Interview with James Kiptoo, birding guide in Kenya
Tell us about yourself Kip:
My full name is James Kiptoo and I have been interested in birds for a long time. During my childhood I did not pay much attention to birds because in my culture we did not consider them as something special. I used to be a scout and then I got picked to be a scout leader. We used to go camping a lot, and also, as the leader, I used to teach the other scouts. We used to go hiking, but we didn’t use real tents, just very thin paper, so I got used to camping.
After elementary school, I went to high school and after high school I joined the Wildlife Clubs and it was from there that I studied more about nature and animals. After high school, I joined the university and there I started to study birds, animals, reptiles and other things that you find in nature. Thus my interest in birds grew and I began to join other clubs and societies. We have the National Museums of Kenya, where the Natural History Society of Kenya is based, as well as the museum’s Department of Ornithology. On a visit to the Ornithology Department they showed us all the stuffed birds in the drawers and from there my interest really started to develop further.
I was introduced to Nature Kenya in 1996. At Nature Kenya, I really praise my mentor Fleur Ng’weno (my daughter is also called Fleur). Fleur knows birds like the back of her hand; she can tell you everything. Every Wednesday we have bird walks at the museum and every Wednesday we would go up to her and she would give us binoculars. It was our first experience with binoculars, so we didn’t know if they were good or bad, but we were very happy to have them.
With birds there are many ways to identify them, one is by song. You can also distinguish the bird by the mode of flight, by the habitat and the mode of feeding. For example, in Nairobi we have scavengers like the marabou stork. We also have the sparrows and here at home I have a Rufous Sparrow nesting outside.
Nature Kenya does bird banding. They put the ring on their feet and that ring has a lot of information. If you find a dead bird and it has a ring on it, take it to the museum and they will tell you where it breeds, how far it has traveled, etc.
What is your favorite bird?
I don’t have a favourite, they are all my favourites. When I find a new bird, that’s a lifer, and then it becomes a favorite.
In Kenya we have about 1089 species of birds because we have the right habitat for all these birds. We have deserts, forests, seas, savannas and oceans. So the birds have no reason why they can’t come here. Kenya has a migratory route where birds migrate from Eastern Europe, all the way to Siberia. We have interesting birds like warblers and blackcaps that move a very long distance, and this makes me very appreciative of birds. You know how cold and far away Siberia is – this little bird comes all the way there to escape the cold weather! They come because they want to breed or feed.
What is your favorite place to watch birds?
In Kenya we have places called IBAs – Important Bird Areas. They are special depending on the species you can find there, so the 60 IBAs of Kenya are my favorite places. They are recognized globally, and also regionally, due to one or a few individual species found there. In Kenya we have quite a few endemic birds. For example, if you go to the Kinangop grasslands, not too far from Nairobi, near Naivasha, we have a bird called the Sharpe’s longclaw which is endemic to that area. People from all over the world come to this area to see the Sharpe’s long claw. When you go to Kiriaini or Mwea you have the Hinde’s babbler, which is the only endemic species you can find in that area.
We also have the Kenyan shorebirds. When you go to Arabuko Sokoke, for example, you have birds like the Sokoke Scops Owl and the Sokoe Pipit, just to name a few. In North East Kenya we have the William’s Lark which we don’t have anywhere else; it is endemic.
Why is Lake Magadi so special during the Easter period?
Easter is when Lake Magadi will have received some rain. Keep in mind that Magadi is very hot but after the rains it is beautiful because of all these little grasses and other plants that emerge and the area turns green and flowers grow. The bees are sucking the nectar from the flowers and the birds are flying because the water has just arrived. In the Magadi area we have unique habitats for aquatic species such as Spoonbills, Flamingos, Crowned Plover, Kittlitz Plover and Three-banded Plover.
But before reaching Magadi, there are a number of places that you must visit first. For example, this trip will start from Ngong Hills. The change in altitude is quite drastic: from Ngong town you go up to the wind turbines and weather station. Then, from Corner Baridi, descend to see more dryland species. Among them, you might see or hear the White-bellied Go-away-bird, Chinspot Batis, or Brubru. The Brubru is a very small bird with tawny or red flanks. It’s small but makes a very loud call, like someone is whistling.
Since March to June is the season to see migratory birds in Kenya, can you tell us more about it?
As I said before, birds migrate from Eastern Europe, Russia and Siberia, that’s long distance migration. The short distance migration is like flamingos moving between Lakes Nakuru, Bogoria, Baringo and Oloiden. The other is the vertical migration where you might see a bird like the Tacazze Sunbird on top of Mount Kenya and then next time it will be in the Naro Moro area (at the base of the mountain). They come down to reproduce.
Long distance or intra-Africa migration is starting now and we are seeing several birds from Europe such as Spotted Thrush, Rock Thrush and Eurasion Bee-eaters. Birds migrating from Madagascar (which is a unique habitat) make up the Malagasy migration.
What are some “fun facts” you can share with us about birds?
In some communities, if you see a woodpecker pecking on the left side of the tree, they advise you not to go on that safari. If you are walking and see a gill vulture and it shows you its white belly, then it is good luck.