Birding Areas in Uganda

Mabamba Swamp, Lake Mburo, Bwindi, Queen Elizabeth, Semuliki,Kibale Forest, Murchison falls, Bundongo Forest.

INTRODUCTION:
Uganda is a tiny landlocked country supporting more than 1000 species; Uganda deserves its reputation as "birders' Eden". A short trip here will yield much including Shoebills at Murchison Falls, or Albertine Rift endemics at Bwindi National Park, is incredibly rewarding, while the chance to come face to face with Africa's most noble beast, the Mountain Gorillas, is probably the most touching experience any wildlife enthusiast could hope for. Uganda is a superb destination for rainforest fanatics and those in search of the rare and elusive. In terms of size, Uganda is the richest country in Africa for birds. It has an excellent infrastructure and a great diversity of habitats, from the papyrus-fringed swamps of the Lake Victoria Basin, through both lowland and highland forests of the Albertine Rift and north to the Savanna grassland.
Uganda rivals Kenya as the most visited country in Africa. Eco-tourism has been positively encouraged for the last decade and now most of the best birding destinations are endowed with very middle range accommodation and catering facilities.

Birding Areas in Uganda.

Entebbe:
Situated at shores of lake Victoria, with lake vegetation, botanical gardens, shrubs and swamps surppots variety of species. These include: Lesser jacana ,blue-breasted bee-eater and localized Red chested sun bird being common ones. Others include African Pygmy-goose, Hemerkop, Hadad Ibis, Crowned-crane, Long-toed Lapwing, Grey parrot Red headed lovebird ,Black headed weaver, Ross’s Turaco, with many other species.

Mabamba Swamp:
Mabamba Swamp is located on the fringes of Lake Victoria, looking for many of the Victoria specials, including White-winged Warbler, Carruther’s Cisticola and Papyrus Gonolek. Other wetland birds abound and we will keep our eyes peeled for Swamp Flycatcher, Blue-breasted Bee-eater, herons, egrets, ducks, plovers, gulls, Malachite and Pied Kingfishers and perhaps the greatest prize of all, the incredible Shoebill, which is seen here from time to time.

Lake Mburo National Park.
The papyrus beds, woodland and savanna within this park support Brown-chested Lapwing and Papyrus Gonolek are the common species seen. Others include: Saddle-billed Stork, Wahlberg’s Eagle, Grey Crowned-Crane, Three-banded Plover, Senegal Lapwing , Parrot, Bare-faced Go-away-bird, Lilac-breasted Roller, Yellow Fronted Tinkerbird, Marsh Tchagra,Swamp Flycatcher, Swallow, Grey-capped Warbler, Fawn-breasted Waxbill etc.

Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park
“Bwindi” meaning darkness: is a thick impenetrable forest with thick undergrowth in a small forest of (321 sq km) lying 1160m and 2650 m above sea level is famous for last worlds population of mountain gorillas. However it has been recorded that over 300 species of birds including Albertine Rift valley endemics and montane forest species. Any serious birder watcher should pay a visit to this forest.

Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park
“Bwindi” meaning darkness: is a thick impenetrable forest with thick undergrowth in a small forest of (321 sq km) lying 1160m and 2650 m above sea level is famous for last worlds population of mountain gorillas. However it has been recorded that over 300 species of birds including Albertine Rift valley endemics and montane forest species. Any serious birder watcher should pay a visit to this forest.

Among other species that are found in this area include:Rwenzori Turaco & Nightjar Rufous-chested sparrowhawk, Black Goshwak, Mountain Buzzard, Ayre’s Hawk-Eagle, Scaly Francolin, African green Pigeon, Lemon Dove Brown-necked
Parrot, Black-billed and Great Blue Turacos, Black Dusky Long-tailed, Barred Long-tailed and African Emerrald Cuckoos, Fraser’s Eagle Owl, Horus Swft,Narina and Bar-tailed Trgons, Blue breasted Kingfisher, Black and cinnamon-chested Bee-eaters,Blue throated Roller, White-headed Woodhoopoe, Blackand White-casqued and white-thighed Hornbills, Grey-throated Honey-guide, Tullberg’s, Elliot’sand Olive Woodpeckers,Crested flycatchers, etc.

The most important bird area in Bwindi is around Ruhija and the lowland forest around Buhoma. Most of the Albertine Rift endemics occur around Ruhija Rutenga and Mubwindi swamp . There are clear trails around Buhoma to follow other than gorilla tracking. African green Broad bill and Graver’s Rush Warbler.

Murchison Falls National Park.
This is the largest national park in the country with 3900 sq km . Found in the north western part of the country with a drop of White Nile River below Murchison falls comes the delta with marshy swamps providing a natural habitat for the famous Saddle billed stork and Shoebill.

There are a variety of birds in this park mostly water logged species and these include: Shoebill, Heuglin’s Francolin, Emin’s Shrike, Black-headed Batis,Sliverbird, Carruthers’ Clsticola, African Darter, Goliath Heron, Saddle-billed stork, Bat Hawk, Bateleur, Harlequin and Blue Quails, Black Crake, African Finfoot, Stanley Bustard, Senegal and Spotted Thick-knees, Rock
Praticole, Bronze winged and Temmincks Coursers, Long-toed Lapwing, African Skimmer, Vinaceous Dove, Bruce’s Green-pigeon, Ross’s Turaco, Marsh Owl, Plain, Standard-winged and Pennant-winged Nightjars, Giant Kingfisher, Abyssinian
Ground-Hornbill etc.

Budongo Forest
This a tropical rainy forest located in southern part of Murchison Falls National Park Near Masindi town. Specialities in this area include: Uganda Wood-Warbler, Grey-headed Sunbird, Ituri Batis, Jameson’s Wattle-eye, White-spotted Flufftail, Afep Pigeon Dusk tailed Cuckoo, Black Shoulderd Nightjar, White thighed HornBill, Yellow throated Tinkerbird, Willock’s Honeyguide, Golden-crowned Woodpecker, African Shrike-flycatcher Dwarf Kingfisher and Yellow crested woodpecker etc.

Bundongo Forest is believed to have highest concentration of Kingfishers in the region. These include Dwarf Kingfisher which some birders believe to be the smallest Kingfisher in Africa. Others include: Pygmy Kingfisher, Shinning blue Kingfisher, Blue breasted Kingfisher, stripped Kingfisher, woodland Kingfisher
and Chocolate backed Kingfisher.

Uganda has been identified as most growing bird tourism destination in the world. This is because of the number of variety of bird species that we have in Uganda. There are over 1000 bird species in Uganda which is more than double the number in Europe.

 

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Information on birdwatching, birders guide, orthinology and birding in Uganda, Africa.