Best birding sites in Uganda

Vibrant Holiday Safaris takes you to Uganda, a fabulous destination for bird-watchers and wildlife enthusiasts. Birding in Uganda brings any bird lover to the center of an excessive number of bird species. This is not only because of its high number of species recorded within country borders but because it also offers easy access to several bird-rich habitats that are difficult to reach elsewhere.
Located along the Equator, Uganda is a paradise for you, with over 1063 bird species, it is a home to almost half the bird species in the whole world. Be ready to have your heart captivated and your mind blown up with the symphony of melodic calls that ring deep into your soul. The Bird watching journey in Uganda offered by Vibrant Holiday Safaris brings you to remarkable experiences you will forever carry on in your life. Let me take you through some of the amazing destinations to do Bird watching in the
Pearl of Africa.

1: Mabamba Swamp on the shore of Lake Victoria

Mabamba Swamp is one of the best places to spot the highly-prized shoebill. Mabamba is located along Lake Victoria, the largest fresh water body in Africa and is a home to about 260 bird species. It is an extensive papyrus swamp characterized by small channels of marsh-filled water and lagoons located 57 km from Kampala city and an hour’s drive from Entebbe city. Look out for the shoebill, you should know that the shoebill birds like Mabamba because there are plenty of fish. Other bird species you will spot include the Blue swallow, Pallid harrier, Papyrus gonolek, Swampflycatcher, Pygmy goose, Lesser jacana, White-winged warbler, Viellot’s weaver, Grosbeak weaver, Palm-nut vulture, Black-headed weaver, Northern brown-throated weaver, Clarke’s weaver and Carruther’s cisticola among many
more.

2: Semuliki National Park

Semuliki National Park, found in the western Rift Valley arm of Uganda has about 440 species in its riverine, forest and grasslands avian habitats. Found in the extreme West of Uganda, in the Bundibugyo District. The park lies along the Uganda/ Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) border. It forms part of the forest continuum resulting from the climatic upheavals of the Pleistocene making it one of the richest areas for both flora and fauna in Africa. Semuliki National Park is a hidden gem for birdwatchers in Uganda with a promising rich avian diversity, unique habitats, and opportunities to spot rare and endemic species, this park offers something special for everyone. You can find the Guinea-Congo biome species in its lowland forest. Other species to look out for while in Semuliki National park include the Cong serpent-eagle, long-tailed hawk, African piculet, Maxwell’s black weaver, blue-billed malimbe, yellow-throated nicator, black dwarf hornbill, Nkulengu rail, piping hornbill, yellow-throated cuckoo, dwarf honeyguide,
orange weaver, white-crested hornbill, red-billed dwarf hornbill, black-wattled hornbill, lyre-tailed honeyguide, capuchin babbler and swamp palm bulbul.

3: Kibale National Park

Kibale Forest is one of the most beautiful National parks in Uganda. It has a Tropical rainforest, vast wetlands and grasslands with elevated plateaus. Kibale Forest is a prime birding spot with about 375 bird species, including six Albertine Rift endemics. The number one sought-after bird in the Kibale Forest is the
green-breasted pitta. This “mega” has recently become available, though finding it
still takes a good measure of luck. The Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary within the park is a place to go during your birding adventure in Kibale National park. This part has a great haunt for specials with
over 134 bird species such as speckled tinkerbird, speckle-breasted woodpecker, white-spotted flufftail, snowy-crowned robin-chat, Bocage’s bushshrike, and western nicator. Nearby patches of papyrus support the shy and cautious white-winged swamp-warbler. Birding along the sanctuary is done during a guided
nature walk. Other species that the park offers include a bag of goodies replete with gems such as various forest robins, scores of brown and scaly-breasted illadopsis, brown-chested alethe, phantom-like black-eared and Abyssinian ground-thrushes, joyful and Toro olive green bulls, black-bellied seedcracker,
collared and black-capped apalis, gray-throated, yellow-spotted and yellow-billed barbets, blue-throated roller, black bee-eater, crowned eagle, red-chested owlet, African gray parrot, African finfoot, afep and white-naped pigeons and the comical, hulking great blue turaco.

4: Bwindi Impenertable National Park

Bwindi is not only known for its Gorilla trekking, it is also a heart and soul of Ugandan birding, the make-and-breaker of bird lists and the home of many endemic and rare bird species. This forested haven boasts about 350 species, including 23 Albertine Rift endemics of which 14 are not recorded anywhere else in Uganda. The park has become one of the most amazing destinations for birding in the country. The forest trails around Buhoma are alive with opportunity as you stand your best chance to catch a glimpse of olive long-tailed cuckoo, bar-tailed trogon, dusky tit, Abyssinian ground thrush, white-bellied robin-chat, equatorial akalat, gray-chested illadopsis, red-throated alethe, white-bellied crested flycatcher, white-eyed slaty flycatcher, the enigmatic Chapin’s flycatcher, white-browed crombec, Neumann’s warbler, black-faced prinia, handsome francolin, Jameson’s ant pecker, black-faced rufous warbler, northern
double-collared sunbird, Willcock’s honeyguide, black bee-eater, black-billed weaver, magpie mannikin and newly described Willard’s sooty boubou.Look around the canopy contours for sooty flycatcher and forest starlings including Waller’s, Stuhlmann and narrow-tailed. The areas between Buhoma and Ruhiza
are popular areas to look ouct for black sparrowhawk, western bronze-naped pigeon, cinnamon-chested bee-eater, Cassin’s honeybird, Petit’s cuckooshrike, white-chinned prinia, mountain wagtail, pink-footed puffback, the rare tiny sunbird and the dapper brown-capped weaver.

5: Murchison Falls National Park

This is Uganda’s oldest and largest national park covering approximately 3,840 square kilometers, and offers a diverse range of ecosystems. It was named after the mighty waterfall, formed as the mighty Nile River forces its way through a 7-meter gap in the rocks. The park shelters about 450 bird species which you can observe during a game drive, a boat trip along the Nile River or during a nature walk. Birds in Murchison Falls National park can be seen in the forests, swamp, riverine woodland, palm savannah and acacia-dotted plains.The riverine thickets hold white-crested turaco, double-toothed barbet, red-throated bee-eater, Heuglin’s francolin, brown babbler, silverbird, buff-bellied warbler, black-headed batis, and bar-breasted firefinch. Puvel’s illadopsis can also be found near the chimp researchers’ camp. The Abyssinian ground-hornbill, Senegal lapwing, Shelley’s rufous sparrow and the strange-looking piapiac can be spotted in the open palm savannah. You can come across the near-mythical shoebill stork along
the Nile delta. Night drives can produce a plethora of species such as pennant-winged nightjar and grayish eagle-owl. Birding in the park can be done in different sectors such as; Paraa, which is located in the heart of the park and the ideal starting point for your birding adventure and it’s known for its vibrant birdlife. Look out for Red-throated Bee-eaters, Gray-headed Kingfishers, and the African Green Pigeon.
Nile River; A boat cruise along the Nile River offers excellent opportunities for birdwatching. look out for the African Skimmer, African Finfoot, and the rare Shoebill Stork. Delta Area; The Nile Delta is a birding hotspot, offering wetland species such as the Saddle-billed Stork, Senegal Thick-knee, and Black-headed Lapwing.

Budongo Forest adjacent to the park, is home to a different set of bird species. This Ecotourism site covers an area of 42800 hectares located in the Northeast direction of Lake Albert. Bird species found in this forest include the Chocolate-backed Kingfisher, White-thighed Hornbill, and the African Dwarf
Kingfisher.

6: Kyambura Gorge

Known as the “valley of Apes”, Kyambura Gorge is located in the East corner of Queen Elizabeth National park in the Southwestern Uganda. The gorge is well drained by River Kyambura which makes the landscape impressively swarmed with a rich wildlife biodiversity including primates, wild animals, and some bird species. The tall trees with thick fruit-filled vegetation enclosed within the area offer a home of plenty of bird species that reside in the riverine and the tropical forests which dominate the gorge. Bird watching in the gorge is done on foot while help from an experienced local guide and you will get to enjoy the sights of bird species like the African finfoot, blue headed bee eater,Martial eagle, bar-tailed Godwit,black bee-eater,corncracker,papyrus canary, papyrus gonolek, African skimmer, lesser and greater flamingos,white winged warbler, verreaux’s eagle owl, black-rumped buttonquail,the Pelicans, Turacos, Bee Eaters, African Falcons,Martial Eagles, Sooty chat, Yellow Bishop,Papyrus Canary, African
Broadbill, African Fish Eagles, Verreaux’s Eagle Owls, African Finfoot, African skimmer, Lesser and Greater Flamingos among others.

7: Queen Elizabeth National Park

Queen Elizabeth is a true birdwatcher’s haven, with over 600 bird species across a variety of habitats, from sprawling savannah to dense forest, lakes and wetlands. Sitting on approximately 1978 square kilometers, this park is celebrated because of its biodiversity as one of the best birding destinations in the region with a wide range of habitants, from the savannah grasslands to forests and lakeshores which are rich environments for ideal habitants of numerous bird species. Moving from Ishasha to Mweya, look out for African crake, blue-throated roller, flappet lark, sooty chat, black-and-white shrike-flycatcher, northern black flycatcher, black-headed gonolek, mustached grass warbler, red-chested sunbird, and slender-billed weaver. And along the banks of the Kazinga channel, you can expect to spot the gray crowned-crane, hamerkop, African jacana, flocks of African skimmer, gull-billed tern, and gray-headed and lesser black-backed gulls. Birding in Queen Elizabeth National park is done in different regions like the Kazinga channel, this is a very crucial spot for birding while in Queen Elizabeth National park, it is a swampy 40 kilometer long water channel that joins Lake Edward to Lake Goerge offering an excellent chance for sighting water birds such as African skimmers , Pied KIngfishers, Yellow-billed stocks among others.
Maramagambo forest, this is a lush rainforest amidst the park, it shelters unique species such as the White naped pigeon, the African Green Broadbill, Hair breasted Barbet among others.

Vibrant Holiday Safaris is licensed to offer amazing birding safaris. With our fully trained birding guides, we create unique experiences, ensuring you immerse yourself in the birding wonders of Uganda.