Birdlife on Lamu Island : Lamu Island is a paradise, a UNESCO World Heritage Site 2001 and a centre of Swahili and Islamic culture located just off the shore of northern Kenya in Indian Ocean. The island is approximately 150 miles northeast of Mombasa, Lamu island is a charming destination for a Kenya beach holiday and perfect for historical walking tours, dhow sailing trips, sea kayaking and diving with dolphins.
Lamu Island is a birder’s paradise hosting over 482 species of recorded birds including 17 globally threatened species and 2 introduced species. During a Kenya birding , birds to look out for include the following
Bird checklist in Lamu
STRUTHIONIFORMES: Struthionidae
Somali Ostrich
ANSERIFORMES: Anatidae
White-faced Whistling-Duck
Fulvous Whistling-Duck
White-backed Duck
Knob-billed Duck
Egyptian Goose
Spur-winged Goose
African Pygmy-Goose
Blue-billed Teal
Yellow-billed Duck
Red-billed Duck
Southern Pochard
GALLIFORMES: Numididae
Helmeted Guineafowl
Vulturine Guineafowl
Crested Guineafowl
GALLIFORMES: Phasianidae
Crested Francolin
Blue Quail
Harlequin Quail
Yellow-necked Francolin
PHOENICOPTERIFORMES: Phoenicopteridae
Greater Flamingo
Lesser Flamingo
PODICIPEDIFORMES: Podicipedidae
Little Grebe
COLUMBIFORMES: Columbidae
Delegorgue’s Pigeon
Mourning Collared-Dove
Red-eyed Dove
Ring-necked Dove
Laughing Dove
Emerald-spotted Wood-Dove
Tambourine Dove
Namaqua Dove
African Green-Pigeon
PTEROCLIFORMES: Pteroclidae
Black-faced Sandgrouse
OTIDIFORMES: Otididae
Buff-crested Bustard
MUSOPHAGIFORMES: Musophagidae
Fischer’s Turaco
White-bellied Go-away-bird
CUCULIFORMES: Cuculidae
White-browed Coucal
Black Coucal
Green Malkoha
Levaillant’s Cuckoo
Pied Cuckoo
Thick-billed Cuckoo
Dideric Cuckoo
Klaas’s Cuckoo
African Emerald Cuckoo
Black Cuckoo
Lesser Cuckoo
African Cuckoo
Madagascar Cuckoo
Common Cuckoo
CAPRIMULGIFORMES: Caprimulgidae
Nubian Nightjar
Donaldson-Smith’s Nightjar
Fiery-necked Nightjar
Plain Nightjar
Slender-tailed Nightjar
CAPRIMULGIFORMES: Apodidae
Mottled Spinetail
Bat-like Spinetail
Alpine Swift
Common Swift
Little Swift
White-rumped Swift
African Palm-Swift
GRUIFORMES: Rallidae
Corn Crake
Spotted Crake
Lesser Moorhen
Allen’s Gallinule
Black Crake
GRUIFORMES: Heliornithidae
African Finfoot
CHARADRIIFORMES: Burhinidae
Water Thick-knee
Spotted Thick-knee
CHARADRIIFORMES: Recurvirostridae
Black-winged Stilt
Pied Avocet
CHARADRIIFORMES: Haematopodidae
Eurasian Oystercatcher
CHARADRIIFORMES: Charadriidae
Black-bellied Plover
Pacific Golden-Plover
Long-toed Lapwing
Blacksmith Lapwing
Spur-winged Lapwing
Black-headed Lapwing
Senegal Lapwing
Crowned Lapwing
Lesser Sand-Plover
Greater Sand-Plover
Caspian Plover
Kittlitz’s Plover
Kentish Plover
Common Ringed Plover
Little Ringed Plover
Three-banded Plover
White-fronted Plover
CHARADRIIFORMES: Rostratulidae
Greater Painted-Snipe
CHARADRIIFORMES: Jacanidae
African Jacana
CHARADRIIFORMES: Scolopacidae
Whimbrel
Eurasian Curlew
Bar-tailed Godwit
Black-tailed Godwit
Ruddy Turnstone
Ruff
Broad-billed Sandpiper
Curlew Sandpiper
Temminck’s Stint
Sanderling
Little Stint
Great Snipe
Common Snipe
Terek Sandpiper
Common Sandpiper
Green Sandpiper
Spotted Redshank
Common Greenshank
Marsh Sandpiper
Wood Sandpiper
Common Redshank
CHARADRIIFORMES: Turnicidae
Small Buttonquail
Quail-plover
CHARADRIIFORMES: Dromadidae
Crab-Plover
CHARADRIIFORMES: Glareolidae
Somali Courser
Temminck’s Courser
Three-banded Courser
Collared Pratincole
Madagascar Pratincole
CHARADRIIFORMES: Stercorariidae
Pomarine Jaeger
CHARADRIIFORMES: Laridae
Slender-billed Gull
Gray-hooded Gull
Black-headed Gull
Sooty Gull
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Brown Noddy
Sooty Tern
Bridled Tern
Saunders’s Tern
Gull-billed Tern
Caspian Tern
White-winged Tern
Whiskered Tern
Roseate Tern
Common Tern
White-cheeked Tern
Great Crested Tern
Lesser Crested Tern
PHAETHONTIFORMES: Phaethontidae
White-tailed Tropicbird
Red-tailed Tropicbird
PROCELLARIIFORMES: Oceanitidae
Wilson’s Storm-Petrel
Black-bellied Storm-Petrel
PROCELLARIIFORMES: Procellariidae
Wedge-tailed Shearwater
Tropical Shearwater
CICONIIFORMES: Ciconiidae
African Openbill
Abdim’s Stork
Woolly-necked Stork
White Stork
Saddle-billed Stork
Marabou Stork
Yellow-billed Stork
SULIFORMES: Sulidae
Masked Booby
Brown Booby
Red-footed Booby
SULIFORMES: Anhingidae
African Darter
SULIFORMES: Phalacrocoracidae
Long-tailed Cormorant
Great Cormorant
PELECANIFORMES: Pelecanidae
Great White Pelican
Pink-backed Pelican s
PELECANIFORMES: Scopidae
Hamerkop
PELECANIFORMES: Ardeidae
Little Bittern
Dwarf Bittern
Gray Heron
Black-headed Heron
Goliath Heron
Purple Heron
Great Egret
Intermediate Egret
Little Egret
Western Reef-Heron
Black Heron
Cattle Egret
Squacco Heron
Malagasy Pond-Heron
Striated Heron
Black-crowned Night-Heron
PELECANIFORMES: Threskiornithidae
Glossy Ibis
African Sacred Ibis
Hadada Ibis
African Spoonbill
ACCIPITRIFORMES: Sagittariidae
Secretarybird
ACCIPITRIFORMES: Pandionidae
Osprey
ACCIPITRIFORMES: Accipitridae
Black-winged Kite
Scissor-tailed Kite
African Harrier-Hawk
Palm-nut Vulture
Egyptian Vulture
European Honey-buzzard
African Cuckoo-Hawk
White-headed Vulture
Lappet-faced Vulture
Hooded Vulture
White-backed Vulture
Rüppell’s Griffon
Bateleur
Black-chested Snake-Eagle
Brown Snake-Eagle
Fasciated Snake-Eagle
Banded Snake-Eagle
Bat Hawk
Martial Eagle
Long-crested Eagle
Wahlberg’s Eagle
Ayres’s Hawk-Eagle
Tawny Eagle
Steppe Eagle
African Hawk-Eagle
Lizard Buzzard
Eastern Chanting-Goshawk
Gabar Goshawk
Grasshopper Buzzard
Pallid Harrier
Montagu’s Harrier
African Goshawk
Shikra
Little Sparrowhawk
Black Goshawk
Black Kite
African Fish-Eagle
Common Buzzard
Long-legged Buzzard
STRIGIFORMES: Tytonidae
Barn Owl
STRIGIFORMES: Strigidae
African Scops-Owl
Grayish Eagle-Owl
Verreaux’s Eagle-Owl
Pel’s Fishing-Owl
African Barred Owlet
African Wood-Owl
COLIIFORMES: Coliidae
Speckled Mousebird
White-headed Mousebird
Blue-naped Mousebird
TROGONIFORMES: Trogonidae
Narina Trogon
BUCEROTIFORMES: Upupidae
Eurasian Hoopoe
BUCEROTIFORMES: Phoeniculidae
Green Woodhoopoe
Violet Woodhoopoe
Common Scimitarbill
Abyssinian Scimitarbill
BUCEROTIFORMES: Bucorvidae
Southern Ground-Hornbill
BUCEROTIFORMES: Bucerotidae
Crowned Hornbill
African Gray Hornbill
Eastern Yellow-billed Hornbill
Von der Decken’s Hornbill
Northern Red-billed Hornbill
Trumpeter Hornbill
CORACIIFORMES: Alcedinidae
Malachite Kingfisher
African Pygmy Kingfisher
Gray-headed Kingfisher
Mangrove Kingfisher
Brown-hooded Kingfisher
Striped Kingfisher
Pied Kingfisher
CORACIIFORMES: Meropidae
Little Bee-eater
Somali Bee-eater
White-throated Bee-eater
Blue-cheeked Bee-eater
Madagascar Bee-eater
Northern Carmine Bee-eater
CORACIIFORMES: Coraciidae
European Roller
Lilac-breasted Roller
Rufous-crowned Roller
Broad-billed Roller
PICIFORMES: Lybiidae
D’Arnaud’s Barbet
Green Tinkerbird
Yellow-rumped Tinkerbird
Red-fronted Tinkerbird
Black-throated Barbet
Black-collared Barbet
Brown-breasted Barbet
PICIFORMES: Indicatoridae
Green-backed Honeyguide
Pallid Honeyguide
Lesser Honeyguide
Scaly-throated Honeyguide
Greater Honeyguide
PICIFORMES: Picidae
Cardinal Woodpecker
Bearded Woodpecker
Green-backed Woodpecker
Nubian Woodpecker
Mombasa Woodpecker
FALCONIFORMES: Falconidae
Pygmy Falcon
Lesser Kestrel
Eurasian Kestrel
Red-necked Falcon
Amur Falcon
Eurasian Hobby
Lanner Falcon
Peregrine Falcon
PSITTACIFORMES: Psittacidae
Brown-headed Parrot
Red-bellied Parrot
PASSERIFORMES: Campephagidae
Black Cuckooshrike
PASSERIFORMES: Oriolidae
Eurasian Golden Oriole
African Golden Oriole
African Black-headed Oriole
PASSERIFORMES: Platysteiridae
Black-throated Wattle-eye
Pale Batis
Gray-headed Batis
Eastern Black-headed Batis
Pygmy Batis
PASSERIFORMES: Vangidae
White Helmetshrike
Retz’s Helmetshrike
Chestnut-fronted Helmetshrike
PASSERIFORMES: Malaconotidae
Brubru
Black-backed Puffback
Black-crowned Tchagra
Brown-crowned Tchagra
Three-streaked Tchagra
Red-naped Bushshrike
Coastal Boubou
Tropical Boubou
Zanzibar Boubou
Slate-colored Boubou
Rosy-patched Bushshrike
Sulphur-breasted Bushshrike
Four-colored Bushshrike
Gray-headed Bushshrike
PASSERIFORMES: Dicruridae
Fork-tailed Drongo
Glossy-backed Drongo
PASSERIFORMES: Monarchidae
African Crested-Flycatcher
African Paradise-Flycatcher
PASSERIFORMES: Laniidae
Red-backed Shrike
Long-tailed Fiscal
Taita Fiscal
White-rumped Shrike
PASSERIFORMES: Corvidae
House Crow
Pied Crow
PASSERIFORMES: Alaudidae
Chestnut-backed Sparrow-Lark
Chestnut-headed Sparrow-Lark
Fischer’s Sparrow-Lark
Pink-breasted Lark
Flappet Lark
PASSERIFORMES: Nicatoridae
Eastern Nicator
PASSERIFORMES: Macrosphenidae
Northern Crombec
Red-faced Crombec
Somali Crombec
PASSERIFORMES: Cisticolidae
Yellow-bellied Eremomela
Greencap Eremomela
Gray Wren-Warbler
Green-backed Camaroptera
White-winged Apalis
Yellow-breasted Apalis
Black-headed Apalis
Tawny-flanked Prinia
Pale Prinia
Red-fronted Prinia
Rock-loving Cisticola
Rattling Cisticola
Ashy Cisticola
Tana River Cisticola
Coastal Cisticola
Siffling Cisticola
PASSERIFORMES: Acrocephalidae
Eastern Olivaceous Warbler
Upcher’s Warbler
Olive-tree Warbler
Icterine Warbler
Sedge Warbler
Marsh Warbler
Eurasian Reed Warbler
African Reed Warbler
Basra Reed Warbler
Lesser Swamp Warbler
Great Reed Warbler
PASSERIFORMES: Locustellidae
River Warbler
PASSERIFORMES: Hirundinidae
Bank Swallow
Barn Swallow
Ethiopian Swallow
Wire-tailed Swallow
Lesser Striped Swallow
Mosque Swallow
Common House-Martin
Black Sawwing
PASSERIFORMES: Pycnonotidae
Sombre Greenbul
Yellow-bellied Greenbul
Terrestrial Brownbul
Northern Brownbul
Fischer’s Greenbul
Tiny Greenbul
Common Bulbul
PASSERIFORMES: Phylloscopidae
Wood Warbler
Willow Warbler
PASSERIFORMES: Scotocercidae
Yellow Flycatcher
PASSERIFORMES: Sylviidae
Garden Warbler
Barred Warbler
Greater Whitethroat
PASSERIFORMES: Zosteropidae
Pale White-eye
PASSERIFORMES: Leiothrichidae
Rufous Chatterer
Scaly Chatterer
Scaly Babbler
PASSERIFORMES: Buphagidae
Red-billed Oxpecker
PASSERIFORMES: Sturnidae
Wattled Starling
Violet-backed Starling
Magpie Starling
Black-bellied Starling
Shelley’s Starling
Rüppell’s Starling
Golden-breasted Starling
Superb Starling
Fischer’s Starling
Greater Blue-eared Starling
PASSERIFORMES: Turdidae
Red-tailed Ant-Thrush
Spotted Ground-Thrush
African Bare-eyed Thrush
PASSERIFORMES: Muscicapidae
Spotted Flycatcher
African Gray Flycatcher
Pale Flycatcher
Ashy Flycatcher
Southern Black-Flycatcher
Bearded Scrub-Robin
Rufous-tailed Scrub-Robin
Red-backed Scrub-Robin
White-browed Robin-Chat
Red-capped Robin-Chat
Collared Palm-Thrush
Spotted Morning-Thrush
Common Nightingale
Rufous-tailed Rock-Thrush
Northern Wheatear
Isabelline Wheatear
Desert Wheatear
Pied Wheatear
PASSERIFORMES: Nectariniidae
Plain-backed Sunbird
Eastern Violet-backed Sunbird
Uluguru Violet-backed Sunbird
Collared Sunbird
Olive Sunbird
Mouse-colored Sunbird
Amethyst Sunbird
Hunter’s Sunbird
Black-bellied Sunbird
Purple-banded Sunbird
Violet-breasted Sunbird
Variable Sunbird
PASSERIFORMES: Ploceidae
Red-billed Buffalo-Weaver
White-headed Buffalo-Weaver
Red-headed Weaver
Black-necked Weaver
Spectacled Weaver
African Golden-Weaver
Golden Palm Weaver
Lesser Masked-Weaver
Village Weaver
Forest Weaver
Red-billed Quelea
Zanzibar Red Bishop
Black-winged Bishop
Fire-fronted Bishop
Fan-tailed Widowbird
Grosbeak Weaver
PASSERIFORMES: Estrildidae
Bronze Mannikin
Black-and-white Mannikin
African Silverbill
Green-backed Twinspot
Common Waxbill
Purple Grenadier
Red-cheeked Cordonbleu
Green-winged Pytilia
Peters’s Twinspot
Red-billed Firefinch
Jameson’s Firefinch
PASSERIFORMES: Viduidae
Pin-tailed Whydah
Eastern Paradise-Whydah
Steel-blue Whydah
Straw-tailed Whydah
Village Indigobird
Purple Indigobird
Parasitic Weaver
PASSERIFORMES: Passeridae
House Sparrow
Northern Gray-headed Sparrow
Parrot-billed Sparrow
Yellow-spotted Bush Sparrow
PASSERIFORMES: Motacillidae
Western Yellow Wagtail
African Pied Wagtail
White Wagtail
African Pipit
Tawny Pipit
Malindi Pipit
Red-throated Pipit
Golden Pipit
Yellow-throated Longclaw
Pangani Longclaw
PASSERIFORMES: Fringillidae
Yellow-fronted Canary
Reichenow’s Seedeater
PASSERIFORMES: Emberizidae
Somali Bunting
