Top Uganda bird watching Destinations : Uganda commonly referred as “The Pearl of Africa” is a home to an exciting paradise for Birds and Bird lovers with numerous bird species that are recorded with in this country, Uganda is high recommended to Bird watchers who are interested in sighting many different bird species and learn different kinds of Birds in different destinations of Uganda.
Mentioning birding in Uganda the Top destinations that suddenly appear in head to refer are Queen Elizabeth National park and Semuliki National Park both are in the same area which is in the south western Uganda and they offer the best bird watching experience When it comes to birding in Uganda the two National parks named Queen Elizabeth and Semliki National Park are considered the best. These two National Parks are ranked to be with the highest population of different kinds of bird species in this Country.
Below is an overview of how and which parts birding can be carried out while you visit any of Uganda National Parks.
Bird Watching in Queen Elizabeth National Park.
Queen Elizabeth National Park located in southweststern part of Uganda Along the border of democratic republic of Congo, in Kasese district. is one of the most renowned and diverse wildlife reserves in Africa. Established in 1952, it covers an area of around 1,978 square kilometres and its named after Queen Elizabeth II of England, two years later to commemorate a visit by Queen Elizabeth II. It is a home to over 500 species of Birds which makes a charming destination to visit for visitors interested in bird watching. This national Park is ranked as the most visited Park in Uganda.
Queen Elizabeth hosts different forest and reserve within it which includes the Maramagambo Forest and borders the Kigezi Game Reserve, the Kyambura Game Reserve, and Kalinzu national Reserve which mount borders with Queen Elizabeth and Kibale National Park.
There are many bird species that can be spotted in Queen and around its borders, here is Some of the bird species to spotted in Queenn Elizabeth National landscapes includes long-tailed cormorants, Martial Eagle, Black- rumpled Buttonquail African Skimmer, White winged terns, White-winged Warbler, shoebill, African skimmer, Verreaux’s Eagle-owl, Grey-headed kingfisher, papyrus gonolek, Papyrus Canary, and the thin-tailed Nightjars plus several aquatic bird species such as the White-faced Whistling, Spur-winged Plovers, Squacco Heron, Fish Eagle, Pink and white backed Pelicans, Long tailed Cormorants, African Jacana, the malachite, black-ramped buttonquail, Collard Pranticles, papyrus canary, verreauv’s eagle-owl, black bee-eater, squacco heron, African fish eagle, swamp fly-catcher, Yellow backed Weavers, open-billed Stork, Water-Thick knee, Pied kingfishers, Wattled Plovers, the Black Crake and the Knob-billed Ducks which are sighted along the Kazinga Channel especially in the morning hours while taking breakfast in the middle of the Park and can be spotted in the evening while you’re on a cruise safari usually.
Other places within queen Elizabeth National Park where bird species can be spotted, we can talk of the Ishasha sector where you will have a chance of colliding your eyes with the tree climbing Lions; Kyambura Gorge is another site for bird watching but mostly known for chimps plus the Maramagambo Forest.
Apart from bird species in Queen Elizabeth National Park, the park hosts an expansive range of wildlife species including Cape buffaloes, hippopotami, crocodiles, elephants, leopards, lions, and chimpanzees, Game drives can be done in this Park to spot all these beautiful primates.
Bird Watching in Semliki National Park
Semliki National Park is situated in the Western region of Uganda. established in 1993 and covers an area size of approximately 194km2, it lies on Uganda’s border with the Democratic Republic of the Congo and it borders Rwenzori Mountain in the South East and Lake Albert in the North, it lies in the Albertine Rift Valley.
The park experiences an average rainfall of 1,250 mm, with peaks in rainfall from March to May and from September to December. Many areas of the park experience flooding during the wet season.
This park has more than 400 bird species. 216 of these species “66 percent of the country’s total bird species” some of the bird species that can be found and seen within Semuliki National Park includes Spot-breasted Ibis,Long-tailed Hawk,Nkulengu Rail,Western Bronze-naped Pigeon,Yellow-throated Cuckoo,Black-throated CoucalWhite-bellied Kingfisher,Piping HornbillRed-billed Dwarf Hornbill,Black Dwarf Hornbill,White-crested Hornbill,White-thighed Hornbill,Black-Casqued wattled Hornbill,Red-rumped Tinkerbird,Lyre-tailed Honey Guide,African Piculet,Gabon Woodpecker,Rufous-sided Broadbill,Yellow-throated Nicator,Icterine Greenbul,Xavier’s Greenbul,Leaf-love,Green-tailed Bristlebill,Swamp palm Bulbul,Fire-crested Alethe,Northern Bearded Scrub Robin,Blue-headed Crested-flycatcher,Maxwell’s Black Weaver,Crested Malimbe,Red-bellied Malimbe,Blue-billed Malimbe,Chestnut-breasted Negrofinch,Grant’s Bluebill,Orange-Cheeked Waxbill,the rare Forest Ground Thrush (Turdus oberlaenderi) and Sassi’s Olive Greenbul among others which makes Semuliki National Park an ideal destination for bird watchers while on your birdwatching safari in the Pearl of Africa for a rewarding and unmatched experience with Birds.
Just like other national Parks in Uganda Semuliki doesn’t only Home bird species but also a range of huge amazing and beautiful primates which inhabit within the Park, so your definitely covered incase you want to explore and go beyond Bird watching to Game drives and More.
Visitors are required to pay around USD 40 per person to access and be allowed to enter in the Park (park fee) where you can now have a chance to spot the bird species and bird watching can be done all year around, in that case gates are always open to welcome Visitors.
