Birdingpal.org
The Bird Watching Club for World Travelers

Tanzania

You don't need to be an expert birder to contact a Pal.  Together you have love for nature, birds, new countries and learning.

These are serious birdwatchers willing to share their time to help you.  It is a privilege to contact them.  Your message should be respectful.

A Birding Pal does not charge a fee, however you should pay for their expenses, transportation costs, entrance fees, meals, etc.

Pals will answer your messages quickly, if they can.  You might select someone who is traveling, so write to more than one Pal, and be patient.  Let us know if someone doesn't answer and we'll check that everything is okay.

Let us know when you are going to meet a Pal, and then let us know how it went.

Happy birding.
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H. Mahanyu



Maps
ArushaArushaTanzania


Available
Anytime in the week, i am available.

Languages
English and Swahili
Note
I am very keen on finding birds, i know exact places in which they found, also i am familiar with sounds of the birds
Area
Mazumbai forest reserve

Area Birds
Horn bills, Weavers, sun birds,
Interests
Nature: birdwatching, photography, butterflies, fishing, swimming, beach, surfing, sky diving
Travel: stroll, walking, hiking, climbing, train, bus, car, biking, long walk, backpack, portage, canoe, ship, cruise, pilot, dog sled, snow mobile
Visit: tourist site, museum, restaurant, club, ski run/trail, monument, arboretum, architecture appreciation, shop, antique, fashion, tech, casino
Attend: concert, ballet, dance show, theatre, live music, sports event, auction, antique, convention, political rally, protest, competition, />Participate: night life, party, dance, club, rock, country, classical, hiphop, rap, swing, wine, beer, revival, ceremony, flash mob, round table
Play: cards, sports, boardgames, billiards, chess, checkers, lawn games, water sports, computer games,

M.Joseph



Maps
Dares SalaamUbungoTanzania


Available
Anytime

Languages
English, Swahili
Note
Area
Pugu Hills, Kigamboni, University Campus, Bagamoyo and Countrywide

Area Birds
Brown Breasted Barbet, House Crow, Hammerkop, Water Thicknee, Hadada Ibises, House Sparrow, Waterbirds etc
Interests
Nature: birdwatching, twitching, photography, butterflies, fishing, swimming, beach, surfing, diving Travel: stroll, walking, hiking, climbing, train, bus, car, biking, long walk, packpack, portage, canoe, ship, cruise, pilot, dog sled, snow mobileVisit: tourist site, museum, restaurant, club, monument, arboretum, architecture appreciation, shop, antique, fashion,concert, ballet, dance show, theatre, live music, sports event, auction, antique, convention, political rally, protest, competition, night life, party, dance, club, bar, rock, country, classical, hiphop, rap, swing, social games, computer games, casino

FReid



Maps
USA RiverAru MeruTanzania


Available
Anytime though I travel as much as I can.

Languages
English
Note
Nightingale , Finfoot, black duck. Can see 100 species in a day.
Area
Arusha national park,

Nairobi has over 600 species of birds. More than any capital (and many countries!)in the world. Within a couple of hours from the city there's an amazing variety of habitats, from salt pan to highland forest; from freshwater lakes to grassy plains.


Area Birds
African Finfoot , Grey-olive greenbul, Peter's Twinspot
Interests
Nature: birdwatching, photography, butterflies, snakes, mammals. swimming, beach, surfing, travel: stroll, walking, hiking, climbing, train, bus, car, hitchhiking, biking, long walk, portage, canoe, pilot, museum, restaurant, vineyard, arboretum, concert, theatre, live music, bar, rock, classical, wine, yoga, drawing. Gardening

J. John



Maps
Dar es SalaamKinondoniTanzania


Available
Weekend

Languages
Swahili, English
Note
I like birding. I am also an ornithologist professional. My interest has been on the forest birds of the Eastern Arc Mountains in Tanzania but I am currently working on the waterbirds of the Malagarasi-Moyovozi Flood Plain in western Tanzania. I worked with the Wildlife Conservation Society of Tanzania before moving for a teaching post a the University of Dar es Salaam. I am also a Species Guardian for the Critically Endangered Uluguru Bush-shrike under the BirdLife International Prevention of Extinction Programme. Although I may not be able to physically guide visitors/friends but I have a good network of birders in Tanzania, and I know many places, therefeore I could provide helpful information and connections.

HMahanyu



Maps
ArushaArushaTanzania


Available


Languages
Note
I am a keen birder working with my colleague in this place. In case i am not available, i can connect you with my counter part for the great experience. You are welcome
Area
Arusaha, Themi Valley Eco and Cultural Tourism Homestay, Plot 120, Kanisa Road
Interests
Nature: birdwatching, twitching, photography, butterflies, fishing, skiing, swimming, beach, surfing, snowmobiling, sky diving Travel: stroll, walking, hiking, climbing, train, bus, car, hitchhiking, biking, long walk, packpack, portage, canoe, ship, cruise, pilot, dog sled, snow mobile Visit: tourist site, museum, restaurant, club, vineyard, ski run/trail, monument, arboretum, architecture appreciation, shop, antique, fashion, tech Attend: concert, horse race, ballet, dance show, theatre, live music, sports event, auction, antique, convention, political rally, protest, competition, swap Participate: night life, party, dance, club, bar, rock, country, classical, hiphop, rap, swing, wine, beer, liquor, social games, computer games, casino

 
Professional Birding Guides

A professional Birdingpal guide can customize your tour, and you will see the birds you want.
Your guide is also your travel companion, who will make sure you experience the native people, scenery, culture, history and food, first hand.
Hiring a Birdingpal guide will boost the local economy and help protect birds other wildlife and their habitat



J. Mackubi



Maps
Mafia IslandUtendeTanzania

Company
Mafia Ornithological and Research Centre


Available
Anytime

Languages
English, Swahili
Note
The few remaining forest patches ought to be declared reserves and encroachment stopped before they become too small to support some of the forest wildlife.

Distribution of the resident bird populations can be associated with these habitat-vegetation types:
1 Ocean
2 Inter-tidal mud flats and beaches
3 Coastal thickets
4 Cultivated and built-up areas
5 Swamps and ponds
6 Grassland
7 Mangroves
8 Coastal forest

It seems reasonable to begin a survey of Mafia's birds around Chole Bay, where most visitors begin their holiday. They are driven from the informal airport in Kilindoni along one of the two main dust roads of Mafia, to the lodges overlooking one of the most unspoilt and biologically interesting bays in Tanzania.

Chole Bay, protected from the ocean to the east by a group of small islands and islets, is extremely shallow for the most part and bordered by mangrove swamps and sandy beaches. At low tide vast areas of the southern end of the bay are exposed to reveal soft silts and sand with coral rock platforms and pools rich in marine invertebrates.

Shore birds, (as the Americans call them), or waders (the term used in Europe and Africa) are small- to medium-sized long-legged birds. Many spend their breeding season by rivers and on marshes in the far north of Eurasia whilst other species prefer the lake edges of more central and southern regions. They are long-distance fliers, and after breeding, many travel thousands of kilometres across sea and land, to more favourable regions of the world. Many waders pass through Eastern Europe, to arrive on the east coast of Africa. Some continue to the Cape in South Africa where, after a few months, they return once more.

Chole Bay provides a temporary resting and feeding station for many waders continuing further south, whilst others may spend all their winter here. Between September and April birds can be seen busily feeding amongst the pools at low tide where they select worms, shellfish, crustaceans and even small fish. Each species is adapted in bill length, length of leg and in size to allow maximum efficiency for collecting food but with little competition between species.

As the tide advances, mixed parties become more concentrated along the upper shore. As each approaching high tide covers their food, flocks can be seen flying over the incoming water, towards the mangrove swamps and rocky islets to the north and east of the bay where they safely rest and preen until the water begins to recede once more.

Whimbrel, with their long curved bills, Grey Plover, lacking their summer black bellies, are perhaps the commonest waders; Ringed Plover, Curlew Sandpipers, Little Stint and Greenshank make up the numbers from the far north. There are other waders less familiar to the ornithologist from Western Europe; Greater Sand Plovers which breed from Jordan to central Asia, and Terek Sandpipers, their up curved bills appearing out of proportion to their dumpy bodies. One of the most interesting waders is the striking black and white Crab Plovers. These heavy billed birds breed on sandy shores along the Persian Gulf and Somalia spending their off-season on the sand and mud shores of East Africa as far south as Mozambique. The successful breeding pairs are accompanied by their single smoky grey and white offspring. Chole Bay is an important feeding area for these birds. One of the most beautiful sights of Mafia is the high tide flights of Crab Plovers making their way low across the water to the sanctuary of the mangroves there to await the turning of the tide. Although most of these waders return north, a few, perhaps injured or immature birds remain through the year.
Area
Chole Bay, marshes in the far north of Eurasia, reserves, wetlands, conservations and islands

Area Birds

Whimbrel, Crab Plovers, Ringed Plover, Curlew Sandpipers, Little Stint, Greenshank, Greater Sand Plovers, Terek Sandpipers, Crab Plovers
Interests
Professional Birdwatching Guide




M. Safock

Maps
Dares SalaamKinondoniTanzania

Company
DAR BIRDWATCHERS GROUP


Available
Anytime

Languages
English, Swahli
Note
WABLERS, WADERS, FOREST BIRDS, MIGRATORY BIRDS, RESIDENCE BIRDS
Area
PUGU HILLS, UNIVERSITY CAMPUS, KIGAMBONI, KUNDUCHI SALT POND, GYMKHAN GROUND ETC

Area Birds

KIGAMBONI, PUGU HILLS AND UNIVERSITY CAMPUS
Interests
birdwatching, photography, butterflies, fishing, swimming, beach, Travel, walking, hiking, climbing, train, biking, long walk, backpack, cruise, tourist site, sports event, political rally, Participate: night life, party, dance, club, bar, rock, country, classical, hiphop, rap, Play: cards, sports,




Sedrick Silayo (Seddyclevo)



Maps
Moshi-KilimanjaroKilimanjaroTanzania
Specific map


Company
ECO-AFRICA CLIMBING


Available
Anytime

Languages
English and Swahili
Note
Sedrick Silayo is web developer and Digital Marketing in Eco-Africa. Climbing,like to travel and share what the beautiful nature of his country Tanzania have to offer.

ALL WILDLIFE SAFARI AND DAY TRIPS:

MOUNTAIN KILIMANJAR VIEW AND SERENGETI,CULTURAL TOUR,COFFEE TOUR, WILDLIFE SAFARI
Area
Mountain Kilimanjaro,Mountain Meru




Furaha Mbilinyi



Maps
ArushaArushaTanzania

Company
Independent Birder


Available
Anytime

Languages
English
Note
Furaha Mbilinyi - Consultant Ornithologist

As part of the Bird Atlas Team Furaha has contributed enormous amounts of expertise to the collection of field data, as well as being one of the main authors of the Tanzanian Bird Guide, Africa's first ornithological field guide in a native african language. Furaha's field experience is far-ranging as he has worked in some of the most remote corners of Tanzania and in all of its major ecological zones.

More recently Furaha has been involved in Carbon Tanzania's work establishing AGB (Above Ground Biomass) in their project areas and continues to work processing data from surveys and on-going research initiatives.
Area
Manyara NP, Amani nature Reserve, Uluguru Mountains, Udzungwa Forest, Usambara, Rivers, Lakes, Forests, Woodland and Grasslands

Area Birds

Long Billed Tailorbird, Usambara Weaver, Uluguru Bush Shrike, Amani Sunbird



J. Wolstencroft

Maps
ArushaTanzania

Available
Anytime

Languages
English
Note



Andrew Majembe

Maps
Dar es Salaam and Arusha RegionArusha RegionTanzania

Company
Birdwatching Zanzibar


Available
Anytime

Languages
English
Note
I'm wildlife officer by training with a special interest in birding. I have over 10 years experience in birding and I have seen 1005 bird species in Tanzania. Born 1981 in Dar es Salaam, I became a dedicated birder at a very young age. My passion for birding led me to study Wildlife Management at the College of African Wildlife Management, Mweka, Kilimanjaro. I'm English speaking bird guide.

My experience includes working as an Assistant Birds Conservation Officer at the Wildlife Conservation Society of Tanzania (WCST), and working as a Tour Guide at Saadani Safari Lodge and a Cultural Tourism Coordinator at Saadani village. While working for WCST, I participated in a bird census organized by Wetlands International and updating of the World Bird Database funded by Birdlife International, mist netting in the biodiversity survey Uluguru Mountain for Uluguru bush shrike-Project, CEPF-Project spotted ground Thrush at Londo plateau and some Projects for REDD.

I'm also the founder of Dar es Salaam Birdwatching Programme (DBP) through which I organizes weekend birdwatching tour of Dar es Salaam and surrounding areas where my expertise in birding adds an extra dimension to the birding experience. When not organizing birdwatching tours, I splits my time between conducting birdwatching training programmes and travelling to the remotest parts of Tanzania in search of birds.
Area
Dondwe Forest Reserve
I recommend birding Dondwe forest reserve which is in Dar es Salaam. Its eight to ten hours birding and I prefer start my activity at 06:00am and goes up to 02:00pm or 04:00pm.

Arusha in the northern circuit

Pugu Hills Forest Reserve
Pande Game Reserve
Dondwe Forest Reserve
Outskirt of University of Dar es Salaam and its oxidation ponds
Dar South Beaches; Mjimwema Salt pans, Kibugumo cultivated lands, Gezaulole, Mwembe mdogo, Kimbiji, Amani beach and Buyuni.
Dar north beaches: Jangwani salt pans, Kunduchi Mangrove forest
Ruvu south Forest Reserve.

Area Birds

Little yellow Flycatcher
Spotted Ground Thrush
Thick-billed Cuckoo
Pale-breasted Illadopsis
Sokoke Pipit
East Coast Akalat
Southern banded Snake Eagle
Plain-backed Sunbird
Interests
Testimonials
In early June 2009, I spent a pleasant three hours birding with Andrew Majembe in Dar es Salaam, on the extensive grounds of the University of Dar es Salaam. We went through habitats of open water, grassland, shrubby thicket, and dry stream bed. My goal was to train my ear for the familiar East African sounds and to help distinguish between (among) confusing species. I am not a lister, so that I didn't keep track, but we did see and hear, I'm certain, some 40-50 species, including many new to me notwithstanding several former trips to Africa. He also helped by suggesting species to look for during upcoming trips to Kigamboni and Morogoro.

Andrew was an informative and enthusiastic guide, with a very quick eye and ear that made up for my sixty-five year-old's aging senses. He was helpful in explaining some of the mysteries of sunbirds; the calls of bulbuls, doves, and cuckoos; and demonstrating the predatory behavior of the House (Indian, Zanzibar) Crows that are savaging the city bird life. I recommend him highly for all the skills of a bird enthusiast and guide--knowledge of habitat, patience with my own inexperience, an encyclopedic knowledge of local species. I'll definitely look him up during my next trip.
- Joel Plotkin
Orrtanna, Pennsylvania, USA.


I just got back from Tanzania with my wife Pia, who is also a birder. After an unforgettable safari week we spent one day birding near Dar es Salaam with Birdingpal Andrew Majembe. He was great
- K.