Top bird watching sites for bird watching safari in uganda
Top bird watching sites for bird watching safari in uganda : Uganda the pearl of Africa is goldenly gifted with numerous attractions making it to be ranked as one of the top tourist destination in the on planet earth, Uganda has been recognized globally for harboring numerous bird species with some species only endemic to Uganda. The various bird species approximately over 1,050 bird species are habituated in numerous protected areas as mentioned below. There are many bird watching sites in the Uganda but the above mentioned areas are the top ranked sites for bird watching safari.
SEMULIKI NATIONAL PARK
Semuliki national park is ranked as the greatest and most important birding watching area in Uganda, the park is situated in south western region of Uganda in Bundibugyo district. The park stretches is partly covered by Congo-basin vegetation stretching from Albert side to Congo area, the park is a home to approximately 144 guinea- Congo forest biome bird species. Birds in the park are watched from different spots such as that is Sempaya and Ntandi where you get to view bird species like White-crested Hornbill, Red-billed Dwarf Hornbill, Piping Hornbill, Yellow-throated Nicator, Great blue, Ross’s Turacos, Papyrus Gonolek, Caruthers’s Cisticola, Congo Serpent Eagle, Long-tailed Hawk, Nkulengu Rail, Black-Wattled Hornbill and Lyre-tailed Honeyguide, Ituri Batis, Red-billed Helmet -Shrike, Red-eyed Puff-back, Black-winged Starling, Maxwell’s Black Weaver, Blue-billed, Crested and Red-bellied Malimbes, Black Dwarf Hornbill, Great blue and Ross’s Turacos, Black-casqued Wattled Hornbill, Red-rumped Tinkerbird, the African Piculet, Yellow-throated Nicator, the White-throated Blue Swallow, Leaf-love, the Swamp Palm Bulbul, Maxwell’s Black Weaver, the Crested Malimbe, also the Red-bellied Malimbe and the Blue-billed Malimbe, Lemon-bellied Crombec and many more.
BUDONGO FOREST
Budongo forest is the second most important birding area in Uganda, the forest is situated in Murchison falls national park in kaniyo pabidi, busingiro and royal mile in the southern region of the park. Budongo forest lies at the edge of Albertine rift valley and known as the largest natural forest area of East Africa, the forest is a home to approximately 350 bird species with two bird species which are endemic and only found in budongo forest that is guinea-Congo forest biome and yellow footed fly catcher. Other bird species which are spotted on bird watching expedition include Sabine’s Spine tail, Cassin’s Spine tail (rare), Pygmy Crakes, Kingfishers( Chocolate-backed, Blue-breasted, Dwarf), White-spotted Fluff tail, Ituri Batis, Puvell’s Illadopsis, Brown Twin spot, Cameroon Somber Greenbul, Cassin’s Hawk-eagle, Crowned Eagle, Yellow-crested Woodpecker, Forest Robin, Little Green Sunbird, Grey-headed Sunbird, Olive Green Camaroptera, Blue-throated Roller, African Pied , Piping, Black and White Casqued Hornbills, Speckled Tinkerbird, Yellow-spotted Barbet, Cassin’s Honeyguide, African Shrike Flycatcher, Jameson’s Wattle-eye, Chestnut-capped Flycatcher, Yellow-browed Carmaroptera and many more.
MABAMBA BAY WETLAND
Mabamba bay wetland is one of the best birding sites where you get to spot the most loved bird the shoe bill, the bay is situated on the northern shores of Lake Victoria in mpigi district. The marshy swamp of the mabamba is a home to various bird species such as the shoe bill, swamp flycatcher, papyrus gonolek, malachite kingfisher, pied kingfisher, black-headed heron, black kite, African open-billed stork, African jacana, lesser jacana, winding cisticola, Vieillot’s black weaver, grosbeak weaver, black-headed weaver and African marsh harrier and many more.
KIDEPO VALLEY NATIONAL PARK
Kidepo valley national park is situated in the north eastern region Uganda, the park is a famous bird watching site as it harbors approximately 450 bird species with 50 bird species which can only be seen in this region in Uganda. Birds in this park are found in the open savannah grasslands, wood and montane forests. While a bird watching expedition in kidepo valley national park you spot many birds species such as Egyptian vulture, Pygmy falcon, Ostrich, Verreaux’s eagle, Black coucal, Yellow-rumped Seedeater, Clapperton’s Francolin, Karamoja apalis, Black-breasted barbet, Broad-tailed warbler, Silver bird, Yellow-billed Shrike, Marsh Tchagra, Crimson-rumped Waxbill. African Moustached francolin, Black-headed Plover, Red-winged Pytilia, Yellow-spotted Petronia, White-billed Buffalo Weavers, Straw-tailed Whydahs, Bruce’s Green Pigeon, Red-billed Oxpecker, Scarlet-chested Sunbird, Superb Starlings, Nubian Woodpecker, Standard-winged Nightjars, African Grey Flycatcher, Eastern Pale Chanting Goshawk. Steel-blue Whydah, Little Green Bee-eater, Hoopoe, Singing Bush lark, Ethiopian Swallow, Orange-winged Pytilia, Abyssinian Ground hornbill, Red-cheeked Cordon-bleu, Fan-tailed Raven and many more.
QUEEN ELIZABETH NATIONAL PARK
Queen Elizabeth national park is undeniably one of the most popular tourist destinations in Uganda, queen Elizabeth national park is famous for being a home to many wild life species most especially the tree climbing lions. The park situated in western Uganda is also a home to many bird species which are spotted throughout the park such as African mourning dove, swamp flycatcher, grey-headed kingfisher, African skimmer, malachite and pied kingfishers, white-winged terns, grey-capped warbler, collared pratincole, pin-tailed whydah, martial eagle, Gabon and slender-tailed nightjars, black-headed gonolek, Verreaux’s eagle-owl, sedge warbler, papyrus canary, great white and pink-backed pelicans, African mourning dove and yellow-billed stork and the flamingos which are spotted at lake Katwe and bunyapaka.
KIBALE NATIONAL PARK
Kibale national park is a prime bird watching site situated in western Uganda, kibale national park is a home to many bird species approximately 375 bird species include six endemic bird species only found in Albertine rift valley. bird species found in kibale national park include the red-chested owlet, purple-breasted sunbird, blue-breasted kingfisher, crowned eagle, little greenbul, black bee-eater, white-naped pigeon, scaly-breasted illadopsis, yellow-throated Nicator, white-headed wood hoopoe, red-headed malimbe, yellow-spotted barbet, dusky-blue flycatcher, grey-throated flycatcher, grey-winged robin, crested flycatcher, blue-shouldered robin chat, yellow-spotted barbet, black-billed turaco, white-naped pigeon, red-chested fluff tail, tiny sunbird and many more.
LAKE MBURO NATIONAL PARK
Lake Mburo national park is a fascinating national park the only one near Kampala city, Lake Mburo national park is famous for being a home to the largest population of zebra, also the park is a home a number of fascinating bird species approximately 351 bird species. Bird watching takes place in the park’s wetlands where you get to see bird species like Nubian Woodpecker, Crested Francolin, Broad billed Roller, trilling cisticola, bee-eaters and the cheeky bronze-tailed starling, majestic crowned crane, rare African finfoot, shoebill, African fish eagle, malachite, pied kingfishers and many more
BWINDI IMPENETRABLE NATIONAL PARK
Bwindi impenetrable national park is a popular ecological location situated in south western region of Uganda. The park is famous for harboring the critically endangered mountain gorilla offering amazing mountain gorilla experience, the park is also a home to a variety of bird species approximately 350 bird species. Bird species in Bwindi impenetrable national park are found and encountered in the deep forests in the park, bird species in the park include Black-billed Turaco, African Green Broadbill, Chapin’s Flycatcher, Fraser’s Eagle, Handsome Francolin, Collared Apalis, White-bellied Robin Chat, African green broadbill, Chapin’s flycatcher, Shelley’s crimsonwing, handsome francolin, mountain-masked and collared apalis, white-bellied robin chat, black billed turaco, Fraser’s eagle, western bronze-naped pigeon, purple-breasted, blue-headed, regal sunbirds and many more.
RWENZORI NATIONAL PARK
Rwenzori national park is a great birding viewing site situated in western Uganda in Bundibugyo kasese with approximately 177 bird species with 19 Albertine rift endemics, mountain Rwenzori is densely covered by thick tropical rain forest vegetation which harbors various bird species such as Rwenzori turaco, long-eared owl, Archers’ robin-chat, Lagden’s bush shrike, blue-headed and golden-winged sunbird, white-starred robin, slender-billed starling, cinnamon-chested bee-eater, bearded vultures, swifts and many more.
MGAHINGA NATIONAL PARK
Mgahinga national park is not only a home to the precious endangered mountain gorilla but also to beautiful bird species, the park is covered with forests where birds are found. Bird species in mgahinga national park include Kivu ground thrush, cinnamon bracken warbler, white-starred robin, Rwenzori batis, Archer’s robin chat, olive pigeon, black-headed waxbill, western green tinker bird, Cape robin, white-starred robin, brown woodland warbler, stripe-breasted tit, brown-crowned Tchagra and scarlet-tufted, greater double-collared sunbirds and many more.
MURCHISON FALLS NATIONAL PARK
Murchison falls National Park is Uganda’s oldest and largest national park situated in north western Uganda in Amuru, Lolim. The park is famous for Murchison falls which forms a permanent rain bow trade market, Murchison falls national park is a home to many bird species such as shoebill, swamp flycatcher, goliath heron, Abyssinian ground hornbill, northern red bishop, red-throated bee-eater, African quail finch, pied, malachite, giant kingfishers and many more.
For bird lovers and addicts Uganda is the perfect destination for to quench your thirst and full fill your desire for watching numerous beautiful bird species in one spot.