The stunning Egyptian Plover by Ian Fulton.
- All 14 of the Upper Guinea Forest Endemics including White-breasted Guineafowl, White-necked Rockfowl and Gola Malimbe
- Some of Africa’s and the world’s other most spectacular localized birds such as Egyptian Plover, Blue-moustached Bee-eater, Fiery-breasted Bushshrike, Emerald Starling and Togo Paradise-whydah
- And some of Africa’s and the world’s most spectacular other birds including Long-tailed Hawk, Timneh Parrot, Great Blue Turaco, Narina Trogon, Black Bee-eater, Blue-bellied Roller and several hornbills including White-crested
- As well as several species of monkey including
Western Black-and-white Colobus, Western
Red Colobus and Diana Monkey - And a chance of Chimpanzee, and outside chance of Pygmy Hippopotamus
- All in some superb lowland rainforest
- Similar species occur in Ghana which is more popular with visitors but there are more species of monkeys and birds in Sierra Leone including more and better chances of seeing the Upper Guinea Forest endemic bird species.
Best Birds and other wildlife in Sierra Leone
Birds
West African Endemics
Sierra Leone, Guinea and Guinea-Bissau 1 Turati’s Boubou.
Guinea-Bissau to Côte d'Ivoire 1 Timneh (Grey) Parrot.
Guinea-Bissau to Ghana 1 Ussher's Flycatcher.
Sierra Leone, Guinea and Côte d'Ivoire 1 Emerald Starling.
Sierra Leone, Guinea, Liberia, Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana 12 White-breasted Guineafowl, Rufous Fishing-owl, Brown-cheeked Hornbill, Western Wattled Cuckooshrike, White-necked Rockfowl, Black-headed Rufous-warbler, Green-tailed Bristlebill, Yellow-bearded Greenbul, Rufous-winged Illadopsis, Copper-tailed Starling, Nimba Flycatcher and Red-fronted Antpecker.
Sierra Leone, Guinea, Liberia and Côte d'Ivoire 3 Rufous-bellied (Yellow-bellied) Wattle-eye, Sierra Leone (White-eyed) Prinia and Gola (Ballman’s) Malimbe.
(The 14 Upper Guinea Endemic Bird Area (EBA) endemic birds are White-breasted Guineafowl, Rufous Fishing-owl, Brown-cheeked Hornbill, Western Wattled Cuckooshrike, White-necked Rockfowl, Sierra Leone Prinia, Sharpe's Apalis, Black-headed Rufous-warbler, Green-tailed Bristlebill, Yellow-bearded Greenbul, Rufous-winged Illadopsis, Copper-tailed Starling, Nimba Flycatcher and Gola Malimbe. Recent research suggests Liberian (White-winged) Greenbul may merely be an aberrant form of Icterine Greenbul)
Sierra Leone, Guinea, Liberia, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana and Togo 2 Sharpe's Apalis and Yellow-chinned (Green) Sunbird.
Guinea to Nigeria 4 Melancholy (Gabon) Woodpecker, Fanti (Velvet-mantled) Drongo, Western Bearded Greenbul and Finsch's Flycatcher-thrush.
Guinea to Cameroon 7 Blue-moustached Bee-eater (also Bioko), Fire-bellied Woodpecker, Red-billed Helmetshrike, Red-cheeked Wattle-eye, Kemp's Longbill, Baumann's Greenbul and Buff-throated Sunbird.
Guinea to Cameroon, and Mali 1 Togo Paradise-whydah.
Côte d'Ivoire to Cameroon 1 Black-crowned Capuchin Babbler.
(Recent research suggests Liberian (White-winged) Greenbul may merely be an aberrant form of Icterine Greenbul)
Other Specialities
Forest Francolin, Long-tailed Hawk, Egyptian and Forbes’s Plovers, Chattering Yellowbill, Chocolate-backed Kingfisher, Blue-throated Roller, Little Green
Woodpecker, Rufous-sided Broadbill, Fiery-breasted Bushshrike, Lowland Sooty Boubou, Grey-hooded Capuchin Babbler, Puvel's Illadopsis, White-tailed
Ant-thrush, Forest Scrub-robin, Violet-backed Hyliota, Johanna's Sunbird, Preuss's Weaver, Crimson Seedcracker, Dybowski’s Twinspot, and Cameroon and
Jambandu Indigobirds.
Also a chance of White-crested Tiger-heron, Olive Ibis, Congo Serpent-eagle, Grey-throated Rail, Red-chested and White-spotted Flufftails, Yellow-throated Cuckoo, Pel's Fishing-owl, Standard-winged Nightjar, and African Dwarf and White-bellied Kingfishers.
Others
African Pygmy Goose, Hartlaub’s Duck, Hamerkop, Palm-nut Vulture, African Harrier-hawk, Crowned and Long-crested Eagles, African Finfoot, Rock Pratincole,
White-headed Lapwing, Greater Painted-snipe, Great Snipe (mostly Nov-Mar), Rock Pratincole, Afep and (Western) Bronze-naped Pigeons, Great Blue, Guinea
and Yellow-billed Turacos, Western Plantain-eater, cuckoos, Bates's Swift, Sabine’s Spinetail, Narina Trogon, Blue-breasted, and Shining-blue Kingfishers,
Black, Swallow-tailed and White-throated Bee-eaters, Abyssinian, Blue-bellied and Broad-billed Rollers, Black-casqued, Black Dwarf, Piping, Red-billed
Dwarf, White-crested and Yellow-casqued Hornbills, barbets including Yellow-spotted, tinkerbirds, Cassin's, Thick-billed and Willcock's Honeyguides,
(African) Shrike and Vanga (Black-and-white Shrike) Flycatchers, Chestnut and Yellow-bellied Wattle-eyes, Senegal Batis, Red-billed Helmetshrike,
Grey-headed, Lagden’s, Many-coloured and Sulphur-breasted Bushshrikes, Blue and Red-shouldered Cuckooshrikes, Black-winged Oriole, Blue-headed
Crested-flycatcher, African and Red-bellied Paradise-flycatchers, Western Nicator, Pied-winged and White-throated Blue Swallows,
Pale-eyed Black Tit, many greenbuls, Green and Tit Hylias, Oriole Warbler, Yellow-browed Camaroptera, Green Crombec, White-tailed Alethe, (Western) Forest
Robin, Snowy-crowned Robin-chat, Splendid Starling, African Spotted Creeper, Splendid and Superb Sunbirds, Cabanis’s Bunting, weavers and malimbes, and
Western Bluebill.
Also a chance of White-backed Night-heron.
Mammals
Hippopotamus, Western Black-and-white (Pied) Colobus, Western Red Colobus, Olive Colobus, Sooty Mangabey,
Callithrix, Campbell’s (Mona), Diana and (Martin's) Putty-nosed Monkeys, Red River Hog, Hammer-headed Fruit Bat and several duikers. Also a chance of
Chimpanzee and (Common) Long-nosed Cusimanse, and an outside chance of Pygmy Hippopotamus, White-bellied Pangolin and Water Chevrotain.
Best Sites for Birds and other wildlife in Sierra Leone
- Guma Dam, near Freetown White-necked Rockfowl (permit required from Guma Valley office in Freetown).
- Western Peninsula FR White-necked Rockfowl, as well as Yellow-billed Turaco, Chocolate-backed Kingfisher, Melancholy Woodpecker, Little and Yellow-whiskered Greenbuls, Grey Longbill, Green Hylia, Sharpe’s Apalis, White-tailed Ant-thrush, Blue-throated Brown and Little Green Sunbirds, Blue-billed Malimbe and Crimson Seedcracker.
- Western Peninsula Mangroves A chance of White-backed Night-heron, and Blue-breasted and Shining-blue Kingfishers.
- Freetown Golf Course Turati’s Boubou, Oriole Warbler and Crimson Seedcracker, as well as Blue-breasted Kingfisher, Simple Greenbul and Vanga Flycatcher.
- Regent Forest Rufous-winged Illadopsis, Sharpe’s Apalis, Forest Scrub-robin and Johanna’s Sunbird, as well as Cassin’s Honeybird, Fiery-breasted Bushshrike, Sabine’s (Large-billed) Puffback, Shining Drongo, and Ansorge’s, Honeyguide, Plain and Slender-billed Greenbuls.
- Outamba-Kilimi NP Emerald Starling, Rock Pratincole, Swallow-tailed Bee-eater, African Spotted Creeper and Hippo. Also a chance of White-crested Tiger-heron and Standard-winged Nightjar.
- Nimini Hills Olive and Dusky Long-tailed Cuckoos, Yellow-billed Barbet and Kemp’s Longbill.
- Upper Guinea Savanna between Koidu and Bumbuna Cameroon and Jambandu Indigobirds, as well as Black Sparrowhawk, Double-toothed Barbet, Senegal Batis, Blackcap Babbler, Red-breasted Swallow, Yellow-throated Leaflove, Red-faced and Whistling Cisticolas, Moustached Grass-warbler, Copper Sunbird and Red-collared Widowbird.
- Bumbuna area, near Makeni Emerald Starling (also along road to Lake Sonfon at Kabala), as well as Guinea Turaco, Black Scimitarbill, Abyssinian Roller, White-crested Helmetshrike, Lowland Sooty and Turati’s Boubous, Purple-throated and Red-shouldered Cuckooshrikes, Oriole Warbler, African Blue-flycatcher, Green-headed, Splendid and Western Violet-backed Sunbirds, Compact Weaver, Dybowski’s Twinspot, Crimson Seedcracker and Togo Paradise-whydah. Also a chance of Standard-winged Nightjar and Sierra Leone Prinia, and an outside chance of Black-headed Rufous-warbler.
- Mamunta Mayosso WS African Pygmy Goose (Roneita Lake), African Finfoot and Western Bluebill. Also a chance of Forbes's Plover (Roneita Lake).
- Tingi Hills, near Koidu A chance of Sierra Leone Prinia.
- Gori Hills near Kona Fire-breasted Bushshrike, Baumann's Greenbul and Black-headed Rufous-warbler.
- Kambui FR South White-necked Rockfowl.
- Kambui FR North African Emerald Cuckoo, Naked-faced Barbet, Melancholy Woodpecker, Cassin’s and Willcock’s Honeyguides, Red-shouldered Cuckooshrike, Plain Greenbul and Magpie Mannikin. Also a chance of Yellow-throated Cuckoo.
- Rice fields near Kenema Forbes’s Plover and Great Snipe, as well as Greater Painted-snipe. Also a chance of African Crake.
- Gola FR West, near Zimmi (camping) Thick-billed and Willcock’s Honeyguides, Red-cheeked Wattle-eye, Puvel’s Illadopsis, Baumann’s and Spotted Greenbuls, Kemp’s Longbill, Tit Hylia, Preuss’s Weaver, Crested and Red-headed Malimbes, and Chestnut-breasted, Grey-headed and White-breasted Nigritas.
- Gola FR East, near Kenema Western Bronze-naped Pigeon, Blue-headed Wood-dove, African Emerald Cuckoo and Forest Robin. Also a chance of White-breasted Guineafowl, Long-tailed Hawk and Congo Serpent-eagle
- Gola FR North (camping at Laehun) Forest Francolin, Nimba Flycatcher and Gola Malimbe, as well as Hartlaub’s Duck, White-breasted Guineafowl, Ahanta Francolin, Timneh Parrot, Yellow-billed Turaco, Olive Long-tailed Cuckoo, Bates’s Swift, Narina Trogon, Black and Blue-moustached Bee-eaters, Blue-throated Roller, Black-casqued, Brown-cheeked and Yellow-casqued Hornbills, Yellow-spotted Barbet, Brown-eared and Buff-spotted Woodpeckers, Rufous-sided Broadbill, Fiery-breasted and Many-coloured Bushshrikes, Red-billed Helmetshrike, Yellow-bellied Wattle-eye, Black-winged Oriole, Blackcap and Rufous-winged Illadopsises, Icterine, Western Bearded and Yellow-bearded Greenbuls, Green-tailed Bristlebill, Yellow-browed and Olive-green Camaropteras, Violet-backed Hyliota, Copper-tailed Starling, Brown-chested and Fire-crested Alethes, Olivaceous and Ussher’s Flycatchers, Fraser’s, Little Green and Tiny Sunbirds, Crested and Red-vented Malimbes, and Western Bluebill. Also an outside chance of Grey-throated Rail.
- Tiwai Island WS, Moa River Red-thighed Sparrowhawk, Long-tailed Hawk, Egyptian Plover, White-headed Lapwing, Chattering Yellowbill, Chocolate-backed Kingfisher, hornbills including Brown-cheeked, Blue-throated Roller, Fire-bellied and Little Green Woodpeckers, Red-billed Helmetshrike, Swamp Palm Bulbul, White-throated Greenbul, White-tailed Alethe, White-browed Forest-flycatcher, Buff-throated Sunbird, Maxwell’s Black and Yellow-mantled Weavers, several species of monkey and Red River Hog. Also a chance of Hartlaub’s Duck, White-breasted Guineafowl, Olive Ibis, Pel’s and Rufous Fishing-owls, and Western Wattled Cuckooshrike, Chimpanzee and Long-nosed Cusimanse, and an outside chance of Pygmy Hippopotamus.
Best Times for Birds and other wildlife in Sierra Leone
The drier season, when Egyptian Plover occurs, usually lasts from December to February and this is the best time to look for most birds even though these are usually the hottest and most humid months of the year. February to April, especially April when water levels are usually at their lowest, is the best time to look for monkeys at Tiwai Island.
Recommended Bird Books etc. for Sierra Leone
Birds of Western Africa by N Borrow and R Demey. Helm, 2014 (Second Edition).
Birds of Africa south of the Sahara by I Sinclair and P Ryan. C Struik, 2011 (Second Edition).
The Kingdon Field Guide to African Mammals by J Kingdon. Bloomsbury, 2015 (Second Revised Edition).
The Kingdon Pocket Guide to African Mammals by J Kingdon. Bloomsbury, 2016 (Second Edition).
Apps etc.
The Kingdon Guide to African Mammals.
Where to watch birds in Africa by N Wheatley. Helm, 1995.
Don’t know which country/countries to visit in Africa? Then it may be worth considering taking a look at this book, written by this website’s author. It is many years old of course but it still provides a starting point, an overview and a guiding light to the best birds and the best places to look for them on the continent, and could save hours of searching for similar information on the internet. However, it is important to check more up-to-date sources for sites which have been opened up, sites and species which have been discovered, lodges that have been built etc. since the book was published.
Birding and Wildlife Trip Reports for Sierra Leone
Many trip reports, some for Sierra Leone, are posted on the websites listed here. On some of these websites some reports are independent and some are posted by tour companies who organize tours to Sierra Leone. These tour companies and others also post their own reports on their websites, which are listed under 'Some Organized Tours to Sierra Leone' below.
- The best website for trip reports is CloudBirders
- but these are also worth a look
- Birdtours
- Fatbirder
- Jon Hornbuckle
- Mammal Watching
Local bird and wildlife guides in Sierra Leone
The costs of organized tours partly reflect the quality of the tour leaders. Some leaders are certainly better than others and many companies claim their leaders are the best but even the best rely at least to some extent on the exceptional skills of the local guides they employ. If you are travelling independently, employing such local guides will greatly increase your chances of seeing the wildlife you wish to see.
Accommodation for birders in Sierra Leone
Some Organized Tours for birds and other wildlife to Sierra Leone
There are many tour companies who organize tours to see mammals, birds, other wildlife and other natural wonders. The cost of these tours vary considerably according to such variables as the airlines used, the number of days the tours last, the number of sites visited, the number of people in the group (an important consideration if you wish to see such wildlife as rainforest mammals and birds), the number of tour leaders, the standard of accommodation and transport, and the percentage profit the company hopes to make. Generally, where the number of days tours last and the number of sites visited are similar, the cheapest tours are those that use the cheapest airlines, accommodation and local transport, that have the largest groups with the least number of leaders, and that make the least amount of profit. The most expensive tours tend to be those which are exceptionally long, use the most expensive accommodation (ridiculously lavish in some cases, even for single nights) and which make the most profit. Some tour costs partly reflect the quality of the tour leaders. Some leaders are certainly better than others and many companies claim their leaders are the best but even the best rely at least to some extent on the exceptional skills of the local guides they employ.
While tour companies organize tours with set itineraries many also organize custom tours for individuals and private groups who instead of taking a tour with a set itinerary want to follow their own itinerary to suit their own personal tastes, whether it be mammals, birds, other wildlife, other natural wonders or even man-made attractions, or a mixture of them all. Many organized tours with set itineraries are also fast-paced and target as many species as possible, whether they are mammals, birds or other wildlife or everything, which usually leaves little time to enjoy the best sites and individual species, but on a custom tour those taking part can specify the pace and the sites and species they wish to concentrate on. Custom tours also suit people who like to travel with people they already know, rather than with a group of strangers, and they are popular with people with partners with different interests. Individuals, partners and small groups will almost certainly have to pay more for a custom tour than an organized tour with a set itinerary but a large group of friends may be able to travel for less than the price quoted for a set tour.
Tour companies who run organized tours to Sierra Leone include the following. Many of these also offer custom tours.
