16-Day Highlights of Ethiopia Birdwatching Expedition with Awel Sultan

Meet in Addis Ababa for greetings and arrival logistics. Depending on arrival time, there may be time for a city tour before the first overnight in Addis Ababa.

Drive toward Alledeghi National Park, stopping en route for Harwood's Francolin. In and around Alledeghi, search for bustards, larks, sandgrouse, African Orange-bellied Parrot, weavers, Hoopoe, Yellow-throated Serin, Red-fronted Barbet, Pygmy Batis, Lesser-striped Swallow and House Martin. The reserve may also hold Grevy's zebra, oryx, gazelle, gerenuk, ostrich and other open-country wildlife.

Use a second full day in Alledeghi to search more widely across its open grassland, acacia and seasonal wetland edges. The extra field time supports another attempt at species missed on Day 2 and leaves room for both birding and the reserve's open-country mammals.

Explore Awash National Park, one of Ethiopia's important natural landscapes. Birding areas include the Awash River gorge, falls, Filwoha area and surrounding plains. The itinerary notes more than 460 recorded species, Somali-Masai biome birds, Palearctic migrants, bustards, raptors, vultures and breeding birds such as Ruppell's Griffon, Fox Kestrel and Carmine Bee-eater.

Drive from Awash National Park toward Lake Langano, with birding stops around Lake Ziway. Search for waterbirds including Great White Pelican, Marabou Stork, Fulvous Whistling Duck, White-faced Whistling Duck, Black-headed Gull, Grey-headed Gull, Whiskered Tern, White-winged Black Tern, White-breasted Cormorant, Reed Cormorant and Ferruginous Duck.

Spend the morning birdwatching around Lake Langano for aquatic species. In the afternoon, continue to the eastern side of Langano for forest and woodland birding in a different habitat zone.

Begin with birdwatching in Abijatta-Shalla National Park, a major flyway for Palearctic and African migrants, especially raptors, flamingos and waterbirds. Later travel toward Bale Mountains National Park and begin afternoon birding around Gaysay Grassland and open woodland, looking for Ethiopian highland species and endemics.

Travel to the Sof Omar Cave area and bird the surrounding highland and dry-country habitats. The day adds a contrasting landscape to the Bale section, with attention to Ethiopian endemics, threatened birds, Salvadori's Seedeater and Somali-Masai biome species.

Explore the Bale Mountains from Afro-alpine country around the Sanetti Plateau into Harenna Forest. Possible birds include Wattled Crane, Rouget's Rail, Spot-breasted Lapwing, Yellow-fronted Parrot, Abyssinian Woodpecker, Abyssinian Longclaw, Abyssinian Catbird and Black Siskin, alongside highland raptors.

Begin with forest birding in Harenna, then make the long transfer toward Negele Borena as montane vegetation gives way to lowland acacia. Birding stops can focus on Prince Ruspoli's Turaco, White-winged Dove, Jubaland Weaver, Ovambo Sparrowhawk and other Somali-Masai biome species.

Drive early to Liben Plain, an important site for the globally threatened and restricted-range Sidamo Long-clawed Lark. Continue birding Negele woodlands and related sites for Somali Short-toed Lark, Tiny Cisticola, Heuglin's Bustard, Hunter's Sunbird, Golden Pipit, Pygmy Batis, Red-naped Bushshrike, White-crowned Starling, Rufous Sparrow, Coqui Francolin, Salvadori's Seedeater, Boran Cisticola, Banded Parisoma, Somali Long-billed Crombec and Red-chested Sunbird.

Drive toward Yabello, another important habitat for southern Ethiopian endemics and Somali-Masai biome birds. The itinerary highlights White-tailed Swallow and Abyssinian Bushcrow around Yabello, along with Kori Bustard and Red-and-yellow Barbet.

Drive toward Mega and Arero Forest, two sites noted for Somali-Masai species. Arero Forest is highlighted as one of the best places to look for Prince Ruspoli's Turaco, one of Ethiopia's sought-after endemic birds. Other possible species include Salvadori's Seedeater, Pringle's Puffback, Bristle-crowned Starling, Golden-breasted Starling, White-headed Buffalo-weaver and White-crowned Starling.

Walk the montane forest and streamside habitat at Wondo Genet on the eastern Rift Valley escarpment. The target mix includes Yellow-fronted Parrot, Black-winged Lovebird, Abyssinian Oriole, Narina Trogon, African Paradise Flycatcher and Ethiopian White-eye.

Drive from Wondo Genet toward Hawassa and bird along Lake Hawassa, the source of the Tikur Waha River and woodland northeast of the lake. The itinerary highlights waterbirds and woodland species including White-breasted Cormorant, White-faced Whistling Duck, Spur-winged Goose, Red-knobbed Coot, African Pygmy Goose, Saddle-billed Stork, Brown Snake Eagle, Grey Kestrel, Green-backed Honeyguide, Blue-headed Coucal, Spotted Creeper and African Firefinch.

After morning birdwatching at Lake Hawassa, drive back to Addis Ababa. The itinerary notes a lunch stop by Lake Ziway for additional aquatic birds and kingfishers before a farewell dinner in Addis Ababa and onward departure.