anderson (1992)
Kamusi ya Ndege wa Tanzania by Musa Maimu (1982) is a glossary of birds of Tanzania written in Swahili
The Birds of the Serengeti National Park, Tanzania: an Annotated Checklist by Dieter Schmidl (1982)
The Birds of Zanzibar and Pemba: an Annotated Checklist by R H W Pakenham (1979)
Birds of East Africa: Their Habitat, Status and Distribution edited by P L Britton (1980)
The Breeding Seasons of East African Birds by L H Brown & P L Britton (1980)
Articles in Scopus, Journal of East African Natural History, Bull. ABC, Kolokolo (Newsletter of Nature Tanzania), Miombo (Newsletter of WCST), The Arc Journal (Newsletter of TFCG), etc.

Websites
Tanzanian Birds and Butterflies
Tanzania Birds by Philip Stouffer
Coastal Forests of Kenya and Tanzania
UNESCO World Heritage List: Kilimanjaro National Park, Selous Game Reserve, Serengeti National Park and Ngorongoro Conservation Area

Blogs
Vagrant Mind: the Joys of Natural History by James Wolstencroft
Tanzania 2019-23 by Bukoba Steve
The Ruaha Notes: Birding in Ruaha (1994-2020) by Sue Stolberger
Safari Ecology (2011-2013) by Colin Beale & Ethan Kinsey
TZ Bird Atlas Blog (2009-2012) by Stein Nilsen
Tanzania – Africa at its Best – 10,000 Birds (2011) by Adam Riley
Birding Tanzania (2010-2011) by Derek Kverno

Facebook groups
Birding Tanzania is about everything birding in Tanzania, recent sightings, photos and general birding news
Tanzania Birders Community is a community organisation on Facebook
Images4Africa is a photo gallery of Riaan Marais

ORGANISATIONS

Nature Tanzania is the BirdLife Partner in Tanzania

The Ringing Scheme of Eastern Africa coordinates and promotes bird ringing (banding) throughout the East African region and beyond through issuing of rings to qualified ringers, curating ringing data and tracking ring recoveries

The East African Rarities Committee assesses records of new and very rare birds occurring in Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi

Other bird or conservation organisations active in Tanzania include –
Wildlife Conservation Society of Tanzania (WCST)
Zanzibar Birdwatching Society (ZABISO)
Attraction Birds Conservation
Tanzania Forest Conservation Group (TFCG)
Eastern Arc Mountains Conservation Endowment Fund (EAMCEF)
Tanzania Environmental Conservation Society (TECOSO)
Maasai Pastoralists Development Organisation (MPDO-LARETO)
Gezaulole Cultural Tourism Group
Youth Vision of Kigamboni
Mvikubou Site Support Group (SSG)
Mvikuki SSG
Honeyguide
Tongwe Trust
Friends of Katavi Ecosystem (FoKE)
Friends of Usambara Society (FoU)
African Rainforest Conservancy (ARC)
Western Indian Ocean Marine Science Association (WIOMSA)
Blue Ventures
Seacology
Grumeti Fund
Dorobo Fund
PAMS Foundation
African People & Wildlife
Association pour le Développement des Aires Protégées (ADAP)
Albertine Rift Conservation Society (ARCOS)
WeForest
NABU
Frankfurt Zoological Society (FZS)
Fauna & Flora International (FFI)
WWF Tanzania
WCS Tanzania
The Nature Conservancy (TNC)

The College of African Wildlife Management (CAWM), Mweka, is the leading institution in professional and technical training in wildlife and tourism management