UGANDA BIRDING TOURS TO IMPORTANT BIRD AREAS-SITES

Uganda birding tours in both categories, short and long tours  are experienced at different Uganda’s important bird areas. Over these birding tours, safaris we organize for our client’s tailor-made tours on both luxury and mid-range, budget accommodation Eco lodges. Standard safari vehicles and professional bird guides on board.

Uganda bird important areas includes: Mabira Forest Reserve, Mabamba Bay, Ngamba Islands Chimpanzee Sanctuary, Murchison falls – Budongo Forest, Mgahinga Gorilla National Park; Echuya Forest Reserve; Nyamuriro Swamp and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Six are in the west near the border with the Democratic Republic of Congo: Rwenzori Mountains National Park; Kibale National Park; Queen Elizabeth National Park and Lake George; Kyambura Wildlife Reserve; Semliki National Park and Semliki Reserves.
Most of these sites are in the Lake Victoria Basin in the south-central region of the country: Lake Mburo National Park; Sango Bay area; Nabuggabo Wetland; Musambwa Islands; Lutoboka Point (Ssese Islands); Mabamba Bay; Lutembe Bay and Mabira Forest Reserve. Five are in the north-west: Budongo Forest Reserve; Murchison Falls National Park; Ajai Wildlife Reserve; Mount Kei Forest Reserve and Mount Otzi Forest Reserve. A further seven are in the east towards the Kenyan border: Doho Rice Scheme; Lake Nakuwa; Lake Bisina; Lake Opeta; Mount Elgon National Park; Mount Moroto Forest Reserve and Kidepo Valley National Park.

Uganda birding tours to important bird areas are accessible by birdwatchers with Nature Adventure Safaris bird guides. Some of the sites are close to Entebbe – Kampala, the capital, and examples include; Uganda wildlife education center, Botanical resort gardens, Mabamba Bay with an extensive marsh fringed with papyrus and is the nearest known site for Shoe bill Balaeniceps rex, Blue Swallow Hirundo atrocaerulea and Papyrus Gonolek Laniarius mufumbiri. The Lutembe bay is popular for its capacity to accommodate millions of migrant White-winged Terns Chlidonias leucopterus.

Uganda birding tours takes you to hot spot with variety of bird life species. These hot spot sites include: the protected areas but is not restricted to them. For example, the long stretch of the Katonga Valley is a newly discovered home of Shoe bill Balaeniceps rex. Mabamba Bay, the Delta at Murchison Falls National Park and Semliki are also good for Shoe bill. Kaniyo – Pabidi in a section of Budongo Forest now within Murchison Falls National Park is believed to be the only East African site for Puvel’s Illadopsis Illadopsis puveli. Chocolate-backed Kingfisher Halcyon badia, African Dwarf Kingfisher Ceyx lecontei and Ituri Batis Batis ituriensis can be seen along the Royal Mile in Budongo Forest Reserve.

Bwindi Impenetrable and Mgahinga National Parks are the most accessible sites for Albertine Rift Endemics such as Handsome Francolin Francolinus nobilis, Rwenzori Turaco Ruwenzorornis Johnston, African Green Broadbill Pseudocalyptomena graueri, Rwenzori Batis Batis diops, Dusky Crimsonwing Cryptospiza jacksoni and Shelley’s Crimsonwing C. Shelley.

Semliki is possibly the only place in East Africa for seeing many Guinea Congo biome species which are at the eastern end of their ranges there. Lutembe Bay and Kazinga Channel are the best places to see wintering Palearctic migrants. The boat trip from Paraa upstream to the falls is no longer reliable for Shoe bill, though numerous Rock Pratincole Pratincola nuchalis should still be found just above the fall. You will do best to go downstream towards the Nile Delta (Lake Albert) threading your way through flocks of African Skimmers Rynchops flavirostris.