Itinerary:

The tour begins in and around Addis Ababa, where we should find our first endemics, including White-collared Pigeon, Blue-winged Goose, flocks of Wattled Ibis, Rouget’s Rail, Abyssinian Longclaw and Abyssinian Siskin, along with several more widespread African species.

Descending to the Rift Valley, we explore Lake Awassa, and other Rift lakes where we may encounter Black-winged Lovebird, African Long- eared Owl, Blue-breasted Bee-eater, Black-billed Barbet, Rufous- necked Wryneck, African Yellow Warbler, Rüppell’s Robin-Chat, Black-headed Batis, Beautiful Sunbird and Rüppell’s Weaver. We should find Thick-billed Raven squabbling with waterbirds at a fish market, and other species in and around out hotel include African Mourning Dove, Woodland Kingfisher, Green Woodhoopoe, Silvery- cheeked Hornbill, the attractive Double-toothed Barbet, Red- shouldered Cuckoo-shrike, Black-headed Batis, Brown-throated Wattle-eye and Spotted Creeper

The forests around Wondo Genet are excelent for Ayre’s Hawk-Eagle, as well as screeching flocks of endemic Yellow-fronted Parrots, White-cheeked Turaco, the endemic Banded Barbet, Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird, Lesser and the elusive Green-backed Honeyguides. Other species present include; Little Spotted Woodpecker, Brown Saw-wing, Abyssinian Slaty Flycatcher, White-rumped Babbler, Scarlet-chested and Western Olive Sunbirds, Dark-headed Oriole, Slender-billed and the rare Sharpe’s Starling, and Green-backed Twinspot.

We will then search the trails of Bale Mountains for Chestnut-naped Francolin, Groundscraper Thrush (of the distinctive, endemic race simensis) , the secretive Abyssinian Ground-Thrush, vocal Abyssinian Catbird, and the endemic White-backed Black-Tit On the high moorlands, if we are very fortunate, we will see a pair of the endangered Wattled Crane striding through the moist grassland or spot a Cape Eagle-Owl sunning on a rocky perch. We will also search for Moorland Francolin, the endemic Spot-breasted Lapwing, Thekla Lark, Red-breasted Wheatear and dumpy Moorland Chats. Ethiopian Wolf is also highly prized here.

An excursion down to the arid Sof Omar region will seek out the endemic Salvadori’s Serin, and other dry-county speciality species include Somali Tit, Somali Crow, Vinaceous Dove and Black-billed Woodhoopoe.

We will travel to the deep south, where some of the most exciting endemics live. Conditions here are fairly basic, but the birding more than makes up for this. Specials include Stresemann’s Bush Crow, Degodi Lark and White-tailed Swallow. Two other key target species will be the beautiful Prince Ruspoli’s Turaco and the little-known Sidamo Lark. Other restricted-range species we hope to encounter include White-crowned Starling and White-winged Dove.

Back in the Rift Valley, we visit Lakes Langano, Abijatta and Shalla. Where we hope to find many new species, including Somali Ostrich, huge flocks of Greater and Lesser Flamingo, Southern Pochard, Cape Teal, Dark Chanting Goshawk, Imperial and Long-crested Eagle, Grey Kestrel, the rare Clapperton’s Francolin, Great Black-headed Gull, Bare-faced Go-away-bird, Little Bee-eater, Hemprich’s Hornbill, family groups of the wonderful Abyssinian Ground-Hornbill, Black Scimitarbill, Grey Woodpecker, Little Rock- Thrush, African Thrush, Buff-bellied Warbler, Red-faced Crombec, Beautiful Sunbird, Rüppell’s Glossy-Starling, Red-billed Oxpecker, and Northern Grosbeak- Canary.

Our final days will be concentrated on the Jemma Valley and Awash National Park. As well as good numbers of large mammals, we will make a special effort to find the scarce Harwood’s Francolin. Other special species on the agenda are Erckel’s Francolin, Abyssinian Ground Hornbill, the endemic Ankober and Yellow-throated Serins, Abyssinian Roller, Swallow-tailed Kite, Red-winged Pytilia and the very rare Sombre Chat. Six species of Bustard can be found here, including the scarce Arabian.