LAKE NAKURU NATIONAL PARK

KENYA

state ()

00o22´S/36o05´E 18,800ha 1750-2070m


Protected/registered status


July to September (September-October 2004)

Birding Site Guide

This lake is worth a look.

 


Species seen. For full bird and mammal species list with scientific names go to KENYA FULL TRIP LIST 


  • Great White Pelican Pelecanus onocrotalus LN, LNa
  • White Stork Ciconia ciconia LN, LB
  • African Spoonbill Platalea alba LN, LNa
  • Lesser Flamingo Phoenicopterus minor NT LN
  • Cape Teal Anas capensis LN
  • Rueppell's Griffon Gyps rueppellii S, LN
  • Lappet-faced Vulture Torgos tracheliotus S, LN
  • White-headed Vulture Trigonoceps occipitalis Mt, S, LN
  • Brown Snake-Eagle Circaetus cinereus MM, S, LN
  • Bateleur Terathopius ecaudatus S, LN, T
  • Steppe Eagle Aquila nipalensis LN, T
  • Wahlberg's Eagle Aquila wahlbergi S, LN
  • Crowned Hawk-Eagle Stephanoaetus coronatus Mt, LN
  • Coqui Francolin Francolinus coqui MM, LN
  • Gray Crowned-Crane Balearica regulorum LN, LB
  • Crab Plover Dromas ardeola LN
  • Black-winged Lapwing Vanellus melanopterus LN
  • White-winged Tern Chlidonias leucopterus LN, LB
  • Black-faced Sandgrouse Pterocles decoratus LN
  • Speckled Pigeon Columba guinea LN, LB
  • Namaqua Dove Oena capensis S, LN
  • Spotted Eagle-Owl Bubo africanus LN, LB
  • Nyanza Swift Apus niansae Mt, LN
  • Striped Kingfisher Halcyon chelicuti LN,
  • Giant Kingfisher Megaceryle maximus Mt, LN
  • White-fronted Bee-eater Merops bullockoides LN, LNa
  • Violet Woodhoopoe Phoeniculus damarensis Mt, LN
  • Fawn-colored Lark Calendulauda africanoides S, LN
  • Red-capped Lark Calandrella cinerea LN, A
  • Gray-rumped Swallow Pseudhirundo griseopyga LN
  • Bank Swallow Riparia riparia LN
  • Banded Martin Riparia cincta LN
  • Rock Martin Ptyonoprogne fuligula LN, LB
  • Long-billed Pipit Anthus similis LN, K
  • Plain-backed Pipit Anthus leucophrys Mt, LN
  • Mountain Wagtail Motacilla clara LN
  • Slender-billed Greenbul Andropadus gracilirostris LN, K
  • Olive Thrush Turdus olivaceus Mt, LN
  • Rattling Cisticola Cisticola chiniana LN, SF
  • Zitting Cisticola Cisticola juncidis LN, LNa
  • Tawny-flanked Prinia Prinia subflava S, LN
  • Gray Apalis Apalis cinerea Mt, LN
  • Spotted Flycatcher Muscicapa striata LN, SF
  • African Dusky Flycatcher Muscicapa adusta Mt, LN
  • Cape Robin-Chat Cossypha caffra Mt, LN
  • Rueppell's Robin-Chat Cossypha semirufa LN, SF
  • Whinchat Saxicola rubetra LN
  • Northern Wheatear Oenanthe oenanthe LN, MM
  • Mourning Wheatear (Schalow's) Oenanthe lugens LN
  • Pied Wheatear Oenanthe pleschanka LN
  • Northern Anteater-Chat Myrmecocichla aethiops LN, LNa
  • Mocking Cliff-Chat Thamnolaea cinnamomeiventris LN, LB
  • Chinspot Batis Batis molitor Mt, LN
  • African Hill Babbler Pseudoalcippe abyssinica LN, LNa
  • Rufous Chatterer Turdoides rubiginosa S, LN, LB
  • Kenya Violet-backed Sunbird Anthreptes orientalis S, LN, LB
  • Scarlet-chested Sunbird Chalcomitra senegalensis LN
  • Bronze Sunbird Nectarinia kilimensis Mt, LN
  • Golden-winged Sunbird Drepanorhynchus reichenowi LN
  • Northern Double-collared Sunbird Cinnyris reichenowi LN
  • Variable Sunbird Cinnyris venustus Mt, LN
  • Broad-ringed White-eye Zosterops poliogastrus Mt, LN, LNa
  • Rufous-tailed Shrike Lanius isabellinus LN, T
  • Brubru Nilaus afer S, LN
  • Northern Puffback Dryoscopus gambensis S, LN
  • Tropical Boubou Laniarius aethiopicus S, LN, LB
  • Cape Crow Corvus capensis LN, LNa
  • Greater Blue-eared Glossy-Starling Lamprotornis chalybaeus Mt, LN
  • Rueppell's Glossy-Starling Lamprotornis purpuroptera LN, T, LNa
  • Red-billed Oxpecker Buphagus erythrorhynchus S, LN, SF
  • Kenya Rufous Sparrow Passer rufocinctus Mt, LN
  • Gray-headed Sparrow Passer griseus S, LN, LB
  • Speke's Weaver Ploceus spekei S, LN, MM
  • Long-tailed Widowbird Euplectes progne LN
  • Yellow-bellied Waxbill Coccopygia quartinia Mt, LN
  • Black-and-white Mannikin Spermestes bicolor Mt, LN
  • Reichenow's Seedeater Serinus reichenowi LN, MM
  • Brimstone Canary Serinus sulphuratus LN
  • Cinnamon-breasted Bunting Emberiza tahapisi LN, T


  • Common Kenyan species some of which were seen here and the rest generally
  • Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis
  • Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo
  • Long-tailed Cormorant Phalacrocorax africanus
  • Gray Heron Ardea cinerea
  • Black-headed Heron Ardea melanocephala
  • Goliath Heron Ardea goliath
  • Purple Heron Ardea purpurea
  • Great Egret Ardea alba
  • Little Egret Egretta garzetta
  • Western Reef-Heron Egretta gularis
  • Squacco Heron Ardeola ralloides
  • Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis
  • Striated Heron Butorides striata
  • Hamerkop Scopus umbretta
  • Yellow-billed Stork Mycteria ibis
  • Abdim's Stork Ciconia abdimii
  • Saddle-billed Stork Ephippiorhynchus senegalensis
  • Marabou Stork Leptoptilos crumeniferus
  • Sacred Ibis Threskiornis aethiopicus
  • Hadada Ibis Bostrychia hagedash
  • Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus
  • Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus roseus
  • Egyptian Goose Alopochen aegyptiaca
  • Yellow-billed Duck Anas undulata
  • Osprey Pandion haliaetus
  • Black-shouldered Kite Elanus caeruleus
  • Scissor-tailed Kite Chelictinia riocourii
  • Black Kite Milvus migrans
  • African Fish-Eagle Haliaeetus vocifer
  • White-backed Vulture Gyps africanus
  • Black-breasted Snake-Eagle Circaetus pectoralis
  • Western Marsh-Harrier Circus aeruginosus
  • African Marsh-Harrier Circus ranivorus
  • Montagu's Harrier Circus pygargus
  • African Harrier-Hawk Polyboroides typus
  • Lizard Buzzard Kaupifalco monogrammicus
  • Gabar Goshawk Micronisus gabar
  • Eurasian Buzzard Buteo buteo
  • Augur Buzzard Buteo augur
  • Tawny Eagle Aquila rapax
  • Long-crested Eagle Lophaetus occipitalis
  • Secretary-bird Sagittarius serpentarius
  • Eurasian Kestrel Falco tinnunculus
  • Lanner Falcon Falco biarmicus
  • Hildebrandt's Francolin Francolinus hildebrandti
  • Yellow-necked Francolin Francolinus leucoscepus
  • Helmeted Guineafowl Numida meleagris
  • Black Crake Amaurornis flavirostra
  • Common Moorhen Gallinula chloropus
  • African Jacana Actophilornis africanus
  • Greater Painted-snipe Rostratula benghalensis
  • Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus
  • Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta
  • Blacksmith Plover Vanellus armatus
  • Crowned Lapwing Vanellus coronatus
  • Black-bellied Plover Pluvialis squatarola
  • Three-banded Plover Charadrius tricollaris
  • Greater Sandplover Charadrius leschenaultii
  • Common Snipe Gallinago gallinago
  • Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus
  • Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata
  • Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos
  • Green Sandpiper Tringa ochropus
  • Common Greenshank Tringa nebularia
  • Marsh Sandpiper Tringa stagnatilis
  • Wood Sandpiper Tringa glareola
  • Common Redshank Tringa totanus
  • Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres
  • Sanderling Calidris alba
  • Little Stint Calidris minuta
  • Curlew Sandpiper Calidris ferruginea
  • Dunlin Calidris alpina
  • Ruff Philomachus pugnax
  • European Herring Gull Larus argentatus
  • Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus
  • Gray-headed Gull Larus cirrocephalus
  • Saunders' Tern Sternula saundersi
  • Gull-billed Tern Gelochelidon nilotica
  • Common Tern Sterna hirundo
  • Rock Pigeon Columba livia
  • African Mourning Dove Streptopelia decipiens
  • Laughing Dove Streptopelia senegalensis
  • Emerald-spotted Wood-Dove Turtur chalcospilos
  • Tambourine Dove Turtur tympanistria
  • Hartlaub's Turaco Tauraco hartlaubi
  • Eastern Plantain-eater Crinifer zonurus
  • Great Spotted Cuckoo Clamator glandarius
  • Klaas' Cuckoo Chrysococcyx klaas
  • Yellowbill Ceuthmochares aereus
  • White-browed Coucal Centropus superciliosus
  • African Palm-Swift Cypsiurus parvus
  • Common Swift Apus apus
  • Little Swift Apus affinis
  • Speckled Mousebird Colius striatus
  • Narina Trogon Apaloderma narina
  • Malachite Kingfisher Alcedo cristata
  • Gray-headed Kingfisher Halcyon leucocephala
  • Pied Kingfisher Ceryle rudis
  • Cinnamon-chested Bee-eater Merops oreobates
  • White-throated Bee-eater Merops albicollis
  • Blue-cheeked Bee-eater Merops persicus
  • European Bee-eater Merops apiaster
  • Northern Carmine Bee-eater Merops nubicus
  • Lilac-breasted Roller Coracias caudatus
  • Common Scimitar-bill Rhinopomastus cyanomelas
  • Yellow-rumped Tinkerbird Pogoniulus bilineatus
  • Greater Honeyguide Indicator indicator
  • Cardinal Woodpecker Dendropicos fuscescens
  • Gray Woodpecker Dendropicos goertae
  • Singing Bushlark Mirafra cantillans
  • Rufous-naped Lark Mirafra africana
  • Chestnut-headed Sparrow-Lark Eremopterix signatus
  • Black Sawwing Psalidoprocne pristoptera
  • Plain Martin Riparia paludicola
  • Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica
  • Wire-tailed Swallow Hirundo smithii
  • House Martin Delichon urbicum
  • Lesser Striped-Swallow Cecropis abyssinica
  • Red-rumped Swallow Cecropis daurica
  • African Pipit Anthus cinnamomeus
  • Rosy-throated Longclaw Macronyx ameliae
  • African Pied Wagtail Motacilla aguimp
  • Yellow Wagtail Motacilla flava
  • Purple-throated Cuckoo-shrike Campephaga quiscalina
  • Common Bulbul Pycnonotus barbatus
  • Yellow-whiskered Greenbul Andropadus latirostris
  • Eastern Mountain-Greenbul Andropadus nigriceps
  • Honeyguide Greenbul Baeopogon indicator
  • Rufous-tailed Rock-Thrush Monticola saxatilis
  • African Thrush Turdus pelios
  • Singing Cisticola Cisticola cantans
  • Winding Cisticola Cisticola galactotes
  • Carruthers' Cisticola Cisticola carruthersi
  • Yellow-breasted Apalis Apalis flavida
  • Green-backed Camaroptera Camaroptera brachyura
  • African Bush-Warbler Bradypterus baboecala
  • Red-faced Crombec Sylvietta whytii
  • Willow Warbler Phylloscopus trochilus
  • Common Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita
  • Southern Hyliota Hyliota australis
  • Blackcap Sylvia atricapilla
  • Pale Flycatcher Bradornis pallidus
  • White-eyed Slaty-Flycatcher Melaenornis fischeri
  • Gray Tit-Flycatcher Myioparus plumbeus
  • Collared Flycatcher Ficedula albicollis
  • Equatorial Akalat Sheppardia aequatorialis
  • Rufous-tailed Scrub-Robin Cercotrichas galactotes
  • African Stonechat Saxicola torquatus
  • Isabelline Wheatear Oenanthe isabellina
  • Yellow-bellied Wattle-eye Platysteira concreta
  • African Paradise-Flycatcher Terpsiphone viridis
  • Scaly-breasted Illadopsis Illadopsis albipectus
  • Pale-breasted Illadopsis Illadopsis rufipennis
  • Gray Tit Melaniparus afer
  • Green-headed Sunbird Cyanomitra verticalis
  • Green-throated Sunbird Chalcomitra rubescens
  • Amethyst Sunbird Chalcomitra amethystina
  • Hunter's Sunbird Chalcomitra hunteri
  • African Black-headed Oriole Oriolus larvatus
  • Gray-backed Fiscal Lanius excubitoroides
  • Long-tailed Fiscal Lanius cabanisi
  • Common Fiscal Lanius collaris
  • White-crowned Shrike Eurocephalus anguitimens
  • Marsh Tchagra Tchagra minutus
  • Black-crowned Tchagra Tchagra senegalus
  • Brown-crowned Tchagra Tchagra australis
  • Fork-tailed Drongo Dicrurus adsimilis
  • House Crow Corvus splendens intro
  • Pied Crow Corvus albus
  • Wattled Starling Creatophora cinerea
  • Superb Starling Lamprotornis superbus
  • Red-winged Starling Onychognathus morio
  • Stuhlmann's Starling Poeoptera stuhlmanni
  • House Sparrow Passer domesticus
  • Red-billed Buffalo-Weaver Bubalornis niger
  • White-headed Buffalo-Weaver Dinemellia dinemelli
  • White-browed Sparrow-Weaver Plocepasser mahali
  • Chestnut-crowned Sparrow-Weaver Plocepasser superciliosus
  • Baglafecht Weaver Ploceus baglafecht
  • Holub's Golden-Weaver Ploceus xanthops
  • Northern Brown-throated Weaver Ploceus castanops
  • Red-billed Quelea Quelea quelea
  • Jackson's Widowbird Euplectes jacksoni NT
  • White-breasted Negrofinch Nigrita fusconotus
  • Green-backed Twinspot Mandingoa nitidula
  • Red-cheeked Cordonbleu Uraeginthus bengalus
  • Bar-breasted Firefinch Lagonosticta rufopicta
  • Pin-tailed Whydah Vidua macroura
  • Streaky Seedeater Serinus striolatus


  • KEY
  • CR = Critical
  • E = Endangered
  • V = Vulnerable
  • NT = Near-threatened
  • e = endemic
  • intro = introduced


  • no sites given for common species or species more readily found in Europe
  • A = Athi Plains
  • L = Liota Plains
  • LB = Lake Baringo
  • LN = Lake Nakuru
  • LNa = Lake Naivasha
  • MM = Masia Mara NP
  • Mt = Mount Kenya NP
  • N = Niarobi NP
  • N to M = Niarobi to Mombasa
  • R = Red Brick Dam, Lake Victoria
  • S = Samburu GR
  • SF = Sokoke Forest & coast
  • SS = Saiwa Swamp
  • T = Tsavo
  • h = heard only


Author: BSG

 

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