Lake Bogoria

Lake Bogoria in Kenya’s Rift Valley is  an excellent  birding hotspot well-known for its geysers and hot springs, and the high numbers of finicky Lesser flamingos, which come to feed on algae and drink fresh water from lakeside discharges. Lake Bogoria together with lakes Elementeita and Nakuru were declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site ‘as a natural property of outstanding beauty’ under the Kenya Great Lakes. Lake Bogoria is rich in spirulina algae, the preferred diet of the pretty pink Lesser Flamingos who flock to the lake in high numbers. Lake Bogoria contains an unusual range of microbes and micro-organisms from which enzymes have been produced for use in antibiotics and cleaning products. Enzymes play a similar role to some chemicals but they do so faster and in a more environmentally friendly way. Lake Bogoria has deep spiritual and cultural significance for the Endorois people, who have lived beside, and been custodians of, the lake for centuries. Over 70% of the waterbirds populations concentrate in the major Rift Valley lakes. The bulk of migratory birds visiting or passing through Kenya use the Rift Valley, One of the flyways in the Rift Valley, which has a chain of alkaline and freshwater lakes from Lake Turkana in the north to Lake Magadi in the south. Waterbirds make up approximately 17 percent of the total number of species recorded in Kenya

Lake Bogoria National Reserve as a birdwatching destination has more than 350 birds recorded, the main attraction in Lake Bogoria being the large flocks of the Lesser Flamingos that frequent the lake to feed on the blue-green algae. Lake Bogoria is an excellent birdwatching destination at any time of the year, but the best time is from November to April. The lake also has other interesting waterbirds such as Black-necked Grebe, Greater Flamingo, African Fish Eagle, several waders, Cape Teal, Black-winged Stilt, Lesser Flamingo, Greater Flamingo, Black-necked Grebe, Woodland Kingfisher, Little Stint, Beautiful Sunbird, Silverbird, African Fish Eagle, Great Spotted Cuckoo, Bearded Woodpecker, Grey-headed Bushshrike, African Hoopoe, Magpie Starling, Jackson’s Hornbill.

eBird Hotspot link