Uganda is one of the major bird boosting destinations in the African Continent with a thousand of different bird species recorded sightable, Uganda as a destination is located in the Eastern part of the African Continent bordering Kenya in the East, South Sudan in the North, Rwanda and Tanzania in the South and Democratic Republic of Congo in the West.
Most birders refer to Uganda as a birder’s haven suitable for extreme bird watching safaris because of its astonishing and unique different species of birds including the rare shoe bill, Uganda experiences both hot and dry seasons characterized with tropical rain forest, Savannah grasslands and Woodlands, Mountainous and hilly areas, Montane forests, thick Bamboo forests and fertile Swampy areas where these bird species usually reside and feed from. The best way of reaching Uganda in the Eastern part of the African continent is by use of air transport means and you will arrive in at Entebbe airport.
Some of the different bird species in Uganda’s top birding sites include African Jacanas, Flamingoes, Warblers, Storks, Cormorants, Darters, Pelicans, rare Shoebill, Hamerkop, Herons, Egrets, Ibises, Spoonbills, Secretary bird, Osprey, Hawks, Kites, Eagles, Rails, Gallinules and Coots, Wax bills, Flufftails, Finfoot, Bitterns, Cranes, Thick knees, Egyptian plover, Stilts and Avocets, Oystercatchers, Plovers and Lapwings, painted snipes, Jacanas, Sand pipers and allies, Buttonquails, Pratincoles and Coursers, Sand grouse, Gulls, terns and Skimmers, Pigeons and doves, Turacos, African barbets, Cuckoos, Barn-owls, Typical owls, Night jars, Swifts, Mouse birds, Trogons, Hoopoes, Wood hoopoes, Ground horn bills, Horn bills, Bee-eaters, Rollers, Honey guides, Woodpeckers and Allies, Falcons, Old World parrots, African and New World parrots, African and green broad bills, Asian and Grauer’s broad bills, Kingfishers, Pittas, Wattle-eyes, Vangas helmet shrikes, Bush shrikes and allies, Cuckoo shrikes, Shrikes, Old World orioles, Drongos, Monarch fly catchers, Crows, jays, ravens and magpies, Nicators, Larks, Swallows and martins, Fairy flycatchers, Tits, Penduline-tits, Treecreepers, Bulbuls, African Warblers, Bush Warblers, Leaf Warblers, Reed Werblers, Grass birds and allies, Cisticolas, Sylviid Warblers, White-eyes, Ground babblers, laughingthrushes, Dapple-throat and allies, Hyliotas, Old World flycatchers, Thrushes, Starlings, Oxpeckers, Sun birds and Spiderhunters, Wagtails and pipits, Indigo birds, Finches, euphonias and allies, Sparrows, Weavers, and Old World buntings.
Birders are always advised to go for the bird watching sessions either in the morning or evening time since it’s when these species set off for feeding and rest from feeding respectively, bird watching is usually done on game drive, launch cruise or nature walks.
For all birding safaris in Uganda listed below are some of the best birds watching sites to go and explore the beauty it has including other different touristic features.
Queen Elizabeth National Park is popularly located in the South western part of Uganda characterized with tropical rain forest, Savannah grasslands and some parts covered with Swampy areas, this park is popularly known for the tree climbing lions which are found in the Ishasha sector. With over 600 bird species recorded sightable in this park it’s ranked to be among the best bird watching sites in Uganda which you can visit and be left with everlasting memories to capture, these bird species are found in the four sectors of Queen which include Maramagambo forest, Ishasha sector, Kyambura gorge where chimpanzee primate species are residents and Kazinga channel mostly for water birds.
Kidepo Valley National Park. This is located far in the North Eastern part of Uganda and known to be one of the biggest National Park in Uganda with different touristic features which include Wild animals like Elephants, Buffaloes, Leopards, Lions, Cheetah, Antelopes, Primates like Black & White Colobus Monkeys, Blue Monkeys, Red tailed Monkeys, Vervets, Baboons, Reptiles like snakes, insects like Butter flies, tsetse flies and more. Looking forward to go Uganda for bird watching safaris do not miss out this park on your first-choice birding sites to visit.
Murchison Falls National Park. With over 451 bird species recorded sightable in this park, it’s ranked to be among the best bird watching sites to go for birding safaris while in Uganda. It is located in the North western part of Uganda popularly known for its great falls; the park is characterized with tropical rain forest, montane forests, Savannah grasslands and Woodlands plus fertile swampy areas.
The best way of reaching this park is by use of Kampala- Masindi- Gulu highway with en-route stopover in Nakasongola – Nakitoma for the Rhinoceros in Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary.
Semliki National Park strategically located in the western part of Uganda is named to be the birder’s haven in Uganda because of its enticing and uniquely seen bird species, these bird species usually reside and feed in the characterized tropical rain forest, Savannah grasslands, and swampy areas of Semliki. Other touristic features in Semliki include Wild animals like Elephants, Buffaloes, Leopards, Lions, Antelopes, and reptiles like Snakes, Primates like Colobus Monkeys, Vervets, Baboons and more. The genuine activity done in Semliki National Park is Nature walk where you engage in group movements following well established routes in the jungle.
Mabamba is a fertile swampy area located in the Suburbs of Entebbe, it’s a place popularly known for bird watching where by usually birders go there with interest of seeing the rare shoe bill. These shoe bill species mostly like staying in swampy areas since these places are very rich with enough feedings which insects, worms and more.
Entebbe Botanical Gardens. These gardens are situated along Kampala – Entebbe Road as you are heading to the airport, this place is characterized with tropical rain forest comprising of big tree species, Savannah grasslands, shores of Lake Victoria and fertile swampy areas where most of these bird species dwell from while there are feeding. Well established routes are within for you to follow as you are looking for these different bird species.