Vibrant Holiday Safaris takes you to Uganda, a fabulous destination for bird-watchers and wildlife enthusiasts. Having it in mind that Uganda has some of the best birding sites, it brings bird enthusiasts to the center of an excessive number of bird species. This is not only because of its high number of species recorded but because it also offers easy access to several bird-rich habitats.
Uganda is a paradise for you, with over 1063 bird species with several unique species that cannot be found any where else. Get ready to have your heart captivated and your mind blown up with the symphony of melodic calls that ring deep into your soul. Vibrant Holiday Safaris brings you to remarkable experiences you will forever carry on in your life. Let this guide take you through some of the best birding sites in Uganda, the Pearl of Africa.
Mabamba Swamp on the shore of Lake Victoria
Mabamba Swamp is one of the best birding sites in Uganda that comes to mind when you think of the highly-prized shoebill. It 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, Swamp flycatcher, 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.
Semuliki National Park
Semuliki National Park lies in the western Rift Valley arm of Uganda. It has about 440 species in its riverine, forest and grasslands avian habitats. 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. This therefore makes 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 also opportunities to spot rare and endemic species. The park offers something special for everyone, you can find the Guinea-Congo biome species in its lowland forest.
Kibale National Park
Kibale Forest National Park is one of the most beautiful National parks in Uganda. It has a Tropical rainforest, vast wetlands and also grasslands with elevated plateaus. Kibale Forest is a prime birding spot with over 370 bird species and these include 6 Albertine Rift endemics. Moreso, the number one sought-after bird here 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.
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
This impenetrable forest is a heart and soul of Ugandan birding. It is the make-and-breaker of bird lists and home to many endemic and rare bird species. This forested haven boasts about 350 species. In addition, it includes 23 Albertine Rift endemics and 14 of these are not recorded anywhere else in Uganda. What’s more is that the park has become one of the most amazing destinations for birding in the country. Have sights of the olive long-tailed cuckoo, bar-tailed trogon, dusky tit and so much more.
Murchison Falls National Park
This is Uganda’s oldest and largest national park covering approximately 3,840 square kilometers. Equally, it offers a diverse range of ecosystems. Murchison Falls National Park was named after Murchison falls, the World’s most powerful waterfall. mighty Nile River forces its way through a 7-meter gap in the rocks. The park shelters about 450 bird species which are much easy to spot. Birds in Murchison Falls National park can be seen in the forests, swamp, riverine woodland, palm savannah and finally the acacia-dotted plains. The riverine thickets hold white-crested turaco, double-toothed barbet, and so much more.
Budongo Forest adjacent to the park, is home to a unique set of bird species. This Eco-tourism site covers an area of 42,800 hectares and is located in the Northeastern part of Lake Albert. Bird species found in this forest include the Chocolate-backed Kingfisher, White-thighed Hornbill, and the African Dwarf
Kingfisher.
Kyambura Gorge
Known as the “valley of Apes”, Kyambura Gorge is located in the Eastern corner of Queen Elizabeth National park. It is drained by River Kyambura making the landscape impressively swarmed with a rich array of wildlife. This includes primates, wild animals, and finally bird species. The tall trees with thick fruit-filled vegetation enclosed within this area are home to plenty of bird species. Furthermore, it includes those that reside within the riverine and the tropical forests dominating the gorge. Experienced local guides take you through You will get to enjoy the sights of bird species like the African finfoot, blue headed bee eater and so much more.
Queen Elizabeth National Park
The park is a true birdwatcher’s haven, with over 600 bird species across a variety of habitats. This makes it the park with the highest number of bird species in the Country. It has amazing bird species, this makes it one of the best birding destinations in Uganda. Moving from Ishasha to Mweya, you can look out for African crake, blue-throated roller, flappet lark and so much more.
Vibrant Holiday Safaris is a licensed Tour Operator offering amazing birding safaris. With our fully trained birding guides, we create unique experiences, ensuring you immerse yourself in the birding wonders of Uganda.