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Uganda’s Top Birding Safari Destinations for Bird Fanatics

Uganda has for long been considered as one of the best Africa birding safari destinations that any bird fanatic must not miss on his bucket list. Safari Uganda for your Uganda bird watching safari and get to witness several bird species that call Uganda home, the rich culture and wildlife diversity that has seen a rise in Uganda birding safaris tours, Cultural Safaris in Uganda and Uganda Wildlife Safaris respectively in the past years.

Referred to as the Pearl of Africa, Uganda has vast captivating landscapes that wow a tourist driving by the countryside during their Uganda tour, water bodies including the second largest freshwater lake; Victoria and the world’s longest river; Nile, and forests like the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, Mabira Forest and many more.

All these once visited on your tour Uganda, you will indeed witness why it is called the Pearl of Africa.

Uganda is also home to several Uganda wildlife safari attractions that amaze travellers during their safari in Uganda.

These include the most sought mountain gorillas that you can only enjoy if you book a Uganda gorilla tour, chimpanzees that can be seen during a Uganda chimpanzee trekking safari, during a chimpanzee close up in the Uganda Wildlife Education Centre or you can enjoy seeing them if you booked a 1 Day Ngamba Chimpanzee Island day trip.

It is also home to the big five games; Elephants, Buffaloes, Rhinos, Lion and the Leopard. These are the most sought after wildlife on Uganda Safaris but birds also rank highly among wildlife attractions in this Pearl of Africa. With over 1061 birds recorded, it’s clear to see why Uganda is the best destination for birding in Africa.

Birds in Uganda are divided into two categories; Passerines and Non passerines with popular birds including the shoebill, Ostriches, Kingfishers, cormorants, pelicans Egrets, Marabou stork, weaver birds, Geese, African fish eagle, Grey Crowned Crane commonly known as the Crested crane among others. The Grey crown crane is Uganda’s National Emblem for it found in the centre of the Uganda flag.

While preparing for your birding Safari in Uganda, it is wise you include a Uganda wildlife tour to make it more interesting.

Besides combining it with wildlife safari tour in Uganda, we can also tailor your Uganda safari tour itinerary to feature primate tracking tours like Uganda Gorilla Safaris, a chimpanzee trekking tour in Uganda, or a golden monkey trekking safari.

If not interested in any wildlife, you can engage in any day tours in Uganda like a Jinja city tour or 1 Day Jinja excursion, a Kampala day trip or a 1 Day Kampala city tour,  a 1 Day Ngamba Island tour, a 1 Day Sipi Falls Trip among the many.

Travellers not interested in combining their bird-watching safaris Uganda with any of the above mentioned Uganda tours can decide to make the whole Uganda trip a Uganda birding safari tour, visiting some of the top parks and spots where you can encounter various species.

Some of these include Queen Elizabeth National Park Uganda, and Bwindi Forest National Park Uganda, Murchison Falls National Park Uganda, Kidepo Valley National Park Uganda among others.

Uganda’s Top Birding Safari Spots

Mabamba Wetland

Mabamba is the best bird watching safari Uganda spot to go for a 1 Day birding tour in Uganda. This wetland situated on the shores of Lake Victoria is the best place to watch a good number of birds in Uganda in just a day.

It is also home to the reputable giant shoebill stork. Other birds in Mabamba swamp include papyrus gonolek, Kingfishers, Black kite, swamp flycatcher, black-headed heron, African marsh harrier among others.

Queen Elizabeth National Park Uganda

Birding in Queen Elizabeth National Park is an incredible treat to do on your Africa safari or Africa wildlife safari holiday in Uganda.

A Uganda birding safari gives you a chance to explore bird species in Uganda’s most popular and most scenic National Park that contains a variety of habitats that range from savanna to wetlands to lowland forests.

The park’s diversity is reflected in the list of over 600 bird species, making it the biggest of any protected area in Uganda.

A majority of the bird species found in this area are regarded as famous birds of East Africa and are a must-see for birdwatchers in Africa! Take a Uganda safari to Queen Elizabeth National Park Uganda for an amazing Africa birding safari.

Kidepo Valley National Park Uganda

The only place to find the Ostrich in Uganda-Uganda Safari NewsBy just hearing of the re-known Kidepo Valley, tourists think of the elephants, lions, kobs and much more wildlife, but then birding is one of the great activities in Kidepo Valley National park.

CNN described the park as Africa’s hidden gem because of its scenic landscape that gave it a ranking as one of Africa’s best wilderness, the profusion of wildlife and unique communities around.

The haven, however, isn’t just home to the giants, bird species are sighted here too. It is in fact rated the second-best birding park in Uganda for it is home to over 450 bird species.

When you opt to make the perfect choice to go birding in Kidepo Valley National Park, then here is what you should expect.

To have a great birding experience, choosing where to stay in Kidepo Valley National Park and here Apoka Rest Camp comes in play as the best lodging facility to start your birding adventure as you watch birds migrate in the morning at a panoramic view.

At the edge of the camp is a small permanent water hole that attracts swallows and a variety of seedeaters including the Yellow-rumped Seedeater and is visited at night by the Four-banded Sandgrouse.

Birding can also be done on the fringes of the Narus and Namamukweny Valleys. The silver bird and small bands of yellow-billed birds are frequent on the thorn trees of the open savannah.

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

9 Days Birding Safari Uganda Gorilla Trekking SafariBwindi forest, home to the Bwindi Forest National Park, home to the mountain gorillas, commonly known for Gorilla trekking safaris in Uganda was once voted as Africa’s best birding destination by Africa Bird Club.

Bwindi forest is one place that a visitor can’t afford miss out on your birding safari tour Uganda itinerary. Home to a record 350 bird species that include 23 Albertine rift endemics, popular birds to spot include African green broadbill, Black-billed turaco, handsome francolin, Fraser’s eagle Chapins flycatcher, regal sunbirds among others.

Murchison falls National park Uganda

Uganda Birding SafarisThis Uganda’s oldest and most visited park is another good destination for birding Safaris in Uganda home to up to 450 bird species and of course the mighty falls to add to that.

A game drive and boat cruise plus nature walks are the best ways to watch birds in Murchison falls. Expect to encounter a variety of birds including the might African fish eagle, owls, Abyssinian ground hornbill, Red-throated Bee-eater, Egyptian geese, great cormorants, Egrets, Kingfishers to mention but a few.

Semuliki National Park Uganda

Dubbed the true birder’s haven, Semuliki National Park is home to several bird species counting to about 441 (about 34% of Uganda’s total) and about 60% of the country’s forest bird species.

The park is unique in a way that it harbours a large number of largely Central African bird species that cannot be sighted anywhere else in East Africa.

These endemics include some of the African continent’s most spectacular and sought-after birds such as; the Congo Serpent Eagle, Long-tailed Hawk, Lyre-tailed Honeyguide, Black-wattled Hornbill, the Nkulengu Rail and many more. This makes the park a prime birding safari in Uganda spot.

Within the park, to catch a perfect glimpse on your Uganda bird watching safari, Ntandi, around the Sempaya hot springs, River Kirumia and Mungilo waterfall are the best places.

Taking a boat cruise along Semuliki River delta and Lake Albert is rewarding with a chance to where there are other bird species to see like the endangered Shoebill stork.

What to carry for a birding safari in Uganda

Tourists need binoculars, cameras, birding clothes, bottled drinking water, comfortable walking shoes, notebook and others. Don’t miss writing a bird list like this on your adventurous Uganda birding safari!

Uganda birding safari packages

1 Day Mabamba swamp excursion
7 Days Birding safari in Uganda
8 Days Uganda Birding safari
14 Days Uganda Primate birding safari
15 Days Uganda birding safari
19 Days Uganda birding safari
21 Days Birding safari in Uganda Africa

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