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Gambia River Birding: West Africa's Top Birdwatching Destination

The Gambia is Africa's smallest country but punches far above its weight in birdwatching — over 580 species recorded, and the Gambia River's mangroves are among the best bird habitats in West Africa

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1
Tanbi Wetland Reserve Mangroves
The mangrove forest at the mouth of the Gambia River hosts Goliath herons, African darters, palm nut vultures and dozens of kingfishers visible from dawn canoe rides
2
Abuko Nature Reserve
The Gambia's oldest protected area – just 30 minutes from Banjul – is an extraordinary area of gallery forest that is home to green vervet monkeys, western red colobus and 300 bird species
3
River Gambia National Park
The Gambia River Islands Chimpanzee Sanctuary - established with the help of Dame Daphne Sheldrick - protects chimpanzees rescued from the pet trade in a completely wild river environment
4
Pirang Forest Park
The gallery forest in Pirang is home to hornbills, Beaudouin's serpent eagle and rare forest birds rarely found in other Gambian locations — a specialist birdwatcher's destination
5
Bao Bolong Wetland Reserve
A Ramsar-designated wetland in the North Bank region — flamingoes, spoonbills and manatees in the mangrove channels in a reserve that really gets few international visitors
6
Gambia River Night Cruise
A night boat on the Gambia River brings encounters with hippos splashing in the dark, fishing bats skimming the surface of the water and the extraordinary soundscape of an African river night