Busia Grasslands

Busia Grasslands is made up of a stretch of small grassland expanse in western Kenya, including Mungatsi, Matayo, Sikoma, and Malanga. Busia grassland patches are surrounded by intensive agriculture, mainly maize and sugarcane, and are grazed by livestock owned by the locals. Blue Swallow, a globally threatened intra-African migrant, is a non-breeding visitor to Busia Grasslands from April to September. The Blue Swallow feeds over grassland and over 100 have been recorded roosting at the flooded grassland patch near Mungatsi. The most important of them is Mungatsi, located 2 kilometers from Mungatsi market along the Mungatsi–Munami road. This privately owned site lies on either side of a small stream (a tributary of the River Sio), which is fringed by riverine forest and scrub. The riverine forest and scrub at Mungatsi also hold several Sudan–Sudan-Guinea savanna biome species that are not found in other IBAs. This is also the only Kenyan Important Bird Area in which Fiery-necked Nightjar and Green Crombec, two Guinea–Congo Forests biome species, are recorded. Regionally threatened species include the Western-banded Snake Eagle, Shining Blue Kingfisher (recorded at Mungatsi), and Hartlaub’s Marsh Widowbird which nests in flooded grassland. In the Streams, the Rock Pratincole may also be seen. Busia grasslands have the best chance of seeing the Piapiac, small flocks associated with herds of cattle, where they run to feed on the disturbed insects.

The moist Busia grasslands are probably to have close links with Ugandan grasslands and contain bird species that are found anywhere else in Kenya.

Senegal Coucal, Compact Weaver, Speckle-breasted Woodpecker, Yellow-mantled Widowbird, Green Crombec, Rock Pratincole, Blue Swallow, Purple Starling, Black-bellied Firefinch, Black-rumped Waxbill, Great Snipe, Yellow-backed Weaver, Brown Twinspot, Red-chested Sunbird, Marsh Tchagra, Blue-breasted Bee-eater, Shining Blue Kingfisher