If the words ‘exploratory,’ ‘intrepid,’ ‘adventure’ and ‘discovery’ get your blood flowing when it comes to birding, then Somaliland surely ranks high on your list of target destinations. For years this region has been marred by internal conflict; however, Somaliland (Northern Somalia) has recently become safe for travel, allowing access to a remarkable number of endemics that were, until recently, impossible to see. These tantalising endemics and near-endemics include the likes of Little Brown Bustard, Archer’s Buzzard, little known Somali Pigeon, Somali & Collared Larks, Lesser Hoopoe-Lark, Somali Wheatear, Philippa’s Crombec, Somali Thrush, Somali Starling, Somali Golden-winged Grosbeak and the endangered Warsangli Linnet. These endemic birds are complimented by a rich assemblage of other sought-after dry country and savanna species and include the likes of Heuglin’s and Arabian Bustards, White-cheeked Tern, Somali Courser, Somali Crombec, Red-naped Bushshrike, localised Sombre Rock Chat, Blanford’s, Somali Short-toed and Short-tailed Larks, Greater Hoopoe-Lark, Yellow-breasted Barbet, Nile Valley Sunbird, White-crowned, Shelley’s and Magpie Starlings, Somali Bee-eater, Yellow-vented Eremomela, Somali Sparrow and Northern Grosbeak-Canary.

This is an area that has been little explored, and every trip seems to produce something unusual, unexpected, or new and reports of a possible unique species of cisticola and an interesting scops owl from the Daallo Forest show how much there is yet to still discover. This is pioneering birding at its very best and, when combined with the influx of Palaearctic migrants, should make for a superb bird-filled adventure!