Discover Ethiopia's incredible array of endemic bird species, including the elusive Stresemann's Bushcrow and the glistening White-tailed Swallow.
Introducing Ethiopia's Avian Wonders
A Journey through Endemic Treasures
Embark on a mesmerizing expedition through the ancient and diverse land of Ethiopia, where nature's artistic palette comes to life in a symphony of vibrant colors and extraordinary wildlife encounters. This small group tour immerses you in the awe-inspiring world of Ethiopia's endemic birds, showcasing its bountiful avian treasures amidst a backdrop of breathtaking landscapes, rich cultures, and captivating history.
From the tame and confiding endemics to the fascinating Ethiopian Wolf and the remarkable Gelada troops, every moment of this 17-day adventure is filled with wonder. Delve into the kaleidoscope of cultures, traverse diverse habitats, and witness the astonishing biodiversity that makes Ethiopia an essential destination for birders and nature enthusiasts alike. Join us on this bird-filled odyssey, where Ethiopia's hidden gems await your discovery.
Destination Highlights
Highlighted Destinations
Witness the vibrant spectacle of Greater and Lesser Flamingos at Lake Abijatta, alongside an abundance of other waterbirds.
Explore the breathtaking landscapes of Bale Mountain National Park, home to the endangered Ethiopian Wolf and an array of highland biome species.
Experience the cultural richness of Ethiopia as you encounter local tribes, such as the Afar and Guji, known for their traditional lifestyles and unique adornments.
Marvel at the remarkable Gelada troops, known as 'Bleeding Heart Baboons,' and observe their social behaviors in the Harenna Forest.
Traverse the majestic Rift Valley, visiting iconic lakes like Ziway, Langano, and Hawassa, each offering a diverse range of bird species.
Venture into the remote Negele Borena region, where you'll have the opportunity to spot the endangered Ruspoli's Turaco.
Enjoy birding excursions in Awash National Park, renowned for its diverse habitats and impressive bird list, including bustards, raptors, and nightjars.
Capture the unique beauty of Ethiopia's avian wonders through photography, as you encounter rare and striking species in their natural habitats.
Immerse yourself in the rich history and culture of Ethiopia's vibrant capital city, Addis Ababa, while reflecting on the incredible memories from your avian adventure.
Itinerary at a Glance
Day by day Tour Itinerary
DAY 1: ARRIVAL IN ADDIS ABABA
- Today is essentially an arrival day. For those who arrive during the day, it is possible to enjoy some birding within city parks. Noteworthy species that may be seen this include White-backed Black Tit, Abyssinian Salty Flycatcher, Brown-rumped Seedeater, Tacazze Sunbird, White-collared Pigeon, Wattled Ibis and a host of raptors overhead, numbering both Egyptian and Hooded Vultures.
- Overnight in Addis Ababa
DAY 2: ADDIS ABABA TO LAKE LANGANO
- Your Ethiopian adventure commences with an early departure from Addis Ababa this morning, as we head south into the Great Rift Valley. Your first birding stop is at Lake Chelekcheka, an excellent site for migrant ducks and waders. Regular species encountered here include Northern Pintail, Northern Shoveler, Garganey, Eurasian Teal, Tufted Duck, Black-tailed Godwit and Temminck's Stint. Sorting through the rafts of ducks and other migrants can be very challenging due to the distraction caused by the sheer number of species moving through the scrubby vegetation near the lake edge! Common cranes often roost in staggering numbers on the far side of the water, and we may see them flying off to forage in huge, noisy flocks.
- The well-wooded rim of the deep Lake Hora will be our second stop. The woodlands around the lake also teem with birds and again it may prove difficult to keep up with the seemingly endless flow of lifers! Blue-breasted Bee-eater, Black-billed Barbet, Common Redstart, Eurasian Blackcap, Red-throated Wryneck, Dark-capped Yellow Warbler, Rüppell's Robin-Chat, Western Black-headed Batis, Beautiful Sunbird, Rüppell's Weaver and a diverse variety of waterbirds, especially deep water diving ducks, can be seen here. Thereafter, the steep-sided Lake Bishoftu offers superb birding. Maccoa and Ferruginous Ducks, Southern Pochard, Singing Cisticola, gorgeous Tacazze Sunbird, Mocking Cliff Chat, Abyssinian Wheatear, Little Rock Thrush and flocks of Black-winged Lovebird are just some of our targets here!
- Further, en route to Lake Langano, we will then visit Koka Dam and Lake Ziway, both classified as Important Bird Areas, supporting vast numbers of both resident and migrant water birds.
- Species we will search for include the spectacular Black Crowned Crane, Pink-backed Pelican, African Darter, Intermediate Egret, Goliath Heron, Hamerkop, Yellow-billed and Saddle-billed Storks, Spur-winged and Egyptian Geese, Knob-billed Duck, elegant African Pygmy Goose, African Fish Eagle, Western Marsh Harrier, African and Lesser Jacanas, Common Snipe, Senegal Thick-knee, Sedge Warbler, Spur-winged Lapwing, Gull-billed Tern, and Pied and Malachite Kingfishers.
- Strolling along the lakeshore at Lake Ziway will allow us excellent views of the confiding Great White Pelican and the huge Marabou Stork while dazzling Northern Carmine Bee-eater, migratory White and Western Yellow Wagtails (including some of the striking feldeggi race) and the less colorful Ethiopian Cisticola can be seen around the lake edge. This promises to be an action-packed day, after which we will check into a comfortable lodge overlooking Lake Langano, with views of the 4,000m (13,200ft) Arsi Mountains in the background.
- Overnight in Langano
DAY 3: LAKE LANGANO AREA
- Birding in the Langano area is especially good, and we will visit some beautiful fig forests and associated woodlands that teem with birds. Here we will look for Hemprich's and Silvery-cheeked Hornbills, Lemon Dove, Narina Trogon, Lesser and Scaly-throated Honey guides, Green Malkoha, African Hill Babbler, Double-toothed Barbet, Brown-throated Wattle-eye, Thick-billed Weaver, Crested and Scaly Francolins, endemic Yellow-fronted Parrot, Abyssinian Ground Thrush, Green Twin spot, Red-shouldered Cuckoo shrike and Red-headed Weaver. Pods of lazing Common Hippopotamuses are sometimes seen in deeper water and mammoth Goliath Herons stalk the shallows. We will also visit nearby Lake Abijata, home to thousands of Lesser and Greater Flamingos.
- Overnight in Langano
DAY 4: LAKE LANGANO TO HARENNA FOREST
- Leaving the Rift Valley behind, you embark on the lengthy drive to the Harenna Forest in the Bale Mountain National Park. Roadside stops en route could produce several endemics and other species, including White-collared Pigeon, Moorland Chat, Ground scraper Thrush (of the distinctive, endemic race simensis), Blanford's Lark, Blue-winged Goose, and the highly sought-after Spot-breasted Lapwing. At the park headquarters in Dinsho, we may find the colorful Chestnut-naped Francolin, the Abyssinian Owl, the secretive Abyssinian Ground Thrush, the vocal Abyssinian Catbird, and the endemic White-backed Black Tit. Mammals that we may encounter include Mountain Nyala, now entirely restricted to the Bale Mountain massif, Menelik's Bushbuck, and Warthog, unusual at this high altitude.
- Leaving Dinsho on your ascent to the Bale Mountain National Park, we enter a Juniper forest zone, and here we will search for African Goshawk, Rufous-breasted Sparrow hawk, White-cheeked Turaco, the localized Abyssinian Woodpecker, Cinnamon Bracken Warbler, African Hill Babbler, Montane White-eye, and Yellow-bellied Waxbill. By the time we reach the Sanetti Plateau, it will probably be fairly late in the day, particularly if we are fortunate enough to find and observe new species such as Moorland Francolin, Wattled Crane, or even the highly sought-after Ethiopian Wolf.
- The day culminates in our arrival at our accommodation for the next two nights, Bale Mountain Lodge, a boutique forest lodge set within a stunning cloud forest at an elevation of 2,380masl. Overnight in Bale Mountain NP
DAY 5: BALE MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK
- This will be a day of great contrasts and amazing scenery and birding. We will depart early and ascend the Bale Mountain massif onto the Sanette Plateau, which lies between 3,800m and 4,377m (12,540 and 14,444ft) above sea level.
- Upon reaching this unique plateau, we will be driving on Africa's highest road - passing close to the summit of Ethiopia's second-highest mountain. This habitat is termed ‘Afro-alpine moorland' and is characterised by Giant Lobelias that tower like monolithic giants over the rich tussock grasslands and extensive cushions of yellow Everlasting flowers. This site is an Important Bird Area of immense significance, supporting seven globally threatened species and nearly all of Ethiopia's highland biome species. The plateau holds the only Afro tropical breeding populations of Ruddy Shelduck, Golden Eagle, and Red-billed Chough. We will also search for Wattled Ibis, Chestnut-naped and Moorland Francolins, Rouget's Rail (particularly common and confiding here), Blue-winged Goose, Spot-breasted Lapwing, African Snipe, Wattled Crane, Thekla's Lark, Abyssinian Longclaw, Red-breasted Wheatear, Moorland Chat and flocks of endemic Ethiopian Siskins.
- These grasslands are estimated to support an incredible biomass of 4,000kg (8,800lb) of rodents per hectare. This obviously attracts an array of raptors and we should see Augur and Mountain Buzzards and, if we are lucky, the rare Golden Eagle. They share this abundant food source with the plateau's most celebrated resident, the Ethiopian or Simien Wolf, crowned with the unenviable title of “the world's rarest canid”. Watching these vibrantly coloured animals, most closely related to the Grey Wolf exhibiting their hunting prowess whilst pouncing on Giant Mole Rats (another endemic to the Sanetti Plateau) is surely among Africa's greatest wildlife experiences. We should enjoy excellent photographic opportunities in this unique montane habitat.
- This afternoon, we will return to our lodge and enjoy an opportunity to bird a part of the vast Harenna forest, the largest intact forest block in Ethiopia, and the largest protected Afro-alpine forest on the continent. It still supports populations of Lion and the only surviving forest-dwelling African Wild Dogs. Although it's unlikely that we will see either of these species, the descent through this breathtakingly beautiful, moss-draped forest is inspirational.
- Here we will search for the uncommon Ayres's Hawk Eagle, African Olive Pigeon, Lemon and Tambourine Doves, African Emerald Cuckoo, Abyssinian Woodpecker, Narina Trogon, Brown Parisoma (represented by a subspecies endemic to this National Park), Abyssinian Crimsonwing, African Citril and Yellow-crowned Canary. Later in the day, we head back to Goba for the night. Overnight in Bale MNP
DAY 6: HARENNA FOREST TO NEGELE
- We have a long drive ahead of us today and will make a relatively early start to our journey. Leaving Harenna Forest we will gradually lose altitude en route to Negele, a town in the Guji Zone of the Oromia Region. We will exit the forest zone and enter progressively drier thorn savanna in Ethiopia's remote, southern sector. Along the dusty drive, we can expect to start adding a number of new species to our burgeoning list including Red-and-yellow Barbet, Golden-breasted, Shelley's and Superb Starlings, Northern Red-billed and Eastern Yellow-billed Hornbills and Lilac-breasted Roller.
- Finally, we will reach a dry wadi on the Genale River, home to Ethiopia's most sought-after endemic, Ruspoli's Turaco. The bird is named after an Italian Prince, its hapless discoverer, who was killed by an elephant soon after collecting the type specimen in the 1890s. It took another 50 years before explorers saw the turaco again, and only in the 1970s was anything revealed about this bird. We will search for fruiting fig trees along the wadi and should enjoy excellent views of this very unusual and beautiful turaco. We will arrive in Negele in the early evening and check into our basic hotel. Overnight in Negele
DAY 7: NEGELE AREA
- East of Negele lies a unique open grassland, the Liben Plains, to which the little-known Archer's Lark is restricted. This species belongs to the unusual genus Heteromirafra, which also includes South Africa's Rudd's Lark, and is considered one of the most endangered birds on Earth. We will walk through these plains in search of this special bird, which we hope to watch performing its parachute display flight. We should also find small parties of hovering Lesser Kestrel, giant Kori Bustard (the world's heaviest flying bird), White-bellied Bustard, Temminck's Courser, Black-winged Lapwing, the range-restricted Somali Short-toed Lark, Plain-backed Pipit and Pectoral-patch Cisticola. If we're very lucky, we may see coveys of Coqui Francolin or flush a migratory Corn Crake.
- Further east of Negele, we will bird the increasingly dry woodland and thorn savanna towards the Somali border. This area supports a recently found population of the tricky endemic Salvadori's Seedeater, scarce Golden Pipit, elusive Red-naped Bushshrike, White-winged Black Tit, Pringle's Puffback, Three-streaked Tchagra, Foxy Lark, Somali Crombec, Taita Fiscal, Red-fronted Barbet, garish Golden-breasted Starling, attractive flocks of White-crowned Starlings, Somali Crow, African Silverbill, Shelley's Sparrow and Somali Bunting. Large troops of Olive Baboon may also be encountered here and we should see Guenther's Dik-dik and possibly Gerenuk. Overnight in Negele
DAY 8: NEGELE TO YABELLO
- Today's drive along another long and seldom-traveled road takes us near to the Kenya border and finally to the Yabello region, home to two of Ethiopia's most sought-after endemic birds, both listed as globally threatened: the enigmatic Stresemann's Bushcrow and glistening White-tailed Swallow. This area of the Acacia savanna is characterised by giant red termite mounds (some towering 5m above the plains!) and both these birds seem to be associated in some way with these marvels of natural architecture. The social Bushcrow (or Zavattariornis) was only discovered in 1938 and its affinities have yet to be established with certainty. Although it appears starling-like, it is presumed to be most closely related to Crows.
- Several birding stops will break the journey, the most notable being a stop at the Dawa River in search of a Juba weaver, White-winged Collared Dove, and Black-bellied sunbirds. Other noteworthy birds we may encounter en route to Yabello include Somali Courser, Magpie Starling, Black-throated and D'Arnaud's Barbets, Pygmy Batis, Acacia Tit, Dodson's Bulbul, Red-fronted Warbler, Purple Grenadier, Black-capped Social weaver, Steel-blue Whydah and its host, Black-cheeked Waxbill. Overnight in Yabello
DAY 9: YABELLO AREA
- We have the whole day to bird the Yabello area and get better acquainted with Stresemann's Bushcrow and White-tailed Swallow. Other birds we will be looking for are Gabar Goshawk, the shrike-sized African Pygmy Falcon, the Yellow-necked Spurfowl, glamorous flocks of Vulturine Guineafowl, Black-faced Sandgrouse, Mottled Swift, Tree Pipit, the localized Bare-eyed Thrush, ventriloquial Spotted Palm Thrush, African Grey Flycatcher, Pale Prinia, Yellow-bellied Eremomela, Banded Parisoma, Hunter's and Shining Sunbirds, Superb and Wattled Starlings, Chestnut Sparrow, Yellow-spotted Petronia, Grey-capped Social weaver, Chestnut weaver, Green-winged Pytilia, White-bellied Canary and White-winged Widowbird.
- A night drive in this exciting area could produce Donaldson-Smith's and Slender-tailed Nightjars, Greyish Eagle-Owl, Northern White-faced Owl, and Three-banded Courser. Nocturnal mammal sightings have included Striped and Spotted Hyenas, Serval, African Wild Cats, and Ethiopian Genet. Overnight in Yabello
DAY 10: YABELLO TO LAKE HAWASSA
- Following breakfast, we will depart Yabello and make our way back north towards Addis Ababa on what is, essentially, a travel day. In the late afternoon, we will reach our comfortable hotel, on the shores of Lake Hawassa. Overnight in Hawassa
DAY 11: LAKE HAWASSA TO LAKE ZIWAY, VIA LAKES SHALLA AND ABIJATTA
- Our pre-breakfast birding stroll should yield some special birds around our well-wooded hotel grounds. Amongst our targets we hope to see are African Spotted Creeper, Little weaver, Black-billed Wood Hoopoe, Double-toothed Barbet, Woodland Kingfisher, huge Silvery-cheeked Hornbill, the attractive Red-shouldered Cuckooshrike, western Black-headed Batis, Brown-throated Wattle-eye, Mourning Collared Dove, Grey-backed Fiscal, Northern Puffback and Bronze Mannikin. Reedbeds in the vicinity support Greater Painted-snipe, Black Crake, African Swamphen, Blue-headed Coucal, Red-faced Cisticola, Lesser Swamp Warbler, and Common Waxbill. The hotel grounds also support families of Grivet Monkey, though it is the regal Guereza (Black-and-white Colobus) that will certainly steal our attention as they leap through the trees, their shaggy pelts and long tails trailing behind.
- After breakfast, we may then visit the remarkable Lake Hawassa fish market. This large lake is particularly rich in fish, and the fishermen gut their catch and discard the waste around the market. This, in turn, attracts large numbers of grotesque Marabou Stork and other birds. Photographic opportunities are unrivalled. We should also see Great White Pelican, White-breasted and Reed Cormorants, Hamerkop, African Sacred Ibis, Black-headed, Grey-hooded and Lesser Black-backed Gulls, and sometimes the massively-equipped Thick-billed Raven squabbling over the fish remains.
- Further north, the three neighboring water bodies of Lakes Shalla, Abijatta, and Langano could not be more different from each other. Having already visited the medium-depth reddish-brown Lake Langano, today we will pay a visit to the other two - the shallow and brackish Abijatta, and the extremely deep, blue Shalla (once a volcanic crater and now home to several bubbling sulphuric hot springs).
- We will spend part of today exploring these lake shores and their surrounding woodlands and forests, where Clapperton's Francolin, Little Rock Thrush, African Thrush, Buff-bellied Warbler, Red-faced Crombec, Beautiful Sunbird, Rüppell's Starling, Red-billed Oxpecker, Red-billed Firefinch, Bare-faced Go-away-bird, Black-winged Lovebird, Abyssinian Wheatear, White-winged Black Tit, Black-billed Wood Hoopoe, African Pygmy Kingfisher, Greyish Eagle-Owl, Northern White-faced Owl, Slender-tailed Nightjar, Bearded Woodpecker and Masked Shrike occur in dry Acacia woodland throughout the area, while Black-billed, Banded and Double-toothed Barbets, Eastern Grey Woodpecker, White-rumped Babbler, and Ethiopian Boubou are resident in well-forested areas.
- At Lake Abijatta, in particular, we hope to find flocks of Greater and Lesser Flamingos, Northern Shoveler, Southern Pochard, Cape Teal, Dark Chanting Goshawk, Eastern Imperial, and Long-crested Eagles, Grey Kestrel, Little Ringed, Common Ringed, Kittlitz's and occasionally Caspian Plovers, many species of Palaearctic waders, Pallas's and Lesser Black-backed Gulls (amongst several other species of gulls and terns), Collared Pratincole, Little Bee-eater, family groups of the wonderful Abyssinian Ground Hornbill, Sand Martin, and African Pipit. Mammals we may see here include Grant's gazelle, Oribi, and Spotted Hyena. In the late afternoon, we will check into a hotel near Lake Ziway. Overnight in Ziway
DAY 12: LAKE ZIWAY TO ADAMA
- For one final occasion, we will spend our morning in the mighty Rift Valley south of Addis, where a second visit to some of the aforementioned lakes will hopefully yield some new species. The remainder of the day will be spent traveling to Adama. Overnight in Adama
DAY 13: ADAMA AZRETH TO AWASH NATIONAL PARK
- Today we drop down the immense western wall of the Great Rift Valley and travel across the wild Afar tribal territories. We will make a concerted effort to find the very rare and localised Sombre Rock Chat, Striolated Bunting, and Blackstart near Lake Beseka, while we also have a decent chance of seeing Hamadryas Baboon sitting atop the edge of escarpments in large troops, soaking up the early morning sun.
- We will then head to the magnificent Awash National Park where we will bird the Awash River and Kirayawa Gorge, exploring riverine forests, wetlands, Acacia woodlands, savannah grasslands, rocky hills, cliffs, and escarpments. The park boasts a bird list of around 460 species and we will make an effort to find, amongst many others, Egyptian Vulture, Bateleur, Tawny and Greater Spotted Eagles, African Harrier-Hawk, Eastern Chanting Goshawk, Scissor-tailed Kite, Shikra, Helmeted Guineafowl, Common Buttonquail, the nocturnal Three-banded Courser, mega Star-spotted Nightjar, Eastern Plantain-eater, the diminutive Pearl-spotted Owlet and giant Verreaux's Eagle-Owl, Blue-naped Mousebird, gaudy Purple, Lilac-breasted and Abyssinian Rollers, Abyssinian Scimitarbill, Eurasian Hoopoe, Eastern Yellow-billed Hornbill, Greater Honeyguide, Wire-tailed Swallow, Red-winged, Gillett's and Singing Bush Larks, White-browed Scrub Robin, over-wintering Common Rock Thrush, localised Ashy Cisticola, Eastern Olivaceous Warbler, Grey Wren-Warbler, Yellow-bellied Eremomela, Grey-headed Batis, Mouse-colored Penduline Tit, Slate-colored Boubou, Northern White-crowned Shrike, Northern Puffback, Somali Fiscal, Nile Valley and Marico Sunbirds, Grey-headed, Orange-breasted and Rosy-patched Bushshrikes, Fan-tailed Raven and Red-billed Quelea. In the afternoon we will settle into our lodge overlooking Awash Falls. Overnight in Awash National NP
DAYS 14: AWASH NATIONAL PARK
- Today we will spend a full day in this great national park. During our explorations we will be searching again for the aforementioned species as well as the dazzling Northern Carmine Bee-eater perched atop the backs of striding Kori Bustard, a seldom observed phenomenon. In fact, this is bustard kingdom deluxe and nowhere else on the planet can boast the chance of no less than six bustard species in one day (Kori, Arabian, Buff-crested, White-bellied, Black-bellied, and Hartlaub's)!
- Mammals are also well represented and we may see Aardwolf, Beisa Oryx, Aardvark, Soemmering's Gazelle, elegant Gerenuk (the giraffe-proportioned relative of the widespread Impala), Abyssinian Hare, African Wild Cat, Black-backed Jackal, Spotted and Striped Hyenas, Greater and Lesser Kudus, Warthog, and Salt's Dikdik. Overnight in Awash National NP
DAY 15: AWASH NATIONAL PARK TO ALEDEGHI WILDLIFE RESERVE
- Today we depart Awash National Park early and head further north to Aledeghi Plains. Here we will search for Somali Ostrich, Martial and Short-toed Snake Eagles, Yellow-necked Spurfowl, the rare Arabian Bustard (perhaps the best location on earth for this species), Black-headed Lapwing, Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse, and Chestnut-backed Sparrow-Lark. Occasionally highly nomadic species such as Pale Rock Finch or Black-crowned Sparrow-Lark move into the area as well. Depending on conditions, we may also see a number of mammals such as the Golden Jackal, Beisa Oryx, Grevy's Zebra, and Soemmering's Gazelle.
- This land is inhabited by nomadic Afar tribesmen who we will see dressed in their fine white cotton tunics, bedecked with traditional jewelry, daggers, and spears. The men sport a unique bushy hairstyle, while women and girls are also extravagantly attired and adorned. They adhere strictly to their ancestral ways of tending their camel and goat herds and roaming throughout this inhospitable land.
- As the day begins to heat up, we shall leave the Aledeghi Plains behind and head to our lodge. This increasingly arid landscape is a haven for dry country residents and migrant species. Watercourses and rocky outcrops harbor Eurasian Sparrow hawk, African Collared and European Turtle Doves, the range-restricted Yellow-breasted Barbet, Chestnut-headed Sparrow-Lark, Common Nightingale, Blue Rock Thrush, Rufous-tailed and Black Scrub Robins, Boran Cisticola, skulking Upcher's and Menetries's Warblers, groups of Red-fronted Warbler, Ruppell's Starling, Black-crowned Tchagra, Southern Grey Shrike, Red-billed Buffalo weaver, and Chestnut-crowned and White-browed Sparrow-weavers. There is also the option to avail of the numerous hot springs around which the lodge was built. This evening, an optional night walk may reveal Greyish Eagle-Owl or Slender-tailed Nightjar. Overnight in Awash National NP
DAY 16: ALEDEGHI WILDLIFE RESERVE TO DEBRE BIHRAN VIA MELKA GEBDU & GEMASA GEDEL
- Today we depart our lodge very early for the drive north to Debre Birhan, skirting the majestic Ankober Escarpment for part of the way. Our route takes us through one of the least driven and most picturesque roads in the entire country, although major road improvements in this area are sure to change this. Our first stop of the day will be at the typically hot and dry Melka Gebdu track, where our primary focus will be on finding another scarce endemic, Yellow-throated Seedeater. This area is also excellent for Yellow-breasted Barbet, Bruce's Green Pigeon, Bare-faced Go-away-bird, and a number of sunbirds. Red-billed Pytilia, a rare and tricky endemic has also been recorded here.
- After reaching the escarpment, we may make the odd roadside birding stop for Blue-winged Goose, Abyssinian Long claw, Erlanger's Lark, or Thick-billed Raven. This afternoon we shall reach Gemasa Gedel, an excellent site for the localized Ankober Serin, a rare and elusive Ethiopian endemic. Discovered only in 1976, they survive along a few kilometers of this wind-blasted grand escarpment, as do Gelada Baboons, also known as Bleeding heart Baboons. This densely-pelted, shaggy baboon is endemic to Ethiopia, and the males can often be seen flipping back their lips in a show of dominance. These animals have the closest vocal repertoire to humans of any mammal, pronouncing all consonants and four vowels! They forage on the grasslands above the escarpment and roost on ledges of inaccessible cliffs at night. Other possible species to be found here include Ethiopian Siskin, Streaky Seedeater, Moorland Chat, White-billed Starling, Bearded Vulture, Verreaux's Eagle, Rufous-breasted Sparrowhawk, Peregrine Falcon, the seldom recorded Somali Starling and Long-billed Pipit. In the afternoon we will then retire to our comfortable hotel in Debre Birhan. Overnight in Debre Birhan
DAY 17: DEBRE BIRHAN TO ADDIS ABABA VIA THE JEMMA VALLEY AND DEPART
- An early departure from Debre Birhan is essential in order to be at our chosen site when the endemic Harwood's Francolin is at its most vocal, thus providing our best opportunity for seeing this elusive species.
- The Jemma River is one of the main tributaries of the Blue Nile and it cuts a 700m (2,300ft) deep gorge through the landscape. The habitat in the gorge is dominated by Acacia woodland, while the steep sides provide habitat for some excellent endemic birds. We will concentrate our search here for Rüppell's Vulture, Verreaux's Eagle, African Hawk-Eagle, Augur Buzzard (dark morph birds are commonly seen here), Lanner and Peregrine Falcons, Erckel's Francolin, Nyanza Swift, Hemprich's Hornbill, Red-rumped Swallow, Abyssinian Wheatear, the endemic and localised Rüppell's Black Chat, endemic White-winged Cliff Chat and its more familiar cousin, Mocking Cliff Chat, endemic White-billed Starling, elusive Yellow-rumped Seedeater and Cinnamon-breasted Bunting.
- We will have a picnic lunch at the river and bird the surrounding woodlands for Blue-spotted Wood Dove, Klaas's Cuckoo, Black-billed Barbet, Eastern Olivaceous Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat, Foxy and Singing Cisticolas, African Paradise Flycatcher, Masked, Woodchat, and Isabelline Shrikes, Swainson's Sparrow, Bush Petronia, Speckle-fronted Weaver, Red-collared Widowbird, Black-winged Red and Yellow Bishops, and both Crimson-rumped and Abyssinian Waxbills. With a good dose of luck, we may stumble upon the quiet and inconspicuous Red-billed Pytilia, one of the trickier endemics that is regularly found in the Jemma Valley. In the mid-afternoon, we will depart for the drive back to Addis Ababa.
- This evening we will enjoy a farewell dinner before departing on their international flights home.
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