Birds & Birding in Uganda

Welcome to Uganda- the paradise of birds

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Bird Watching is one of the most popular hobbies around. It has long been a popular hobby among birding enthusiasts and bird watchers who like watching birds. Birds are fascinating creatures that exist nearly everywhere on the planet.
Uganda has a cemented status as the most attractive country in Africa. Dubbed a paradise of birds, this East African country is an amazing destination for birdwatchers, not only because of the unusually high number of bird species within its borders, but  the ease to access several these birds in their variably lush vegetation.
The bird list for Uganda makes dedicated bird watchers who haven’t been there rush to the liquor cabinet. Over 1062 bird species have been recorded in the country out of 1500 species recorded in East Africa.
The richness of Uganda’s National Parks including Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Murchison Falls National Park, Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, Queen Elizabeth National Park and several others offer excellent bird watching spots to bird lovers. Of all of these, Bwindi Impenetrable Forest offers the best birding opportunities, with a huge range of species to be found across this dense tropical forest habitat.

Some of the Beautiful Birds of Uganda
However the most popular and alluring habitat of all these parks is Semliki National Park’s low land tropical rain forests. Semliki found in North West of Fort Portal lies at the base of the Albertine Rift and habours up to 400 bird species including the Abyssinian hornbill, owls. Marsh tchagra, elusive leaf love, improbable pennant-winged, African crake, shoe bill stork, red-throated bee-eater the standard winged nightjars, a wide variety of raptors and water birds.

Birding Hotspots in Uganda

Murchison Falls National Park
Situated north of Masindi, some 350 km from Kampala is the largest national park in Uganda and another favourite bird watching destination boasting a total of over 460 bird species with common view of the shoe bill stork along the stretch if the Nile River. Murchison Falls is also home to several water birds and raptors that make a captivating bird show. Those bird watchers, who may also opt to go for nature walks here for more days, need not worry about accommodation. Kaniyo Pabidi safari lodge, Paraa lodge and 2 other camps just outside the park are available.

Shy Shoebill

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park also takes pride with its total of 357 bird species. 23 species are endemic to the Albertine Rift, and 14 species recorded nowhere else among them the brown-necked parrot, African green broad bill, white-bellied robin chat, white -tailed blue flycatcher and Frazer’s eagle owl.
Kibale Forest National Park

Weaver Bird

Kibale Forest National Park is another excellent hub to spot birds home to close to 355 species of birds including four rare species not found anywhere else. Prominent species present here include the blue-headed bee eater, Nahan’s francolin, Cassin’s spine tail, the maked apalis and the newly discovered green-breasted pitta. Other varieties include the water and grassland species.
Queen Elizabeth National Park
Queen Elizabeth National Park does not just boost of having the richest biodiversity, actually it is a really paradise for birds, with a total of more than 610 bird species recoded, this number being the highest in Africa and in the whole world. Park is a home to 54 raptors which include every water bird found in Uganda, woodland and forest birds.
Mpanga Forest
Perched about 54km along Kampala-Masaka road, Mpanga Forest is one beautiful compact forest which has been protected as a scientific research site since 1953. The reserve protects an extensive patch of medium -altitude rainforest, characteristic of the vegetation that once extended over much of the northern Lake Victoria Hinterland. A nature walk goes straight through the forest for some excellent birding. Birds of distinct faunal regions occur here, among them including a huge diversity of Turacos, Greebuls, hornbills, Sunbirds and barbets that are often heard or seen roaming around the forest canopies.
Mount Elgon National Park
The mountain edges out other destination as one of the most exclusive spot for an ardent backpacker due to its great birding trails. Best birding is along the Mountain Bamboo trail. The trails cross river Chebonet, ascending steeply to the gorge in the south. Rare species present include Olive pigeon, Stender-billed, Black and White casqued Hornbill, etc.
Lutembe Bay
Lutembe Bay is a beautiful place that not only offers an immensity of species within its waters , but it is also the home to beautiful birds that soar though the skies and can be seen and enjoyed at any time of year. It is nestled on the northern shores of Lake Victoria.  It boasts of over 200 species including a total of 108 water bird species. The bay regularly supports 20,000 – 50,000 roosting water birds, sometimes many more between October and February; when there are Palaearctic migrants. Birding at the Bay is more spectacular on a motorboat or hand paddled Canoe.
Ziika Forest
Ziika forest is a small central forest reserve situated around Kisubi on the shores of Lake Victoria in Wakiso district. It is one of the Grey Parrots breeding sites in Uganda. To ease nature walks in the forest, a variety of trails have been established.
Quick Birding Itinerary
Day One:
Arrive at Entebbe International Airport; You can stay either in Entebbe or drive to Kampala.
Day Two: Entebbe Botanical Gardens
The lovely botanical gardens at Entebbe were established in 1901 and lie on the shores of Lake Victoria. The gardens are a perfect introduction to the country’s bird wealth.  The gardens shelter a host of rare specie paricularly the woodland species and you can spend pleasurable moments here tracking them. Common birds here include African Fish Eagle, Diederik Cuckoos, Hornbills, Klaa’s, etc.
Day Two: Mabamba Swamp
Located at a distance of about 50 km west of Kampala, this wetland is the best spot to see the most sought after Shoebill. Bird watching which is done on Canoes can be an exhilarating experience. Mabamba is a happy breeding ground for many migratory birds like papyrus Gonolek, Brown throated Weaver, Blue-headed cocucal, etc.
Day Three: Mabira Forest
Start early birding in Mabira Forest.Situated astride the highway to Eastern Uganda, about a hour drive from Kampala. Mabira hosts over 250 bird species most of which are rare in most parts on the country. There are excellent trails in the forest.
Uganda, having a favorable climate is home to more than 1002 species of birds. Whether you are a Birder or a Twitchier, the country is a great spot for bird watching holidays.
However, our recommendation  for a memorable birding safari in the country,  you hire professional bird guides who will lead you to unusual places within the country where you will observe for yourself Uganda’s bird wealth.
Also See:
Bird watching in Botswana | Bird watching in Malawi | Bird watching in Mozambique | Bird watching in Namibia | Bird watching in Rwanda | Bird watching in Seychelles | Bird watching in South Africa | Bird watching in Tanzania | Bird watching in Zambia | Bird watching in Zimbabwe | Bird watching in Madagascar