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© Isaac Kilusu

Mandegee Farm

-2.99548 , 37.57922

Kenya

Mandegee farm is a superb stopover site for birding if you are either coming from tsavo west on the taveta - laset road or if you are driving from amboseli Np via oloitoktok town, just before the tsavo river bridge or what the locals call msangairo you are already there. This site has a checklist of 212 species so far, some of the birds being migrants while others are restricted range endemics. The typical habitats here are dry farmland, gallery forest, dry hills, swamp and irrigated fields, that means that there is a high chance of seeing different species which favor different habitats. According to isaac kilusu, a local birder who grew up here, it is the only site in Kenya where you can get 100 birds species in one hour. It is poorly known by birders but it has one of East Africa's top birding guides, surprisingly enough almost every kid here knows a few birds by their English name. You need a local guide to take you around, almost 90 % of the birds known to this area are sound recorded and are available at https://www.xeno-canto.org/contributor/FAMEEAPTYE thanks to the massive works of isaac kilusu and kilusu bird club.

Delete exact location

The introductory text should contain general information about the site, which may include for instance:
• geographic/ biogeographic location
• habitat and vegetation
• typical bird species/bird communities
• protection status
• land use and history
• importance for birdwatching

Site name was changed by Mathias Ritschard (Admin) into "Mandegee Farm" (2021-02-04 17:57:44 )

Coordinates were set by Isaac Kilusu : -2.9955/37.5792 (2021-02-04 17:47:50 )

Site name was set by Isaac Kilusu as "Mandegee Farm, Oloitoktok" (2021-02-04 17:47:50 )

Edited by Stephen Matthews on 2025-11-02 13:02:50
mandegee Mandegee farm is a superb stop over stopover site for birding if you are either coming from tsavo west on the taveta - laset road or if you are driving from amboseli Np via oloitoktok town,just town, just before the tsavo river bridge or what the locals call it msangairo call msangairo you are already there.there. This site has a checklist of 212 species so far,some far, some of this birds are migrants the birds being migrants while others are restricted range endemics.endemics. The typical habitat habitats here is are dry farmland, gallery forest, dry farmlands,gallery forest,dry hills ,swamp hills, swamp and irrigated fields ,that fields, that means that there is a high chance of seen different seeing different species which favors different habitats.favor different habitats. According to isaac kilusu ,a kilusu, a local birder who grew up here here, it is the only site in kenya that Kenya where you can get 100 birds species in one hour,it hour. It is poorly known by birders but it has one of east africa East Africa's top birding guides, surprisingly enough almost every kid here knows a few birds by their english name.English name. You need a local guide to take with you around ,almost around, almost 90 % of the birds known to this area are sound recorded and are available at  https://www.at https://www.xeno-canto.org/contributor/FAMEEAPTYE thanks to the masive massive works of isaac kilusu and kilusu bird clubclub.
Edited by Isaac Kilusu on 2021-02-04 19:33:19
mandegee farm is a superb stop over site for birding if you are either coming from tsavo west on the taveta - laset road or if you are driving from amboseli Np via oloitoktok town,just before the tsavo river bridge or what the locals call it msangairo you are already there.This site has a checklist of 212 species so far,some of this birds are migrants while others are restricted range endemics.The typical habitat here is dry farmlands,gallery forest,dry hills ,swamp and irrigated fields ,that means that there is a high chance of seen different species which favors different habitats.According to isaac kilusu ,a local birder who grew up here it is the only site in kenya that you can get 100 birds species in one hour,it is poorly known by birders but it has one of east africa top birding guides, surprisingly enough almost every kid here knows a few birds by their english name.You need a local guide to take with you around ,almost 90 % of the birds known to this area are sound recorded and are available at www.at  https://www.xeno-canto.org a huge org/contributor/FAMEEAPTYE thanks to the masive works of isaac kilusu and kilusu bird club
Edited by Isaac Kilusu on 2021-02-04 18:30:14
mandegee farm is a superb stop over site for birding if you are either coming from tsavo west on the taveta - laset road or if you are driving from amboseli Np via oloitoktok town,just before the tsavo river bridge or what the locals call it msangairo you are already there.This site has a checklist of 212 species so far,some of this birds are migrants while others are restricted range endemics.The typical habitat here is dry farmlands,gallery forest,dry hills ,swamp and irrigated fields ,that means that there is a high chance of seen different species which favors different habitats.According to isaac kilusu ,a local birder who grew up here it is the only site in kenya that you can get 100 birds species in one hour,it is poorly known by birders but it has one of east africa top birding guides, surprisingly enough almost every kid here knows a few birds by their english name.You need a local guide to take with you around ,almost 90 % of the birds known to this area are sound recorded and are available at www.xeno-canto.org a huge thanks to the masive works of isaac kilusu and kilusu bird club

  • Top species

List up to ca. 25 species that:
• have a limited distribution range and/or are rare on a global level
• are most sought-after by birdwatchers at this site
• and are relatively easy to see at this site (year-round or seasonally)

Shelley's Francolin (Scleroptila shelleyi)
Blue-spotted Wood-Dove (Turtur afer)
Donaldson Smith's Nightjar (Caprimulgus donaldsoni)
Slender-tailed Nightjar (Caprimulgus clarus)
Red-chested Flufftail (Sarothrura rufa)
Gray Crowned-Crane (Balearica regulorum)
African Hawk-Eagle (Aquila spilogaster)
Black Goshawk (Accipiter melanoleucus)
Southern Ground-Hornbill (Bucorvus leadbeateri)
Greater Honeyguide (Indicator indicator)
Mountain Gray Woodpecker (Dendropicos spodocephalus)
Golden-tailed Woodpecker (Campethera abingoni)
Black Cuckooshrike (Campephaga flava)
Black-throated Wattle-eye (Platysteira peltata)
White-bellied Tit (Melaniparus albiventris)
Fawn-colored Lark (Calendulauda africanoides)
Red-faced Cisticola (Cisticola erythrops)
Singing Cisticola (Cisticola cantans)
Little Rush Warbler (Bradypterus baboecala)
Sombre Greenbul (Andropadus importunus)
Gray-olive Greenbul (Phyllastrephus cerviniventris)
Hildebrandt's Starling (Lamprotornis hildebrandti)
Rüppell's Robin-Chat (Cossypha semirufa)
Beautiful Sunbird (Cinnyris pulchellus)
White-browed Sparrow-Weaver (Plocepasser mahali)
Red-headed Weaver (Anaplectes rubriceps)
Baglafecht Weaver (Ploceus baglafecht)
Black-necked Weaver (Ploceus nigricollis)
Spectacled Weaver (Ploceus ocularis)
African Golden-Weaver (Ploceus subaureus)
Taveta Golden-Weaver (Ploceus castaneiceps)
Lesser Masked-Weaver (Ploceus intermedius)
Vitelline Masked-Weaver (Ploceus vitellinus)
Speke's Weaver (Ploceus spekei)
Village Weaver (Ploceus cucullatus)
Chestnut Weaver (Ploceus rubiginosus)
Cardinal Quelea (Quelea cardinalis)
Southern Red Bishop (Euplectes orix)
Zanzibar Red Bishop (Euplectes nigroventris)
Black-winged Bishop (Euplectes hordeaceus)
Fire-fronted Bishop (Euplectes diadematus)
Yellow Bishop (Euplectes capensis)
Grosbeak Weaver (Amblyospiza albifrons)
Black-and-white Mannikin (Spermestes bicolor)
Peters's Twinspot (Hypargos niveoguttatus)
Mountain Wagtail (Motacilla clara)
Pangani Longclaw (Macronyx aurantiigula)

Greater Honeyguide (Indicator indicator) was added by Isaac Kilusu (2021-02-04 18:56:48)

Black-and-white Mannikin (Spermestes bicolor) was added by Isaac Kilusu (2021-02-04 18:56:13)

Singing Cisticola (Cisticola cantans) was added by Isaac Kilusu (2021-02-04 18:55:46)

Red-faced Cisticola (Cisticola erythrops) was added by Isaac Kilusu (2021-02-04 18:55:32)

African Hawk-Eagle (Aquila spilogaster) was added by Isaac Kilusu (2021-02-04 18:55:08)

Pangani Longclaw (Macronyx aurantiigula) was added by Isaac Kilusu (2021-02-04 18:54:42)

Gray Crowned-Crane (Balearica regulorum) was added by Isaac Kilusu (2021-02-04 18:54:29)

Southern Ground-Hornbill (Bucorvus leadbeateri) was added by Isaac Kilusu (2021-02-04 18:54:13)

Mountain Wagtail (Motacilla clara) was added by Isaac Kilusu (2021-02-04 18:53:57)

Black-throated Wattle-eye (Platysteira peltata) was added by Isaac Kilusu (2021-02-04 18:52:10)

Peters's Twinspot (Hypargos niveoguttatus) was added by Isaac Kilusu (2021-02-04 18:50:37)

Black Cuckooshrike (Campephaga flava) was added by Isaac Kilusu (2021-02-04 18:49:52)

Black Goshawk (Accipiter melanoleucus) was added by Isaac Kilusu (2021-02-04 18:49:11)

Mountain Gray Woodpecker (Dendropicos spodocephalus) was added by Isaac Kilusu (2021-02-04 18:48:53)

Golden-tailed Woodpecker (Campethera abingoni) was added by Isaac Kilusu (2021-02-04 18:48:22)

Shelley's Francolin (Scleroptila shelleyi) was added by Isaac Kilusu (2021-02-04 18:47:51)

Fawn-colored Lark (Calendulauda africanoides) was added by Isaac Kilusu (2021-02-04 18:47:37)

Hildebrandt's Starling (Lamprotornis hildebrandti) was added by Isaac Kilusu (2021-02-04 18:47:25)

Cardinal Quelea (Quelea cardinalis) was added by Isaac Kilusu (2021-02-04 18:47:12)

Gray-olive Greenbul (Phyllastrephus cerviniventris) was added by Isaac Kilusu (2021-02-04 18:46:32)

Sombre Greenbul (Andropadus importunus) was added by Isaac Kilusu (2021-02-04 18:46:12)

Speke's Weaver (Ploceus spekei) was added by Isaac Kilusu (2021-02-04 18:45:18)

Slender-tailed Nightjar (Caprimulgus clarus) was added by Isaac Kilusu (2021-02-04 18:44:56)

Donaldson Smith's Nightjar (Caprimulgus donaldsoni) was added by Isaac Kilusu (2021-02-04 18:44:21)

Beautiful Sunbird (Cinnyris pulchellus) was added by Isaac Kilusu (2021-02-04 18:43:18)

Blue-spotted Wood-Dove (Turtur afer) was added by Isaac Kilusu (2021-02-04 18:42:40)

White-bellied Tit (Melaniparus albiventris) was added by Isaac Kilusu (2021-02-04 18:42:15)

Rüppell's Robin-Chat (Cossypha semirufa) was added by Isaac Kilusu (2021-02-04 18:41:57)

Red-chested Flufftail (Sarothrura rufa) was added by Isaac Kilusu (2021-02-04 18:40:24)

Chestnut Weaver (Ploceus rubiginosus) was added by Isaac Kilusu (2021-02-04 18:39:46)

Village Weaver (Ploceus cucullatus) was added by Isaac Kilusu (2021-02-04 18:39:24)

Vitelline Masked-Weaver (Ploceus vitellinus) was added by Isaac Kilusu (2021-02-04 18:39:02)

Lesser Masked-Weaver (Ploceus intermedius) was added by Isaac Kilusu (2021-02-04 18:38:39)

African Golden-Weaver (Ploceus subaureus) was added by Isaac Kilusu (2021-02-04 18:38:04)

Spectacled Weaver (Ploceus ocularis) was added by Isaac Kilusu (2021-02-04 18:37:19)

Black-necked Weaver (Ploceus nigricollis) was added by Isaac Kilusu (2021-02-04 18:36:53)

Baglafecht Weaver (Ploceus baglafecht) was added by Isaac Kilusu (2021-02-04 18:36:24)

White-browed Sparrow-Weaver (Plocepasser mahali) was added by Isaac Kilusu (2021-02-04 18:35:59)

Red-headed Weaver (Anaplectes rubriceps) was added by Isaac Kilusu (2021-02-04 18:35:12)

Grosbeak Weaver (Amblyospiza albifrons) was added by Isaac Kilusu (2021-02-04 18:34:23)

Little Rush Warbler (Bradypterus baboecala) was added by Isaac Kilusu (2021-02-04 18:33:39)

Yellow Bishop (Euplectes capensis) was added by Isaac Kilusu (2021-02-04 18:33:03)

Fire-fronted Bishop (Euplectes diadematus) was added by Isaac Kilusu (2021-02-04 18:32:36)

Black-winged Bishop (Euplectes hordeaceus) was added by Isaac Kilusu (2021-02-04 18:32:08)

Zanzibar Red Bishop (Euplectes nigroventris) was added by Isaac Kilusu (2021-02-04 18:31:51)

Southern Red Bishop (Euplectes orix) was added by Isaac Kilusu (2021-02-04 18:31:36)

Taveta Golden-Weaver (Ploceus castaneiceps) was added by Isaac Kilusu (2021-02-04 18:31:21)

  • Timing and strategy

This site can be visited at any time of the year and any time of day provided you have a local guide with you, you are guaranteed to see the birds. You may need to book a guide in advance for him to be available, expert guides here are zacharia, isaac and elias. You can plan with your guide for half a day to 3 days birding excursions.

Give recommendations for making your visit as productive as possible.
This may include for instance:
• best season
• best time of the day
• how much time to spend at the site
• best means of locomotion within the site
• recommended routes / areas within the site
• guiding

Edited by Stephen Matthews on 2025-11-02 13:04
This site can be visited anytime on the at any time of the year and anytime any time of the day provided you have a local guide with you, you ,you are guaranteed to see the birds.you birds. You may need to book a guide in advence advance for him to be available,expert available, expert guides here are,zacharia,isaac are zacharia, isaac and elias.you elias. You can plan with your guide for half a day to 3 days birding excursions excursions.
Edited by Isaac Kilusu on 2021-02-04 19:26
This site can be visited anytime on the year and anytime of the day provided you have a local guide with you ,you are guaranteed to see the birds.you may need to book a guide in advence for him to be available,expert guides here are,zacharia,isaac and eliaselias.you can plan with your guide for half a day to 3 days birding excursions 
Edited by Isaac Kilusu on 2021-02-04 19:06
This site can be visited anytime on the year and anytime of the day provided you have a local guide with you ,you are guaranteed to see the birds.you may need to book a guide in advence for him to be available,expert guides here are,zacharia,isaac and elias
  • How to get there

If you are coming from Nairobi or Amboseli area, drive past oloitoktok town through laset till you get to the tsavo river bridge (msangairo) and if you are coming from tsavo west and taveta areas drive past rombo and entarara township to tsavo river bridge, your guide will pick you up from there.

If you are using public transport in either direction, tell your driver to drop you at msangairo bridge.

Explain from where and how to get to this site with private and public transport.

Edited by Stephen Matthews on 2025-11-02 13:05
if If you are coming from nairobi Nairobi or amboseli area,drive Amboseli area, drive past oloitoktok town through laset till you get to the tsavo river bridge(msangairo)and bridge (msangairo) and if you are coming from tsavo west and taveta areas drive past rombo and entarara township to tsavo river bridge,you bridge, your guide will pic pick you up from there if there. If you are using public transport in either way direction, tell your driver to drop you at msangairo bridgebridge.
Edited by Isaac Kilusu on 2021-02-04 19:10
if you are coming from nairobi or amboseli area,drive past oloitoktok town through laset till you get to the tsavo river bridge(msangairo)and if you are coming from tsavo west and taveta areas drive past rombo and entarara township to tsavo river bridge,you guide will pic you from there if you are using public transport in either way tell your driver to drop you at msangairo bridge

This site is accessible all year round, being near the famous laset-taveta road.

Provide information on how to enter this site, which may include:
• entry points
• entry permits / entry tickets and fees
• opening hours / opening season
• other restrictions

Note that this section should only contain information on how to ACCESS (= enter) a site. Info on how to REACH a site should be added to "How to get there" section.

Edited by Stephen Matthews on 2025-11-02 13:06
this place is This site is accessible all year round having being round, being near the famous laset-taveta roadroad.
Edited by Isaac Kilusu on 2021-02-04 19:11
this place is accessible all year round having being near the famous laset-taveta road
  • Other attractions

Other attractions here include beautiful landscapes, mt Kilimanjaro and chyulu ranges, huge troops of baboons, vervet and Sykes' monkeys, several species of butterflies and guided farmland tours.

Add information about other attractions at this site, including
• wildlife (apart from birds)
• sights (natural, cultural, archaeological, etc.)
• activities (e.g. for non-birding companions)

Edited by Stephen Matthews on 2025-11-02 13:05
other Other attractions here include beautiful landscapes,mt landscapes, mt Kilimanjaro and chyulu ranges,huge ranges, huge troops of baboons,vervet  and Sykes monkeys,several baboons, vervet and Sykes' monkeys, several species of butterflies and guide guided farmland tourtours.
Edited by Isaac Kilusu on 2021-02-04 19:13
other attractions here include beautiful landscapes,mt Kilimanjaro and chyulu ranges,huge troops of baboons,vervet  and Sykes monkeys,several species of butterflies and guide farmland tour

No available facilities around, you need to book a lodge or hotel at oloitoktok town or in the amboseli area since it is not far away.

Provide information about what type of facilities are available at
or near this site, including:
• information centers / information points
• catering
• accommodation
• hides and watchtowers
• restrooms / toilets

Edited by Stephen Matthews on 2025-11-02 13:06
no No available facilities around,you around, you need to book a lodge or hotel at oloitoktok town or in the amboseli areas since area since it is not far awayaway.
Edited by Isaac Kilusu on 2021-02-04 19:14
no available facilities around,you need to book a lodge or hotel at oloitoktok town or in amboseli areas since it is not far away

No dangerous game around and the maasai people here are friendly 

Are there any security issues or other annoyances at this site? For
instance, these may include:
• offenses like robbery or theft
• natural hazards
• dangerous or annoying animals or plants (mosquitoes, leaches, thorn bushes, etc.)
• noise pollution

Edited by Isaac Kilusu on 2021-02-04 19:15
No dangerous game around and the maasai people here are friendly 
All information about this site was contributed by Orniverse users. Neither Orniverse nor the contributors accept responsibility for the completeness and accuracy of the information provided.

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Mandegee Farm - Orniverse