BIRDS SPECIES IN THE PEARL

Birdwatching is among the top tourist activities taking place in the pearl of Africa. The country has over 1,066 bird species. There is no other place for birding other than Uganda.

The birding experience in Uganda is truly relishing as your walk through the forest trails, wetlands, grasslands, and rainforest for the sight and sounds of the beautiful species. In Uganda, there are about 30 birding sites with various bird species that can be enjoyed on your Uganda birding safari.

The following are the bird species that can be spotted while in the pearl of Africa.

Spider hunters and sunbirds

These are small fast birds, spider hunters, and sunbirds that love feeding on small insects and nectar from the flowers. These species in Uganda include, variable sunbird, shinning sunbird, orange sunbird, copper sunbird, purple–banded sunbird,  regal sunbird, red chested sunbird, marina sunbird, northern double–collared sunbird, tiny sunbird,  olive–billed sunbird, golden-winged sunbird, red-tufted sunbird, malachite sunbird, Blue-headed sunbird, Green sunbird, little green sunbird, western violet–backed sunbird, Gray-headed sunbird, little green sunbird.

Ostriches

This bird species is native to Africa, with a long neck and legs, ostriches have known their short wings that make them flightless, and despite this “feature”, these birds can run at a very high speed. In Uganda, these birds can be seen in Kidepo valley national park, and also UWEC (Formerly the Zoo)

Allies and weaves

These are passerines bird with bright colors of yellow red and black, they feed mostly on seeds due to their rounded conical bills. These include the speckle–front weaver, red-billed buffalo weave, and the white–biller buffalo –weaver.

Geese, Ducks, and waterfowl

These species mostly have webbed feet, their feathers have an oil coating that helps them to keep and swim in water without wetting them. These include African black duck, Eurasian wigeon, Garganey, Knob-billed duck, White-backed duck, Eurasian wigeon, Spur-winged goose, Maccoa duck, Southern pochard Northern pintail, Cape teal, Green-winged teal, Tufted duck, White-faced whistling –duck, Hartlaub’s duck, Fulvous whistling duck, African Pygmy goose, Eurasian wigeon, yellow-billed duck, Hottentot teal, and the common pochard.

Allies and Dapple –throat

In these species, we have only the Gray –chested babbler

Starlings

These gregarious passerine birds are small in size with a direct and strong flight. They love to feed on fruits and seeds on the forest produces. Examples of the starling bird species include the Bronze –tailed starling, purple-headed starling, Narrow –tailed starling, super starling, Lesser blue –eared starling, Great blue –ear starling, Magpie starling, Waller’s starling, Red-winged starling, violet–backed starling, wattled starling, Bristle –crowned starling, chestnut –winged starling, slender-billed starling, Sharpe’s starling, Ruppells starling

Larks

These are dull-colored terrestrial birds. They mainly feed on seeds and insects. Lacks have display flights with extravagant songs. These include. Dusky larks, Sun lark, Red-capped lark, Singing bush larks, Red-winged larks, Foxy lark, Fischer’s sparrow lark, Rufous-naped lark, Flappy lark, Pink–breasted lark, Sun lark,  white-tailed lark, Chestnut-backed sparrow –lark, Rufous –rumped lark

Kites, eagles, and Hawks

These birds have a very strong sight to view their prey from the sky, they have hooked beaks for tearing up the flesh and the prey they have captured with their strong talons. For example, Augur buzzard, Black kite, Little sparrow hawk, long-legged buzzard, Black goshawk, Red-necked buzzard;  lesser spotted eagle, Black-chested snake eagle,  Bat Hawk, Short-toed snake eagle, Congo serpent eagle; Martial eagle, Crowned eagles, Black-winged Kite, Hooded vulture, Egyptian vulture, Palm-nut vulture, white-headed vulture; Bearded vulture, African harrier hawk, Palm-nut vulture, European honey –buzzard, Palm-nut vulture, scissor-tailed kite; hooded vulture, Eastern chanting-goshawk, Lizzard buzzard, Booted eagle, Wahlberg’s eagle, greater spotted eagle; Tawny eagle, Verreaux’s eagle, Ayres’s hawk-eagle, Steppe eagle, Dark chanting –goshawk; Shikra, Pallid harrier, Gabar goshawk grasshopper buzzard, Cassin’s hawk-eagle.

Flamingos

Flamingos are in the scientific family of Phoenicopteridae and order phoenicopteriformes. These are tall wading birds with uniquely shaped beaks to separate food from mud. In Uganda, we have the lesser flamingos and the greater flamingos.

Pigeons and doves

Pigeons and doves species in Uganda include the Cameron pigeon, Rock Pigeon, Lemon dov; Dusky turtle –dove, European turtle dove, Afep pigeon, Speckled pigeon, Laughing dove, red-eyed dove, White-naped pigeon, Vinaceous dove, Bronze–naped pigeon, Blue-spotted wood dove, Emerald –spotted wood dove, Ring-necked dove, mourning collared –dove, African green –pigeon, Bruce’s green pigeon, Tambourine dove, Tambourine dove, Speckled pigeon, Delegorgue’s pigeon, White-naped pigeon, Speckled pigeon, Namaqua dove, black-billed wood dove, Bruce’s green –pigeon.

Turaco

Under the turaco we have the plantain eaters, go away birds, and the turacos, they are usually in bright colors of blue, purple, and green. For the Go always they are usually in White and grey. Examples include the Eastern Plantain eater, Black-billed turaco, Rwenzori turaco, Great blur turaco; Bare –faced go away bird, Hartlaub’s turaco, Ross’s turaco, white–billed go away, purple–crested turaco, White-crested turaco.

Night jars and allies

These a nocturnal bird species that set up their nest on the grounds, examples include; Long-tailed night jar, Plain nightjar, Rwenzori nightjar  Square-tailed nightjar, Bates; nightjar, Freckled nightjar, Abyssinian nightjar, Swamp nightjar, Eurasian nightjar, Long-tailed nightjar, Black-shouldered nightjar, Slender-tailed nightjar; Eurasian nightjar, standard –winged nightjar, pennant –winged nightjar, somber nightjar.

Other bird species such as the plovers and lapwings, painted snipes, jacanas, sand pipes, Buttonquails, Pheasants, Grebes, sand grouse, bustards, cuckoos, Swifts, cranes, thick knees, rollers, African barbets, honeyguides, woodpeckers, falcon, pittas, shoebills, hamerkop, Osprey, mousebirds, Troyon’s, hopes, hornbills, kingfishers, beetles, owls and many more all can be sighted on your Uganda safari.

All the above-mentioned bird species are located in the different birding sites of Uganda, these include the 10 national parks of Uganda, Nyamuriro wetland, Lake Opera, Lake Bisina, Budongo forest, Mabamba bay, Nabugabo wetland,  Bigodi wetland, Sango bat wetland, Lutembe bay wetland, Nabajjizi wetland,  Lake Nakuwa wetland,  Nakivali wetland, Mabira forest, Kyambura wildlife and many more.