Bird watching Tours in Uganda
Bird watching in Uganda: Uganda is a home to number of bird species with over 1073 species recorded; making it 50% of all the bird species in Africa and 11% bird species in the world hence becoming birding paradise to keen bird watchers!
Being a small country, Uganda is considered as one of the countries with the highest concentration of bird species for watching in the whole of Africa. Birds in Uganda can be easily spotted in the major birding destinations of forests, swamps, mountains, savannah grassland and valleys. This makes bird watching rewarding in Uganda due to unmatched diversity of habitats that is not found anywhere in the entire world with even seasonal migrant bird species that come from different parts of the world such and Brazil and Egypt.
During your bird watching tour in Uganda, you may encounter a number of species however, these are the top ten bird species that will commemorate your birding safari in the Pearl of Africa! Shoebill stock, African Green Broadbill, Nahan’s Francolin, Rwenzori Turaco, Puvel’s Illadopsis, Jameson’s Antpecker, Brown-chested Lapwing, Karamoja Apalis, Black Bee-eater and Green Breasted Pitta.
Bird watching in Uganda can be done in the following birding destinations; Bwindi impenetrable national park, Semuliki national park, Mt Elgon national park, Rwenzori mountains national park, Kibale forest national park, Kidepo valley national park, Murchison falls national park, Queen Elizabeth national park, Lake Mburo national park, Mgahinga gorilla national park, Mabamba Swamp, Maramagambo forest, Kalinzu forest, Mabira forest, Budongo forest, Pian Upe game reserve, Echuya forest, Katonga game reserve and Nyamuriro swamp
Black-faced rufous warbler in Bwindi Forest
Bird watching in Bwindi Impenetrable national park Uganda
Bwindi forest national park is among the best birding spot for hard core birding packages. The park offers the best montane-forest bird watching activities in Uganda with estimated 350 bird species and 14 unique species that can be recorded anywhere in Uganda, 23 birds are unique to the Albertine Rift such as Neumann’s warbler and blue-headed sunbird. Migratory bird species are present between October to May.
Bird watching in Bwindi forest national park Uganda can be done throughout the year. However; the best months for birding safaris are March and September, June and July have the least rain while March to mid-May has the most. Main nesting season is in May and June, with plenty of food from late May through September.
Common species for bird watching in Bwindi impenetrable forest national park include; African green pigeon, African harrier hawk, Cinnamon-chested bee-eater, Crowned hornbill and Giant kingfisher however; expect to see other birds such as African broadbill, Black bee-eater, Black-billed turaco, Black-faced rufous warbler, Black-faced warbler, Blue-headed sunbird, Cinnamon-chested bee-eater, Grauer’s broadbill, Handsome francolin, Many-coloured bush-shrike, Mountain masked apalis, Neumann’s warbler, Yellow-streaked greenbul, Olive-breasted greenbul, Purple-breasted sunbird, Shelley’s crimsonwing, Western green tinkerbird, Regal sunbird, Ruwenzori apalis
Bird watching in Semuliki national park Uganda
Bird watching in Semuliki National Park Uganda is a rewarding adventure with endless encounter and sights of unique bird species in one of the top birding spots in Uganda; boosting over 441 bird species and about 66% of the country’s forest bird species. The park hosts 46 Guinea Congo biome bird species which cannot be found elsewhere in East Africa and 5 endemic Albertine Rift species.
A boat safari on Lake Albert is an ideal venture to spot solitary shoebills and a breeding colony of the stunning red-throated bee-eater. Migratory bird species can be spotted from November to April every year.
Semuliki National Park Uganda has the highest breeding season in March and bird watching can be done all the year round however the park experiences dry spells from Dec to Feb and heavy down shower from March to mid-May and August to October. The heavy rains at times affect accessibility of the park making slippery hiking trails which may affect birding tours to take place.
Top species that can be seen during bird watching trip in Semuliki national park Uganda include; Abyssinian ground hornbill, African openbill, Great white pelican, Malachite kingfisher and Shoebill stork however, expect to see a number of other birds such as Abyssinian ground hornbill, Piapiac, Red-necked falcon, Red-throated bee-eater, Standard-winged nightjar, Leaf-love, Marsh tchagra, Moustached grass-warbler, Pennant-winged nightjar, African crake, African pygmy goose, Black-billed barbet, Blue-breasted bee-eater, Black-chinned quailfinch, Black coucal, Broad-billed roller, Double-toothed barbet, Green wood-hoopoe, Leaf-love, Marsh tchagra, Moustached grass-warbler, Pennant-winged nightjar.
African Goshawk in Mountain Elgon national park
Bird watching in Mt Elgon national park Uganda
Mountain Elgon National Park is a popular safari destination for hiking and bird watching safaris in Uganda with several trails for hiking and birding.
The Park is home to over 300 bird species including 40 restricted range species, 56 tropical highland biome species such as Moustached Green Tinkerbird, Moorland Francoli and Alpine Chat. This make bird watching tour in Mount Elgon National Park Uganda memorable!
Bird watching in Mt Elgon national park Uganda can be best done in Kapkwai Forest Exploration Centre along the loop trail to Cheptui Falls to spot key species such as African Goshawk; Chubb’s Cisticola, White-chinned Prinia, Moustached Tinkerbird, African Blue Flycatcher among others.
You will also spot other species such as African Goshawk, Chubb’s Cisticola, Moustached Tinkerbird, Hartlaub’s Turaco, Tacazze Sunbird, White-chinned Prinia, African Blue Flycatcher, Chinspot Batis, Mackinnon’s Fiscal, Dohertys Bushshrike, Luhders Bushshrikes, Jackson’s Francolin, Red-fronted Parrot, Red Chested owlet, Baglafecht Weaver, Cinnamon Bee Eater, Olive-naped Pigeon, Bronze-naped pigeon, Black Kite, Black-collared Apalis, Bar-tailed Trogon, Forest Wood-hoopoe, Grey-chested Illadopsis, Black -collared Apalis, Purple Throated cuckoo-shrike, Golden -winged and Tacazze Sunbirds, oriole Finch among others
Bird watching in Rwenzori mountains national park Uganda
Rwenzori Mountains National Park is also known as the “mountain of the moon” and it is one of the few UNESCO heritage sites in Uganda lying along the Uganda Congo border with its glacial peak rise to 5,109m and the lower slopes are blanketed in moorland and montane forest. The park attracts a number of hikers interested in mountain climbing and exploration however its is also a home to 19 Albertine Rift endemics; stirring rewarding journeys for Bird watching safaris in Uganda
Rwenzori Mountain National park hosts over 217 species of birds, 8 of these are limited to species of the albertine endemics, 24 restricted range species of the birds, over 60 afro tropical highland biome species. During your bird watching safari in Mt Rwenzori Uganda, expect to see the following bird species; Handsome Francolin, Strange Weaver, Rwenzori Turaco, Rwenzori Nightjar, Malachite, Blue-headed, Mountain Sooty Boubou, White-collared Olive-back, Red-faced, Dusky, Shelley’s Crimsonwing, Rwenzori Double-collared, Tiny and Scarlet-tufted Malachite Sunbirds, Barred Long-tailed Cuckoo, African Long-eared Owl, Archer’s Robin-Chat, Red-throated Alethe, Montane Masked and Collared Apalises, Stripe-breast Tit, Rwenzori Batis, Purple-breasted, Western Green Tinkerbird, Olive Woodpecker, Grey-chested Illadopsis, Rwenzori Hill Babbler Grey-winged Robin, Cinnamon Bracken Evergreen Forest and Bamboo Warblers, Lagden’s Bush-Shrike among others
African pied wagtail in Kibale National Park
Bird watching in Kibale forest national park Uganda
Kibale forest national park is a bird-watcher’s paradise with more than 370 species recorded and many are forest specials such as Twitching African Pitta. Kibale forest has 4 unique bird species that have never been recorded in any of the national parks in Uganda. These include Cassin’s spinetail, Nahan’s francolin, blue-headed bee-eater and Masked apalis. The best bird watching spot in Kibale forest national park is Bigodi wetland Sanctuary. Migratory birds can be spotted from November to April every year.
Common bird species include; African pied wagtail, Great blue turaco, Pin-tailed whydah, Slender-billed weaver and Tropical boubou. However, expect to see other species such as Ruwenzori apalis, Scaly-breasted illadopsis, Western nicator, White-naped pigeon, Yellow-rumped tinkerbird, Abyssinian ground thrush, Cassin’s spinetail, Crowned eagle, Dusky crimsonwing, Green-breasted pitta, Grey parrot, Little greenbul, Masked apalis, Afep pigeon, African pitta, Black bee-eater, Black-capped apalis, Black-eared ground thrush, Blue-breasted kingfisher, Blue-headed bee-eater, Blue-headed sunbird, Brown illadopsis, Brown-chested alethe, Nahan’s francolin, Purple-breasted sunbird, Red-chested owlet, Red-faced woodland warbler during your bird-watching safari in Uganda
Bird watching in Kibale forest Uganda is done throughout the year however from March to May and September to November are the best month for birding adventures. The main fruiting season ranges from June to September with abundant food and many birds in breeding plumage.
Bird watching in Kidepo valley national park Uganda
Kidepo Valley national park is a home to impressive bird species with over 470 species, 60 species have never been recorded in any of the Uganda’s national parks, 56 raptor species and migratory birds are spotted from November to April.
Common bird species in Kidepo national park include Kori bustard, Dark chanting goshawk, Little bee-eater, Ostrich and Red-and-yellow barbet however expect to see more birds such as Rose-ringed parakeet, Rufous chatterer, Abyssinian scimitarbill, Black-breasted barbet, Chestnut weaver, D’Arnaud’s barbet, Fox kestrel, Golden pipit, Greater kestrel, White-bellied go-away bird, Abyssinian roller, Jackson’s hornbill, Karamoja apalis, Northern carmine bee-eater, Purple grenadier, Pygmy falcon, Red-throated bee-eater.
Bird watching in Kidepo Uganda can be done throughout year with best months ranging from March to April for all the specials and the many migrants.
Secretary Bird spotted in Murchison falls National Park
Bird watching in Murchison falls national park Uganda
Game drives and the launch trips at the bottom of the falls offer the best opportunities for bird-watching in Uganda to sight distinct bird species such as savannah forest birds, water birds and Albertine Rift endemics. The main bird attraction in Murchison falls is the Shoebill stork which is perfectly sighted during dry season ranging from January to March.
During bird watching trips in Murchison falls Uganda expect to explore a number of species such Abyssinian Ground Hornbill, Marabou Stork, Secretary Birds, Open-billed Storks, Black-bellied Bustards, Widow Bird, Swallow-tailed, Hornbills, Grey heron, Hamerkop, Shrikes, Flycatchers, Cuckoos, Woodpeckers, Crombecs, Red-throated Bee-eaters, Malachite Kingfishers, Francolin, Warblers, ducks, geese, stilts, plovers.
Besides bird watching, the park is a home to a number of mammals such as Lions, Leopards, Hartebeests, Oribis, Uganda kobs, Elephants, Giraffes, Cape buffaloes among others for game drive activities. You may also enjoy sport fishing, nature walk, hiking in the same conservation area.
Bird watching in Queen Elizabeth national park Uganda
Queen Elizabeth National park boosts over 550 bird species that has made bird-watching in Uganda an exceptional activity with open woodlands, rivers, open grassland, lakes, seasonal and permanent swamps.
Expect to encounter the following species; White-faced Whistling, swamp fly-catcher, long-tailed cormorants, Martial Eagle, Black- rumped Buttonquail African Skimmer, White winged terns, Spur-winged Plovers, Squacco Heron, Fish Eagle, open-billed Stork, Water-Thick knee, Pied kingfishers, Wattled Plovers, the Black Crake, Knob-billed Ducks, Grey Wood pecker, black and African Emerals Cuckoos, Hairy breasted Barbet, speckled Tinker bird, black-ramped buttonquail, Collard Pranticles, papyrus canary, verreauv’s eagle-owl, black bee-eater, squacco heron, African fish eagle, White-winged Warbler, shoebill, African skimmer, Verreaux’s Eagle-owl, Grey-headed kingfisher, papyrus gonolek, Papyrus Canary, thin-tailed Nightjars, the purple-headed starling, Green Hylia, Pink and white backed Pelicans, Long tailed Cormorants, African Jacana, Yellow backed Weavers among others
Bird watching in Queen Elizabeth national park Uganda can be done throughout the year. However; the finest birding time ranges from December to February. We advise you to spend atleast 2 nights to explore and sight a number of birds in the major spots of Kazinga, Kasenyi and Mweya peninsular.
Bird Safaris and Tours In Uganda
3 Days Lake Mburo Birding Safari
