Birding in Lake Mburo National Park: This is the nearest game park to Kampala; it is set in a succession of swamp-fringed lakes that give an excellent habitat for bird species, including the elusive African finfoot and the Red-faced Barbet. Lake Mburo National Park is a well-developed Acacia woodland with several bird species. It is home to a large number of savannah bird species and is the greatest spot in Uganda to see typical savannah bird species.
This beautiful park with rolling hills and wide grassy valleys dotted with thickets, forests, and lush wetlands is the only area in Uganda where the Impala may still be seen and the ideal spot to observe big herds of Eland (Africa’s largest antelope). Topi, Bushbuck, Sitatunga, Common Duiker, Klipspringer, Oribi, Defassa Waterbuck, and Bohor Reedbuck are among the other antelope species that may be seen in the park. It is one of just two Ugandan national parks where the Burchell’s zebra may still be found.
The park’s neighbors are traditional, pastoral Bahima people, noted for their long-horned Ankole cattle. As you enter the park, you will notice several of these creatures grazing around and within the park.
Birding in Lake Mburo National Park.
The park is home to 350 different bird species, including 8 of Uganda’s 12 Lake Victoria Basin biome species, the elusive Shoebill stork and White-winged Warbler; additional species to look out for include; the Crested, Coqui, and the Red-winged Francolins, Blue-spotted Wood Dove, Brown Parrot, Barefaced Go-away bird, Harlequin and Blue Quails, Common Button Quail, White-headed and Black-billed Barbet, Greenwood Hoopoe, Common Scimitar bill, Blue-napped Mousebird, Blue-breasted and Shining-blue Kingfishers, Lilac-breasted Roller, African-grey Hornbill, the Nubian, Buff-spotted, Brown-eared, and the Grey Woodpeckers, Trilling, Stout, and Wing-snapping Cisticolas, Red-necked Spur fowl, Black-bellied Bustard, Temminck’s Courser, African-wattled Plover, Rufous napped and Flappet larks, Rufous-chested Swallow ,Yellow-throated Long claw, Black-winged Bishop, Chubb’s, Carruther’s and a number of other Cisticolas, the Lesser and Great Swamp Warblers, among others.
Birding has grown in popularity at Lake Mburo National Park. Birding definitely continues to increase with the large bird species that often storm the park; some of the most prominent bird watching locations include salt licks region, Rwonyo camp, Rubanga woodland, marshy valleys of Miriti, and road sides. The salt lick, the Rubanga woodland, and the Miriti valley all provide wonderful observation points.
The following birds are commonly seen here: Coqui Francolin, Emerald-spotted Wood, Rufous-bellied Heron, Bateleur, Brown-chested Lapwing, Grey Crowned Crane, Bare-faced Go-away-bird, Red-faced Barbet, Green Wood-hoopoe, Red-headed Lovebird, Ross’s Turaco, Black-bellied Bustard, Nubian Woodpecker, Red-shouldered Cuckoo-shrike, White The Rubanga forest may also be accessed by car or on foot. This is an excellent location for birders, and quick arrangements may be arranged with the warden. Only the red-faced Barbet, the forest’s highlighted species, may be seen here.
This park is a birding destination in Uganda and is one of the parks that make Uganda the number one tourism destination. Most visitors are now confirming tours to Uganda in order to adventure the wildlife in Ugandan National Parks and view many different creative bird life that live in the parks. Uganda is the top birding destination in the world for birders since the country contains over 1000 bird species, the most of which are located in Uganda.
A birding trip in Uganda is a wonderful option that many people who want to go birding in Uganda should make because the country contains numerous bird species that are protected in several national parks. Lake Mburo National Park is also one of the top birding places in Uganda, and it is well recognized that visiting national parks for birding is both rewarding and memorable.
Within the Rubanga Forest Area, one can see a variety of bird species such as the Coqui Francolin, Red-headed Lovebird, Rufous-bellied Heron, Brown-chested Lapwing, Emerald-spotted Wood-Dove, Common Scimitar bill, Bare-faced Go-away-bird, Ross’s Turaco, Green Wood-hoopoe, Brown Parrot, African Finfoot, Long-tailed Cisticola, Yellow-breasted Apalis and so many more.
Rubanga forest is also a relatively flat birding area that may be reached by vehicle or on foot. The red-faced barbet, which can only be found in Lake Mburo National Park, is one of the most endangered animals. However, birders are recommended to make prior arrangements with the wardens.
Birding around Lake Mburo
The lake is home to a wide variety of animal and plant life, which can only be seen up close during a boat ride. Crocodiles, Hippopotamuses, and birds such as Pelicans, Black Crake, Common Squacco, Striated, Goliath, Purple, Black-headed, Grey, and Black-headed Herons, Great White and Pink-backed Cormorants, African Fish Eagle, Shoebill stork, and others are among them. The length of each boat tour can be negotiated with park administration.
Why you should do birding in Lake Mburo National Park?
With more tourists, the park becomes more of a birding paradise. You can visit the park in search of the many birds that it boasts. The search for birds at Lake Mburo National Park does not exclude other parks in the country from being a birding paradise, given that Uganda has over 1000 bird species, making it a true birders paradise. Lake Mburo national park alone is home to 350 bird species, some of which are not found anywhere else in the country or national parks.
Where can I stay during a birding safari in Lake Mburo National Park?
If you want to spend a night or two at Lake Mburo National Park, you may stay at the following lodges: Mihingo Safari Lodge, Rwonyo Rest Camp, Mburo Safari Lodge, Mantana Tented Camp, Ssana Community Lodge, and Eagles’ Nest, among others.
How can I get to Lake Mburo National Park?
The Lake Mburo National Park in Uganda is accessible by road and air. By car, the journey from Kampala to the park takes roughly 3½ hours. The national park is also accessible through Ishaka and Mbarara from Queen Elizabeth National Park, making it a handy location to visit following chimpanzee trekking and wildlife safari in Queen Elizabeth National location.
You can also fly to the Lake Mburo National Park. Aerolink, for example, operates domestic flights from Entebbe International Airport to Lake Mburo National Park. Depending on the aircraft route, air transfers to the national park might take anywhere from 1½ to 2 hours.
