Popular Bird species to see on Tanzania safari

Popular Bird species to see on Tanzania safari : Without a doubt, Tanzania is one of Africa’s greatest destinations to go bird watching. Indeed, more than 1,100 different species of birds call it home. More than 30 species are native to East Africa alone, while many more are migratory and travel through the region annually. Because of this, a Tanzanian birdwatching safari is really fulfilling. Every year, tourists swarm this country to experience its well-known wilderness regions, like as Ruaha National Park and Serengeti National Park. However, you can also take in the amazing diversity of birds in birding hotspots like the Usambara Mountains, Kilimanjaro region, and the isolated Mahale Mountains.

African Fish Eagle (Haliaeetus vocifer).

The African fish eagle, which is easily identified by its magnificent, imposing look, is widespread in sub-Saharan Africa, particularly in areas with an abundance of fish and water. It is so recognizable that Namibia, Malawi, Zimbabwe, and Zambia have made it their national bird.

Its dark brown body and wings contrast with its characteristic white head and breast. It snatches gullible fish out of the water with its enormous talons and then uses its large, hooked, yellow beak to tear them apart. Completed with its soul-piercing yellow eyes, this bird-of-prey is a fearsome predator. Nor are the eyes merely decorative.

A effective surprise assault depends on the eagle’s ability to see its target from a great distance thanks to its keen vision. These eagles mate for life in monogamous couples. In towering trees close to sources of water, they construct huge stick nests, which they frequently re-use each year. Both parents alternately incubate the eggs and tend to their offspring after the female lays one to three eggs. When it’s time for the young eagles to go out on their own, their parents will eventually remove them from the nest.

Lilac-Breasted Roller (Coracias caudatus).

The lilac-breasted roller, another species that is widely spread, is arguably best known for its eponymous plumage, which is a striking array of colors. It has a cobalt-blue back, a turquoise belly, and a lilac-colored breast and throat. It has long, graduated tail feathers that finish in streamers, and patches of vibrant blue, black, and green adorn its wings. The bill is thick and black, and a thin white eye-ring encircles the eyes. Despite their small size, these birds are easily identified, particularly on decaying branches and along power lines. As an alternative, you might be able to witness some of their acrobatic flight displays, which include swoops and aerial pursuits that aid them in catching insects on the wing.

They frequently beat their prey against hard surfaces to make their mouthfuls easier to handle, demonstrating their genuine viciousness and aggression. You may notice lilac-breasted rollers congregating in large numbers in places where there is an abundance of food, even though they are solitary or found in pairs during the mating season. In holes or tree cavities, they construct cup-shaped nests, where the female deposits a clutch of two to four eggs. After the eggs hatch, the parents divide up the work of incubating and feeding them.

Superb Starling (Lamprotornis superbus).

There are many different colors of starlings. While some are quite uninteresting, others, such as the excellent starling, are unquestionably unique. With a glossy back, head, and tail, bright blue wings, and a characteristic orange-brown chest and belly, its plumage is colorful and iridescent. Although males and females have identical coloring, males tend to have significantly brighter plumage. Its bill is black, and its eyes are pale yellow.

Although they don’t really like high humidity, superb starlings can be found in a variety of habitats, including as open woodlands, savannahs, scrublands, grasslands, and agricultural areas. They are nevertheless versatile birds that do well in both rural and wild environments. They are usually found in flocks of small to medium size. This is because, particularly during the breeding season, they are a gregarious species that participates in aerial displays.

Yellow-Billed Hornbill (Tockus flavirostris).

It would be reasonable to assume that this bird is the same one that is seen in most of southern Africa. The Eastern yellow-billed hornbill, however, has black skin surrounding its pale yellow eyes rather than pink, in contrast to its near sibling, the southern yellow-billed hornbill. Its plumage is primarily black and white, with white underparts and primary flight feathers and a black body, wings, and tail. Its broad yellow bill, which is long, down-curved, and slightly flattened, is its most distinctive feature. The bird’s range of vision is really impacted by the size of its bill.

Despite their preference for savannah habitats, Eastern yellow-billed hornbills can also be found in scrublands. They typically choose perches in large trees and use their distinctively graceful flying technique to swoop between them, so you won’t have to look hard to find them. They can be seen in tiny family groupings that include a breeding pair and their young, even though many prefer to live alone. They reproduce throughout the dry season, which runs from June to November, and are cavity-nesters, which means they use natural tree hollows or locations left by other birds. The female uses mud to enclose herself inside the nest hole during this time, leaving only a small opening for the male to send food through. Only when the chicks are halfway developed does she depart the nest. When she manages to get over the mud wall, the girls rebuild it.

Grey Crowned Crane (Balearica regulorum).

The national bird of Uganda, which shares a western border with Tanzania, is the grey-crowned crane, another iconic East African species. With its long neck, long legs, and tall, slender torso, it truly is a work of art. Because of its famous crown of golden feathers, you won’t be able to confuse this bird for any other species. With a white upper neck and breast, a black-and-white striped lower neck, and an inflatable red throat sac, the remainder of its plumage is primarily grey. This crane species is found in a range of grassland and wetland environments, such as cultivated lands, marshes, savannahs, and wet meadows. It frequently inhabits areas close to rivers, lakes, and marshes because they provide a consistent supply of food and secure roosting locations. Although pairs or small family groups are the norm for these cranes, bigger flocks of up to 150 birds have been observed.

Being expert dancers, grey-crowned cranes use elaborate courtship rituals like leaping, bowing, and calling to entice mates and cement monogamous couples’ pair ties. This is made possible by the golden crown, whose feathers are elevated into a majestic crest during performances. Interestingly, because of a unique hind toe, the grey-crowned crane is one of only two crane species that can roost in trees.