Crowned Plover
Vanellus coronatus
Two races occur:Pairs, small parties and flocks are common residents (and local wanderers) in wide range of drier Smart head pattern of black cap and white crown-ring stands out at long distance; ring accentuates flat head and steep forehead. Alert and upright, with yellow eyes and bright red legs.grasslands, including bushed and wooded areas, from sea-level to 2000m, mainly east of Rift Valley.
Photo by: Henupotography
jigjiga
Ethiopia
October 8
2025
Vanellus coronatus
Two races occur:Pairs, small parties and flocks are common residents (and local wanderers) in wide range of drier Smart head pattern of black cap and white crown-ring stands out at long distance; ring accentuates flat head and steep forehead. Alert and upright, with yellow eyes and bright red legs.grasslands, including bushed and wooded areas, from sea-level to 2000m, mainly east of Rift Valley.
Photo by: Henupotography
jigjiga
Ethiopia
October 8
2025
❤12
Kori Bustard
Ardeotis kori
Largest bustard; crested head, black collar and extensive black and white patterning at bend of closed wing distinctive. Sexes similar, but adult female smaller and more lightly built.Singles and small groups are widespread and sometimes common in open grassland up to 1600m in S&EEt and NWSo (plus two old records in SSo). Displaying male inflates throat-ruff and chest, lowers wings, and lifts tail to reveal mass of soft white undertailcoverts. adult male is world’s heaviest flying bird.
Photo by: Henupotography
jigjiga
Ethiopia
October 16
2025
Ardeotis kori
Largest bustard; crested head, black collar and extensive black and white patterning at bend of closed wing distinctive. Sexes similar, but adult female smaller and more lightly built.Singles and small groups are widespread and sometimes common in open grassland up to 1600m in S&EEt and NWSo (plus two old records in SSo). Displaying male inflates throat-ruff and chest, lowers wings, and lifts tail to reveal mass of soft white undertailcoverts. adult male is world’s heaviest flying bird.
Photo by: Henupotography
jigjiga
Ethiopia
October 16
2025
❤14🥰1😍1
Black-winged Kite
[Alt: Black-shouldered Kite]
Elanus caeruleus
A whitish hawk with grey back and wings, contrasting black shoulders, and short white tail. Primaries mostly blackish in flight from below. Sexes alike.Singles, pairs and occasional small groups are fairly common in wide range of moister open bushed and wooded grassland from sea-level to 2700m in Er and Et.
Photo by: Henupotography
jigjiga
Ethiopia
October 20
2025
[Alt: Black-shouldered Kite]
Elanus caeruleus
A whitish hawk with grey back and wings, contrasting black shoulders, and short white tail. Primaries mostly blackish in flight from below. Sexes alike.Singles, pairs and occasional small groups are fairly common in wide range of moister open bushed and wooded grassland from sea-level to 2700m in Er and Et.
Photo by: Henupotography
jigjiga
Ethiopia
October 20
2025
❤9😍2👍1
Crested Lark
Galerida cristata
Sandy grey-brown lark with long pointed crest, often raised or blown up by wind but not always immediately obvious.Common within range, particularly in sandy desert with sparse cover and coastal plains, up to 750m.
Photo by: Henupotography
jigjiga
Ethiopia
October 10
2025
Galerida cristata
Sandy grey-brown lark with long pointed crest, often raised or blown up by wind but not always immediately obvious.Common within range, particularly in sandy desert with sparse cover and coastal plains, up to 750m.
Photo by: Henupotography
jigjiga
Ethiopia
October 10
2025
❤4😍4
Common Buzzard
Buteo buteo
Singles to large flocks are common diurnal Palearctic passage migrants, Sep–Nov and Mar–Apr; some birds overwinter. Occurs across wide range of open, bushed and wooded habitats in Er, Dj and Et;In flight, typical adults have brown or rufousunderwing-coverts, dark smudged or thin comma-like carpal patch, and pale flight feathers with black tips and trailing edges, tail grey brown or rufous (often finely barred and may show dark subterminal band). Immature has less distinct trailing edge to wings. Scarce dark morphs are blackish-brown on body and underwing-coverts.
Photo by HenuPhotography
Addis Ababa
Ethiopia
November 5
2025
Buteo buteo
Singles to large flocks are common diurnal Palearctic passage migrants, Sep–Nov and Mar–Apr; some birds overwinter. Occurs across wide range of open, bushed and wooded habitats in Er, Dj and Et;In flight, typical adults have brown or rufousunderwing-coverts, dark smudged or thin comma-like carpal patch, and pale flight feathers with black tips and trailing edges, tail grey brown or rufous (often finely barred and may show dark subterminal band). Immature has less distinct trailing edge to wings. Scarce dark morphs are blackish-brown on body and underwing-coverts.
Photo by HenuPhotography
Addis Ababa
Ethiopia
November 5
2025
❤6👍1
European Roller
Coracias garrulus
Singles (often moving together in loose associations) are locally common Palearctic passage migrants, typically in bushed and wooded grassland up to 1400m. Birds appear to undertake a loop migration, with large southward passage in Er and NSo in autumn, Aug–Nov, and very heavy northward spring passage through SSo in Apr. Some birds overwinter in SEt and SSo, Dec–Feb.
Photo by: HenuPhotography
jigjiga
Ethiopia
October 10
2025
Coracias garrulus
Singles (often moving together in loose associations) are locally common Palearctic passage migrants, typically in bushed and wooded grassland up to 1400m. Birds appear to undertake a loop migration, with large southward passage in Er and NSo in autumn, Aug–Nov, and very heavy northward spring passage through SSo in Apr. Some birds overwinter in SEt and SSo, Dec–Feb.
Photo by: HenuPhotography
jigjiga
Ethiopia
October 10
2025
❤5😍2
Singing Bush Lark
Mirafra cantillans
Locally common but patchily distributed in bush country with sparse grass cover from sea-level to 1800m. Also appears in flocks in seasonal grasslands during rains. Flies and dives into cover when flushed, hovering briefly before plunging to ground.
Photo by: HenuPhotography
jigjiga
Ethiopia
October 10
2025
Mirafra cantillans
Locally common but patchily distributed in bush country with sparse grass cover from sea-level to 1800m. Also appears in flocks in seasonal grasslands during rains. Flies and dives into cover when flushed, hovering briefly before plunging to ground.
Photo by: HenuPhotography
jigjiga
Ethiopia
October 10
2025
❤5👍4😍2
Black-crowned Night Heron
Nycticorax nycticorax
Small groups are widespread and may be locally common on permanent water and rivers, generally with fringing vegetation for roosting. Some birds are probably of Palearctic origin.Adult has black crown and back contrasting with dove-grey wings, whitish face and underparts. At close range has long white neck-plumes.
Photo by HenuPhotography
Addis Ababa
Ethiopia
December 21
2025
Nycticorax nycticorax
Small groups are widespread and may be locally common on permanent water and rivers, generally with fringing vegetation for roosting. Some birds are probably of Palearctic origin.Adult has black crown and back contrasting with dove-grey wings, whitish face and underparts. At close range has long white neck-plumes.
Photo by HenuPhotography
Addis Ababa
Ethiopia
December 21
2025
❤6👍5😍1
Southern Pochard
Netta erythrophthalma
A large dark diving duck; Male is blackish-brown, with paler chestnut-brown flanks,red eyes, and blue-grey bill (no eclipse plumage).Small flocks are locally common on alkaline and freshwater Rift Valley lakes and elsewhere in Er and Et to 3000m;Although small numbers may breed, most are visitors from southern Africa, appearing mainly from Oct–Mar.
Photo by HenuPhotography
Addis Ababa
Ethiopia
December 21
2025
Netta erythrophthalma
A large dark diving duck; Male is blackish-brown, with paler chestnut-brown flanks,red eyes, and blue-grey bill (no eclipse plumage).Small flocks are locally common on alkaline and freshwater Rift Valley lakes and elsewhere in Er and Et to 3000m;Although small numbers may breed, most are visitors from southern Africa, appearing mainly from Oct–Mar.
Photo by HenuPhotography
Addis Ababa
Ethiopia
December 21
2025
❤8
Red-knobbed Coot
Fulica cristata
[Alt: Crested Coot]
Small flocks are common on lakes and pools in Er and Et up to 3300m (though rare in So). Non-breeding flocks of hundreds may gather on freshwater lakes in Rift Valley and nearby highlands.Very dark grey-black rallid with striking white bill and frontal shield. Breeding adult has two swollen red knobs above frontal shield, but hard to see at distance and quickly reduced and darker after breeding. At close range, feathering in front of eye is rounded (ends in point in Eurasian Coot), and top of frontal shield is straighter and more squared-off. White bill is often tinged bluish. In flight wings are all dark.
Photo by HenuPhotography
Addis Ababa
Ethiopia
December 27
2025
Fulica cristata
[Alt: Crested Coot]
Small flocks are common on lakes and pools in Er and Et up to 3300m (though rare in So). Non-breeding flocks of hundreds may gather on freshwater lakes in Rift Valley and nearby highlands.Very dark grey-black rallid with striking white bill and frontal shield. Breeding adult has two swollen red knobs above frontal shield, but hard to see at distance and quickly reduced and darker after breeding. At close range, feathering in front of eye is rounded (ends in point in Eurasian Coot), and top of frontal shield is straighter and more squared-off. White bill is often tinged bluish. In flight wings are all dark.
Photo by HenuPhotography
Addis Ababa
Ethiopia
December 27
2025
❤9😍3😱1
little Grebe
Tachybaptus ruficollis
Pairs and family groups are widespread and common on wide range of fresh and alkaline water from sea-level to 4000m, but generally less common in lowlands. Large flocks occur on Rift Valley lakes in non-breeding season.
Photo by HenuPhotography
Addis Ababa
Ethiopia
December 27
2025
Tachybaptus ruficollis
Pairs and family groups are widespread and common on wide range of fresh and alkaline water from sea-level to 4000m, but generally less common in lowlands. Large flocks occur on Rift Valley lakes in non-breeding season.
Photo by HenuPhotography
Addis Ababa
Ethiopia
December 27
2025
❤6😍2
Brown Woodland Warbler
Phylloscopus umbrovirens
Three races occur:Locally common in many highland forests in Er, Et and NSo, at 1500–3700m. Generally solitary or in pairs,feeding in canopy or tall bushes.Much browner than other leaf warblers in our area, with wings and tail edged green.
Photo by HenuPhotography
Addis Ababa/botanical garden
Ethiopia
jan3
2025
Phylloscopus umbrovirens
Three races occur:Locally common in many highland forests in Er, Et and NSo, at 1500–3700m. Generally solitary or in pairs,feeding in canopy or tall bushes.Much browner than other leaf warblers in our area, with wings and tail edged green.
Photo by HenuPhotography
Addis Ababa/botanical garden
Ethiopia
jan3
2025
❤7
The Brubru
(Nilaus afer)
a small, lively bush-shrike often seen alone or in pairs, calling from treetops in open woodlands and acacia country up to 2100m. The Male stands out with bold black-and-white plumage, chestnut sides, and a striking white eyebrow, while the female is darker brown with faint throat streaks. Young birds are mottled brown with creamy patterns and pale barred underparts. Across Africa, they show regional differences: east of the Rift Valley they flash a broad white wing line, while west of the Rift they carry rufous-buff wings and deeper chestnut sides.
Photo by:HenuPhotography
ziway / Batu
Ethiopia
2022
(Nilaus afer)
a small, lively bush-shrike often seen alone or in pairs, calling from treetops in open woodlands and acacia country up to 2100m. The Male stands out with bold black-and-white plumage, chestnut sides, and a striking white eyebrow, while the female is darker brown with faint throat streaks. Young birds are mottled brown with creamy patterns and pale barred underparts. Across Africa, they show regional differences: east of the Rift Valley they flash a broad white wing line, while west of the Rift they carry rufous-buff wings and deeper chestnut sides.
Photo by:HenuPhotography
ziway / Batu
Ethiopia
2022
😍3❤2👍1
Wattled Starling
Creatophora cinerea
Flocks are highly mobile, common and widespread throughout region from sea-level to 2400m, often near cattle and plains game. Nomadic and migratory, seasonal movements are poorly understood; in SSo present only Aug–Dec.Non-breeding male, female and immature are the most frequently encountered: all are pale brown with darker wings and tail and whitish rump. At close range, show small area of pale yellow skin around and behind dark eye.
photo by HenuPhotography
lake Abijjata
Ethiopia
Jan.
2024
Creatophora cinerea
Flocks are highly mobile, common and widespread throughout region from sea-level to 2400m, often near cattle and plains game. Nomadic and migratory, seasonal movements are poorly understood; in SSo present only Aug–Dec.Non-breeding male, female and immature are the most frequently encountered: all are pale brown with darker wings and tail and whitish rump. At close range, show small area of pale yellow skin around and behind dark eye.
photo by HenuPhotography
lake Abijjata
Ethiopia
Jan.
2024
❤5😍1
Booted Eagle
Hieraaetus pennatus
may be small, but it’s a mighty traveller! This elegant raptor breeds across southern Europe, North Africa, and Asia, then migrates thousands of kilometres to winter in tropical Africa and India. What makes it extra fascinating is its two plumage styles—light morph with pale underparts and dark flight feathers, and dark morph with rich brown tones. Despite its modest size, it’s a skilled hunter, swooping down on birds, reptiles, and small mammals with powerful talons. Truly a globe‑trotting eagle with a stylish wardrobe!
Photo by HenuPhotography
Addis Ababa
Ethiopia
jan27
2026
Hieraaetus pennatus
may be small, but it’s a mighty traveller! This elegant raptor breeds across southern Europe, North Africa, and Asia, then migrates thousands of kilometres to winter in tropical Africa and India. What makes it extra fascinating is its two plumage styles—light morph with pale underparts and dark flight feathers, and dark morph with rich brown tones. Despite its modest size, it’s a skilled hunter, swooping down on birds, reptiles, and small mammals with powerful talons. Truly a globe‑trotting eagle with a stylish wardrobe!
Photo by HenuPhotography
Addis Ababa
Ethiopia
jan27
2026
❤5😍1