Birds of Homa Bay County

Abstract

Homa Bay County is perhaps the least known of those bird-rich parts of Kenya that lie at low elevations and receive high annual rainfall. The remoteness of the county from the centre of national bird research and recreational interest in Nairobi, along with historic infestation of much of the area by tsetse fly, has resulted in only a partial knowledge of what bird species occur there, and where
and when they can be found. 
As regular visitors to the county since 2011, the need for a comprehensive review of the region’s avifauna has been clear; many species occurring in the region have hitherto been undocumented. The range of microclimates and resulting habitats in the rugged valleys, hills and mountains is impressive, and it sits astride both the equator and the shores of Lake Victoria. The ingredients for local biological richness are all present, and indeed, 476 species known to have occurred in the county are tallied here, including several species of global conservation concern.
In compiling the information for this account, it is hoped that others will come to appreciate the richness found in the area, and its conservation value to Kenya. Some very productive birdwatching can be found in the protected areas of Ruma National Park and the Gwassi Hills Forest Reserve, as well as on the shorelines of Lake Victoria, but without outside interest and support to local economies, the future for wildlife in all these important conservation areas is tenuous.