Birding safaris or bird watching tours are a popular activity on Africa safari especially in search of the savannah grasslands’, forest and water bird species throughout the continent.

Uganda has about 1072 bird species counted making about 50% of Africa’s total and 11% of the world’s making it a prime birding destination.

Uganda hosts savanna, forest, water, intra-Afro migrant and Euro-Asian migrant(palearctic) bird species forming seen on Uganda birding safaris.

All of the bird species in the country are definitely beautiful with a lot of endemics but here are must see birds for avid birders on Uganda birding safaris;

Fox’s Weaver

The Fox’s Weaver (ploceus spokeoide) is a Ugandan endemic bird, meaning it is only sighted during Uganda birding tours.

The bird is listed in the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as near threatened. The Fox’s Weaver is threatened by habitat loss without population estimates.

Previously, the Fox’s Weaver has been thought to be extinct due to lack of reliable sightings in its expected habitats.

Fortunately, in May 2018, the bird was sighted again in the flooded swampland of eastern Uganda in the region of Lake Bisina.

The Fox’s Weaver belongs to the Ploceidae family with its habitat in the moist savanna, subtropical or tropical seasonally wet or flooded lowland grassland and swamps.

It is a non-migrant bird which consumes seeds and perhaps insects. The bird constructs an oval nest, consisting of roughly woven grasses where it does its breeding.

The months of May – August are its breeding months making these the perfect months for birders on Uganda tours to catch a glimpse of this bird.

Grey Crowned Crane

The Grey Crowned Crane is a tall bird about three feet (3ft) tall. The plumage is a combination of white, yellowish and pearl grey, around the head there’s a combination of red in the wattles, white on the sides and black forehead, crest is yellowish.

The bird stands with tall slim legs that help in wading through the grasses and has a long slender neck just like its legs.

Its wingspan is as wide as 6.5ft as it spreads its beautiful colors. The Crested Crane walks with majesty expressing lot of beauty and serenity just like the country it represents.

Both sexes may look similar but males tend to be slightly larger and the young birds are greyer than adults.

This is one of the most colorful birds to see on a Uganda birding safari. This is Uganda’s national bird with its symbol even on the national flag.Levaillant’s Cuckoo

Karamoja Apalis

Abdim’s Stork

Night Herons

Ituri Batis

Northern Carmine Bee-eaters

Martial Eagle

Giant kingfishers

Ostriches

Black-billed Turaco

Shelley’s Crimsonwing

Regal Sunbird

African Quail-Finch

Pink-backed Pelican

Flamingoes

Archer’s Robin Chart

Green Breasted Pitta

Yellow-spotted Barbet

White-spotted Flufftail

Long-eared Owl

Nubian Woodpecker

African finfoot

African Fish Eagle

Nahan’s Francolin

Brown twinspot

Dwarf Kingfishers and so many more

The beauty in Uganda is really endless these and many more can be seen during birding safaris. A birding safari in Uganda can be done as an exclusive safari activity but then many prefer to tailor it to other activities since bird life and wildlife co-exist in most habitats.

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is the popular Uganda gorilla trekking safari destination yet still the best birding safari spot in Africa named by bird club therefore combining the two is perfectly good.

Other wildlife safari in Uganda destinations like Kibale Forest National Park or Semuliki National Park are also good safari destinations. A tailor made birding and wildlife safari its the best option to go for.