São Tomé and Príncipe Birding Tours

Our São Tomé and Príncipe birding tours target the islands’ many endemics and also look for a number of exciting West African bird species when we make it onto these exciting islands. With 75% of its area covered by rainforest, São Tomé and Príncipe is characterized by unspoiled, palm-fringed beaches, towering volcanic peaks, and a fascinating history. With the recent discovery of large oil deposits in the Gulf of Guinea, São Tomé and Príncipe is on the cusp of change. This is Africa’s second-smallest country (after the Seychelles), and it exhibits an enticing blend of African, Portuguese, and Caribbean culture. Pioneering travelers (or less pioneering ones simply joining our bird tours, making it easier) will discover an African island paradise. Largely unexplored and unexploited by tourism, these tropical, volcanic islands in the Gulf of Guinea are the antitheses of mass-market destinations and one of the most unspoiled places on earth. The scarcity of tourists is one of the islands’ biggest attractions. However, for birders of course an even bigger attraction is the presence of 28 endemic bird species! This amazing count of endemics means we’re puzzled that these beautiful islands are so under-birded and poorly known in world birding circles. It’s easy to combine a birding trip to São Tomé and Príncipe with your birding holiday to Portugal, Ghana, or Angola. So why not?

The many endemic birds of São Tomé and Príncipe are likely to be of major interest to visiting birders with several of them only having been rediscovered in the last 30 years or so. One new species, Principe Scops Owl was only formally described in 2022. The islands are full of oddities, ranging from the rather tiny Sao Tome Ibis (formerly called Dwarf Olive Ibis), the massive Giant Weaver, Giant Sunbird, and Sao Tome Thrush, all comfortably much larger than their relatives. Each island has their fair share of tough endemics to make us work for, such as Sao Tome Grosbeak, Sao Tome Fiscal, Sao Tome Shorttail, Sao Tome Olive Pigeon, Principe Scops Owl, Principe Thrush, and Principe White-eye. However, despite several “hard” endemics, there are many “easy” (and gorgeous) endemics, such as Sao Tome Spinetail, Sao Tome Green Pigeon, Sao Tome Paradise Flycatcher, Sao Tome Weaver, Principe Weaver, Newton’s Sunbird, Principe Sunbird, and Principe Starling. The unusual endemic Dohrn’s Warbler (Dorhn’s Thrush-Babbler) has also had an interesting taxonomical history and might actually warrant family status.