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Uganda Important bird areas

Important Birding Areas in Uganda

Uganda is a paradise for bird watchers, with over 1,000 bird species found in different habitats across the country. From wetlands and forests to savannahs and mountains, Uganda offers some of the best birding experiences in Africa. Below are some of the most important birding areas in Uganda

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Bwindi is home of about 350 species of birds including 23 Albertine rift endemics! And at least 14 species recorded nowhere else in Uganda! And ranks one of the best forest birding destinations in Africa with local bird guides most of them capable of identifying most species by call, and even calling up the more responsive species by their lips whistles! The likes in this forest include; (Albertine rift endemics) Red-throated Alethe, Archer’s Robin-chat, Yellow eyed Flycatcher, Chapin’s Flycatcher, Blue-headed Sunbird, Regal Sunbird, Rockeffeller’sSunbird, Purple-breasted Sunbird, Strange Weaver, Dusky Crimson-wing, Red-collard Mountain Babbler, Chapin’s Mountain Babbler, Grauer’s Warbler, Neumann’s’ Warbler, Prigogine’s Greenbul, Black-faced Apalis, Collard Apalis, Stripe-breasted Tit, Grauer’sCukooshrike, Red-Billed Helmet shrike, Ruwenzori Batis, African Green Broadbill, Dwarf Honeyguide, Prigogin’s Nght-jar, Albertaine Owlet, Congo Bay-owl, Ruwenzori Turaco, Handsome Francolin and other birds.

Mabamba Bay Wetland

Home to the Shoebill Stork

One of a few remaining productive wetland in Uganda protected by the local communities. extensive papyrus swamps with labyrinth’s channels and lagoons, classified as an important bird area (IBA), it’s a home of multiple Shoebills-Uganda’s most famous avian resident and the only representative in its family, is the amongst most sought after birds in the whole African continent! Its only traced by canoeing through the channels with a wooden boat. Other likes of Mabambainclude; Papyrus Gonolek, Blue-breasted Bee-eater, Lesser Jacana, African Jacana, White-winged Black Tern, Grey-headed Gull, African skimmers, Little Egret, Long-toed Lapwing, Spur-winged Lapwing, African Fish-eagle, Goliath Heron, Purple Heron, Common Squacco Heron, Striated Heron, Blue-headed Coucal, Malachite Kingfisher, Black Crake, Hamerkop, African Marsh-harrier, Yellow-billed Duck, Hadada Ibis, White-browed Scrub-Robin, Swamp Flycatcher, Vanga Flycatcher, Weyn’s Weaver, Eastern Grey Plantain-eater, Sedge Warbler, Wood Sandpiper, Pied Kingfisher, Cape Wagtail, Rufous-Napped Lark, Green Backed Heron, African Snip, Croaking Cisticola, White-faced Whistling Duck, Spur-winged Goose, Black-crowned Waxbill, Scarce Swift, Bern Swallow, African-Dusky Flycatcher, African Yellow Warbler, Collard-Sunbird etc.

Queen Elizabeth National Park (a true medley of wonders)

Diverse Habitats, Diverse Birds

The second largest after Murchison falls national park with 95 mammal spp the highest for any Ugandan national park! and about 610 bird spp a truly remarkable figure for a reserve that is relatively smaller by continental standards. 

Semliki valley national park a true birders’ heaven

Is situated within the Albertine Rift, bounded to the northwest by the Semliki river, which runs along the Congolese border into lake Albert and to the east by the Fort Portal-Bundibugyo road. The park protects a practically un spoilt tropical lowland forest, essentially an easterly extensionof the great Ituri forest that stretches all the way from Uganda to the Congo River. Considering its small size, Semliki national park protects an extraordinary fauna diversity. It’s of particular interest to birdwatchers: 435 bird species have been recorded, including a high proportion of forest birds and about 45 species seen nowhere else in Uganda including rarity of the smallest African piculet. For amateur birders, Semliki is not only certain to throw up a clutch of “lifers”- it also offers a faint but real possibility of a brand-new East African record like Congo Serpent-Eagle, Grey-Throated Rail, And Black-Throated Coucal. Only 53 mammal species occur and 11 species seen nowhere else in Uganda including Pygmy Antelope, Two Types of Flying Squirrels and Six Types of Bats, though the patchy look of the existing checklist (no nocturnal primates or small carnivores and only one species of duiker) suggest that it is far from complete.

Murchison falls national park. explosive froth of thunderous falls as it funnels through just 6m wide cleft!

Murchison falls with its spectacular water falls, prolific game and clutch of outstanding lodges is universally regarded as one of East Africa’s most compelling national parks. It lies at the core of the greater Murchison Falls Conservation Area, and famous of its world’s powerful falls being transformed into an explosive froth of thunderous falls as it funnels through a narrow cleft (just 6m wide!) in the Rift Valley Escarpment-is easily the most impressive site of its type in Africa

Murchison falls park is low lying land by Ugandan standards, and those parts of the country that are regularly visited by tourists, it is the only one that regularly becomes stifling hot.76 mammal species recorded i.e. Bushbucks, Defassa Waterbuck, Bohor Reedbuck, Oribi, Warthog, Vervet Monkey, Olive Baboons, Lions, Spotted Hyena, Highly Localized Patas Monkey etc. The bird checklist of 460 recorded with many water-associated birds that are prolific along the river, while raptors make strong showing on the checklist with about 53 species recorded.

Kidepo valley national park

Kidepo’s long bird checklist is made even more impressive by the relatively smaller size of the park and the fact that as many as 100 of the birds listed are either dry-country spp, which with in Uganda are particularly confined to kidepo, or else northern or eastern spp, which have been noted elsewhere only in the north of Murchison falls national park or mountain elgon area. Raptors are particularly well represented: there are 56 spp in total of which the most commonly observed are Dark Chanting Goshawk, Pygmy Falcon, Tawny Eagle, Bataleur, etc.

 

Kidepo and the wild! an unforgettable track of true African wilderness

Five primate spp occur including the localized Patas monkey. Predators are particularly well represented with 20 resident spp. Of these, the Black-Backed Jackal, Bat-Eared Fox, Aardwolf, Cheetah and Caracal are found in no other Ugandan national park. Twelve antelopes spp occur in this park in which the Greater Kudu, Lesser Kudu, Guenther’s Dik-Dik andMountain Reedbuck seen nowhere else in Uganda

Lake Mburo National Park

Lake Mburo National Park is a great spot for birdwatching, especially for acacia-loving bird species. It has around 320 recorded bird species, making it an ideal place to see birds like the African Grey Hornbill, Red-Headed Weaver, Greater Blue-Eared Starling, Little Bee-Eater, and Southern Ground Hornbill.

The park’s swamps are especially important for bird lovers, as they are home to six rare papyrus species, including the Papyrus Gonolek, Blue-Headed Coucal, and the highly localized White-Winged and Papyrus Yellow Warblers—found nowhere else in Uganda!

 

Lake Mburo National Park is home to a variety of wildlife, from zebras and buffaloes to barbets and warblers. But the park's surroundings are just as fascinating, as they are a stronghold for the impressive Ankole long-horned cattle. These cattle are closely linked to the Bahima people of Ankole, who, like the Maasai, have a deep cultural connection to their livestock.

Ankole cattle come in different colors, from rusty-yellow to black-and-white, but they are always recognizable by their long horns, short necks, and deep dewlaps. Visiting Lake Mburo offers not just incredible wildlife encounters but also a chance to experience the rich culture of the Bahima people.

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