Birdwatching Holiday Ethiopia

with Steve Rooke and Merid Gabremichael (or Mihret Ewnetu on 2nd departure) as leaders.

bale

Cost: £2270 plus about £540 for flights (2010)
Single room supplement: £120

Please click here for details and an explanation of the price breakdown

Maximum group size: 12 with 2 leaders.

Bird List

Booking Form

Millions of years ago eastern Africa was subjected to immense and violent volcanic activity. As unimaginable forces pushed the earth’s crust upwards in a gigantic dome, great fissures opened in the centre causing large areas to sink back while the outer edges continued to rise. The resulting slash in the surface of the planet became the Rift Valley, the geographical feature that dominates this corner of Africa and runs right across Ethiopia.

The highland plateaux that formed on either side of the Rift represents the continent’s largest area of Afro-alpine habitat and also contains some of the most spectacular scenery in Africa. Isolated for thousands of years, these regions have seen the evolution of many distinct forms of life. Mammals such as the Giant Mole Rat and the secretive Simien Wolf haunt a stark and beautiful landscape full of strange and unusual plants. Over 800 birds have been seen in the region, some of which can be found nowhere else in the world. We hope to encounter many of these endemics as we travel along the Rift Valley floor and across highland areas rightly christened ‘the roof of Africa’.

Ethiopia, the point where Africa meets Arabia, sits at a cultural and historical crossroads. This combination of history, stunning scenery, and above all a fascinating and easily accessible wildlife makes Ethiopia a perfect destination for a birdwatching holiday, even more so now with the publictaion of a truly excellent field guide, the first to fully cover the region. Steve Rooke returns in 2010 for his twelfth Ethiopian tour.

Day 1: The tour begins with an overnight flight from London to Addis Ababa.

Day 2: After arriving in Addis we begin by driving across the city and over the Entoto Hills, escorted as we go by hordes of Yellow-billed Kites that fill the skies above Addis. As we clear the extensive eucalyptus plantations that cloak the hills, a wonderful mosaic of small fields, grassland and villages that is Soluta Plain opens out before us. This is where we’ll encounter our first endemic birds, with White-collared Pigeon and Wattled Ibis quite common in places. There will be Thick-billed Ravens in some of the villages we drive through and we should also see a few Blue-winged Geese on roadside pools, with Erlanger’s Larks and perhaps Black-headed Siskins on the roadside verges. Non-endemic species will include Groundscraper Thrushes, Thekla Larks and Red-breasted Wheatears, and the plains are home to wintering visitors from farther north including Isabelline and Northern Wheatears, Ortolan Buntings, and Red-throated Pipits. There should be Augur Buzzards sitting on roadside poles and perhaps a Pallid Harrier will sweep low over the fields.

We should reach our lodge perched right on the edge of an immense gorge at Debre Libanos in time for lunch. We’ll spend the afternoon on foot exploring this dramatic landscape. The gorge is patrolled by flocks of Rüppell’s Vultures and other raptors that may join them include Tawny and Verreaux’s Eagles, and Lanner Falcon and if we are lucky we may be treated to an eye-level fly past by a mighty Lammergeier. There will be more endemics to look for as this rocky habitat is home to White-billed Starlings, Abyssinian Black Wheatears, Rüppells Black Chat, and White-winged Cliff Chat. We’ll also see our first endemic mammal here as the gorge is frequented by a troop of the bizarre Gelada Baboon complete with some of the impressively maned males. Night at Debre Libanos.

Day 3: We’ll leave early and retrace our steps towards Addis before turning off to visit another part of the Jemma Gorge. Even more impressive than Debre Libanos, our road will take us down into the gorge and across the Jemma river. We’ll stop on the way to see Erckel’s Francolin, which can be quite common here, and to also look for the endemic and scarce Harwood’s Francolin, a species with a very restricted range in Ethiopia. We may encounter a Walhberg’s Eagle or a Fox Kestrel as we descend and once on the valley floor we’ll look for Half-collared Kingfisher, Vinaceous Dove, Foxy Cisticola, Black-winged Red Bishop and the endemic White-throated Seedeater. Later in the day we’ll climb back out of the gorge to return to Addis and continue to the town of Nazaret where we’ll spend the night.

Day 4: Today we begin our descent towards the Awash Plains. The temperature in this region rises quickly as the day progresses so we’ll start before dawn to reach our first birding stop while it is still relatively cool. Evidence of relatively recent volcanic activity will become very obvious as we approach the extinct Fantale Crater, and we stop at the edge of a vast lava flow to look for Chestnut-eared and Chestnut-headed Sparrow-Larks, Blackstart, the endemic Sombre Chat, Bristle-crowned Starlings, Shining Sunbird and Striolated Bunting. Continuing northeast, we cross the plains of Awash National Park to reach our lodge. Located on the same spot where Wilfred Thesiger camped on his journey to follow the route of the Awash River, and with huts based on the same design as those built by local Afar tribe, Bilen Lodge offers a taste of real Africa.

In the afternoon we’ll search the immediate vicinity of our lodge for regional specialities such as Senegal Thick-knee, Lichtenstein’s Sandgrouse, Yellow-breasted Barbet, Ethiopian Swallow, Black Scrub Robin, Northern Crombec, and Nile Valley Sunbird, and we should not have far to go to find at least one Arabian Bustard, as this normally rare bird appears to be quite common here. Nearby we’ll search the open scrub for wintering migrants from the north including perhaps Black-eared Wheatear, Rufous Scrub Robin, Siberian Stonechat, and Eastern Olivaceous, Upcher’s, Barred and Ménétries's Warblers. A few African Collared Doves can be found among the much more numerous African Mourning Doves, the gentle purring calls of which provide a constant soundtrack to our time at Bilen. Gaudy Abyssinian Rollers and Black-throated Barbets will be found among the taller acacias and the lodge overlooks a large marsh covered in dense reeds where Saddle-billed Storks are regular and Collared Pratincoles and flocks of Northern Carmine Bee-eaters sometimes hawk for insects. A few Lions inhabit this area and are very occasionally seen coming to drink at the marsh, although we are more likely to encounter an African Wild Cat. More common animals we should see include the tiny Salt’s Dikdik and perhaps a long-necked Gerenuk or a Lesser Kudu. As dusk falls the car-alarm calls of Slender-tailed Nightjars will fill the now cool night air. Night at Bilen Lodge.

Day 5: After an early morning spent around the lodge, we leave for Awash National Park, stopping on the way to search for Heuglin’s Courser in the dense scrub and to scan a vast plain where we should see Somali Ostrich and a variety of raptors, including perhaps a Saker. In the past this region has produced some surprises, including Pale Rock Sparrows and Bimaculated Larks. Reaching the Park, we’ll drive slowly across the grassland and open savannah. This is good shrike country and we are bound to see several large Somali Fiscals, as well as Southern Grey, Woodchat and Isabelline Shrikes. We’ll also be on the lookout for bustards and may see a Kori Bustard striding through the grassland perhaps with a Northern Carmine Bee-eaters hitching a ride on its back. Other species present here are Buff-crested, White-bellied and Hartlaub’s Bustards. In some years Harlequin Quail are numerous here, flushing from the side of the track as we drive by. As the day draws to a close we’ll reach our lodge located right on the edge of the impressive Awash River Falls. After dark we’ll try to find some night birds with African Scops Owl and Pearl-spotted Owlet possible. Night at Awash Falls Lodge.

sunset

Day 6: Within a few hours of sunrise, Awash Park turns into a shimmering haze of savannah as temperatures soar. This means that the bird life is most active just after dawn and we’ll make sure we are out before first light to catch all the activity. In the open grasslands we’ll look for Secretary Bird, Red-winged and Singing Bush Larks, Desert and Ashy Cisticolas, and, if we are lucky, we may see an elegant African Swallow-tailed Kite drifting over the trees. Flocks of Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse can be found anywhere, and in the denser areas of scrub we’ll look for Gillet’s Lark, Red-fronted Warbler, Green-winged Pytilia, and Grey Wren Warbler, while raptors vary from the tiny Pygmy Falcon to the massive Lappet-faced Vulture. If there has been rain we should also see Eastern Paradise and Straw-tailed Whydahs, the males in striking breeding plumage. This is also a good place for mammals and there will be groups of Beisa Oryx and the endemic Soemmering’s Gazelle out on the plains.

Leaving Awash behind, we travel back towards Addis before turning south down the Rift Valley towards Lake Langano. We’ll notice White-backed and Hooded Vultures overhead and before long vivid Superb Starlings and White-headed Buffalo Weavers at the roadside. We’ll make a few stops, including one at Lake Zwiay where we’ll find a good selection of waterbirds. A roadway built out into the lake as a landing place for fishing boats also gives us unique access to the rich waterside vegetation. Birds are very confiding here and will include Great White Pelican, hordes of Hammerkops, Yellow-billed Stork, ranks of Marabou Storks, African Spoonbill, African Jacanas, African Darter, Hottentot Teal, White-faced and Fulvous Whistling Duck, and African Pygmy-goose. Wintering Whiskered and White-winged Black Terns join the flocks of Grey-headed Gulls and in the flooded grasslands there will be wintering Yellow Wagtails, including the distinctive Black-headed race. Over the years this site has turned up some surprises and we will be searching carefully for anything unusual such as Black Heron, Lesser Jacana or Lesser Moorhen.

We’ll reach our lakeside hotel in the afternoon and spend the rest of the day birding in the hotel grounds – a mix of tall acacias, dense scrub, and boulder-strewn slopes. We shall explore these habitats for a variety of birds including Von Der Decken’s, Northern Red-billed and Hemprich’s Hornbills, Red-fronted Barbet, Bearded Woodpecker, Little Rock Thrush, Rattling Cisticola, Beautiful Sunbird, Buff-bellied Warbler, Red-billed Firefinch, Red-cheeked Cordon Bleu, and Rüppell’s Weaver. Freckled Nightjars live on the rocky escarpment and, as dusk approaches, we’ll stay out to look for them. Night at Lake Langano.

Day 7: We’ll spend the morning once more exploring the bird-rich grounds of the hotel. Mocking Cliff Chats move down from the cliffs to start their day feeding around the hotel grounds and this is a great place to see Red-throated Wryneck and the beautifully coloured African Pygmy Kingfisher. The distinctive calls of Ethiopian and Slate-coloured Boubous and Sulphur-breasted Bush Shrikes will join the dawn chorus and vivid Blue-breasted Bee-eaters will be zipping around the cliff face. We may even find a roosting Verreaux’s Eagle Owl.

Leaving Lake Langano we’ll travel the short distance to another Rift Valley lake, Abiata. Although this lake is suffering from water extraction, the lakeshore can still hold good numbers of waterbirds including huge numbers of both Greater and Lesser Flamingos, a variety of waders including Kittlitz’s Plover and Pacific Golden Plover, and Common, Black-crowned and occasionally Wattled Cranes. The lawn-like lake edge is ideal habitat for Temminck’s Coursers, while the adjacent acacia woodland is home to Black-billed Woodhoope, Black Scimitarbill, and White-winged Black Tit.

Continuing south down the Rift Valley we reach the wooded slopes of Wondo Genet. This popular site is famous for its natural hot springs surrounded by forest and we'll spend the remainder of the afternoon pottering around the lush grounds of the hotel where Tacazze and Variable Sunbirds feed among the flowering shrubs. The roof of the restaurant is a perfect place to relax with a cold beer while scanning the imposing Rift Valley escarpment for soaring raptors which can include Crowned and Steppe Eagles and Ayre's Hawk Eagle, or peering into the massive fig trees to find Bruce’s Green Pigeon or the endemic Banded Barbet. Night at Wondo Genet.

Day 8: We have all day to explore the woods around Wondo Genet. We'll begin with a pre-breakfast walk down to the hot springs where hulking Silvery-cheeked Hornbills, White-cheeked Turacos, Double-toothed Barbets and Abyssinian Orioles will be feeding in the fig trees and noisy Guereza Colobus will be cavorting around the scented Jacaranda trees. We’ll look for flocks of Slender-billed and Sharpe’s Starlings as they leave their roosts and prepare to move down into the valley to feed and we’ll listen out for the distinctive calls of endemic Yellow-fronted Parrots as they also venture out from their roosts and flash past overhead.

Later we'll take a walk through some of the forest that cloaks the escarpment which, although degraded, still shelters a good assortment of birds. The cryptically marked Spotted Creeper is frequently encountered here, their high-pitched calls often betraying their presence. An isolated population of Scaly Francolins is found here, and although their calls are frequently heard, they are less often seen. We’ll be looking for the endemic Abyssinian Woodpecker as well as Grey-headed Woodpecker and Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird, and a mixed feeding flock could hold Red-shouldered and Grey Cuckooshrikes, Eastern Honeybird, Scaly-throated Honeyguide and the striking Red-headed Weaver. Tambourine Doves can shoot past at high speed and a rich warbling song may give away the location of African Hill Babbler. Another striking feature of this woodland will be the butterflies with the wide trails buzzing with some amazingly colourful and huge specimens. The day may end once again on the restaurant rooftop scanning for raptors and watching the sun set across the great African Rift. Night at Wondo Genet

Day 9: Much of today will be taken up with a drive into Bale Mountains that will take us through some spectacular scenery. To begin we cross extensive areas of wheat fields where we’ll stop to look for Red-chested and Grey-rumped Swallows as well as groups of migrant Lesser Kestrels or European Bee-eaters. The level agriculture gives way to more rugged highlands as we gain altitude. Once more we start to see flocks of White-collared Pigeons and Wattled Ibis along the roadside and Dusky Turtle Doves become common. We make a stop to see a Cape Eagle Owl at a traditional roost site, to be followed by a walk through the rich juniper woodland surrounding the Bale Mountain National Park headquarters. Here we are looking in particular for the little known Abyssinian Long-eared Owl and perhaps some roosting Montane Nightjars and we’ll encounter the impressive endemic Mountain Nyala and Meneliks Bushbuck. Night in Goba.

Day 10: We have a whole day to spend up on the Sanetti Plateau, a wonderful Afro-alpine habitat of pools and small lakes, dense, low flowering bushes, beds of tiny alpine flowers and spikes of Giant Lobelias. Rouget’s Rails are remarkably tame up here and we'll have seen dozens by the end of the day and we are bound to see Chestnut-naped Francolins and Moorland Francolins. Elsewhere we'll encounter more Blue-winged Geese on the pools, Spot-breasted Plovers, flocks of Black-headed Siskins and Red-throated Pipits, Alpine Chats, African Snipe, and, with luck, a pair of the stately Wattled Cranes that breed up here. Augur Buzzards perch on top of the giant lobelia flower spikes and a sighting of a Ruddy Shelduck, Golden Eagle or a flock of Red-billed Chough reminds us of this region's strange Palearctic affinities. Despite all these avian attractions the star of today’s show may be the elegant Simien Wolf. This endangered canine clings to a fragile existence only here and in the Simien Mountains to the north. Its main prey is the comical Giant Root Rat which is plentiful on the plateau and it is quite common to see wolves actually hunting these goofy rodents.

Leaving the high moorland behind, we drop down into some good forest and wander slowly downhill searching for Abyssinian Ground Thrush, Abyssinian Catbird, Abyssinian Slaty Flycatcher, skulking Cinnamon Bracken Warbler, White-backed Black Tit, Brown-rumped Seedeaters, Mountain Thrush, and Yellow-bellied Waxbill among many others. We may also find the local Bale race of Brown Parisoma, considered by some to be a full species. Night in Goba.

Day 11: Today we retrace our steps across the plateau, following the highest all-weather road in Africa. Up here on the roof of Africa the views can be awe-inspiring, especially as we leave the highlands to descend into some rich forest. Here we’ll have another chance to look for any forest birds missed the day before, as well as seeking some new species such as the tiny Abyssinian Crimsonwing and the beautiful Narina’s Trogon. Our destination is the town of Negelle and we expect to reach there during the late afternoon, having driven through some superb landscapes of endless acacia woodland. Night in Negelle.

Day 12: In the early 1890's a certain Prince Ruspoli collected a stunningly beautiful turaco somewhere in Ethiopia. Unfortunately he died before he could reveal the exact location and it was not until the 1940’s that the world finally came to know where Prince Ruspoli’s Turaco could be seen. This striking bird remains rare and much sought after, confined to the remnant habitat to be found around Negelle and we’ll devote part of today to looking for it. Nearby can be found another endemic, although one nowhere as colourful as the turaco. Sidamo Lark is yet another bird restricted to a tiny area in Ethiopia and is found only on the open grassy plains close to Negelle. Other birds out on the plains and in the immediate region include Black-winged Plover, Somali Short-toed Lark, Plain-backed Pipit, White-crowned Starling, Pectoral-patch Cisticola, and Shelley’s Rufous Sparrow. Night in Negelle.

Day 13: Leaving Negelle we embark on a journey that will take us in a wide loop through the south of Ethiopia and to the town of Yabello. There will be stops on the way as we’ll find ourselves in very bird-rich habitats of dense acacia and Commiphora scrub broken by small fields and more open savannah punctuated by towering brick-red termite chimneys. Gangs of Vulturine Guineafowl roam through the scrub and we are guaranteed at least one encounter. This is good bush shrike country and in addition to seeing Rosy-patched, Grey-headed and Sulphur-breasted Bush Shrikes, we have a very good chance of finding Red-naped Bush Shrike, a rare species found only in parts of East Africa.

Other species with ranges restricted within East Africa that we hope to see include Pringle’s Puffback, Scaly Chatterer, Pygmy Batis and the striking White-crowned Starling. Along the way we’ll be on the lookout for Crested Francolin, Somali Courser, Orange-bellied Parrot, Abyssinian Scimitarbill, gorgeous Golden-breasted Starlings, Golden Pipit, Shelley’s Starling, Tiny Cisticola, Pale Prinia, Foxy Lark, d’Arnaud’s and Red and Yellow Barbets, Somali Crombec, Black-capped Social Weaver, and Marico and Variable Sunbirds. A riverside stop may give us two more rare East African species in the form of White-winged Dove and Juba Weaver, along with Magpie Starling and Black-bellied Sunbird.

Despite these and many other birds to be found here, the Yabello region is perhaps best known for two endemic birds that are only found in this tiny part of southern Ethiopia – the bizarre Stresemann’s Bush-Crow and the elegant White-tailed Swallow, both of which we should see before the day is out. In the evening we’ll venture out after dark to look for Donaldson Smith's Nightjars and we may also find some cute Somali Galagos clambering energetically through the acacias. Night in Yabello.

Day 14: We have the morning to explore the countryside around the town of Yabello. This is a region rich in birds and species we hope to find in the acacia scrub and around the fields tended by the local Borena people include White-bellied Bustard, Eastern Pale Chanting Goshawk, Gabar Goshawk, Bateleur, Bare-eyed thrush, Spotted Morning Thrush, Shelley’s Starling, Banded Parisoma, Boran Cisticola, Purple Grenadier, Straw-tailed Whydah, Black-cheeked Waxbil,l and Somali Golden-breasted Bunting. After lunch we’ll begin the long drive north to Awassa where we spend the night. Our drive takes us up into the lush coffee-growing region and we’ll be looking out for species such as White-necked Storks, Silvery-cheeked Hornbills, and Great Sparrowhawk along the way. Night in Awassa.

Day 15: Our hotel grounds on the lake shore have a distinctly tropical feel and we’ll spend the morning searching the lake edge vegetation for waterbirds such as Black Crake, dashing Malachite Kingfishers, the drab Lesser Swamp Warbler, and Thick-billed Weavers. Small pools along the lake shore are good places to find wintering waders such as Marsh Sandpiper and Temminck’s Stint while elsewhere in this pleasant setting we should find Blue-headed Coucal, Red-fronted Tinkerbird, Double-toothed Barbet, White-rumped Babbler, Grey-headed Batis and Common Wattle-eye. We’ll visit another lake-side fish market which will be teeming with pelicans, herons and egrets and which is fringed by giant fig trees which will be buzzing with birds, including the vivid Violet-backed Starling. After lunch we’ll head north once more and return to Lake Langano for one night.

Day 16: Although this is a return visit there will be plenty of new birds to look for. Before breakfast we will once more wander around the acacia scrub and tall trees surrounding the hotel. The endemic Black-winged Lovebird can be common here, as can Blue-naped Mousebirds. Gangs of Rufous Chatterers scurry through the vegetation and the calls of Striped Kingfisher echo around the rock faces. Northern migrants could include Common and Thrush Nightingale, Masked Shrike, and Black-eared Wheatear, while raptors seen here in the past include dashing Bat Hawk.

After breakfast we'll drive farther north along the lake shore to another lodge where we can see Slender-tailed Nightjars at a daytime roost and, with luck, find a pair of Clapperton’s Francolins in the grounds. There may be time for another stop at Lake Zwiay as we head back to Addis, and we hope to reach the capital in the later afternoon. We will have rooms at a hotel to repack before we have our traditional last night meal at one of the finest restaurants in Addis and later transfer to the airport in time for our flight back to London where the tour ends on Day 17.

Note: For those wishing to stay out in Ethiopia and visit some of the cultural and historical sites in the north of the country, such as the rock-hewn churches at Lalibella, we can arrange a post-tour extension either with or without a local guide. Please contact the Sunbird office for details.

E-mail or phone +44 (0)1767 262522 for availability.

Return to top of page
Return to 'Africa' introduction

Last updated August 2010