Birding
Birding in Uganda & Rwanda
The remarkable avian diversity in Uganda is similar to that of Great Britain which is over 1000 species which is attributed to its location between the savannah of East Africa, the rainforests of West Africa and the semi-desert in the north. Uganda harbors such a huge diversity of birds, alongside many migrant birds that are present from November to April.
Uganda is a prime destination for birding enthusiasts as it lies in a unique position sharing all Africa’s major ecological zones rendering it is a true birder paradise. The variations in the landscape offer many birds their habitats like swamps, forests, lakes, mountains, and savannas harboring over 1065 bird species.
Some of the notable avian species in Uganda include
African jacana, Black-headed Lapwing, Orange Weaver, Red-throated alethe, Shoebill, Archer’s robin-chat, black-lored babbler, Blue-headed Sunbird, Chapin’s flycatcher, Dusky Crimsonwing, Dwarf honeyguide, Fox’s weaver, Golden-winged Sunbird, Grant’s bluebill, Grauer’s broadbill, Grauer’s cuckoo-shrike, Grauer’s swamp warbler, Handsome francolin, Hartlaub’s turaco, Jackson’s francolin, Karamoja Apalis, Nahan’s francolin, Neumann’s warbler, Oberlaender’s ground thrush, Purple-breasted sunbird, Red-faced barbe, Red-faced woodland, Warbler, Red-throated alethe, Regal Sunbird, Ruwenzori Apalis, Ruwenzori batis, Ruwenzori double-collared sunbird,
Ruwenzori nightjar, Ruwenzori turaco, Shelley’s Crimsonwing, Strange Weaver, Stripe-breasted tit, Turner’s eremomela, Uganda woodland warbler, Yellow-eyed black flycatcher, Ansorge’s greenbul, Black bee-eater, Blue-throated roller, Equatorial akalat, Great blue turaco, Ituri batis, Jameson’s ant pecker, Lühder’s bush-shrike, Magpie mannikin, Masked Apalis, Olive long-tailed cuckoo, Papyrus gonolek,
Pennant-winged nightjar, Red-chested owlet, Red-tailed ant thrush, Rufous flycatcher-thrush, White-bellied crested flycatcher, White-bellied Robin-chat, White-naped Pigeon, Yellowbill.
When to go bird watching in Uganda
Uganda’s ecological and vegetation renders it a perfect place to go on birdwatching adventure all year-round. Though the best time for bird watching is from late May through September when there is less rain and food is abundant.
Where to go for a bird watching adventure
Birds in Uganda can be seen everywhere, where you can enjoy an unplanned birding section in all the Uganda National Parks.
Though they are specific places or parks where you can maximize a bird-watching adventure including Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park with most of Albertine Rift endemics, Murchison Falls has a wide array of common birds and specials including the sought-after shoebill and Semuliki is the only place in East Africa to see many Guinea-Congo regional species.
Bird watching in Uganda renders easy spotting of many birds by birding for a short period of time. While Birding in Uganda you will be fascinated and intrigued, if you wish to include your Birding adventure into your Gorillas, Chimpanzee as well as classic game-drive safari.