Complete Lake Natron Bird Checklist
The complete Lake Natron bird checklist below has travelers ticking off the different birds they get to spot while on a Lake Natron safari anytime of the year. Lake Natron is a beautiful area inhabiting the much sought after Lake Natron, a late that is crimson red and a great habitat for the pink flamingos, which are abundant here.
Lake Natron is a breeding ground of the lesser flamingos, with about 75% of the world population lesser flamingos found here. With over 200 birds recorded in Lake Natron, including it on your Tanzania birding safari is encouraged, that you get to see a variety of species, especially the near threatened Lesser Flamingo. Use the complete Lake Natron bird checklist below whilst on your Tanzania birding safari;
| Ostriches: Struthionidae | ||
| 1 | Common Ostrich | Struthio camelus |
| Ducks: Anatidae | ||
| 2 | White-faced Whistling-Duck | Dendrocygna viduata |
| 3 | Fulvous Whistling-Duck | Dendrocygna bicolor |
| 4 | Knob-billed Duck | Sarkidiornis melanotos |
| 5 | Egyptian Goose | Alopochen aegyptiaca |
| 6 | Spur-winged Goose | Plectropterus gambensis |
| 7 | Blue-billed Teal | Spatula hottentota |
| 8 | /Northern Shoveler/ | Spatula clypeata |
| 9 | Cape Teal | Anas capensis |
| 10 | Red-billed Duck | Anas erythrorhyncha |
| Guineafowl: Numididae | ||
| 11 | Helmeted Guineafowl | Numida meleagris |
| Pheasants, Grouse, and Allies: Phasianidae | ||
| 12 | Crested Francolin | Ortygornis sephaena |
| 13 | Coqui Francolin | Campocolinus coqui |
| 14 | Harlequin Quail | Coturnix delegorguei |
| 15 | Scaly Spurfowl | Pternistis squamatus |
| 16 | Hildebrandt’s Spurfowl | Pternistis hildebrandti |
| 17 | Yellow-necked Spurfowl | Pternistis leucoscepus |
| Pigeons and Doves: Columbidae | ||
| 18 | Speckled Pigeon | Columba guinea |
| 19 | Mourning Collared-Dove | Streptopelia decipiens |
| 20 | Red-eyed Dove | Streptopelia semitorquata |
| 21 | Ring-necked Dove | Streptopelia capicola |
| 22 | Laughing Dove | Spilopelia senegalensis |
| 23 | Emerald-spotted Wood-Dove | Turtur chalcospilos |
| 24 | Namaqua Dove | Oena capensis |
| Sandgrouse: Pteroclidae | ||
| 25 | Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse | Pterocles exustus |
| 26 | Black-faced Sandgrouse | Pterocles decoratus |
| Bustards: Otididae | ||
| 27 | Kori Bustard | Ardeotis kori |
| 28 | White-bellied Bustard | Eupodotis senegalensis |
| 29 | Buff-crested Bustard | Lophotis gindiana |
| 30 | Black-bellied Bustard | Lissotis melanogaster |
| Turacos: Musophagidae | ||
| 31 | Bare-faced Go-away-bird | Crinifer personatus |
| 32 | White-bellied Go-away-bird | Crinifer leucogaster |
| Cuckoos: Cuculidae | ||
| 33 | Red-chested Cuckoo | Cuculus solitarius |
| 34 | /Common Cuckoo/ | Cuculus canorus |
| 35 | African Cuckoo | Cuculus gularis |
| 36 | White-browed Coucal | Centropus superciliosus |
| 37 | Klaas’s Cuckoo | Chrysococcyx klaas |
| Nightjars and Allies: Caprimulgidae | ||
| 38 | Sombre Nightjar | Caprimulgus fraenatus |
| 39 | Donaldson Smith’s Nightjar | Caprimulgus donaldsoni |
| 40 | Slender-tailed Nightjar | Caprimulgus clarus |
| 41 | Square-tailed Nightjar | Caprimulgus fossii |
| Swifts: Apodidae | ||
| 42 | Mottled Spinetail | Telacanthura ussheri |
| 43 | Mottled Swift | Tachymarptis aequatorialis |
| 44 | |Common Swift| | Apus apus |
| 45 | Nyanza Swift | Apus niansae |
| 46 | Little Swift | Apus affinis |
| 47 | White-rumped Swift | Apus caffer |
| Cranes: Gruidae | ||
| 48 | Gray Crowned-Crane | Balearica regulorum |
| Stilts and Avocets: Recurvirostridae | ||
| 49 | Black-winged Stilt | Himantopus himantopus |
| 50 | Pied Avocet | Recurvirostra avosetta |
| Plovers and Lapwings: Charadriidae | ||
| 51 | /Black-bellied Plover/ | Pluvialis squatarola |
| 52 | /Common Ringed Plover/ | Charadrius hiaticula |
| 53 | Three-banded Plover | Thinornis tricollaris |
| 54 | Blacksmith Lapwing | Vanellus armatus |
| 55 | Spur-winged Lapwing | Vanellus spinosus |
| 56 | Black-winged Lapwing | Vanellus melanopterus |
| 57 | Crowned Lapwing | Vanellus coronatus |
| 58 | Wattled Lapwing | Vanellus senegallus |
| 59 | /Caspian Plover/ | Anarhynchus asiaticus |
| 60 | Kittlitz’s Plover | Anarhynchus pecuarius |
| 61 | Chestnut-banded Plover | Anarhynchus pallidus |
| Sandpipers and Allies: Scolopacidae | ||
| 62 | /Common Snipe/ | Gallinago gallinago |
| 63 | /Common Sandpiper/ | Actitis hypoleucos |
| 64 | /Green Sandpiper/ | Tringa ochropus |
| 65 | /Marsh Sandpiper/ | Tringa stagnatilis |
| 66 | /Wood Sandpiper/ | Tringa glareola |
| 67 | /Common Greenshank/ | Tringa nebularia |
| 68 | /Ruff/ | Calidris pugnax |
| 69 | /Curlew Sandpiper/ | Calidris ferruginea |
| 70 | /Little Stint/ | Calidris minuta |
| Buttonquail: Turnicidae | ||
| 71 | Small Buttonquail | Turnix sylvaticus |
| Pratincoles and Coursers: Glareolidae | ||
| 72 | Double-banded Courser | Smutsornis africanus |
| 73 | Bronze-winged Courser | Rhinoptilus chalcopterus |
| 74 | Temminck’s Courser | Cursorius temminckii |
| 75 | Collared Pratincole | Glareola pratincola |
| Gulls, Terns, and Skimmers: Laridae | ||
| 76 | Gray-hooded Gull | Chroicocephalus cirrocephalus |
| 77 | African Skimmer | Rynchops flavirostris |
| 78 | /Gull-billed Tern/ | Gelochelidon nilotica |
| 79 | Whiskered Tern | Chlidonias hybrida |
| 80 | /White-winged Tern/ | Chlidonias leucopterus |
| Flamingos: Phoenicopteridae | ||
| 81 | Greater Flamingo | Phoenicopterus roseus |
| 82 | &Lesser Flamingol | Phoenicoparrus minor |
| Grebes: Podicipedidae | ||
| 83 | Little Grebe | Tachybaptus ruficollis |
| Storks: Ciconiidae | ||
| 84 | African Openbill | Anastomus lamelligerus |
| 85 | /Abdim’s Stork/ | Ciconia abdimii |
| 86 | /White Stork/ | Ciconia ciconia |
| 87 | Marabou Stork | Leptoptilos crumenifer |
| 88 | Yellow-billed Stork | Mycteria ibis |
| Anhingas: Anhingidae | ||
| 89 | African Darter | Anhinga rufa |
| Cormorants and Shags: Phalacrocoracidae | ||
| 90 | Reed Cormorant | Microcarbo africanus |
| 91 | Great Cormorant | Phalacrocorax carbo |
| Ibises and Spoonbills: Threskiornithidae | ||
| 92 | Glossy Ibis | Plegadis falcinellus |
| 93 | African Sacred Ibis | Threskiornis aethiopicus |
| 94 | Hadada Ibis | Bostrychia hagedash |
| 95 | African Spoonbill | Platalea alba |
| Herons, Egrets, and Bitterns: Ardeidae | ||
| 96 | Little Bittern | Botaurus minutus |
| 97 | Little Egret | Egretta garzetta |
| 98 | Western Cattle-Egret | Bubulcus ibis |
| 99 | Great Egret | Ardea alba |
| 100 | Yellow-billed Egret | Ardea brachyrhyncha |
| 101 | Gray Heron | Ardea cinerea |
| 102 | Black-headed Heron | Ardea melanocephala |
| 103 | Goliath Heron | Ardea goliath |
| Hamerkop: Scopidae | ||
| 104 | Hamerkop | Scopus umbretta |
| Shoebill: Balaenicipitidae | ||
| 105 | Shoebill | Balaeniceps rex |
| Pelicans: Pelecanidae | ||
| 106 | Great White Pelican | Pelecanus onocrotalus |
| 107 | Pink-backed Pelican | Pelecanus rufescens |
| Secretary-bird: Sagittariidae | ||
| 108 | Secretarybird | Sagittarius serpentarius |
| Hawks, Eagles, and Kites: Accipitridae | ||
| 109 | African Harrier-Hawk | Polyboroides typus |
| 110 | Egyptian Vulture | Neophron percnopterus |
| 111 | Lappet-faced Vulture | Torgos tracheliotos |
| 112 | White-backed Vulture | Gyps africanus |
| 113 | Rueppell’s Griffon | Gyps rueppelli |
| 114 | Bateleur | Terathopius ecaudatus |
| 115 | Black-chested Snake-Eagle | Circaetus pectoralis |
| 116 | /Booted Eagle/ | Hieraaetus pennatus |
| 117 | Tawny Eagle | Aquila rapax |
| 118 | /Steppe Eagle/ | Aquila nipalensis |
| 119 | Verreaux’s Eagle | Aquila verreauxii |
| 120 | Dark Chanting-Goshawk | Melierax metabates |
| 121 | Eastern Chanting-Goshawk | Melierax poliopterus |
| 122 | /Western Marsh Harrier/ | Circus aeruginosus |
| 123 | African Marsh Harrier | Circus ranivorus |
| 124 | Montagu’s Harrier | Circus pygargus |
| 125 | /Black Kite/ | Milvus migrans |
| 126 | Yellow-billed Kite** | Milvus aegyptius |
| 127 | African Fish-Eagle | Icthyophaga vocifer |
| 128 | Augur Buzzard | Buteo augur |
| Owls: Strigidae | ||
| 129 | Pearl-spotted Owlet | Glaucidium perlatum |
| Mousebirds: Coliidae | ||
| 130 | Speckled Mousebird | Colius striatus |
| 131 | Blue-naped Mousebird | Urocolius macrourus |
| Hoopoes: Upupidae | ||
| 132 | /Common Hoopoe/ | Upupa epops |
| Woodhoopoes and Scimitarbills: Phoeniculidae | ||
| 133 | Abyssinian Scimitarbill | Rhinopomastus minor |
| Hornbills: Bucerotidae | ||
| 134 | African Gray Hornbill | Lophoceros nasutus |
| 135 | Northern Red-billed Hornbill | Tockus erythrorhynchus |
| 136 | Von der Decken’s Hornbill | Tockus deckeni |
| Bee-eaters: Meropidae | ||
| 137 | White-fronted Bee-eater | Merops bullockoides |
| 138 | Little Bee-eater | Merops pusillus |
| 139 | /White-throated Bee-eater/ | Merops albicollis |
| 140 | |European Bee-eater| | Merops apiaster |
| Kingfishers: Alcedinidae | ||
| 141 | African Pygmy Kingfisher | Ispidina picta |
| 142 | Gray-headed Kingfisher | Halcyon leucocephala |
| 143 | Woodland Kingfisher | Halcyon senegalensis |
| 144 | Brown-hooded Kingfisher | Halcyon albiventris |
| 145 | Striped Kingfisher | Halcyon chelicuti |
| Rollers: Coraciidae | ||
| 146 | /European Roller/ | Coracias garrulus |
| 147 | Lilac-breasted Roller | Coracias caudatus |
| 148 | Purple Roller | Coracias naevius |
| African Barbets: Lybiidae | ||
| 149 | Red-and-yellow Barbet | Trachyphonus erythrocephalus |
| 150 | D’Arnaud’s Barbet | Trachyphonus darnaudii |
| 151 | Red-fronted Barbet | Tricholaema diademata |
| 152 | Spot-flanked Barbet | Tricholaema lacrymosa |
| 153 | Black-throated Barbet | Tricholaema melanocephala |
| 154 | White-headed Barbet | Lybius leucocephalus |
| Woodpeckers: Picidae | ||
| 155 | Cardinal Woodpecker | Dendropicos fuscescens |
| 156 | Nubian Woodpecker | Campethera nubica |
| Falcons and Caracaras: Falconidae | ||
| 157 | Pygmy Falcon | Polihierax semitorquatus |
| 158 | /Eurasian Kestrel/ | Falco tinnunculus |
| 159 | Greater Kestrel | Falco rupicoloides |
| 160 | Gray Kestrel | Falco ardosiaceus |
| 161 | Lanner Falcon | Falco biarmicus |
| 162 | Peregrine Falcon | Falco peregrinus |
| Parrots: Psittaculidae | ||
| 163 | Fischer’s Lovebird | Agapornis fischeri |
| Cuckooshrikes: Campephagidae | ||
| 164 | Black Cuckooshrike | Campephaga flava |
| Wattle-eyes and Batises: Platysteiridae | ||
| 165 | Chinspot Batis | Batis molitor |
| Bushshrikes: Malaconotidae | ||
| 166 | Black-backed Puffback | Dryoscopus cubla |
| 167 | Black-crowned Tchagra | Tchagra senegalus |
| 168 | Brown-crowned Tchagra | Tchagra australis |
| 169 | Tropical Boubou | Laniarius major |
| 170 | Slate-colored Boubou | Laniarius funebris |
| 171 | Rosy-patched Bushshrike | Rhodophoneus cruentus |
| 172 | Sulphur-breasted Bushshrike | Chlorophoneus sulfureopectus |
| Drongos: Dicruridae | ||
| 173 | Fork-tailed Drongo | Dicrurus adsimilis |
| Monarch Flycatchers: Monarchidae | ||
| 174 | African Paradise-Flycatcher | Terpsiphone viridis |
| Shrikes: Laniidae | ||
| 175 | /Red-backed Shrike/ | Lanius collurio |
| 176 | /Isabelline Shrike/ | Lanius isabellinus |
| 177 | |Lesser Gray Shrike| | Lanius minor |
| 178 | Gray-backed Fiscal | Lanius excubitoroides |
| 179 | Long-tailed Fiscal | Lanius cabanisi |
| 180 | Taita Fiscal | Lanius dorsalis |
| 181 | Northern Fiscal | Lanius humeralis |
| 182 | White-rumped Shrike | Eurocephalus ruppelli |
| Crows, Jays, and Magpies: Corvidae | ||
| 183 | White-necked Raven | Corvus albicollis |
| Tits, Chickadees, and Titmice: Paridae | ||
| 184 | Red-throated Tit | Melaniparus fringillinus |
| Larks: Alaudidae | ||
| 185 | &Chestnut-backed Sparrow-Larkl | Eremopterix leucotis |
| 186 | Fischer’s Sparrow-Lark | Eremopterix leucopareia |
| 187 | White-tailed Lark | Mirafra albicauda |
| 188 | Sentinel Lark | Corypha athi |
| 189 | &Short-tailed Larkl | Pseudalaemon fremantlii |
| African Warblers: Macrosphenidae | ||
| 190 | Northern Crombec | Sylvietta brachyura |
| 191 | Red-faced Crombec | Sylvietta whytii |
| Cisticolas and Allies: Cisticolidae | ||
| 192 | Yellow-bellied Eremomela | Eremomela icteropygialis |
| 193 | Gray Wren-Warbler | Calamonastes simplex |
| 194 | Green-backed Camaroptera | Camaroptera brachyura |
| 195 | Rattling Cisticola | Cisticola chiniana |
| 196 | Ashy Cisticola | Cisticola cinereolus |
| 197 | Zitting Cisticola | Cisticola juncidis |
| Reed Warblers and Allies: Acrocephalidae | ||
| 198 | /Great Reed Warbler/ | Acrocephalus arundinaceus |
| Swallows: Hirundinidae | ||
| 199 | Banded Martin | Neophedina cincta |
| 200 | Southern Crag-Martin | Ptyonoprogne fuligula |
| 201 | /Barn Swallow/ | Hirundo rustica |
| 202 | Wire-tailed Swallow | Hirundo smithii |
| 203 | /Western House-Martin/ | Delichon urbicum |
| 204 | Lesser Striped Swallow | Cecropis abyssinica |
| Bulbuls: Pycnonotidae | ||
| 205 | Northern Brownbul | Phyllastrephus strepitans |
| 206 | Common Bulbul | Pycnonotus barbatus |
| Sylviid Warblers and Allies: Sylviidae | ||
| 207 | Banded Parisoma | Curruca boehmi |
| White-eyes, Yuhinas, and Allies: Zosteropidae | ||
| 208 | Pale White-eye | Zosterops flavilateralis |
| Laughingthrushes and Allies: Leiothrichidae | ||
| 209 | Rufous Chatterer | Argya rubiginosa |
| 210 | Scaly Chatterer | Argya aylmeri |
| 211 | Black-lored Babbler | Turdoides sharpei |
| 212 | Northern Pied-Babbler | Turdoides hypoleuca |
| Oxpeckers: Buphagidae | ||
| 213 | Red-billed Oxpecker | Buphagus erythroryncha |
| Starlings: Sturnidae | ||
| 214 | Wattled Starling | Creatophora cinerea |
| 215 | Violet-backed Starling | Cinnyricinclus leucogaster |
| 216 | Red-winged Starling | Onychognathus morio |
| 217 | Hildebrandt’s Starling | Lamprotornis hildebrandti |
| 218 | Rueppell’s Starling | Lamprotornis purpuroptera |
| 219 | Superb Starling | Lamprotornis superbus |
| 220 | Greater Blue-eared Starling | Lamprotornis chalybaeus |
| Thrushes and Allies: Turdidae | ||
| 221 | Abyssinian Thrush | Turdus abyssinicus |
| Old World Flycatchers: Muscicapidae | ||
| 222 | |Spotted Flycatcher| | Muscicapa striata |
| 223 | African Gray Flycatcher | Bradornis microrhynchus |
| 224 | Pale Flycatcher | Agricola pallidus |
| 225 | Southern Black-Flycatcher | Melaenornis pammelaina |
| 226 | White-browed Scrub Robin | Cercotrichas leucophrys |
| 227 | Cape Robin-Chat | Dessonornis caffra |
| 228 | Rueppell’s Robin-Chat | Cossypha semirufa |
| 229 | White-browed Robin-Chat | Cossypha heuglini |
| 230 | Collared Palm-Thrush | Cichladusa arquata |
| 231 | Spotted Morning-Thrush | Cichladusa guttata |
| 232 | /Rufous-tailed Rock-Thrush/ | Monticola saxatilis |
| 233 | Mocking Cliff-Chat | Thamnolaea cinnamomeiventris |
| 234 | Northern Anteater-Chat | Myrmecocichla aethiops |
| 235 | /Northern Wheatear/ | Oenanthe oenanthe |
| 236 | Capped Wheatear | Oenanthe pileata |
| 237 | /Isabelline Wheatear/ | Oenanthe isabellina |
| 238 | /Pied Wheatear/ | Oenanthe pleschanka |
| 239 | Familiar Chat | Oenanthe familiaris |
| 240 | Abyssinian Wheatear | Oenanthe lugubris |
| Sunbirds and Spiderhunters: Nectariniidae | ||
| 241 | Eastern Violet-backed Sunbird | Anthreptes orientalis |
| 242 | Collared Sunbird | Hedydipna collaris |
| 243 | Scarlet-chested Sunbird | Chalcomitra senegalensis |
| 244 | Gorgeous Sunbird | Cinnyris melanogastrus |
| 245 | Variable Sunbird | Cinnyris venustus |
| Weavers and Allies: Ploceidae | ||
| 246 | White-headed Buffalo-Weaver | Dinemellia dinemelli |
| 247 | Speckle-fronted Weaver | Sporopipes frontalis |
| 248 | White-browed Sparrow-Weaver | Plocepasser mahali |
| 249 | Lesser Masked-Weaver | Ploceus intermedius |
| 250 | &Chestnut Weaverl | Ploceus rubiginosus |
| 251 | &Cardinal Queleal | Quelea cardinalis |
| 252 | &Red-billed Queleal | Quelea quelea |
| 253 | Southern Red Bishop | Euplectes orix |
| 254 | Yellow Bishop | Euplectes capensis |
| 255 | Yellow-mantled Widowbird | Euplectes macroura |
| Waxbills and Allies: Estrildidae | ||
| 256 | Black-and-white Mannikin | Spermestes bicolor |
| 257 | African Silverbill | Euodice cantans |
| 258 | &Cut-throatl | Amadina fasciata |
| 259 | Purple Grenadier | Granatina ianthinogaster |
| 260 | Red-cheeked Cordonbleu | Uraeginthus bengalus |
| 261 | Blue-capped Cordonbleu | Uraeginthus cyanocephalus |
| 262 | Red-billed Firefinch | Lagonosticta senegala |
| Indigobirds: Viduidae | ||
| 263 | Pin-tailed Whydah | Vidua macroura |
| 264 | Eastern Paradise-Whydah | Vidua paradisaea |
| 265 | Steel-blue Whydah | Vidua hypocherina |
| 266 | Straw-tailed Whydah | Vidua fischeri |
| 267 | Village Indigobird | Vidua chalybeata |
| Old World Sparrows: Passeridae | ||
| 268 | House Sparrow | Passer domesticus |
| 269 | Kenya Rufous Sparrow | Passer rufocinctus |
| 270 | Northern Gray-headed Sparrow | Passer griseus |
| 271 | Swahili Sparrow | Passer suahelicus |
| 272 | Chestnut Sparrow | Passer eminibey |
| Wagtails and Pipits: Motacillidae | ||
| 273 | African Pied Wagtail | Motacilla aguimp |
| 274 | African Pipit | Anthus cinnamomeus |
| 275 | Plain-backed Pipit | Anthus leucophrys |
| 276 | Yellow-throated Longclaw | Macronyx croceus |
| 277 | Pangani Longclaw | Macronyx aurantiigula |
| Finches, Euphonias, and Allies: Fringillidae | ||
| 278 | Yellow-fronted Canary | Crithagra mozambicus |
| 279 | White-bellied Canary | Crithagra dorsostriatus |
