Where to go birding in Uganda
Where to go birding in Uganda : Uganda is an African country that is a well-known birders paradise and attracts many tourists who are interested in birding. There are a number of spots that you can visit in Uganda to visit a few of the 1,600 different bird species in the country. The birds of Uganda are majorly from the Lake Victoria, source of the Nile areas and the Albertine rift.
There are a number of endemic bird species that you can visit in Uganda like the Fox’s weaver. Bird watching is a serene activity that many have started to take part of and grow knowledge and love for all around the globe.
There are about 1,600 recorded bird species in Uganda however there are 10 great birds you should not miss out on your birding safari in Uganda. You should look out for the Shoebill stork, the African Green Broadbill, the green breasted Pitta, the Great Blue Turraco, the shelley’s crimsonwing, the standard winged nightjar, the short tailed warbler, the Doherty’s Bushshrike, the bar tailed trogon and the black breasted barbet.
Most tours in Uganda are fully packed with activities like mountain gorilla trekking, chimpanzee trekking or wildlife safaris in the savannah parks but birding can be amalgamated while on any of these tours or take on a special birding safari. Once you opt to visit Uganda for your birding experience, you will be amused by how many spots there are to visit the birds from.
Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National park. Bwindi forest is famous for mountain gorilla trekking but this also offers a great birding experience. The Bwindi national park is sitted on an area of 321 kilometers in the south western part of the country. This park alone is a home to 300 and more bird species and there are 23 endemic species in the park and a few of these are the Regal Sunbird, Short tailed warbler, western green tinkerbird, African wood owl, the African green broadbill to mention but a few.
Echuya Forest reserve is also another birding spot. This Echuya forest reserve is located in the south western part of the country near the Uganda-Rwanda border. This reserve has up to 150 bird species and 18 birds are endemic species. The ones you can spot in this reserve are the Gwarf Honey guide, collared apalis, Doherty’s Bush shrike, archer’s robin chat, Grauer’s warbler, regal sunbird, Rwenzori Batis, white eyed slaty flycatcher to mention but a few. This reserve is deemed important because of its rare flora and fauna diversity.
Bigodi wetland. Bigodi wetland is one of the most loved and visited places for birding. The Bigodi wetland is one of the places in Uganda where you can spot the shoebill stork. The Bigodi wetland sanctuary is a project by the community located in magombe swamp. The Bigodi wetland has up to 130 different bird species and these include dusky crimsonwing, crowned eagle, African pitta, purple breasted sunbird, black bee eater, collared apalis, black eared ground thrush to mention but a few.
Kibaale national park is a national park of Uganda located in the western part of the country. The Kibaale forest national park is a home of up to 350 bird species which can be viewed at Kibaale forest and the Bigodi wetland as well. The Kibaale forest is famous for its primate life and this park offers chimpanzee treks as well as monkey treks.
Mgahinga gorilla national park another national park that offers mountain gorilla treks but also a great destination for birding with up to 115 different bird species. There is a trail birders take while on a birding experience in Mgahinga that is called the Gorge trail and they get to spot the Barred long tailed cuckoo, Equatorial akalat, dusky turtle, kivu ground thrush, handsome francolin , archer’s robin chat, regal sunbird , yellow-eyed black flycatcher among the many. This is the smallest national park of the country.
Murchison falls national park the country’s largest national park covering an area of 4,000 kilometers is another birder’s paradise. This park is located in the Northern part of the country and is a home to up to 80 different bird species and a few of these are the shoebill, rock pranticole, secretary bird, white faced whistling duck, martial eagle, swallow tailed bee eater, speckle fronted weaver, white browed sparrow, sulphur breasted, African, darter, Abyssinian ground hornbill, beautiful sunbird to mention but a few.
There are other destinations in the country that you may visit for the birding experience and we can help you arrange this with a skilled birding guide. These include;
- The Queen Elizabeth national park
- Semuliki national park
- Lake Mburo national park
- Jinja
- Lutembe bay
- Mount Rwenzori national park
We look forward to hearing from you when you are ready to reach out on a birding safari in Uganda.
