Bird Watching in Uganda
Bird Watching in Uganda
Uganda Boasts of a huge birding lists which counts to about 1073 species of birds that have been recorded and makes 50% of all the bird species in Africa and 11% species of birds in the world. Uganda has thus become a birding paradise for keen birders.
Being a small country of only 90041 square miles (about the size of Britain) Uganda has been considered as one of the countries with the highest concentration of birds particularly in Africa. The birds of Uganda are easy to spot by covering a small area or birding for a short period of time. This has made Uganda a number one destination for keen birders from many corners of the world.
One of the reasons behind the rewarding birding in Uganda is the unmatched diversity of habitats that is not found anywhere in Africa. Being the Pearl of Africa, Uganda collects many counts of seasonal migrant bird species that come from different places during the year for example from far in Brazil and come to make Uganda their darling destination. Uganda lies in a strategic area of Africa’s major ecological zones each with associated bird species, including those that are range restricted.
Key Birding Spots in Uganda
Uganda boasts of at least 34 important birding spots most of which have been designed as complete bird watching destinations and reliable areas for birding safaris and bird watching in Uganda. Uganda has birding communities that have put effort in identifying other new birding spots all over the country and establish birding trails in those areas. Local guides have also been trained at almost every birding spot to identify the resident species and new species of birds in an area.
A list of birding spots in Uganda include; Mabamba Wetland which is the best site for the famous shoebill stock, Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National park which is the number one birding spot in Uganda according to African Bird Club, Kibale Forest National Park, The Entebbe Peninsular, Queen Elizabeth National Park, Rwenzori Mountains National Park, Murchison Falls National park, Kidepo Valley National Park, Semuliki National Park, Lake Mburo National Park, Budongo Forest_ the Royal Mile train and Busingiro, Mpanga Forest Reserve and Mabira Forest Reserve among others.
Top Ten Birds of Uganda
A list of the most sought after top ten birds on a Uganda birding safari include; Shoebill stock, Green Breasted Pitta, African Green Broadbill, Nahan’s Francolin, Rwenzori Turaco, Jameson’s Antpecker, Brown-chested Lapwing, Karamoja Apalis, Black Bee-eater and Puvel’s Illadopsis.