Birding Tours, Birdingwathing Safaris

Birding in Bwindi Forest

While Bwindi Impenetrable Forest is widely famous for harboring more than 440 endangered Mountain Gorillas, This 321 square kilometer pristine forest is an excellent birding site for birding tours Uganda. Located in the far southwestern corner of the country, Bwindi Forest is a biodiversity hotspot. It is home to over 320 species of birds, and 23 of which are endemic to this particular area of the Albertine Rift (90% of all Albertine Rift endemics). Birding enthusiasts are sure not to miss this great destination.

Some of the Albertine endemic bird species include; Ruwenzori Nightjar, Red-throated Alethe, African Green Broadbill, Red-faced Woodland Warbler, Handsome Francolin, Short-tailed Warbler, Collared Apalis, Mountain Masked Apalis, Archer’s Robin-Chat, Dwarf Honeyguide, Grauer’s Warbler, Dusky Crimson wing, Rwenzori Batis, Purple-breasted Sunbird, Regal Sunbird, Shelley’s Crimson wing, Strip-breasted Tit, Blue-headed Sunbird, Grauer’s Rush Warbler, Rwenzori Turaco, Strip-breasted Tit, Kivu Ground Thrush, Yellow-eyed Black Flycatcher, and the Strange Weaver, as well as seven IUCN red data listed species. Easy to see are the African Emerald Cuckoo, Common Bulbul, African Blue, White-tailed Blue Flycatchers, and Red-headed Bluebill. According to their evaluation, these bird species are currently categorized on the IUCN Red List as Least Concern, meaning that its population is not under any risk of extinction or threat.

Point to note, Bwindi has 76 of 144 Guinea -Congo forest biome species in Uganda, especially in the North sector. The site also qualifies for Afro tropical highland biome species with 68 of 86 and the Lake Victoria biome with 4 of 12 species.

Birding in Mabamba Bay

This swampy area is located at Lake Victoria’s edge and is only an hour’s drive from the City Center. Birding Tours on the swamp are done with a 3-person wooden boat canoe. You can expect to see; Shoebill Stork, Pied Kingfishers, Blue-breasted Bee-eaters, African and Lesser Jacanas, and African Pygmy Goose.

Although bird watching can be done all year round, the weather can be a limiting factor for some birders. The best time for bird watching would be the dry season in most parks between January to February and June to August. The trails are dry and not slippery. Thus, trekking can be easy. You will also have enough time for bird-watching. However, some would say an ideal time is between late May to September, when there’s less rain, and the food is abundant. From November to April, migratory birds can be found in the parks. Birding is best done early in the morning, and it’s easy to spot many bird species at that time. The parks tend to be crowded in the high season, with many visitors coming in between June to September.

Apart from the many birding species found in Uganda, the country offers many other adventurous activities, including; mountain gorilla trekking, chimpanzee trekking, mountain climbing, cultural exploration, cycling, white water rafting, bungee jumping, and many more.

Birding in Mgahinga

It is also home to over 180 species of birds, inclusive of the Albertine Rift region endemics. Perfect viewing points are the community and or farm trail, the Gorge trail, and the Bamboo trail.

Species found here include Brown woodland Warbler, Kivu Ground thrush, Stripe-breasted Tit, Cinnamon Bracken Warbler, Brown-crowned Tchagra, Rwenzori Turaco, etc.

Birding in Murchison Falls

The park is home to over 451 bird species. The diverse species include the Albertine Rift Endemics, the Waterbirds, and the Savannah Forest Birds. Shoebill is the major bird attraction that many come to see.

Other species including; Dark Chanting-Goshawk, Martial Eagle, White-faced Whistling Duck, Hugli’s Francolin, Hamerkop, and Rock Pratincole,

Birding in Queen Elizabeth NP

The species range from the forest and woodland dwellers to the 54-raptor species, the water birds, and those that migrated from other areas. There are different sections in this park, with each section harboring different bird species.

The best birding tour spots in Queen Elizabeth National Park include the Kasenyi area with over 60 species, the Mweya peninsula, which has over 70 species, Katunguru bridge area, Lake Kikorongo, Ishasha sector, Katwe area, and Maramagambo Forest.

The park in total has got over 600 bird species, and some of these include; Hooded Vulture, Martial Eagle, Grey Kestrel, African Wattled Plover, Black-bellied Bustard, Black-lored Babbler, White-tailed Lark, etc.

Birding in Kibale

The park neighbors the Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary with over 350 species of bird. The Bigodi wetland sanctuary is in Kanyanchu and Magombe swamp and has over 138 bird species observed by the birders’ broad walk trails.

The main species found here include; Papyrus Canary, White-winged Warbler, Papyrus Gonolek, White-collared Olive back., Crowned eagle, Yellow-billed Barbet, and more.

The park in total has got over 600 bird species, and some of these include; Hooded Vulture, Martial Eagle, Grey Kestrel, African Wattled Plover, Black-bellied Bustard, Black-lored Babbler, White-tailed Lark, etc.

Birding in Semuliki

This park harbors over 400 species of birds with 9 species of Hornbill. It has exceptional watching points at Nandi, Sempaya, and River Kirumia area.

Species include; Yellow-throated Nicator, Great blue, Ross’s Turacos, Piping Hornbill, Western Bronze-naped Pigeon, and Red-billed Dwarf Hornbill, Xavier’s Greenbul, etc.

Birding in Lake Mburo NP

The birding spots here include the marshy areas of Miriti at the salt lick and in the forest of Rubanga and Warukiri, the waysides amongst the landing stage, and the Camp Rwonyo. Species include; the rare Red-faced Barbet, Grey-crowned Crane, Rufous-bellied Heron, White-headed barbet, Common Scimitarbill, Bateleur, Coqui Francolin, Green Wood-hoopoe, etc.

Birding in the Rwenzori Mountains

The mountains are home to close to 217 species. 19 of these are the endemics of the Albertine Rift Valley Region. Species that are likely to be seen here are Golden-winged and Blue-headed Sunbird, Rwenzori Turaco, White-starred Robin, Long-eared Owl, Slender-billed Starling, Archer’s Robin-chat, Cinnamon-chested bee-eater, Laden’s Bush-shrike, Bearded Vultures, and Black Eagles, among others.

Birding in Jinja, Nile Source

Birding along the Nile River banks on a boat cruise, and it harbors over 60 bird species. Species here include; Giant Kingfisher, Green-backed Herons, African Open-billed Storks, Rock Pratencols, and Great Blue Turacos.

Birding in Echuya Forest Reserve

This forest reserve has over 150 bird species, and 18 of these species are endemic. Notable species include; Archer’s Robin-Chat, Grauer’s Warbler, Mountain Masked Apalis, Doherty’s Bush-Shrike, Dwarf Honeyguide, Collared Apalis, and Strip-breasted Tit.

The Royal Mile, Budongo Forest

The royal mile in Budongo Forest near Murchison Falls National Park is home to over 250 bird species. The main bird species include; Blue-breasted Kingfisher, Chocolate-backed Kingfisher, Spotted Greenbul, Blue-throated Roller, Fire-crested Alethe, Rufous-crowned Elemomela, and White-thighed Hornbill.

Birding in Ziwa Sanctuary

This sanctuary is home to the rare shoebill stork. The other species include; African Black Crake, African Fish Eagle, Black-crowned Waxbill, African Grey Hornbill, African Golden Oriole, African Darter, and African Broad Bill.

Birding in Lutembe Bay

Lutembe Bay is in the Lake Victoria Basin and is home to millions of all kinds of Palearctic migrant and Indigenous birds. It is a habitat for more than 200 bird species. Of these, 26 are migratory. These include the African Pygmy Kingfisher, Holub’s Golden Weaver, White-winged Black Tern, African Green Pigeon, Lead-colored Flycatcher, Sooty Chat, Tropical Boubou, and Brown-backed Scrub robins.