Bale Mountains National Park

National Park · Ethiopia

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Photo © Laika ac from UK

Photo © Laika ac from UK — CC BY-SA 4.0 — Source: Wikimedia Commons

Where the Ethiopian highlands rise above 4,000 metres, the Bale Mountains create a landscape of stunning ecological extremes—from afroalpine grasslands swept by wind and mist to deep river valleys carved through volcanic rock, their slopes cloaked in high-altitude forest. This National Park protects one of Africa's most pristine montane environments, where the thin air and alpine conditions have shaped a distinct community of wildlife found nowhere else on the continent. The open moorlands support herbivores adapted to sparse vegetation and sudden weather shifts, while the misty forests harbour small mammals, woodland birds, and a rich diversity of birds of prey that hunt across the transitional zones. Alpine streams cascade through narrow gorges, their cold waters supporting specialised aquatic life, and the patchwork of habitats—from bamboo thickets to ericaceous heath—creates a natural laboratory for understanding how African wildlife survives at the edge of survivability. The park's remoteness and altitude have preserved an integrity rare in the modern world, where ecological processes unfold largely free from human interference.

For wildlife travellers and field ornithologists, the Bale Mountains demand patience, preparation, and a genuine appetite for wilderness. The high-altitude terrain challenges visitors with thin air and sudden weather, yet rewards those who venture into it with encounters with animals seldom seen elsewhere—birds of prey hunting above the clouds, small mammals moving through dense vegetation, and the privilege of standing in one of Africa's last truly wild spaces. The best season aligns with the clearer, drier periods when visibility extends across vast vistas and wildlife activity peaks, though even then, success depends on early starts, local knowledge, and acceptance that sightings cannot be guaranteed. The park remains a destination for the committed naturalist rather than the casual tourist, demanding multi-day treks and genuine fieldcraft to unlock its secrets. For those willing to invest the effort, the Bale Mountains offer an unfiltered window into African highland ecology and a profound sense of wildness that few parks on the continent can match.

Birding TourModerate

Finot Tour and Safari Ethiopia

Ethiopian Bird Watching

Finot Tour and Safari Ethiopia·Ethiopia

14 Days 13 EN · ES · FR · DE · IT · PT Abyssinian Ground Hornbill · Moorland Chat +6

Blue-winged Goose

Cyanochen cyanoptera

Bostrychia carunculata

Thick-billed Raven

Corvus crassirostris

Rougetius rougetii

Pinarochroa sordida

Chestnut-naped Spurfowl

Pternistis castaneicollis

Spot-breasted Lapwing

Vanellus melanocephalus

Ethiopian Siskin

Serinus nigriceps

Streaky Seedeater

Crithagra striolata

Galerida theklae

Ethiopian Thrush

Turdus simensis

Tadorna ferruginea

Asio abyssinicus

Abyssinian Thrush

Turdus abyssinicus

Abyssinian Slaty Flycatcher

Melaenornis chocolatinus

Baglafecht Weaver

Ploceus baglafecht

Yellow-billed Duck

White-collared Pigeon

Columba albitorques

Ethiopian Cisticola

Cisticola lugubris

White-backed Black Tit

Melaniparus leuconotus

Abyssinian Catbird

Sylvia galinieri

Abyssinian Longclaw

Macronyx flavicollis

Cinnamon Bracken Warbler

Bradypterus cinnamomeus

African Stonechat

Saxicola torquatus

Tacazze Sunbird

Nectarinia tacazze

Ethiopian White-eye

Zosterops poliogastrus

Euplectes capensis

Dusky Turtle Dove

Streptopelia lugens

Rüppell's Robin-Chat

Cossypha semirufa

African Wood Owl

Strix woodfordii

Yellow-crowned Canary

Serinus flavivertex

Necrosyrtes monachus

Brown-rumped Seedeater

Crithagra tristriata

Pycnonotus barbatus

Red-knobbed Coot

Fulica cristata

Corvus capensis

Red-throated Pipit

Anthus cervinus

Speckled Pigeon

Falco biarmicus

Red-billed Chough

Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax

Fan-tailed Raven

Corvus rhipidurus

Yellow-bellied Waxbill

Coccopygia quartinia

Crithagra citrinelloides

African Sacred Ibis

Threskiornis aethiopicus

White-backed Vulture

Northern Fiscal

Lanius humeralis

Variable Sunbird

Cinnyris venustus

Bearded Vulture

Gypaetus barbatus

Tawny-flanked Prinia

Prinia subflava

Pin-tailed Whydah

Alopochen aegyptiaca

Montane Nightjar

Caprimulgus poliocephalus

Black-winged Lapwing

Vanellus melanopterus

Gallinago nigripennis

Falco tinnunculus

Mountain Wagtail

Motacilla clara

African Black Duck

African Emerald Cuckoo

Chrysococcyx cupreus

Swainson's Sparrow

Passer swainsonii

African Olive Pigeon

Columba arquatrix

Silvery-cheeked Hornbill

Bycanistes brevis

Common Sandpiper

Actitis hypoleucos

African Harrier-Hawk

Polyboroides typus

Slender-billed Starling

Onychognathus tenuirostris

Northern Pintail

Leptoptilos crumenifer

Bostrychia hagedash

Black-winged Kite

Elanus caeruleus

Ayres's Hawk-Eagle

Hieraaetus ayresii

Mountain Buzzard

Buteo oreophilus

Ethiopian Boubou

Laniarius aethiopicus

Red-winged Starling

Onychognathus morio

Sharpe's Starling

Red-billed Oxpecker

Buphagus erythroryncha

Western Yellow Wagtail

Motacilla flava

Motacilla cinerea

Streptopelia semitorquata

Spur-winged Lapwing

Vanellus spinosus

Black-headed Gull

Chroicocephalus ridibundus

Lesser Spotted Eagle

Clanga pomarina

Circus macrourus

European Roller

Coracias garrulus

Psalidoprocne pristoptera

Abyssinian Crimsonwing

Cryptospiza salvadorii

Tambourine Dove

Turtur tympanistria

Black-winged Lovebird

Agapornis taranta

African Dusky Flycatcher

Muscicapa adusta

Green Sandpiper

Tringa ochropus

Brown Woodland Warbler

Phylloscopus umbrovirens

Common Chiffchaff

Phylloscopus collybita

Ethiopian Oriole

Oriolus monacha

Tringa glareola

Brown-throated Martin

Riparia paludicola

Ciconia abdimii

Phylloscopus trochilus

Red-chested Cuckoo

Cuculus solitarius

Isabelline Wheatear

Oenanthe isabellina

Oenanthe pleschanka

Temminck's Stint

Calidris temminckii

Northern Shoveler

Spatula clypeata

White-browed Coucal

Centropus superciliosus

African Cuckoo-Hawk

Aviceda cuculoides

Western Banded Snake Eagle

Circaetus cinerascens

Verreaux's Eagle

Aquila verreauxii

Montagu's Harrier

Circus pygargus

Western Marsh Harrier

Circus aeruginosus

Northern Red-billed Hornbill

Tockus erythrorhynchus

Red-throated Wryneck

Jynx ruficollis

Orange-breasted Bushshrike

Chlorophoneus sulfureopectus

Northern Puffback

Dryoscopus gambensis

Grey Cuckooshrike

Ceblepyris caesius

Red-tailed Shrike

Lanius phoenicuroides

White-browed Robin-Chat

Cossypha heuglini

White-faced Whistling Duck

Dendrocygna viduata

Spur-winged Goose

Plectropterus gambensis

African Pygmy Goose

Nettapus auritus

Spatula querquedula

Red-billed Teal

Anas erythrorhyncha

Southern Pochard

Netta erythrophthalma

Helmeted Guineafowl

Numida meleagris

Crested Francolin

Ortygornis sephaena

Coturnix coturnix

Pternistis squamatus

Clapperton's Spurfowl

Pternistis clappertoni

Yellow-necked Spurfowl

Pternistis leucoscepus

Tachymarptis melba

White-bellied Go-away-bird

Crinifer leucogaster

Blue-headed Coucal

Centropus monachus

Chrysococcyx klaas

Aplopelia larvata

European Turtle Dove

Streptopelia turtur

African Collared Dove

Streptopelia roseogrisea

White-winged Collared Dove

Streptopelia reichenowi

Mourning Collared Dove

Streptopelia decipiens

Ring-necked Dove

Streptopelia capicola

Spilopelia senegalensis

Emerald-spotted Wood Dove

Turtur chalcospilos

Blue-spotted Wood Dove

Bruce's Green Pigeon

Gallinula chloropus

Great Crested Grebe

Podiceps cristatus

Common Ringed Plover

Charadrius hiaticula

Crowned Lapwing

Vanellus coronatus

African Wattled Lapwing

Vanellus senegallus

Actophilornis africanus

Gallinago gallinago

Marsh Sandpiper

Tringa stagnatilis

Common Redshank

Common Greenshank

Tringa nebularia

Calidris pugnax

Calidris minuta

White-winged Tern

Chlidonias leucopterus

Grey-headed Gull

Chroicocephalus cirrocephalus

Yellow-billed Stork

African Woolly-necked Stork

Ciconia microscelis

African Spoonbill

Egretta garzetta

Ardeola ralloides

Black-headed Heron

Ardea melanocephala

Scopus umbretta

Egyptian Vulture

Neophron percnopterus

European Honey Buzzard

Pernis apivorus

White-headed Vulture

Trigonoceps occipitalis

Lappet-faced Vulture

Torgos tracheliotos

Terathopius ecaudatus

Black-chested Snake Eagle

Circaetus pectoralis

Short-toed Snake Eagle

Circaetus gallicus

Brown Snake Eagle

Circaetus cinereus

Stephanoaetus coronatus

Polemaetus bellicosus

Long-crested Eagle

Lophaetus occipitalis

Greater Spotted Eagle

Wahlberg's Eagle

Hieraaetus wahlbergi

Hieraaetus pennatus

Eastern Imperial Eagle

African Hawk-Eagle

Aquila spilogaster

Micronisus gabar

Eastern Chanting Goshawk

Melierax poliopterus

Ovambo Sparrowhawk

Accipiter ovampensis

Eurasian Sparrowhawk

Accipiter nisus

African Fish Eagle

Icthyophaga vocifer

Long-legged Buzzard

Pearl-spotted Owlet

Glaucidium perlatum

Verreaux's Eagle-Owl

Speckled Mousebird

Colius striatus

Apaloderma narina

Black-billed Wood Hoopoe

Phoeniculus somaliensis

Black Scimitarbill

Rhinopomastus aterrimus

Abyssinian Scimitarbill

Rhinopomastus minor

Abyssinian Ground Hornbill

Bucorvus abyssinicus

Von der Decken's Hornbill

Eastern Yellow-billed Hornbill

Tockus flavirostris

Hemprich's Hornbill

Lophoceros hemprichii

African Grey Hornbill

Lophoceros nasutus

Coracias naevius

Lilac-breasted Roller

Coracias caudatus

Abyssinian Roller

Coracias abyssinicus

Broad-billed Roller

Eurystomus glaucurus

Grey-headed Kingfisher

Halcyon leucocephala

Striped Kingfisher

Halcyon chelicuti

Woodland Kingfisher

Halcyon senegalensis

African Pygmy Kingfisher

Malachite Kingfisher

Corythornis cristatus

Half-collared Kingfisher

Alcedo semitorquata

Pied Kingfisher

Little Bee-eater

Merops pusillus

Ethiopian Bee-eater

Merops lafresnayii

Olive Bee-eater

Merops superciliosus

European Bee-eater

Merops apiaster

Northern Carmine Bee-eater

Red-and-yellow Barbet

Trachyphonus erythrocephalus

Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird

Pogoniulus chrysoconus

Red-fronted Barbet

Tricholaema diademata

Black-billed Barbet

Lybius guifsobalito

Double-toothed Barbet

Pogonornis bidentatus

Brown-backed Honeybird

Prodotiscus regulus

Lesser Honeyguide

Indicator minor

Scaly-throated Honeyguide

Indicator variegatus

Greater Honeyguide

Indicator indicator

Eurasian Wryneck

Nubian Woodpecker

Campethera nubica

Cardinal Woodpecker

Dendropicos fuscescens

African Grey Woodpecker

Dendropicos goertae

Polihierax semitorquatus

Falco ardosiaceus

Peregrine Falcon

Falco peregrinus

Yellow-fronted Parrot

Poicephalus flavifrons

Red-bellied Parrot

Poicephalus rufiventris

Grey-headed Batis

Batis orientalis

Western Black-headed Batis

Batis erlangeri

Brown-throated Wattle-eye

Platysteira cyanea

Grey-headed Bushshrike

Malaconotus blanchoti

Black-crowned Tchagra

Tchagra senegalus

Slate-colored Boubou

Laniarius funebris

White-crested Helmetshrike

Prionops plumatus

Red-shouldered Cuckooshrike

Campephaga phoenicea

Black-headed Oriole

Oriolus larvatus

Eurasian Golden Oriole

Oriolus oriolus

Fork-tailed Drongo

Dicrurus adsimilis

African Paradise Flycatcher

Terpsiphone viridis

Northern White-crowned Shrike

Eurocephalus ruppelli

Grey-backed Fiscal

Lanius excubitoroides

Lesser Grey Shrike

Isabelline Shrike

Lanius isabellinus

Red-backed Shrike

Lanius collurio

White-winged Black Tit

Melaniparus leucomelas

Mouse-colored Penduline Tit

Anthoscopus musculus

Blanford's Lark

Calandrella blanfordi

Northern Brownbul

Phyllastrephus strepitans

Grey-rumped Swallow

Pseudhirundo griseopyga

Neophedina cincta

Riparia riparia

Eurasian Crag Martin

Ptyonoprogne rupestris

Pale Crag Martin

Ptyonoprogne obsoleta

Red-throated Rock Martin

Ptyonoprogne rufigula

Hirundo rustica

Red-chested Swallow

Ethiopian Swallow

Hirundo aethiopica

Wire-tailed Swallow

Hirundo smithii

Western House Martin

Delichon urbicum

Lesser Striped Swallow

Cecropis abyssinica

Northern Crombec

Sylvietta brachyura

Red-faced Crombec

Sylvietta whytii

Lesser Swamp Warbler

Acrocephalus gracilirostris

Acrocephalus schoenobaenus

Acrocephalus palustris

African Yellow Warbler

Iduna natalensis

Eastern Olivaceous Warbler

Upcher's Warbler

Hippolais languida

Little Rush Warbler

Bradypterus baboecala

Rattling Cisticola

Cisticola chiniana

Winding Cisticola

Cisticola marginatus

Stout Cisticola

Cisticola robustus

Croaking Cisticola

Cisticola natalensis

Zitting Cisticola

Cisticola juncidis

Pectoral-patch Cisticola

Cisticola brunnescens

Buff-bellied Warbler

Phyllolais pulchella

Yellow-breasted Apalis

Green-backed Camaroptera

Camaroptera brachyura

Grey Wren-Warbler

Calamonastes simplex

Yellow-bellied Eremomela

Eremomela icteropygialis

Eurasian Blackcap

Sylvia atricapilla

Abyssinian White-eye

Zosterops abyssinicus

Rufous Chatterer

Argya rubiginosa

White-rumped Babbler

Turdoides leucopygia

African Spotted Creeper

Salpornis salvadori

Greater Blue-eared Starling

Lamprotornis chalybaeus

Lesser Blue-eared Starling

Lamprotornis chloropterus

Rüppell's Starling

Lamprotornis purpuroptera

Golden-breasted Starling

Lamprotornis regius

Superb Starling

Lamprotornis superbus

Shelley's Starling

Lamprotornis shelleyi

Violet-backed Starling

Cinnyricinclus leucogaster

Somali Starling

Onychognathus blythii

Bristle-crowned Starling

Onychognathus salvadorii

White-billed Starling

Onychognathus albirostris

White-browed Scrub Robin

Cercotrichas leucophrys

Pale Flycatcher

Agricola pallidus

Northern Black Flycatcher

Melaenornis edolioides

African Grey Flycatcher

Bradornis microrhynchus

Spotted Flycatcher

Muscicapa striata

Spotted Palm Thrush

Cichladusa guttata

Common Redstart

Phoenicurus phoenicurus

Common Rock Thrush

Monticola saxatilis

Blue Rock Thrush

Monticola solitarius

Saxicola rubetra

Siberian Stonechat

Saxicola maurus

Mocking Cliff Chat

Thamnolaea cinnamomeiventris

Northern Wheatear

Oenanthe oenanthe

Brown-tailed Rock Chat

Oenanthe scotocerca

Abyssinian Wheatear

Oenanthe lugubris

Eastern Violet-backed Sunbird

Anthreptes orientalis

Collared Sunbird

Hedydipna collaris

Cyanomitra olivacea

Scarlet-chested Sunbird

Chalcomitra senegalensis

Beautiful Sunbird

Cinnyris pulchellus

Cinnyris mariquensis

Abyssinian Sunbird

Cinnyris habessinicus

Yellow-spotted Bush Sparrow

Gymnoris pyrgita

White-headed Buffalo Weaver

Dinemellia dinemelli

White-browed Sparrow-Weaver

Plocepasser mahali

Thick-billed Weaver

Amblyospiza albifrons

Ploceus luteolus

Spectacled Weaver

Ploceus ocularis

Rüppell's Weaver

Ploceus galbula

Lesser Masked Weaver

Ploceus intermedius

Vitelline Masked Weaver

Ploceus vitellinus

Ploceus cucullatus

Chestnut Weaver

Ploceus rubiginosus

Red-headed Weaver

Anaplectes rubriceps

Red-billed Quelea

Yellow-crowned Bishop

Northern Red Bishop

Euplectes franciscanus

Fan-tailed Widowbird

Euplectes axillaris

Yellow-mantled Widowbird

Euplectes macroura

Red-cowled Widowbird

Euplectes laticauda

Bronze Mannikin

Spermestes cucullata

Mandingoa nitidula

Crimson-rumped Waxbill

Estrilda rhodopyga

Ortygospiza atricollis

Cut-throat Finch

Amadina fasciata

Purple Grenadier

Granatina ianthinogaster

Red-cheeked Cordon-bleu

Uraeginthus bengalus

Orange-winged Pytilia

Red-billed Firefinch

Lagonosticta senegala

African Firefinch

Lagonosticta rubricata

Village Indigobird

Vidua chalybeata

Long-tailed Paradise Whydah

Vidua paradisaea

Anthus cinnamomeus

Plain-backed Pipit

Anthus leucophrys

Anthus trivialis

Reichenow's Seedeater

Crithagra reichenowi

Yellow-fronted Canary

Crithagra mozambica

Ortolan Bunting

Emberiza hortulana

Cinnamon-breasted Bunting

Emberiza tahapisi

African Palm Swift

Cypsiurus parvus

Butorides striata

Red-necked Buzzard

Buteo auguralis

White-shouldered Black Tit

Melaniparus guineensis

Basra Reed Warbler

Acrocephalus griseldis

Wattled Starling

Creatophora cinerea

Tragelaphus buxtoni

Redunca redunca

Southern Bushbuck

Tragelaphus sylvaticus

Tachyoryctes macrocephalus

Colobus guereza

Ethiopian Highland Hare

Sylvicapra grimmia

Oreotragus oreotragus

Procavia capensis

Leptailurus serval

Crocuta crocuta

African Golden Wolf

Potamochoerus larvatus

Chlorocebus aethiops

Giant Forest Hog

Hylochoerus meinertzhageni

Blick's Grass Rat

Arvicanthis blicki

Abyssinian Grass Rat

Arvicanthis abyssinicus

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