UGANDA BIRDING SAFARIS

With thousands of bird species, Uganda stands out as Africa’s best and most thrilling birding destination. Being a landlocked country, Uganda falls at the confluence of a number of regional centres of endemism (phytochoria) or biomes, each characterized with distinct African sought-after avifauna species. Its supreme biodiversity lies in its range of habitats which don’t only attract birds but also with the glamour of large mammals in immense wilderness. Despite of its small size the country boasts of more than 1010 species of birds distributed in its wide range of habitats. Uganda’s rich birdlife exists in the Guinea-Congo Forests with 144 species of birds restricted to it, Lake Victoria Basin with 12 species, Afro tropical Highlands with 87 species, Somali-Masai with 32 species and Sudan and Guinea savanna with 22 species. Due to this diversity of physiognomic characteristics, Uganda ranks among the richest countries in bird species in Africa in relation to its size, with over 1010 species so far recorded.

BIRDING SAFARIS

ADVENTURE TRAILS take you for the very best birding safaris to Uganda and Rwanda. For a birding Safari in Uganda, please send us your inquiry through info@gorilla-safaris.co.ug

WHERE TO GO BIRDING IN UGANDA?

Mabamba Swamp
Mabamba Swamp is an extensive marsh stretching through a long narrow bay, fringed with papyrus towards the main body of Lake Victoria. Mabamba is an Important Bird Area, closest to Kampala where the much sought after shoe bills are regularly seen.

Murchison Falls National Park
With 3,840km Sq. of land, Murchison falls national park is the largest national park in Uganda. Gazetted in 1952, the park boasts of an extensive avifauna with about 450 bird species. Some of the rare bird species here include the Secretary Bird, Abyssinian Roller, Ground Hornbill, Pied Kingfishers, Red Throated Bee eaters, Goliath Heron, Saddle-billed stork, Sacred Ibis, Fulvous Whistling duck, Black-headed and Long-toed Lapwing.

Budongo Forest
Budongo Forest is a home to over 350 species of birds. It is one of the best destinations for birders interested in seeing forest birds.

Kibaale Forest National Park
Kibaale Forest which harbours the greatest variety and concentration of primates but also boasts of 339 bird species. Kibale forest has 81 species of the Guinea-Congo forest biome, 32 species of the Afro tropical Highland biome and shares some of the scarcer species with the highlands sites. T

Semliki Wildlife Reserve
Semliki national park also sometimes referred to as Bwamba forest, lies in the Albertine rift Valley, northwest of the Rwenzori Mountains. A large number of Guinea-Congo biome species reach their eastern limits here, which is one of the richest habitats for forest birds in the country. Not less than 131 of the 144 Guinea-Congo Forest biome species have been recorded in Semliki forest including 31 of the 70 species whose only Ugandan records are from Semliki.

For a birding safari to Uganda, use this booking form or send us an inquiry through info@gorilla-safaris.co.ug. Our tour consultants will get to you with a detailed tour itinerary, departure dates and prices.

KEY BIRDING SITES

BIRDING SAFARIS

Queen Elizabeth National Park
This is Uganda’s second largest park with 1,978km Sq. of land. The park hosts over 610 specie; the highest number of species recorded in any Important Bird Area in Uganda and probably the highest biodiversity biome on the African continent. The park hosts 12 out of the 28 species of globally threatened birds in the country and there are records of three threatened species; Corncrake, Blue Swallow and Chapin’s Flycatcher.

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Bwindi National park is not only a popular destination for gorilla trackers but also bird-watchers as well.

Mgahinga National Park
Mgahinga gorilla national park is Uganda’s smallest but probably most scenic National park, situated at the extreme south-western corner. The park hosts over 115 bird species.

Why go birding in Uganda?

• Uganda is a birding paradise since it has more than 1010 species. Of these there are 13 globally threatened species in the vulnerable and Data deficient categories, and there are 15 near threatened species (Birdlife International 2000)

• Uganda’s varied habitats also attract various numbers of birds some of which are only found in Uganda alone.  There are a number of West and Central African bird species which are only resident in Uganda in the whole of East Africa. The Albertine Rift Endemics (ARE) with a checklist of over 25 species is also resident in Bwindi Impenetrable Forests and the Mgahinga National Parks.

• Uganda has also got the best sites for seeing rare bird species such as the shoebill stork

USEFULL QUICK LINKS

• Uganda Gorilla Safaris
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3 Days Gorilla Safari - Fully inclusive gorilla trakking safari package to Bwindi Gorilla forest of South West Uganda available on both budget and luxury versions.