Bird Watching Hotspots In Uganda
Bird Watching Hotspots In Uganda : Uganda has a number of birding destinations and this makes it one of the must visit countries for bird watching by the bird lovers across the globe. There are various types of birds that one can see while on their visit to Uganda in various places in the country. Some of the birding destinations in Uganda are stated below.
- Bwindi impenetrable national park
Bwindi impenetrable national park is among the vest birding spots in Uganda because it shelters about 350 bird species of which some are migratory birds, Albertine rift endemic, water birds and many more. Some of these birds can be found in different areas in Bwindi impenetrable national park which include the buhoma water fall trail, bamboo zone, mubwindi swamp trail, main trail among others. Birding in Bwindi impenetrable national park is a whole year activity though the best time to visit it for this activity is in the months of November to April. Some of the bird species in this park include the handsome francolin, strange weaver, bush shrike, crowned hornbill, mountain masked apalis, Shelley’s crimsonwing, giant kingfisher, yellow eyed black flycatcher, cinnamon chested bee eater, white tailed blue flycatcher, dusky crimsonwing and many more.
- Murchison falls national park
Murchison falls national park is a haven to over 451 bird species and these birds include savannah birds, aquatic birds, migratory birds and Albertine rift endemic birds. Some of the birds in Murchison falls national park include great blue turaco, Senegal thick knee, abyssinian ground hornbill, black headed lawping, silver bird, black billed barbet, speckle fronted weaver, denham’s bustard, rock pratincole, long toed lawping, giant king fisher, swamp flycatcher, long tailed nightjars and many more.
- Kibale national park
Kibale national park is a home to over 370 bird species of which some are forest birds, Albertine rift endemic, migratory birds and many more. The best time carry out birding in kibale national park is in the wet season in the months of March to May and September to November. This because the park receives rainfall in plenty enabling growth of vegetation in the park which attracts the birds making it easy for birders to spot them. Some if the bird species in kibale national park include dusky crimsonwing, brown chested alethe, African emerald cuckoo, collared apalis, African green pigeon, black billed turaco, black bee eater, black billed eater and many more.
- Budongo forest
Budongo forest is a shelter to over 360 bird species which can be spot at sonsk, kaniyo pabidi and the royal mile. The best time for bird watching in budongo forest is in the months of February to April and June to September. Some of the bird species in budongo forest include black kite, yellow spotted barbet, blue breasted kingfisher, chestnut capped flycatcher, yellow crested woodpecker, African dwarf kingfisher, jameson’s wattle eye and many more.
- Mgahinga gorilla national park
Mgahinga gorilla national park is a home to over 180 bird species. The best time to visit this park for bird watching is in the mid May and from October to November. Some of the birds in mgahinga national park include cape robin chat, dusky turtle dove, white starred robin, lagden’s bush shrike, cinnamon chested bee eater, strange weaver and many more.
- Bigodi wetland sanctuary
Bigodi wetland sanctuary is a haven to over 138 bird species and this makes us one of the places that one could opt to go do for bird watching while on a visit in Uganda. The great blue turaco is one of the most popular bird found in this place but there are a variety of birds that reside there and some of them include kingfishers, parrots, cranes, cuckoos, papyrus gonolek, hornbills and many more. This sanctuary is situated in kibale forest national park 6km south of kanyanchu.
- Mabamba bay wetland
Mabamba wetland bay is one of the best places for birding in Uganda. It is a haven to about 300 bird species and it is situated in the south west of Kampala on the shores of Lake Victoria. Some of the bird species in Mabamba wetland bay include papyrus gonolek, goliath herons, malachite kingfisher, yellow backed weaver, papyrus canary, brown throated weaver, yellow warbler, shoebill stork, blue swallow, white winged black terns and many more.
- Lutembe bay wetland
This place is a home to over 200 bird species. Some of these residents include grey and black headed gulls, brown backed scrubs, road billed roller, black herons, greater cormorants, common waxbill, whiskered tern and many more. Lutembe bay wetland is situated on the mouth of lake Victoria in the mid of Kampala and Entebbe.
- Lake mburo national park
Lake mburo national park is one of the best and significant places for bird watching in Uganda. It harbors about 350 bird species which include savannah birds, forest birds, migratory birds and water birds. Some of the birds include the shoebill stork, pied king fisher, papyrus gonolek, speckled mouse bird, malachite kingfisher, African wattled lawping, yellow breasted apalis, blue headed coucal, greater painted snipe, yellow rumped tinkerbird among others. This park is located in the western part of Uganda and is situated in kiruhura district.
- Makanaga wetland
Makanaga wetland is located in mpigi district in Uganda and this wetland is situated on lake Victoria. Makanaga wetland in Uganda is a home to over 300 bird species and some of these species are migratory birds, water birds and many more. Some of the birds in Makanaga wetland include the rare shoebill stork, spur winged goose, black winged terns, great cormorants, yellow billed ducks, common squacco herons, long tailed cormorants, grey crowned crane, papyrus gonolek and many more.
- Entebbe botanical garden
Entebbe botanical garden is one of the most famous spots in Uganda that is located in Entebbe where bird lovers go for bird watching in Uganda. A number of bird species can be spotted while at botanical gardens and some of these birds include orange weavers, white faced whistling duck, red knobbed coot, red chested sunbirds, grey crowned crane, African jacana, eastern grey plantain eater, glossy ibis, pink backed pelican, lesser jacana and many more.
