Birdwatching in Senegal

The Djoudj National Bird Sanctuary is one of the most important bird sanctuaries in the world. It covers 16,000 km² in the Senegal River Delta and provides a major water source for migratory birds after their long flight over the Sahara Desert. As many as 3 million birds fly through the sanctuary annually which includes species like the white pelican, the purple heron, the African spoonbill, the great egret, the Egyptian goose, the West African fish eagle and the cormorant.

Langue de Barbarie National Park is another excellent spot in Senegal for birdwatching. Species present include flamingos, pelicans, cormorants, herons and egrets as well as migratory birds from Europe between November and April each year.

The Saloum Delta is a protected reserve of waterways that provides excellent bird watching opportunities. The park consists of water channels, forests, mangroves and over 200 small islands which can be crossed on traditional pirogues. The site is also renowned for having over 200 shellfish mounds, up to several hundred metres long, which have been produced by human cultures throughout the ages, some of which have burial mounds atop them.