Looking for where to see birds in Uganda? Planning a Uganda bird watching trip?
You’re on the right track! Uganda offers some of the best parks for bird watching in all of East Africa.
In these national parks, bird sanctuaries show off an impressive density of bird species, making the Pearl of Africa one of the best places for birding tours in Africa.
Over 1064 rare and colorful bird species have been recorded in Uganda. This includes Uganda’s endemic birds like the Stuhlmann’s Double-collared Sunbird, the Fox’s Weaver and the great Shoebill are some of the bird species that attract several bird lovers every year.
To make your Uganda bird watching trip planning easier, we have outlined the best parks for bird watching in Uganda in which you can have an extraordinary encounter. We also mention several bird species you’ll observe in these areas.
Where To See Birds In Uganda
1. Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Uganda
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is the heart and soul of Uganda bird watching. Bwindi Impenetrable Forest is the make-and-breaker of African bird lists and the home to several endemic and rare bird species. This forested haven boasts about 350 species, including the 23 Albertine Rift endemics.
Trail around Buhoma for the best chance to glimpse the olive long-tailed cuckoo, bar-tailed trogon, dusky tit, and newly discovered Willard’s sooty boubou.
Catch the Grauer’s broadbill, one of Africa’s most sought-after birds. This globally threatened species is known from only two sites in the world; Bwindi and the remote forest in DR Congo.
2. Murchison Falls National Park, Uganda
Murchison Falls is the oldest and largest national park in the country and is home to over 450 bird species. In the riverine thickets, you will find the white-crested turaco, double-toothed barbet, red-throated bee-eater, and bare-breasted firefinch. There is plenty of open palm savannah, which is an excellent habitat for Senegal lapwing, Shelley’s rufous sparrow, and the strange-looking piapiac.
3. Queen Elizabeth National Park, Uganda
Queen Elizabeth National Park is a birdwatcher’s haven.
The park hosts over 600 bird species across the sprawling savannah to the dense forest and swamps. Moving from Ishasha to Mweya, catch the African crake, sooty chat, and slender-billed weaver. Along the banks of the Kazinga channel, look out for the gray crowned-crane, hamerkop, and gray-headed and lesser black-backed gulls.
4. Budongo Central Forest Reserve, Uganda
Budongo Forest is located within the great Murchison falls national park and is home to about 360 bird species, making Budongo Forest a great place for a wildlife safari.
At Royal Mile, you will catch the fleeting Cassin’s spinetail, the dainty chestnut-capped flycatcher, and Nahan’s francolin. Also, look out for the stunning African dwarf kingfishers.
5. Lake Mburo National Park
Bird watching is one of the main activities in Lake Mburo National Park.
Lake Mburo National Park is home to approximately 320 bird species. These include the red-faced barbet, Nubian woodpecker, papyrus canary, and gonolek.
You will catch a few rare species found only in Mburo National Park at the park. Topping that list is the rare red-faced barbet, Tabora cisticola, spot-flanked barbet, and gray penduline tit.
6. Kibale National Park
Kibale National Park is one of the best parks for bird watching in Uganda.
It is a prime birding spot with about 375 bird species, including six Albertine Rift endemics. The most sought-after bird in Kibale National Park is the recently discovered green-breasted pitta.
Kibale offers impressive gems such as forest robins and brown and scaly-breasted illadopsis.
7. Semuliki National Park, Uganda
Semuliki National Park, in Uganda’s Albertine Rift Valley, hosts over 440 species in its riverine, forest, and grassland habitats.
The park is home to Guinea-Congo biome, the Congo serpent-eagle, blue-billed malimbe, yellow-throated nicator, Nkulengu rail, dwarf honeyguide, capuchin babbler, and swamp palm bulbul.
More Information on Bird Watching in Uganda
Another way to consider planning a birding trip in Uganda could be to start with a 7-day Uganda birding tour. It’s also possible to see some amazing birds with just a day trip from Kampala. You’ll also want to make sure you’ve got the basic birding safari tools you need to see these beautiful birds.
If you are looking for information on bird watching in Uganda, we have put together helpful information here. To get a custom-made tour focused on birding in Uganda, don’t hesitate to get in touch with Kikooko Africa Safaris today.
