Birding Factoids

939 species
 in 76 families
7 endemic species
20 speciality species
18 endangered species
2 week trip expectation -
300 species

    Cameroon
    Hotspots
Checklist of Cameroon BirdsTours and GuidesEco-LodgesSpeciality BirdsMap and General Country InformationClimate
Cameroon
Specialities
Southern Carmine Bee-eater - Photo copyright Birdlife On-line Magazine
Photo copyright Birdlife On-Line Magazine

White-crested Turaco - Photo copyright Birmingham Zoo

Photo copyright Birmingham Zoo
     

    ....Cameroon - an On-line Site Guide. Ornithologically, Cameroon 

      remains little known despite being the richest country in West Africa for birds. Cameroon is probably the most accessible country in West-Central Africa with a host of exciting species.  Lying at the junction between West and Central Africa, and forming a key part of the Lower Guinea Endemic Bird Area (EBA), Cameroon and its highland chain supports over 900 bird species, amongst them seven endemic species. Cameroon is highly diverse with typical lowland tropical rainforests in the south and west to the Pro-Sahelian savanna in the north, and from rolling plains to volcanic beaches and mangrove swamps. Most of the speciality species, including the endemics, are concentrated in the forests of the south. One should attempt to spend three-weeks covering the variety of lowland and highlad sites as well as the savanna in the north. One is likely to see over 450 species in this time period. 


    ....Banyang-Mbo Wildlife Sanctuary -

      Cameroon records over 800 species of birds, including an endangered partridge, the Mount Cameroon francolin, the Bannerman's crested turaco, and banded wattle-eye, all endemic to Cameroon.
    ...
    ....Dja Faunal Reserve - information on this Biosphere Reserve and 
      Natural World Heritage Site
    ...
    ....Cameroon Trip Report: 20 March - 13 April, 1997
      By Jon Hornbuckle. Cameroon offers the best birding in western Africa and is relatively safe, cheap (apart from vehicle hire) and hassle-free. 
    ...
    ....Trip Report: Cameroon - The Bight of Biafra, 3 - 23 April 2003. 
      A Tropical Birding Tour Report. Ornithologically, Cameroon remains little known despite being the most accessible and richest country in West Africa for birds. Lying at the junction between West and Central Africa, and forming a key part of the Lower Guinea Endemic Bird Area (EBA), Cameroon and its highland chain supports over 900 bird species, amongst them seven endemics. Cameroon is highly diverse with typical lowland tropical rainforests in the south and west to the Pro-Sahelian savanna in the north, and from rolling plains to volcanic beaches and mangrove swamps. 
    ...
    ....Trip Report: Birding Cameroon - In Pursuit of Highland Endemics
      26 February to 30 March 2002. By Michael Mills and Callan Cohen. The highlands of Cameroon form one of Africa's most important Endemic Bird Areas, harbouring 25 endemic bird species. These include many elusive and charismatic species such as Mount Kupe Bushshrike, Mount Cameroon Francolin and White-throated Mountain Babbler. 
    ...
    ....Cameroon Trip Report - South-West Mountains: Bamenda Highlands,
      Mount Cameroon, Mount Kupé. 3-17 March 2001. By Charles Davies. I visited only three main areas during a two-week trip to the mountains of south-west Cameroon: the Bamenda Highlands (2 days), Mount  Cameroon (1 week) and Mount Kupé (4 days). Although recording fewer than 125 species, it was possible for me to see most of the Cameroon mountain specialties, including Cameroon Francolin.
    ...
    ....Trip Report: Cameroon - 16th February - 13th March 2000, by Michiel 
      de Boer. A birdwatching tripreport for packpackerswith link to sound of Sjösteds Honey-guide Greenbul. While I lived in the Gambia from 1998-2001 I made several trips to some West-African countries. This is a report about a 4-week birding trip to Cameroon. Beforehand I thought this to be the most interesting country in Africa because of it’s geographic features. Bird life of course is also diverse. Cameroon is home to 8 of the 10 African bird families and has at least 874 species but probably quite a lot more as there are areas in Cameroon where just a handful of ornithologists have ever been. It is quite possible to see all 7 endemic species in a 4-week trip, although we only saw 4 of them this trip mainly because we did all the travelling by public transport which costs a lot of time, which is why we skipped a few sites and left some sites before finishing the ‘job’. Cameroon is not a country that anyone would just go to, which makes it even more appealing. It is however infamous for being (arguably) the most corrupt country in the world. And I we had some experiences that support this reputation.
    ....
    Factoids taken from Where to Watch Birds in Africa - by Nigel Wheatley.

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Tours and Guides

See DISCLAIMER
>>>
birdingpal.com...>> A Birding Pal is not a paid guide, but someone who likes to help out of town visitors. You can become a Birding Pal today! Help someone to enjoy your local birding spots and find a pal to help you when you travel. Click here for Cameroon Birding Pals, or join to be a Birding Pal!
...
Lesser Blue-eared Glossy-Starling - Photo copyright Birdlife On-Line Maazine
Photo copyright Birdlife On-Line Magazine
    **..Cameroon Tours with Tropical Birding. Our trips are generally 
      for keen birders, both experienced and inexperienced. It is not necessary to be an expert or a super-lister to enjoy yourself. Our tours are designed for enthusiastic travellers who enjoy spending most, if not all, of their holiday time birding. Our goal is to get birders to the world's most amazing places, seeing the world's most amazing birds, in as much comfort as possible. Our trips range from shorter day-trips out of Cape Town to intensive three-week birding safaris throughout the continent and we offer both set departure and custom-made tours.
    ...

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Eco-Lodges

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White-headed Vulture - Photo copyright Naoto Noda
Photo copyright Naoto Noda

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Endemics and Specialities

in Cameroon

Information on endemics and specialities is derived from Sibley & Monroe checklists and bird distribution lists in Thayer's Birder's Diary - Version 2.05, supplemented by material found in Where to Watch Birds in Africa - by Nigel Wheatley. African speciality birds, while not endemic, are those that can only be found in three or less countries of Africa. Information on endangered birds is derived from the IUCN Red List, Birdlife International.  The endemic, endangered and speciality birds may be uncommon, extremely rare vagrants, may be extirpated in the country now or may only be present in migration. However, documented sightings of each species noted below have been made in Cameroon. 

 
Endemics in Cameroon
___ Bamenda Apalis
___ Bannerman's Turaco
___ Banded Wattle-eye
___ Bate's Weaver
___ Cameroon Francolin
___ Cameroon Speirops
___ Serle's Bushshrike
Endangered Birds in Cameroon
(endemics are printed in bold italic)

Breeding Birds

Non-Breeding Birds

___ Bamenda Apalis
___ Banded Wattle-eye
___ Bannerman's Turaco
___ Bannerman's Weaver 
___ Bates Weaver
___ Cameroon Speirops
___ Fernando Po Swift
___ Green-breasted Bushshrike
___ Grey-necked Rock-fowl
___ Ja River Scrub Warbler
___ Monteiro's Bushshrike
___ Mount Cameroon Francolin
___ River Prinia 
___ Serle's (Mt.Kupe) Bushshrike
___ Verreaux Batis
___ White-throated 
___ Mountian-Babbler
___ Yellow-footed Honey-Guide
___ Ferruginous Pochard

Other Speciality and Spectacular Birds in Cameroon
(adapted from Where to Watch Birds in Africa - by Nigel Wheatley.)

___ Arabian Bustard
___ Bare-cheeked Trogon
___ Bannerman's Weaver
___ Black Guinea-fowl
___ Black-capped 
___ Woodland-Warbler
___ Chestnut-bellied Starling
___ Chocolate-backed Kingfisher
___ Egyptian Plover
___ Fernando Po Oliveback
___ Green-breasted Bushshrike
___ Grey Pratincole
___ Grey-necked Rockfowl
___ Lesser Jacana
___ Long-tailed Hawk
___ Quail-Plover
___ Rufous-sided Broadbill
___ Sudan Golden-Sparrow
___ Ursula's Sunbird
___ White-bellied Kingfisher
___ Yellow-breasted Boubou

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Weather and Best Birding

 Information obtained fromand
from Where to Watch Birds in Africa - by Nigel Wheatley.


Month Birding Conditions Yaounde
Temperature 
F / C
 Rainfall 
(inches)
January Good Birding
74.5 / 23.6
1.0
February Best Birding
75.9 / 24.4
2.1
March Best Birding
75.4 / 24.1
5.5
April
74.8 / 23.8
7.6
May
74.1 / 23.4
8.5
June
73.0 / 22.8
6.4
July
71.8 / 22.1
2.4
August
71.8 / 22.1
3.1
September
72.5 / 22.5
8.5
October
72.7 / 22.6
11.5
November
73.8 / 23.2
4.7
December Good Birding
74.3 / 23.5
1.1
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