Saloum Delta National Park

National Park · Senegal

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Photo © Ji-Elle

Photo © Ji-Elle — CC0 1.0 — Source: Wikimedia Commons

Where mangrove forests fringe tidal channels and shallow lagoons stretch toward the Atlantic, the Saloum Delta National Park protects one of West Africa's most biodiverse wetland systems. This landscape—a complex mosaic of brackish waterways, salt marshes, and dense thickets of grey and red mangrove—rises and falls with the tides that define its character. The delta's distinctive ecology supports populations of wading birds, fishing eagles, and migratory shorebirds that exploit the rich mudflats and open water during seasonal shifts. Small carnivores patrol the margins, while marine life—from mullet to rays—moves through channels whose salinity varies with the Atlantic's rhythm. The vegetation itself is adapted to this liminal world: halophytic shrubs and salt-tolerant grasses frame the water's edge, creating a landscape that appears sparse to the untrained eye but teems with specialized life. This is a working ecosystem where predator and prey have evolved to thrive in conditions that exclude less flexible competitors.

For wildlife photographers and birdwatchers, the delta's appeal lies in its accessibility and the concentration of water-dependent fauna within a defined geography. The dry season—spanning roughly November through May—concentrates birds around remaining deep pools and channel confluences, transforming patient observers into witnesses of remarkable congregations. Morning light transforms the water's surface into a mirror for hovering raptors and wading silhouettes, while the park's network of channels permits approach by traditional pirogue that disturbs far less than larger vessels. The delta rewards those willing to move slowly through its waterways, to sit in silence at dawn, and to understand that scarcity of trees does not mean poverty of life. Visitors should plan their journeys for the cooler dry months when water levels drop, visibility improves, and migratory species augment the resident populations that year-round exploit the delta's bounty.

Great White Pelican

Pelecanus onocrotalus

Greater Flamingo

Phoenicopterus roseus

Abyssinian Ground Hornbill

Bucorvus abyssinicus

Terathopius ecaudatus

White-faced Whistling Duck

Dendrocygna viduata

Helmeted Guineafowl

Numida meleagris

Double-spurred Spurfowl

Pternistis bicalcaratus

Long-tailed Nightjar

Caprimulgus climacurus

Mottled Spinetail

Telacanthura ussheri

African Palm Swift

Cypsiurus parvus

Western Plantain-eater

Crinifer piscator

Centropus senegalensis

Levaillant's Cuckoo

Clamator levaillantii

Diederik Cuckoo

Chrysococcyx caprius

Chrysococcyx klaas

Four-banded Sandgrouse

Pterocles quadricinctus

Speckled Pigeon

Mourning Collared Dove

Streptopelia decipiens

Streptopelia semitorquata

Streptopelia vinacea

Spilopelia senegalensis

Black-billed Wood Dove

Turtur abyssinicus

Blue-spotted Wood Dove

Tachybaptus ruficollis

Senegal Thick-knee

Burhinus senegalensis

Eurasian Oystercatcher

Haematopus ostralegus

Black-winged Stilt

Himantopus himantopus

Recurvirostra avosetta

Pluvialis squatarola

Common Ringed Plover

Charadrius hiaticula

Spur-winged Lapwing

Vanellus spinosus

Black-headed Lapwing

Vanellus tectus

African Wattled Lapwing

Vanellus senegallus

Actophilornis africanus

Eurasian Whimbrel

Numenius phaeopus

Eurasian Curlew

Numenius arquata

Bar-tailed Godwit

Limosa lapponica

Common Sandpiper

Actitis hypoleucos

Common Redshank

Spotted Redshank

Tringa erythropus

Common Greenshank

Tringa nebularia

Ruddy Turnstone

Arenaria interpres

Calidris pugnax

Curlew Sandpiper

Calidris ferruginea

Calidris alpina

Calidris minuta

Bronze-winged Courser

Rhinoptilus chalcopterus

Gull-billed Tern

Gelochelidon nilotica

Hydroprogne caspia

Chlidonias hybrida

Chlidonias niger

White-winged Tern

Chlidonias leucopterus

Thalasseus sandvicensis

Lesser Crested Tern

Thalasseus bengalensis

West African Crested Tern

Thalasseus albididorsalis

Slender-billed Gull

Chroicocephalus genei

Grey-headed Gull

Chroicocephalus cirrocephalus

Ichthyaetus audouinii

Larus dominicanus

Lesser Black-backed Gull

Parasitic Jaeger

Stercorarius parasiticus

Pomarine Jaeger

Stercorarius pomarinus

European Storm Petrel

Hydrobates pelagicus

Yellow-billed Stork

African Woolly-necked Stork

Ciconia microscelis

Northern Gannet

Microcarbo africanus

Great Cormorant

Phalacrocorax carbo

African Sacred Ibis

Threskiornis aethiopicus

Eurasian Spoonbill

Platalea leucorodia

African Spoonbill

Egretta ardesiaca

Egretta garzetta

Western Reef Heron

Egretta gularis

White-backed Night Heron

Calherodius leuconotus

Ardeola ralloides

Black-headed Heron

Ardea melanocephala

Scopus umbretta

Pink-backed Pelican

Pelecanus rufescens

Pandion haliaetus

African Harrier-Hawk

Polyboroides typus

Palm-nut Vulture

Gypohierax angolensis

Griffon Vulture

Short-toed Snake Eagle

Circaetus gallicus

Brown Snake Eagle

Circaetus cinereus

Wahlberg's Eagle

Hieraaetus wahlbergi

African Hawk-Eagle

Aquila spilogaster

Dark Chanting Goshawk

Melierax metabates

Kaupifalco monogrammicus

Western Marsh Harrier

Circus aeruginosus

African Fish Eagle

Icthyophaga vocifer

Grasshopper Buzzard

Butastur rufipennis

Pearl-spotted Owlet

Glaucidium perlatum

Northern White-faced Owl

Ptilopsis leucotis

Greyish Eagle-Owl

Bubo cinerascens

Verreaux's Eagle-Owl

Blue-naped Mousebird

Urocolius macrourus

Green Wood Hoopoe

Phoeniculus purpureus

Black Scimitarbill

Rhinopomastus aterrimus

Western Red-billed Hornbill

African Grey Hornbill

Lophoceros nasutus

Coracias naevius

Abyssinian Roller

Coracias abyssinicus

Blue-bellied Roller

Coracias cyanogaster

Broad-billed Roller

Eurystomus glaucurus

Striped Kingfisher

Halcyon chelicuti

Blue-breasted Kingfisher

Halcyon malimbica

Woodland Kingfisher

Halcyon senegalensis

Malachite Kingfisher

Corythornis cristatus

Giant Kingfisher

Megaceryle maxima

Pied Kingfisher

Swallow-tailed Bee-eater

Merops hirundineus

Little Bee-eater

Merops pusillus

Blue-cheeked Bee-eater

Merops persicus

European Bee-eater

Merops apiaster

Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird

Pogoniulus chrysoconus

Vieillot's Barbet

Lybius vieilloti

Pogonornis dubius

Greater Honeyguide

Indicator indicator

Fine-spotted Woodpecker

Campethera punctuligera

Golden-tailed Woodpecker

Campethera abingoni

Cardinal Woodpecker

Dendropicos fuscescens

African Grey Woodpecker

Dendropicos goertae

Red-necked Falcon

Falco chicquera

Falco biarmicus

Poicephalus senegalus

Rose-ringed Parakeet

Psittacula krameri

Batis senegalensis

Brown-throated Wattle-eye

Platysteira cyanea

Northern Puffback

Dryoscopus gambensis

Yellow-crowned Gonolek

Laniarius barbarus

Red-shouldered Cuckooshrike

Campephaga phoenicea

African Golden Oriole

Oriolus auratus

Fork-tailed Drongo

Dicrurus adsimilis

Yellow-billed Shrike

Corvinella corvina

Woodchat Shrike

Ptilostomus afer

Yellow Penduline Tit

Anthoscopus parvulus

Galerida cristata

Pycnonotus barbatus

Red-chested Swallow

Wire-tailed Swallow

Hirundo smithii

Cecropis senegalensis

Northern Crombec

Sylvietta brachyura

Western Olivaceous Warbler

Melodious Warbler

Hippolais polyglotta

Tawny-flanked Prinia

Prinia subflava

Green-backed Camaroptera

Camaroptera brachyura

Senegal Eremomela

Eremomela pusilla

Western Subalpine Warbler

Curruca iberiae

Northern Yellow White-eye

Zosterops senegalensis

Turdoides plebejus

Blackcap Babbler

Turdoides reinwardtii

Greater Blue-eared Starling

Lamprotornis chalybaeus

Bronze-tailed Starling

Lamprotornis chalcurus

Purple Starling

Lamprotornis purpureus

Long-tailed Glossy Starling

Lamprotornis caudatus

Chestnut-bellied Starling

Lamprotornis pulcher

Yellow-billed Oxpecker

Buphagus africanus

White-crowned Robin-Chat

Cossypha albicapillus

Saxicola rubetra

Myrmecocichla aethiops

Mangrove Sunbird

Anthreptes gabonicus

Western Violet-backed Sunbird

Anthreptes longuemarei

Hedydipna platura

Scarlet-chested Sunbird

Chalcomitra senegalensis

Beautiful Sunbird

Cinnyris pulchellus

Variable Sunbird

Cinnyris venustus

Sahel Bush Sparrow

Gymnoris dentata

Northern Grey-headed Sparrow

Passer domesticus

Sudan Golden Sparrow

White-billed Buffalo Weaver

Bubalornis albirostris

Speckle-fronted Weaver

Sporopipes frontalis

Ploceus luteolus

Vitelline Masked Weaver

Ploceus vitellinus

Ploceus cucullatus

Black-headed Weaver

Ploceus melanocephalus

Red-billed Quelea

Northern Red Bishop

Euplectes franciscanus

Bronze Mannikin

Spermestes cucullata

African Silverbill

Euodice cantans

Lavender Waxbill

Glaucestrilda caerulescens

Black-rumped Waxbill

Estrilda troglodytes

Cut-throat Finch

Amadina fasciata

Red-cheeked Cordon-bleu

Uraeginthus bengalus

Red-billed Firefinch

Lagonosticta senegala

Village Indigobird

Vidua chalybeata

Western Yellow Wagtail

Motacilla flava

Anthus trivialis

White-rumped Seedeater

Crithagra leucopygia

Yellow-fronted Canary

Crithagra mozambica

Spur-winged Goose

Plectropterus gambensis

Knob-billed Duck

Sarkidiornis melanotos

African Pygmy Goose

Nettapus auritus

Spatula querquedula

Northern Shoveler

Spatula clypeata

Northern Pintail

Stone Partridge

Ptilopachus petrosus

Standard-winged Nightjar

Caprimulgus longipennis

Tauraco violaceus

White-bellied Bustard

Eupodotis senegalensis

Savile's Bustard

Lophotis savilei

Great Spotted Cuckoo

Clamator glandarius

Clamator jacobinus

Cuculus gularis

Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse

Pterocles exustus

European Turtle Dove

Streptopelia turtur

African Collared Dove

Streptopelia roseogrisea

Bruce's Green Pigeon

Gallinula chloropus

Lesser Flamingo

Phoeniconaias minor

Spotted Thick-knee

Burhinus capensis

American Golden Plover

Pluvialis dominica

Anarhynchus alexandrinus

Egyptian Plover

Pluvianus aegyptius

Greater Painted-snipe

Rostratula benghalensis

Black-tailed Godwit

Gallinago gallinago

Phalaropus fulicarius

Green Sandpiper

Tringa ochropus

Marsh Sandpiper

Tringa stagnatilis

Tringa glareola

Calidris canutus

Temminck's Courser

Cursorius temminckii

Collared Pratincole

Glareola pratincola

Sternula albifrons

Black-headed Gull

Chroicocephalus ridibundus

Mediterranean Gull

Ichthyaetus melanocephalus

Yellow-legged Gull

Larus michahellis

Wilson's Storm Petrel

Oceanites oceanicus

Leptoptilos crumenifer

Saddle-billed Stork

Ephippiorhynchus senegalensis

Ciconia ciconia

Bostrychia hagedash

Plegadis falcinellus

Black-crowned Night Heron

Nycticorax nycticorax

Yellow-billed Egret

Ardea brachyrhyncha

Scissor-tailed Kite

Chelictinia riocourii

Black-winged Kite

Elanus caeruleus

European Honey Buzzard

Pernis apivorus

Lappet-faced Vulture

Torgos tracheliotos

Necrosyrtes monachus

White-backed Vulture

Western Banded Snake Eagle

Circaetus cinerascens

Beaudouin's Snake Eagle

Circaetus beaudouini

Polemaetus bellicosus

Long-crested Eagle

Lophaetus occipitalis

Hieraaetus pennatus

Micronisus gabar

Circus macrourus

Montagu's Harrier

Circus pygargus

Western Barn Owl

African Scops Owl

Otus senegalensis

African Wood Owl

Strix woodfordii

West African Pied Hornbill

Lophoceros semifasciatus

Grey-headed Kingfisher

Halcyon leucocephala

African Pygmy Kingfisher

White-throated Bee-eater

Merops albicollis

Lesser Honeyguide

Indicator minor

Eurasian Wryneck

Falco tinnunculus

Falco ardosiaceus

Peregrine Falcon

Falco peregrinus

Grey-headed Bushshrike

Malaconotus blanchoti

Black-crowned Tchagra

Tchagra senegalus

African Paradise Flycatcher

Terpsiphone viridis

Great Grey Shrike

Lanius excubitor

White-shouldered Black Tit

Melaniparus guineensis

Chestnut-backed Sparrow-Lark

Eremopterix leucotis

Yellow-gorgeted Greenbul

Atimastillas flavicollis

Psalidoprocne obscura

Riparia riparia

Pied-winged Swallow

Hirundo leucosoma

Hirundo rustica

Western House Martin

Delichon urbicum

Red-breasted Swallow

Cecropis semirufa

Western Bonelli's Warbler

Phylloscopus bonelli

Phylloscopus trochilus

Common Chiffchaff

Phylloscopus collybita

Acrocephalus schoenobaenus

Singing Cisticola

Cisticola cantans

Zitting Cisticola

Cisticola juncidis

Desert Cisticola

Cisticola aridulus

Hypergerus atriceps

Yellow-bellied Eremomela

Eremomela icteropygialis

Eurasian Blackcap

Sylvia atricapilla

Common Whitethroat

Curruca communis

Splendid Starling

Lamprotornis splendidus

Violet-backed Starling

Cinnyricinclus leucogaster

Black Scrub Robin

Cercotrichas podobe

Northern Black Flycatcher

Melaenornis edolioides

Spotted Flycatcher

Muscicapa striata

Snowy-crowned Robin-Chat

Cossypha niveicapilla

Common Nightingale

Luscinia megarhynchos

European Pied Flycatcher

Ficedula hypoleuca

Common Redstart

Phoenicurus phoenicurus

Northern Wheatear

Oenanthe oenanthe

Splendid Sunbird

Cinnyris coccinigastrus

Cinnyris cupreus

Chestnut-crowned Sparrow-Weaver

Plocepasser superciliosus

Olive-naped Weaver

Ploceus brachypterus

Yellow-crowned Bishop

Black-winged Red Bishop

Euplectes hordeaceus

Orange-cheeked Waxbill

Estrilda melpoda

Pin-tailed Whydah

Sahel Paradise Whydah

Vidua orientalis

Anthus campestris

Red-throated Pipit

Anthus cervinus

Fulvous Whistling Duck

Dendrocygna bicolor

Coturnix coturnix

Black-bellied Bustard

Lissotis melanogaster

Ceuthmochares aereus

Microparra capensis

Larus cachinnans

Sula leucogaster

Butorides striata

Winding Cisticola

Cisticola marginatus

Orange-breasted Waxbill

Amandava subflava

Common Patas Monkey

Erythrocebus patas

Chlorocebus sabaeus

Gambian Sun Squirrel

Heliosciurus gambianus

Striped Ground Squirrel

Euxerus erythropus

Mauritian Tomb Bat

Taphozous mauritianus

Gambian Epauletted Fruit Bat

Epomophorus gambianus

African Golden Wolf

Atilax paludinosus

Crocuta crocuta

Common Bottlenose Dolphin

Tursiops truncatus

Phacochoerus africanus

Ictonyx striatus

Civettictis civetta

Egyptian Slit-faced Bat

Nycteris thebaica

Sundevall's Roundleaf Bat

Hipposideros caffer

Atlantic Humpback Dolphin

Tragelaphus derbianus

Upper Guinea Red Colobus

Piliocolobus badius

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