Yellow-headed Picathartes

Birds of hope - Wildlife conservation Tourism

The birds were thought to be extinct in Ghana, unseen since the 1960s, until local guide spotted some in 2003. Bonkro’s location about 65 km southeast of Ghana’s second largest city, Kumasi, has helped make it the most accessible and reliable place to see this species that for so many birders is a magical experience.The rain forest village of Bonkro in Ghana is known in international birding circles as among the best places to see a very special bird, the Yellow-headed Picathartes (Picathartes gymnocephalus) endemic to West Africa’s Upper Guinea forests, the Yellow-headed Picathartes is a large, unique and spectacular passerine with a colorful bare head, long tail and long, strong legs.

What does this mean for people of Bonkro? The attention they have received from international birding tours has had a very positive impact, prompting villagers to protect their forest and set up a community-based ecotourism project. Villagers act as guides to take visitors to the Picathartes’ nesting sites before dusk, when the birds return to their nests for the night.

An agreement has been reached with the local communities to support local community-run businesses, thereby creating income for local people which reduces the negative impact on local ecosystems through hunting and farming activities, to maintain the preservation of locally-run eco-tourism initiatives, to provide opportunities for local communities, school projects educating the future generations, free training to educate youths to become self-sufficient and free reading and writing lessons for adults and to continue to actively protect endangered and vulnerable wildlife species

Ghana is home to several highly successful community-run conservation projects and Bonkro is the perfect ecotourism developments.