Bird Life Africa – Seasonal Bird Migrations in Gambia

The Gambia is well-known for its amazing bird life. With over 560 species of birds, the country is found in a variety of habitats including mangrove swamps, open grasslands and forests. Bird watching tour to Gambia offers the perfect introduction to African birds. People visit Gambia mostly during rainy season when birds are at their nest. People can see magnificent view of the bird life in Gambia. The professional local bird lover in Gambia guides you on good locations to spot certain species.

Gambia has specialty of double migrations. The first migration befalls in the month of October from North. This set of birds return in March / April of the following year. For these migratory European birds it is the first life sustaining strip of green after the long flight south along the arid coast of northwest Africa. The second migration takes places from the south at the start of the rains, June / July. These birds from the equatorial regions of Africa come to the Senegambia Valley in time for the breeding season this departure extended between the months of October to January. Here are a few favorite birds that reside in The Gambia.

Pied Kingfisher

Hooded Vultures

Yellow-billed Storks

Spur-winged Plover

Giant Kingfisher

Africa has an amazing diversity of bird life and is home to nearly 2,341 bird species. Gambia is popular among the African countries for bird watching due to the double migration and the varieties of birds there. Every year 4.5 billion birds, representing around 185 species birds visit Africa from the Artic, Asia, Antarctica and the Europe to enjoy the spring and summer months. Birds that migrate to Africa include the colorful Greater Striped Swallow, Amur Falcon, White-rumped Swift, White Stork, Pygmy Kingfisher, Yellow-billed Kite, Lesser Kestrel, Honey Buzzard, Woodland Kingfisher, Red-chested Cuckoo, and European Bee-eater.

The Bearded Barbet is common in the tropical West Africa, and it is the species of arboreal species of gardens and wooded birds which eats fruits, even though young are fed with insects and are also found in Gambia. It makes its nest in the tree holes. The size of these birds varies from 24 to 26 cm. And it’s mostly found were there are plenty of trees and visits the gardens for eating the fruits.