Kenya Birds

Important Bird Areas

Important Bird Areas (IBAs) in Kenya

There are currently 60 IBA sites in Kenya covering a bewildering array of habitats. We have listed the areas below and provided brief details of where they are and what type of habitat they represent. There are links to pages which contain more details for some of the IBAs.

There is detailed information on Kenya's IBAs in Important Bird Areas in Kenya by Leon Bennun and Peter Njoroge. This includes a map for each location which shows the main roads in the region also the lodges and hotels within each IBA. If you are interested then we purchased our copy online from nhbs.com.

Province: Central

One of the smaller Kenyan provinces which includes the well-known areas of Mt Kenya (on the slopes of which is Naro Moru, a popular birding destination), the Aberdares (location of both Treetops and the Ark) and the fertile central highlands plateau with its tea and coffee plantations.

IBA	Districts	Location	Habitat	Globally-threatened Species
Aberdare Mountains	Murang'a, Nyandarua and Nyeri	Area bounded by the Naivasha, Gilgil, Nyahuru road to the West and the Murang'a, Nyeri, Ngobit road to the East. The Gatakaini - Kipipin road traverses the Park from East to West.	Montane forest, grassland, bamboo and moorland	Sharpe's Longclaw, Aberdare Cisticola, Abbott's Starling, Jackson's Widowbird
Kianyaga Valleys	Kirinyaga	South-eastern slopes of Mt Kenya, to the West of Embu	Steep river valleys with cultivation	Hinde's Babbler can be seen in numbers
Kikuyu Escarpment Forest	Kiambu	30km north/north-west of Nairobi	Montane forest	Abbott's Starling
Mukurweini Valleys	Nyeri	Lower SE slopes of the Aberdares. The Gethi, Thangathi, Githunguru, Kihate road goes through the area from SE to NW.	Steep river valleys with cultivation	Hinde's Babbler

Province: Central/Rift Valley

IBA	Districts	Location	Habitat	Globally-threatened Species
Kinangop Grasslands	Nyandarua and Nakuru	Western edge of the Aberdare Forest	Montane grassland and farmland	Pallid Harrier, Sharpe's Longclaw, Aberdare Cisticola, Jackson's Widowbird

Province: Central/Eastern

IBA	Districts	Location	Habitat	Globally-threatened Species
Mt Kenya	Embu, Kirinyaga, Nyeri, Laikipia, Meru, Tharaka-Nithi, Nyambene	140Km north north-east of Nairobi	Montane forest, montane grassland, bamboo and moorland	Lesser Kestrel, Sharpe's Longclaw, Abbott's Starling, Jackson's Widowbird

Province: Coast

IBA	Districts	Location	Habitat	Globally-threatened Species
Arabuko-Sokoke Forest	Kilifi and Malindi	Under 10Km from the coast between Malindi and Kilifi	Coastal woodland and evergreen forest	Southern Banded Snake Eagle, Fischer's Turaco, Sokoke Scops Owl, Spotted Ground Thrush, Sokoke Pipit, East Coast Akalat, Amani Sunbird, Plain-backed Sunbird and Clarke's Weaver
Dakatcha Woodland	Kilifi	Inland from the coast about 25Km along the Marafa, Baricho, Matolani Road	Coastal woodland	Southern Banded Snake Eagle, Fischer's Turaco, Sokoke Pipit and Clarke's Weaver (it may even be the breeding area for this species although little is known about its breeding habits and the nest hasn't been identified)
Diani Forest	Kwale	Covers a 12Km strip along Diani Beach	Deciduous coral rag forest	Southern Banded Snake Eagle, Fischer's Turaco, Spotted Ground Thrush and Plain-backed Sunbird
Dzombo Hill Forest	Kwale	Coastal plain SW of Mombasa just to the S of the Makambani-Mugome road	Coastal mixed forest	Fischer's Turaco, Sokoke Pipit and Plain-backed Sunbird
Gede Ruins National Monument	Malindi	On the Mombasa-Malindi road about 94Km N of Mombasa	Coastal semi-deciduous forest	Southern Banded Snake Eagle, Fischer's Turaco, Spotted Ground Thrush, Sokoke Pipit and Plain-backed Sunbird
Kaya Gandini	Kwale	Close to the town of Gandini, 15Km east-north-east of Mombasa	Dry deciduous Cyanometra-Terminalia forest	Fischer's Turaco, Spotted Ground Thrush, Sokoke Pipit and Plain-backed Sunbird
Kaya Waa	Kwale	About 12Km south of Mombasa near Waa village.	Coastal Cyanometra-Drypetes forest on coral rag	Fischer's Turaco, Spotted Ground Thrush
Kisite Island	Kwale	8Km off the southern Kenyan coast in the Kisite-Mpunguti Marine National Park	Low scrub and coral rock	No globally threatened species but the island hosts large numbers of Roseate Tern
Kiunga Marine National Reserve	Lamu	A series of calcareous offshore islands in the Lamu Archipelago extending some 60km south from the northern coast of Kenya.	Sandy beaches, mangroves and coral shelves	No globally-threatened species but hosts large numbers of Crab-plovers and Roseate Terns
Mida Creek, Whale Island and Malindi/Watamu Coast	Malindi	Northern Kenya coast from Malindi town southwards to just beyond Mida Creek	Sandy beaches, mangroves, intertidal rock, sand and mud, sea-grass beds and coral reefs	No globally-threatened species but important congregatory area for Crab-plover, Lesser and Greater Sandplover, Roseate and Saunder's Tern
Marenji Forest	Kwale	1km from the Mrima trading centre near the Mombasa-Lungalunga Road	Coastal mixed forest	Fischer's Turaco, Sokoke Pipit, Plain-backed Sunbird
Mrima Hill Forest	Kwale	60km SW of Mombasa just to the west of the Mombasa-Lungalunga Road	Coastal mixed forest	Fischer's Turaco, Spotted Ground Thrush and Plain-backed Sunbird
Sabaki River Mouth	Malindi	5km north of Malindi between the Malindi-Mambrui road bridge and the sea	Estuarine site with mudbanks, sandbanks, dunes and freshwater pools.	Malindi Pipit also an important area for Madagascar Pratincole, Sooty Tern, Saunder's Tern and Lesser Crested Tern.
Shimba Hills	Kwale	Just south of Kwale and about 30km south-west of Mombasa	Coastal forest, grassland and scrub	Southern Banded Snake Eagle, Fischer's Turaco, Spotted Ground Thrush, Sokoke Pipit, East Coast Akalat and Plain-backed Sunbird
Taita Hills Forests	Taita-Taveta	Just to the south and West of Voi town	Montane forest	Southern Banded Snake Eagle, Taita Falcon and Abbott's Starling as well as the 3 globally-endangered endemic species; Taita Thrush, Taita White-eye and Taita Apalis
Tana River Delta	Tana River	Roughly triangular area covering Lake Bilisa at its apex and with its base a 50km stretch of coastline from Kipini to Mto Kilifi	Lakes and streams (fresh and brackish), grasslands and wetlands (saline and freshwater), beaches, mudflats, dunes, woodland and forest	Southern Banded Snake Eagle, Malindi Pipit and Basra Reed Warbler. Also hosts internationally important levels of Gull-billed Tern, Caspian Tern, Lesser Crested Tern Saunders's Tern, Pink-backed Pelican, Yellow-billed Egret, Great Egret, Open-billed Stork, Yellow-billed Stork, African Spoonbill, Lesser Sandplover, Little Stint and Marsh Sandpiper
Tana River Forests	Tana River	Located along the last 65km of the course of the Tana River	Evergreen forest, deciduous woodland, bush and grassland	Southern Banded Snake Eagle, Fischer's Turaco, Malindi Pipit, East Coast Akalat, White-winged Apalis, Tana River Cisticola, Basra Reed Warbler and Plain-backed Sunbird
Tsavo West National Park	Taita-Taveta	906,500ha stretching from the Athi River to the Tanzanian border	Acacia-Commiphora bush, grassy plains and riverine scrub	Corncrake, Basra Reed Warbler and Friedmann's Lark

Province: Coast/Eastern

IBA	Districts	Location	Habitat	Globally-threatened Species
Tsavo East National Park	Tana River, Taita-Taveta and Kitui	1,175,000hs which extends from the South Kitui National Reserve in the north to the Voi-Maungu-Buchuma Road and railway in the south.	Acacia-Commiphora bush, bushed grassland, bushland and riverine scrub	Lesser Kestrel, Basra Reed Warbler and Friedmann's Lark

Province: Eastern

IBA	Districts	Location	Habitat	Globally-threatened Species
Dida Galgalu Desert	Marsabit	20 km north of Marsabit and extending for 60km on either side of the Marsabit-Moyale Road	Black-lava desert	Williams's Lark
Machakos Valleys	Machakos	Covers an area which is bisected by the Kimutwa-Makaveti-Kiatineni Road	Acacia xanthophloea woodland, riverine bush	Hinde's Babbler
Masinga Reservoir	Embu	Found along the Upper Tana River north of Ekarakara	Freshwater reservoir set in open Acacia-Commiphora bush	Hinde's Babbler also hosts congregations of White-winged Tern and Great Cormorant
Meru National Park	Meru and Tharaka-Nithi	85km east of Meru town	Acacia-Commiphora bushland, wooded grassland	The regionally-threatened Saddle-billed Stork is known to breed in the area
Mwea National Reserve	Embu	Lies at the confluence of the Tana and Thiba Rivers	Bush and woodland with open glades	Madagascar Squacco Heron and Hinde's Babbler (NB this is the only protected area in which Hinde's Babbler occurs)
Shaba National Reserve	Isiolo	Southern bank of the northern Uaso Nyiro River, 9km east of Buffalo Springs National Reserve	Commiphora bushland, riverine woodland and thickets, open lava desert, alkaline swamps and grassland	Lesser Kestrel and Williams's Lark

Province: Eastern/Rift Valley

IBA	Districts	Location	Habitat	Globally-threatened Species
Chyulu Hills Forest	Makueni and Kajiado	190km se of Nairobi, 30km sw of Kibwezi bordering Tsavo West National Park	Montane forest, brush and rough grassland	Abbott's Starling
Lake Turkana	Marsabit and Turkana	The northernmost of the Rift Valley Lakes borders onto Ethiopia.	Alkaline lake surrounded by sandy and rocky areas	Lesser Flamingo. It is also notable because over 10% of the East African/South East Asian wintering population of Little Stint are found here
Samburu and Buffalo Springs National Reserves	Isiolo and Samburu	Reserves lie either side of the northern Uaso Nyiro River some 340km NE of Nairobi	Acacia tortilis woodland, rocky cliffs and escarpments, open bush and grassland	Taita Falcon and Lesser Kestrel

Province: Nairobi

IBA	Districts	Location	Habitat	Globally-threatened Species
Dandora Ponds	Nairobi	20km east of Nairobi city centre just off the Nairobi-Kangundo Road	Sewage works using environmentally friendly natural treatment process which discharges into the Nairobi River. NB Access to the ponds requires special permission and is discouraged	No globally-threatened species but the area is home to internationally important populations of Southern Pochard and Northern Shoveller
Nairobi National Park	Nairobi	7km from Nairobi city centre	Grassland, woodland, thickets, dams and ponds and upland dry forest	Madagascar Squacco Heron, Corncrake Lesser Kestrel, Red-throated Tit and Jackson's Widowbird. In January 2000 this IBA was the centre of attention because of the discovery of what is believed to be a new pipit

Province: Nyanza

IBA	Districts	Location	Habitat	Globally-threatened Species
Dunga Swamp	Kisumu	10km S of Kisumu on the shores of Winam Gulf	Papyrus swamp	Papyrus Gonolek, Papyrus Yellow Warbler
Koguta Swamp	Kisumu	Mouth of the Sondu-Miriu River a few km SW of Nyando river mouth on the shores of Lake Victoria	Papyrus swamp	Papyrus Gonolek, Papyrus Yellow Warbler
Kusa Swamp	Kisumu	At the mouth of the River Nyando at the easternmost end of the Winam Gulf	Papyrus swamp	Papyrus Gonolek
Ruma National Park	Suba	10km east of Lake Victoria sw of Homa Bay	Grassland, thickets and open woodland	Blue Swallow

Province: Nyanza/Western

IBA	Districts	Location	Habitat	Globally-threatened Species
Yala Swamp	Siaya and Busia	Yala River delta between Port Victoria and Usenge and stretching eastwards to Lake Kanyaboli	Papyrus swamp	Papyrus Gonolek, Papyrus Yellow Warbler

Province: Rift Valley

IBA	Districts	Location	Habitat	Globally-threatened Species
Amboseli National Park	Kajiado	NW of Mt Kilimanjaro on the Tanzanian border	Papyrus swamps, acacia woodland and open grassland and scrub	Madagascar Squacco Heron, Lesser Flamingo, Lesser Kestrel and also possibly the Shoebill
Cherangani Hills	Elgeyo Marakwet and West Pokot	Western edge of the Rift Valley along the Elegeyo Escarpment	Montane forest, grassland, scrub, bamboo and moorland	No globally-threatened species but this area is home to one of the last breeding populations of Lammergeier in Kenya
Lake Baringo	Baringo	110km N of Nakuru the area is bounded by the Marigat-Loruk road to the west (taking in the basalt cliffs to the West of Kampi ya Samaki)	Shallow freshwater lake with swampy margins surrounded by basalt cliffs, bush and acacia woodland	Madagascar Squacco Heron, Lesser Flamingo, Pallid Harrier, Lesser Kestrel
Lake Bogoria National Reserve	Baringo and Koibatek	South of Lake Baringo along the Siracha Escarpment	Alkaline lake, hot springs, woodland and brush	Lesser Flamingo (this is an important feeding area and hosts large congregations). Also hosts large numbers of Greater Flamingo and Black-necked Grebe
Lake Elementeita	Nakuru	20 km SE of Nakuru town	Alkaline lake, acacia woodland, Tarchonanthus bushland and grassland	Greater Spotted Eagle, Lesser Kestrel, Lesser Flamingo, Grey-crested Helmet-shrike, Jackson's Widowbird. Also hosts large congregations of Black-necked Grebe, Great White Pelican, African Spoonbill, Greater Flamingo, Pied Avocet
Lake Magadi	Kajiado	85km SW of Nairobi close to Magadi town	Heavily alkaline lake with a fringe of brush	Lesser Flamingo
Lake Naivasha	Nakuru	80km NW of Nairobi along the Nairobi-Nakuru road	Freshwater lake with a papyrus swamp fringe and surrounding Acacia xanthophloea woodland.	Grey-crested Helmet-shrike, Basra Reed Warbler, Lesser Flamingo. Also has large congregations of Red-knobbed Coot, African Spoonbill and Little Grebe
Lake Nakuru National Park	Nakuru	Park border Nakuru town at its northern edge.	Alkaline lake with surrounding Acacia xanthophloea woodland and grassland	Madagascar Squacco Heron, Lesser Flamingo, Pallid Harrier, Greater Spotted Eagle, Grey-crested Helmet-shrike. Also hosts large congregations of Greater Flamingo, Black-necked Grebe, Little Grebe, Great White Pelican, Yellow-billed Stork, African Spoonbill, Black-winged Stilt, Grey-headed Gull and Gull-billed Tern
Maasai Mara	Narok and Trans-Mara	SW Kenya bordering Tanzania and contiguous with the Serengeti	Vast rolling grasslands, riverine forest, swamp, Acacia woodland and scrub as well as Croton and Tarchonanthus scrub and rocky cliffs and scarps	Madagascar Squacco Heron, Lesser Kestrel, Pallid Harrier, Corncrake, Grey-crested Helmet-shrike, Red-throated Tit, Jackson's Widowbird
Mau Forest Complex	Nakuru, Kericho, Narok and Bomet	270,300 ha of the south-western highlands to the W of Nakuru town and including Mau Narok. Molo, Kedowa and Sabatia	Montane forest, bamboo groves and grassland.	No globally-threatened species but the area is home to the Grey-winged Robin and the Purple-throated Cuckoo-shrike
Mau Narok/Molo Grasslands	Nakuru and Narok	Mau escarpment includes the towns of Mau Narok and East Mau	Montane grassland and farms	Lesser Kestrel, Pallid Harrier, Great Snipe, Sharpe's Longclaw, Aberdare Cisticola, Jackson's Widowbird
North Nandi Forest	Nandi	East of the Kakamega forest on the Nandi escarpment	Tropical and montane forest	Chapin's Flycatcher
Ol Donyo Sabache	Samburu	30km north of Archer's Post on the main Isiolo-Marsabit road	Basalt cliffs and Juniperus-Podocarpus forest	Taita Falcon
South Nandi Forest	Nandi	Lies west of Kapsabet town and south of the main Kapsabet-Kaimosi road	Tropical forest and montane forest.	Turner's Eremomela
South Nguruman	Narok	The western wall of the Rift Valley in the southernmost part of Kenya, 150 km SW of Nairobi	Acacia tortilis woodland, Acacia-Commiphora brush, Tarchonanthus thicket, grassland and sub-montane forest	Red-throated Tit, Grey-crested Helmet-shrike, Jackson's Widowbird

Province: Western

IBA	Districts	Location	Habitat	Globally-threatened Species
Busia Grasslands	Busia	Close to the Ugandan border in a largely agricultural area including the town of Mungatsi	Agricultural area which includes seasonally flooded grassland and riverine scrub	Great Snipe, Blue Swallow
Kakamega Forest	Kakamega	40km N of Kisumu and east of the Nandi escarpment.	Tropical rainforest containing grassy clearings and bushy glades	Chapin's Flycatcher, Turner's Eremomela
Mt Elgon	Mt Elgon/Trans-Nzoia	140km NE of Lake Victoria on the Kenya-Uganda border	Montane forest, moorland, bamboo and wooded grassland	Sharpe's Longclaw
Sio Port Swamp	Busia	Extreme N of Lake Victoria along the Ugandan border	Papyrus swamp	Papyrus Gonolek

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