Every year, between roughly October and April, Kenya fills up with visitors who never need a visa. Swallows from Europe, bee-eaters from the Mediterranean, falcons from Asia and sandpipers from the Arctic tundra all spend their winter here. But a landmark report launched in Nairobi in September 2026 warns that many of these long-distance travellers are in trouble.
What the report found
On 11 September 2026, BirdLife International launched its State of the World’s Birds report at the Global Flyways Summit in Nairobi — the first edition to focus on migratory birds. The headlines are sobering:
- 45% of migratory bird species are declining.
- 11% are threatened with extinction.
- Only 14% are increasing.
- Only about 9% of migratory species are adequately protected across their full life cycle — compared with 45% of species that don’t migrate.
- More than half of the 1,099 Key Biodiversity Areas assessed for migratory birds are in poor or very poor condition.
The main threats are agricultural expansion, climate change, invasive species, development and hunting. Shorebirds and seabirds, and species that depend on coastal wetlands and forests, are among the hardest hit.
Why a migrating bird is only as safe as its weakest stop
A migratory bird needs a breeding site, a wintering site and a chain of refuelling stops in between. Protect one perfectly and lose another, and the bird is still in trouble. That’s why the summit pushed for protecting entire flyways rather than isolated sites.
The Nairobi Flyways Declaration
The summit also saw governments, scientists, conservation groups and financial institutions sign the Nairobi Flyways Declaration, which aims to treat ecological connectivity as an investment priority and build flyway protection into development lending. Development banks have mobilised more than US$6 billion for this kind of conservation since 2021. And there are success stories: the Egyptian Vulture has recovered in the Balkans after coordinated international action — proof that flyway-scale conservation works.
Why Kenya matters so much
Kenya sits on one of the world’s great bird highways, the African-Eurasian flyway. Its Rift Valley lakes, coastal creeks, grasslands and forests are vital refuelling and wintering grounds. Places like Mida Creek near Watamu host thousands of waders, while the highlands and savannahs fill with migrant swallows, wheatears and rollers.
Migrants to look for in Kenya right now
- Barn Swallows — huge numbers sweeping over grasslands and lakes.
- European Bee-eaters — flocks of rainbow-coloured birds calling overhead.
- Eurasian Rollers — electric blue on roadside perches.
- Northern Wheatears — bobbing on bare ground in open country.
- Waders such as Curlew Sandpipers and Little Stints on lakeshores and coastal mudflats.
How birders can help
- Record what you see on eBird or Kenya Bird Map — migrant data is especially valuable.
- Support wetland protection through organisations like Nature Kenya.
- Travel responsibly with operators who respect sensitive habitats.
Catch the migrant season with us
November to April is a superb time to bird Kenya — resident specialities plus thousands of migrants. Our Maasai Mara & Rift Valley Explorer visits three Rift Valley lakes, and we run coastal birding trips to Arabuko Sokoke and Mida Creek. Get in touch to plan yours.
Sources: Mongabay; Africa Sustainability Matters.
