Mount Kenya covers an Area of 271,000 hactares with an altitude of 1,600 - 5,200 meters. An imposing extinct volcano that dominates the landscape of the Kenyan highlands east of the Rift Valley, Mount Kenya lays 140 kilometers north-north-east of Nairobi, with its northern flanks across the equator. Mount Kenya is an extremely important water catchment area, supplying the Tana and Northern Ewaso Ngiro systems. The mountain's straggly slopes are shrouded in forest, bamboo, scrub and moorland, giving way on the high central peaks to rock, ice and snow.
Mount Kenya has a rich montane bird fauna. It is undoubtedly a stronghold for the threatened and little-known Cinnyricinclus femoralis, even though there are few recent records. Falco naumanni is a passage migrant on the moorland. Euplectes jacksoni can be found in grassland up to 3,000 meters, and Macronyx sharpei is known from the north-west slopes, although its present status is uncertain. Regionally threatened species include Bostrychia olivacea (a scarce resident); Gypaetus barbatus (no recent records, but formerly nested on moorland cliffs); Hieraaetus ayresii (a scarce resident); Stephanoaetus coronatus; Tyto capensis (no recent records); Bubo capensis; Campephaga quiscalina.
Popular Species: Spot-flanked Barbet, Double-toothed Barbet, Mountain Buzzard, Eastern Double-collared Sunbird.
Below is a list of species likely to be encountered on your tour to Mt Kenya; Jackson's Francolin, Moorland Chat, Abyssinian Ground Thrush, Hartlaub's Turaco, Scarlet-tufted Malachite Sunbird, Black-headed Waxbill, Slender-billed Starling, Waller's Starling, Montane White-eye, Eastern Double-collared Sunbird, Hunter's Cisticola, and Moorland Francolin, Mountain Buzzard, Violet-backed Starling, Olive Pigeon, Eastern Bronze-naped Pigeon and Oriole Finch, Meyer's Parrots, African Green Pigeon, Black-and-white Mannikin and Spot-flanked Barbet, Red-fronted Parrot.
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Over 200 bird species have been recorded, including Aviceda cuculoides, Buteo oreophilus, Francolinus jacksoni, F. psilolaemus and Tauraco hartlaubi. Nectarinia johnstoni is found on the high peaks, foraging largely on lobelias, while other montane sunbirds (including Nectarinia tacazze, N. reichenowi, N. famosa and N. mediocris) are common at slightly lower altitudes.
Read MoreSome 244 bird species are known from this Important Birding Area. The area is important as the southern limit of many Sudan - Guinea Savanna biome birds. The most interesting species known from this little explored region is the submontane sunbird Nectarinia preussi of the Afrotropical Highlands biome.
Read MoreAt least 16 bird species occur in Kakamega but nowhere else in Kenya, and another 30 (such as Psittacus erithacus) are probably now confined to this site. The grassy glades have their own distinctive avifauna, with many moist-grassland species that are now rare elsewhere in western Kenya. Regionally threatened species include Circaetus cinerascens (fairly common resident), Hieraaetus ayresii (relatively abundant),
Read MoreThis is probably the world stronghold of Macronyx sharpei, a threatened Kenya bird endemic. The species is confined to grassland, preferring short-grass fields with tussocks, and in good habitat occurs at densities of 0.8 individuals/ hactares. Cisticola aberdare is thought to occur in the higher parts of the plateau, close to the Aberdare mountains,
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