A BREATHTAKING STORY ABOUT BIRDING IN UGANDA

;Birding in Uganda; Uganda is a landlocked country in East Africa whose diverse landscape encompasses the snowcapped Rwenzori Mountains and immense Lake Victoria. Uganda is full of beauty, charm, adventure and there is thrill in a safari if sought with an open mind

A tour to Uganda goes beyond exposing you to just her amazing teeming wildlife, stunning landscape, the kind and smiley people with their distinctive cultures, mountains towering so high to the clouds and the huge diversity of birds.

Uganda is arguably the most attractive country in Africa to bird watchers. This country not only offers a wide number of recorded species but also gives easy access to bird-rich habitats; that are difficult to reach elsewhere.

Birders Paradise

Uganda is a birding paradise with a bird list that has about 1073 recorded bird species. This figure makes 50% of the Africa’s bird species and 11% of the world species. It is impressive that such a huge bird list is contained within a small territory of only 90041 square miles. Thus making Uganda with the high concentration of birds per square kilometre in Africa.

It has up to 34 important Birding Areas of which many have been developed for bird watching and birding tours. The birding community in Uganda has identified and continues to identify bird-rich spots across the country and establishing birding trials.

There are several number of birding destinations in Uganda; arid semi-dessert, rich savannahs, lowland and montane rainforests, vast wetlands, volcanoes and Afro-alpine zone. All these have made Uganda as one of the finest birding paradises.

National Parks to see Birds

If you want to see a wide range of birds in Uganda, try to visit the below mentioned places

1. Lake Mburo where over 310 bird species have been recorded and some include black- bellied bastard, bare- faced go-away bird, and African wattled lapwing and much more. Visit Queen Elizabeth National Park with over 600 bird species recorded.

2. The largest National Park in Uganda “Murchison Falls” also provides opportunities to tourists to see birds. The specials include the papyrus associated shoe-bill since it’s the best place for them in east Africa.

3. Although gorilla trekking is popular in Bwindi Forest Park, bird watching comes second due to the abundance of rare species of birds. About 350 species of birds are found in this park and these include; Black- billed Turaco, African green Broadbill, Chapin’s flycatcher, Fraser’s eagle, handsome francolin, Collared Apalis, White bellied Robin chat and so many others.

4. Kibale Forest National Park is one of the best birdwatching destinations in Uganda. In addition to Chimpanzee trekking safaris, Kibale Forest has over 375 bird species. Birding watching is popular around this park due to the dense vegetation cover which favors bird life. Birds found in Kibale Forest include; Red- chested owlet, Grey- throated flycatcher, purple-breasted sunbird, Blue-breasted kingfisher, Crowned Eagle among others.

5. Semuliki National Park is one of the 10 best birding spots in Uganda. It has over 441 bird species in Semuliki riverine forest alone.  These beauties include; Blue-billed Malimbe, Yellow-throated Nicator, purple-sunbird, Yellow- throated cuckoo, Dwarf Honeyguide, Great Blue Turaco, Piping Hornbill, Nkulengu Rail and Maxwell’s black weaver.

6. Rwenzori Mountains National park, located in western Uganda is also another destination for bird watching. It is a home to over 177 bird species most of which can be spotted while hiking Rwenzori Mountains. Birds in this park include; Rwenzori Turaco, Golden-winged sunbird, Lagden’s Bush shrike, slender-billed starling, Archers’ Robin-chat, Blue-headed sunbird, White-starred Robin, Long-eared owl among others.

In Conclusion…

Indeed, bird watching is one of the activities you shouldn’t forego because it gives you an experience of its kind. It is high on adventurous tourists’ bucket list of things to do while on a Uganda safari.