The Giraffe Centre Nature Trail boasts a thriving population of more than 70 bird species. In our ongoing quest to understand and preserve the natural world, it has become crucial to meticulously document the avian diversity within our sanctuary. This entails not only cataloging the various bird species and their habitats but also delving into the intricacies of their environments. Most importantly, we aim to involve and educate eager learners in this enlightening process. Herein lies the account of our inaugural bird ringing expedition at the Giraffe Centre Sanctuary.

1. Bird Ringing Report, The Giraffe Centre.
The weather may not have been favorable that morning, but that didn’t stop the Nairobi Ringing
team from breaking new ground at the Giraffe Centre in Karen. Been the first ringing activity at
the Centre ,our host Daniel Mutua received the team on Friday evening, providing plenty of time
to select the sites to place the mist nets according to the different habitats and eco-systems within
the Giraffe Centre sanctuary which stretches from the Centre itself over to a more wooded,
sloping terrain, which leads to the bushland areas as it ascends up the incline. The mist net
locations were selected so as to cover the different habitats within the Giraffe Centre sanctuary to
attract as wide a variety of bird species as possible. The exercise was more of a learning
experience, designed to inform the most effective approach to ringing at the Centre in the future.
The intention in the future is to undertake monthly ringing at the site.
Twenty five volunteers, led by Dr Titus Iboma, who set off an hourly cycle in the morning
drizzle to inspect the nets. The Executive Director of the Giraffe Centre, Christine Nyang’aya,
also joined the group and expressed her hope that the exercise will help cultivate customer
engagement and participation at the Centre. However, it was agreed to use steel rings and color
bands to facilitate visual identification. Photographs were also taken for all the ringed birds,
which will be used to prepare a large color poster to be displayed at the Centre to develop visitor
interest in the program. Visitors will be encouraged to look for the respective ringed birds and
report the sighting through a dedicated link. The intention is now to undertake regular ringing
throughout the seasons at the giraffe Centre so as to enable more effective species monitoring.
Moreover, 36 birds of 18 species were captured in the exercise which was less than initially
anticipated due to the inclement weather. However, a good variety of species were netted and
ringed, including a Tropical boubou from the upper scrub areas, as well the white starred robin
from the lower wooded areas closer to the Centre. Also ringed tawny flanked prinias, singing
cisticolas, a Ruppell’s Robin chat, village and spectacled weavers, white-eyed slaty flycatchers
as well as a common bulbul. All the species ringed were local resident in the area, given that
September is still a bit early for the migratory species to be passing through.

2. Tawny Flanked Prinia (Prinia subflava) White- Starred Robin (Pogonocichla stellata)
Ruppell’s Robin-chat (Cossypha semifura) Tropical Boubou ( Laniarius major)

3. Abyssinian Thrush (Turdus abyssinicus) Speke’s Weaver (ploceus spekei )

4. Acknowledgement.
We thank the management at the giraffe Centre under the leadership of the CEO Madam
Christine Nyang’aya for allowing us carrying out bird ringing and monitoring of birds at Giraffe
Centre sanctuary.