Rwanda is home to many remarkable birds, none more so than the Hamerkop. The direct translation of the Afrikaans word from which this bird gets its name is ‘hammer head’, and it’s easy to why they have been given this name when you see the shape of a Hamerkop’s head in profile, the bill on …
Among the many different families of birds that call Rwanda home, the thirteen species of cisticolas stand out as fascinating and enchanting residents, even if they are superficially rather dull. There’s a further nineteen closely related species which are closely related to the cisticolas and referred to as ‘Allies’. These allies will be discussed in …
In 2022 the City of Kigali was awarded Wetland City accreditation. The City is also home to more than 300 different birds. They thrive in gardens, public spaces, and increasingly in the natural habitats which the City is working hard to protect and restore. This diverse avian world can also be found in the wetlands, …
My five favourite places to watch birds in Kigali Read More »
Throughout human history birds have played a central role in our culture, and many continue to do so today. Birds are everywhere. From the moment we wake up until long after the sun has set we can see and hear birds – they are the soundtrack to our lives. Unlike many other animals that conceal …
Rwanda’s wetlands and waterways are home to ten different herons, including two night-herons, and two species of bitterns. Most herons live near water, and in general the larger species prefer more open habitats. They all tend to have large broad wings with a slow somewhat leisurely wing beat and flight pattern. Unlike storks, herons fly …
Getting to know Rwanda’s Birds – The Herons and Bitterns Read More »
I am often asked “How many different birds are there in Rwanda?” Unfortunately, there isn’t a simple answer to give. One thing that makes this a difficult question to answer is that scientists don’t agree on how to define a species! Whilst it might be easy to recognise that an African Fish Eagle is one …
Rwanda is home to five egret species. When people think of egrets they think of white heron-like birds, but since the Black Egret, which is usually known as the Black Heron is actually an egret it is included in this article. The largest of Rwanda’s five egrets is the Great White Egret, it’s all white …
As a conservation organisation Gorilla Doctors is unique – they are the only organisation that provides life-saving veterinary care to mountain and eastern lowland (Grauer’s) gorillas in the wild. Mountain gorillas are found in the national parks of Rwanda, DRC and Uganda and Grauer’s gorillas are found only in eastern DRC. Gorilla Doctors is a …
Gorilla Doctors: Saving a species one gorilla at a time… Read More »
Rwanda is home to eleven different barbets. They are all residents, present throughout the year. That being said, some are a more common sight than others… For example, I often see the Spot-flanked Barbet in Rwanda’s capital, Kigali, and across much of the country, whereas the Yellow-billed Barbet can only be found in Nyungwe National …
Getting to know the birds of Rwanda – The Barbets Read More »
All bee-eaters have bright and beautifully coloured plumage. Ten different bee-eater species can be found in Rwanda. These include the scarcely seen Blue-breasted Bee-eater and a single sighting of a Swallow-tailed Bee-eater. On the other end of the spectrum are the two most commonly seen species, the Little Bee-eater (the world’s smallest bee-eater) and the …