Kakamega Forest is the easternmost remnant of the Guineo-Congolian rainforest that once stretched across Central Africa. As a result, many of its birds are found nowhere else in Kenya, and it is a must-visit site on any serious Kenyan birding trip. The forest is recognised by BirdLife International as an Important Bird Area.
Target species
Top birds for most visitors include the Great Blue Turaco, Blue-headed Bee-eater, Jameson's Wattle-eye, Turner's Eremomela and Brown-eared Woodpecker. Other highlights are the very hard-to-find Grey-chested Babbler, the Red-headed Malimbe, our namesake the Blue-shouldered Robin-Chat, and a variety of greenbuls.
How to bird the forest
Kakamega is explored on foot — slowly and patiently. The trail network around Isecheno mixes wide paths and narrow trails; some sections are hilly, others flat, and many are wet and slippery after rain. There are no hides or platforms, and a telescope is rarely useful under the canopy. Binoculars, good shoes and a good guide are what you need.
A specialist birding guide makes an enormous difference in Kakamega — many species are identified by call long before they are seen.
Why stay at Isecheno?
- Walk to the main birding trails at first light
- Guide on site — plan each day around your target list
- Affordable rooms, hot showers and meals at modest prices
- Rest through midday heat, then head out again in the afternoon
Species guides
- Great Blue Turaco — Corythaeola cristata
- Blue-shouldered Robin-Chat — Cossypha cyanocampter
- Blue-headed Bee-eater — Merops muelleri
- Jameson's Wattle-eye — Platysteira jamesoni
- Turner's Eremomela — Eremomela turneri
- Brown-eared Woodpecker — Campethera caroli
- Grey-chested Babbler — Kakamega poliothorax
- Red-headed Malimbe — Malimbus rubricollis
Ready to go? Book a birding tour or a multi-day birding stay.