Birds of Karura Forest: A Guide to Wildlife and Other Attractions

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Green-backed Camaroptera bird

Birds of Karura Forest have always attracted birdwatching enthusiasts from all around the world. Karura Forest is a beautiful and diverse ecosystem located in Nairobi, Kenya. It is home to over 250 species of birds. Hence, making it a birdwatcher’s paradise. This magical destination is a must-visit for nature lovers and those who enjoy birdwatching. The forest offers many attractions, making it one of the best birdwatching spots in Nairobi. In this guide, we will walk you through the beauty and attractions of Karura Forest and introduce you to some of the amazing bird species that dwell there.

Top Bird Watching sites for day trips around Nairobi
Singing Cisticola bird

A Haven for Birdwatchers

Karura Forest is a 1041-hectare tropical paradise located in Nairobi, Kenya. It’s a spot plentiful with birds which makes it ideal for birdwatching. Within the forest are several peaceful walking and cycling trails, perfect for nature enthusiasts to explore. You may also enjoy River gazing in the Ruaka River and Karura waterfalls chasing. As you wander along the trails, you will encounter some of the most beautiful and unique bird species.

Must-See Attractions in Karura Forest

Birding in Nairobi National Park
Black Cuckooshrike bird

Apart from the enchanting birds of Karura Forest, the area offers its visitors numerous other attractions. Here are a few of the must-see spots:

  1. Karura Waterfalls – It’s impossible not to feel relaxed with the sounds of waterfalls in the lush surroundings. You’ll find a couple of stunning waterfalls within the forest. 
  2. Mau Mau Caves – The forest is also home to ancient caves that were once hideouts during the Mau Mau Rebellion in Kenya. 

In addition to these attractions, birdwatching tour packages are available that will enhance your experience and make your trip unforgettable.

Common Bird Species Found in Karura Forest

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Karura Forest Birds Hartlaub’s Turaco bird.jpg

Here is a list of some of the most common and rare bird species that can be seen in Karura Forest:

  1. Silvery-cheeked Hornbill 
  2. African Paradise Flycatcher 
  3. African Green Pigeon 
  4. White-browed Robin-chat 
  5. Tropical Boubou 
  6. African Harrier-hawk 
  7. Black Cuckooshrike 
  8. Black-headed Oriole 
  9. Augur Buzzard 
  10. White-eyed Slaty Flycatcher
Best Birdwatching Sites in Nairobi
Northern Fiscal bird

These are just a few examples of the wonderful birds of Karura Forest that await your visit. So, if you’re a birdwatching enthusiast or a nature lover, pack your bags and head over to Karura Forest, one of the best birdwatching spots in Nairobi, for an incredible experience.

Birds of Karura Forest, Nairobi Kenya

Incredible Birding Sites in Nairobi
Yellow-rumped Tinkerbird bird
  1. Hartlaub’s Turaco
  2. Yellow-rumped Tinkerbird
  3. Black Cuckooshrike
  4. Northern Fiscal
  5. Green-backed Camaroptera
  6. Yellow-breasted Apalis
  7. Red-faced Cisticola
  8. Singing Cisticola
  9. Highland Rush Warbler
  10. Rock Martin
  11. Lesser Striped Swallow
  12. Black Sawwing
  13. Yellow-whiskered Greenbul
  14. Common Bulbul
  15. Pale White-eye
  16. Rüppell’s Robin-Chat
  17. Baglafecht Weaver
  18. Village Weaver
  19. Bronze Mannikin
  20. Black-and-white Mannikin
  21. Red-billed Firefinch
  22. Streaky Seedeater
  23. White-backed Duck
  24. Yellow-billed Duck
  25. Tambourine Dove
  26. African Emerald Cuckoo
  27. Black Crake
  28. Gray Heron
  29. Black Kite
  30. Speckled Mousebird

More species of Birds in Karura

karura forest birdwatching course
Yellow-breasted Apalis bird
  1. Narina Trogon
  2. Cinnamon-chested Bee-eater
  3. Chinspot Batis
  4. Black-backed Puffback
  5. Tropical Boubou
  6. African Paradise-Flycatcher
  7. Pied Crow
  8. Cabanis’s Greenbul
  9. Kikuyu White-eye
  10. Abyssinian Thrush
  11. Collared Sunbird
  12. Amethyst Sunbird
  13. Bronze Sunbird
  14. Spectacled Weaver
  15. Grosbeak Weaver
  16. Brown-chested Alethe
  17. Mountain Wagtail
  18. African Pied Wagtail
  19. Little Grebe
  20. Dusky Turtle-Dove
  21. Little Swift
  22. Eurasian Moorhen
  23. African Jacana
  24. White-bellied Tit
  25. Gray-capped Warbler
  26. African Dusky Flycatcher
  27. White-starred Robin
  28. Variable Sunbird
  29. Yellow Bishop
  30. White-winged Widowbird
  31. Golden-breasted Bunting
  32. Red-eyed Dove
  33. Emerald-spotted Wood-Dove
  34. Red-chested Cuckoo
  35. Crowned Eagle
  36. Northern Yellow White-eye
  37. Egyptian Goose
  38. White-browed Coucal
  39. Marabou Stork
  40. Hadada Ibis
  41. Spot-flanked Barbet
  42. White-eyed Slaty-Flycatcher
  43. Northern Double-collared Sunbird
  44. Holub’s Golden-Weaver
  45. Speke’s Weaver
  46. African Citril
  47. African Palm Swift
  48. Wire-tailed Swallow
  49. Red-rumped Swallow
  50. Augur Buzzard
  51. Rock Pigeon
  52. Klaas’s Cuckoo
  53. European Honey-buzzard
  54. Long-crested Eagle
  55. Ayres’s Hawk-Eagle
  56. African Fish-Eagle
  57. Sulphur-breasted Bushshrike
  58. Winding Cisticola
  59. African Yellow-Warbler
  60. Lesser Swamp Warbler
  61. Slender-billed Greenbul
  62. White-browed Sparrow-Weaver
  63. Brimstone Canary
  64. Hamerkop
  65. African Goshawk
  66. Tawny-flanked Prinia
  67. Plain Martin
  68. Brown-backed Scrub-Robin
  69. Common Waxbill
  70. Common Buzzard
  71. Montane Nightjar
  72. Black-headed Heron
  73. White-headed Barbet
  74. Black-throated Wattle-eye
  75. Gray Apalis
  76. Common Reed Warbler
  77. Willow Warbler
  78. Greater Whitethroat
  79. White-rumped Swift
  80. Cape Robin-Chat
  81. African Sacred Ibis
  82. Cape Wagtail
  83. Common Sandpiper
  84. Great Egret
  85. Common Swift
  86. Little Sparrowhawk
  87. Long-tailed Fiscal
  88. Barn Swallow
  89. Black Goshawk
  90. Eurasian Blackcap
  91. Green-backed Honeyguide
  92. Green-backed Twinspot
  93. African Pygmy Kingfisher
  94. Pale Flycatcher
  95. Superb Starling
  96. Black-headed Apalis
  97. Long-tailed Cormorant
  98. African Harrier-Hawk
  99. Brown-backed Woodpecker
  100. Spotted Flycatcher
  101. Kenya Rufous Sparrow
  102. Reichenow’s Seedeater
  103. Garden Warbler
  104. Green Sandpiper
  105. Cattle Egret
  106. Brown Parisoma
  107. Gray Crowned-Crane
  108. White-faced Whistling-Duck
  109. Green-headed Sunbird
  110. Yellow-crowned Canary
  111. African Firefinch
  112. Southern Black-Flycatcher
  113. Gray-headed Kingfisher
  114. Black-winged Kite
  115. Malachite Kingfisher
  116. Lemon Dove
  117. Little Egret
  118. Brown-crowned Tchagra
  119. Yellow-billed Stork
  120. Intermediate Egret
  121. African Black-headed Oriole
  122. Chestnut Weaver
  123. Silvery-cheeked Hornbill
  124. African Darter
  125. Brown-hooded Kingfisher
  126. African Black Duck
  127. Village Indigobird
  128. Levaillant’s Cuckoo
  129. Common Cuckoo
  130. Great Reed Warbler
  131. European Bee-eater
  132. Lesser Honeyguide
  133. Rattling Cisticola
  134. Golden-winged Sunbird
  135. Cardinal Woodpecker
  136. Common House-Martin
  137. African Swamphen
  138. Black-chested Snake-Eagle
  139. Red-cheeked Cordon bleu
  140. Parrot-billed Sparrow
  141. African Swift
  142. Gray-olive Greenbul
  143. Northern Pied-Babbler
  144. Wood Sandpiper
  145. Marsh Sandpiper
  146. Red-faced Crombec
  147. Scarlet-chested Sunbird
  148. Buff-bellied Warbler
  149. Pied Kingfisher
  150. Wattled Starling
  151. Cape Crow
  152. Eastern Olivaceous Warbler
  153. Common Nightingale
  154. Thrush Nightingale
  155. Common Greenshank
  156. Red-backed Shrike
  157. Tree Pipit
  158. Ovambo Sparrowhawk
  159. Three-banded Plover
  160. Stout Cisticola
  161. Black-collared Apalis
  162. Yellow-bellied Greenbul
  163. Giant Kingfisher
  164. Striated Heron
  165. Lesser Moorhen
  166. Purple Grenadier
  167. Jackson’s Widowbird
  168. White-throated Robin
  169. Pin-tailed Whydah
  170. Isabelline Shrike
  171. Great Cormorant
  172. Red-tailed Shrike
  173. Rufous-naped Lark
  174. House Sparrow
  175. Yellow-bellied Waxbill
  176. Namaqua Dove
  177. Red-chested Flufftail
  178. Gray Cuckooshrike
  179. Red-cowled Widowbird
  180. Blue-billed Teal
  181. European Roller
  182. Mottled Swift
  183. White Stork
  184. Squacco Heron
  185. Eurasian Marsh-Harrier
  186. Marsh Warbler
  187. Shikra
  188. Thick-billed Seedeater
  189. African Cuckoo-Hawk
  190. Tawny Eagle
  191. Greater Honeyguide
  192. Red-knobbed Coot
  193. Violet-backed Starling
  194. Rufous-necked Wryneck
  195. Booted Eagle
  196. Beautiful Sunbird
  197. Western Yellow Wagtail
  198. African Green-Pigeon
  199. Bank Swallow
  200. Pied Cuckoo
  201. Great White Pelican
  202. Spur-winged Goose
  203. African Spoonbill
  204. Crimson-rumped Waxbill
  205. Moustached Tinkerbird
  206. Malagasy Pond-Heron
  207. Sedge Warbler
  208. Black-crowned Night-Heron
  209. Little Bittern
  210. Wahlberg’s Honeyguide
  211. Fulvous Whistling-Duck
  212. African Rail
  213. Sombre Greenbul
  214. Eurasian Hobby
  215. Dideric Cuckoo
  216. Purple Heron
  217. Red-billed Duck
  218. Red-fronted Tinkerbird
  219. Peregrine Falcon
  220. African Wood-Owl
  221. Harlequin Quail
  222. Gray-headed Nigrita
  223. Tullberg’s Woodpecker
  224. Fork-tailed Drongo

Listing courtesy of eBird

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