Forest Birding - Kakum and Atewa Forests

Forest Birding can be challenging at the best of times whichever continent you are on and Ghana is no exception with many of the birds being exceptionally elusive. However, one of the definite highlights about a birding trip to Ghana is a visit to Kakum Forest NP and its famous canopy walkway. The walkway is suspended aprroximately 40 metres above the forest floor with five viewing platforms. It is great for finding many of the canopy feeders as well as looking down on some of the mid level forest specialists! Birding groups have priority access from dawn until around 09.00hrs before the hoards of screaming kids arrive!

The fantastic Atewa Range Forest Reserve requires a different approach, mostly because now access to the forest involves a good 10Km round trip walk up a fairly overgrown trail. However, the number of species in this forest is truly outstanding - See HERE    It is therefore well worth the trek and a memorable place for sure.
Sadly, this wonderful forest is under threat from Bauxite Mining, so if you have a couple of minutes please help by signing this petition

The famous canopy walkway in the Kakum Forest National Park

Black Bee-Eater - a relatively common species around the Kakum Forest, but stunning nonetheless

Rosy Bee-Eater - Tricky to find and often only seen in flight over the forest, but a perched bird is always a treat!

The Atewa Range Forest Reserve - home of the Blue-moustached Bee-Eater

Blue-moustached Bee-Eater - A speciality of the Atewa Mountain Ridge and well worth the hike!

Yellow-browed Camaroptera - Commonly encountered in the forests. The blue air sacs are just visible which inflate when the bird calls!

Grey-throated Tit Flycatcher - Unobtrusive and best located by call

Black-winged Red Bishop - Great to see in full breeding regalia!

Orange Weaver - very localised and  very easy to see at our accommodation at Hans Cottage where a small number of birds nest metres from where you eat!

Cattle Egret - commonly encountered, but great to see at the rookery at Hans Cottage

Woodland Kingfisher - a very common bird in Ghana but always very impressive

Sabine's Puffback - or the alternative name "Large-billed Puffback" was seen well from the canopy walkway

Little Green Woodpecker - one of the many Upper Guinea Forest Endemics

Golden Greenbul - one of the more striking and less skulking Greenbuls

Crocodile - One of the many that entertained us at Hans Cottage!