Bird watching in Ziwa rhino sanctuary

Bird watching in Ziwa rhino sanctuary: Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary is a 70 sq. km piece of land in Nakasongola district gazetted in 2002 to protect different wildlife species. The area was mainly gazetted for southern white rhinos which were reintroduced in the country from Kenya and Florida. As of today, the area hosts other animals and over 300 bird species.

The high population of bird species within the gazetted piece of land has attracted lots of birders from different parts of the world. These birds are seen in nature walk activities done in different areas of the protected area where birders use different nature walk trails led by an armed ranger guide.

Which birds can be spotted in Ziwa Rhino sanctuary?

Birding in Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary gives birders an opportunity to see species such as Shoebill stork, blue spotted dove, yellow wagtail, woolly necked stork, village indigobird, tree pipit, white-headed saw wing, western banded snake eagle, common house martin, tawny eagle, violet tipped courser, tambourine dove, tawny flanked prinia, African green pigeon, black and white manikini, common green hawk, intermediate egret, dusky kit.

African blue flycatcher, black-bellied bustard, African broadbill, greater blue-eared starling, white-faced scop’s owl, spur-winged lapwing, marico sunbird, pin-tailed whydah, marabou stork, little weaver, African black crake, red knobbed coot, purple heron, semi colored flycatcher, red-rumped swallow, olive sunbird, puvel’s illadopsis, long-crested eagle, standard winged nightjar, Egyptian goose, little swift.

Senegal coucal, long-toed lapwing, shikra, pearl spotted owlet, soot chat, pied crow, speckled pigeon, brown crowned tchagra, Eurasian hobby, grey-backed fiscal shrike, flapped lark, lizard buzzard, sedge warbler, long-tailed cormorant, specked weaver, African paradise flycatcher, malachite kingfisher, martial eagle, Namaqua dove, northern carmine bee-eater, Nubian woodpecker, spur-winged goose.

Abyssinian ground hornbill, black-winged bishop, admin’s stork, pallid harrier, foxes weaver, cardinal woodpecker, giant kingfisher, chinspot batis, goliath heron, double-toothed barbet, green crombec, white-fronted bee-eater, plain martin, white-browed scrub robin, piapiac, African hawk eagle, grassland pipit, blue cheeked bee-eater, crested francolin, common ringed plover, pied kingfisher, greater honeyguide.

Spot the african black-headed oriole on your trip to ziwa rhino sanctuary

African black-headed oriole, curlew francolin, black-crowned tchagra, scarlet-chested sunbird, common fiscal shrike, green wood hoopoe, African pygmy kingfisher, Eurasian nightjar, klass’s cuckoo, bared faced go away bird, bat hawk, fork tailed drongo, hamerkop, great egret, fan-tailed widow bird, common chat, sooty falcon, European bee-eater, brown-backed scrub robin, cattle egret.

African grey hornbill, grey kestrel, black cuckoo, spotted eagle owl, black and white shrike flycatcher, bateleur, augur buzzard, African scop’s owl, black-headed weaver, African mourning dove, African jacana, black-headed gonolek, African crowned eagle, barn swallow, black kite, brown parrot, common waxbill, barred warbler.

African open-billed stork, eastern grey plantain eater, African citril, emerald spotted wood dove, helmeted guineafowl, common krestel, black-winged stilt, blue-breasted kingfisher, brown-throated wattle eye, hadada ibis, grey woodpecker, black and white cuckoo, great sparrow hawk, black-headed heron, African pied wagtail, grey crowned crane, isabelline shrike, knob bellied duck, lesser stripped swallow, broad-billed roller.

African darter, steppe eagle, black crowned waxbill, large brown snake eagle, heuglin’s francolin, common bulbul, booted eagle, lemon dove, levaillant’s cuckoo, great reed warbler, coqui francolin, crowned hornbill, red bellied fire finch, lesser kestrel, blue naped mouse bird, red chested cuckoo, specked mouse bird, sulphur breasted bush shrike, vinaceous dove, superb starling, yellow fronted canary, scared ibis.

African fish eagle, willow warbler, yellow-billed stork, bronze mannikin, yellow rumped tinker bird, wahlberg’s eagle, variable sunbird, wattled lapwing, thick-billed honey guide, rupell’s long-tailed starling, scaly throated honey guide, western black-headed oriole, lesser honey guide, little egret, buff spotted fufftail, dark caped yellow warbler,

Great blue turaco, African darter, little bittern, grey-headed sparrow, black-shouldered kite, saddle-billed stork, little sparrow hawk, red-cheeked cordon bleu, African golden breasted bunting, white stork, sand martin, rufous billed heron, white crested turaco, red-throated wryneck, red-winged starling, ross’s turaco, white chinned prinia, little grebe,

African fish eagle, grey heron, red-headed bluebill, African golden oriole, yellow-throated longclaw, African goshawk, white-headed barbet, woodland kingfisher, African hoopoe, African marsh harrier, black and white casqued hornbill, white-browed coucal, laughing dove, white-rumped swift, wood sandpiper, lesser black-backed gull, yellow-breasted apalis, red-necked dove, and white-backed night heron to mention but a few.

How much is birding in Ziwa rhino sanctuary?

To carry out normal birding in Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary you need to pay park entrance and birding fees. The fee combined is $40 for foreign non-residents and foreign residents, and UGX30,000 citizens of East African member states. Birders who come for shoebill trekking experience pay $45 for foreign non-residents, $40 for foreign residents, and UGX30,000 citizens of East African member states.

What to carry on your bird watching exercise in Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary

Birders visiting Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary for bird watching are advised to visit the area well-prepared for the activity. A good birder must have a pair of binoculars, a camera and extra batteries, waterproof hiking shoes, insect repellents, sunscreen, a rain jacket, a hat, a pair of gaiters, a bird guidebook, a pen, a voice recorder, long-sleeved shirts, and long-sleeved pants to mention but a few.