Birdwatching holidays in Uganda

Enthusiastic birdwatchers will be on the lookout for Ugandan birds that are localised to particular areas and harder to spot outside Uganda – among them a clutch of forest-dwelling kingfishers, francolins, barbets and robin-chats. “I think if you were really trying you could get into 300-400 bird sightings, easily,” says Leonie.

If you’re an amateur, Uganda has plenty of colourful and distinctive species that could turn you into a birdwatching convert.

There are big birds: the goliath crane which towers over its prey; the grey crowned crane, which is Uganda’s national bird; the elusive shoebill, and marabou storks, whose downy breast feathers are famously dyed, exported, and used to mimic fur trim, or to make fly fishing lures. Up in the north of the country, Uganda’s only ostriches stroll in sight of the mountains of South Sudan, in Kidepo Valley National Park.

There are showy birds too: the big-headed Abyssinian roller has lots to be vain about – not least its serene blue plumage. Then there’s the great crested go-away-bird; the great blue turaco; the black-and-white-casqued hornbill; and the pin-tailed wydah, with a streaming pennant of a tail.

Among the water birds there are African finfoots, mysterious birds that might like water, or might prefer land – they are so rarely seen that little is known of them. Lake Mburo in Uganda is a rare place where they can be spotted relatively frequently.

Then there are the shy forest birds, hiding among the trees: trogons, pittas, broadbills and many forest greenbuls. Some will escape the notice – and the interest – of everyone except hardcore birders.

Shoebills love it when a hippopotamus drifts along and flushes a delicious fish out of its hiding place, while grey crowned cranes feed in the wake of roving herbivores that drive insects out of the grass.

Viewing Uganda’s birdlife has always gone hand-in-hand with admiring its wider wildlife, making the country a brilliant place for combining birdwatching and safari. Birdwatchers flock to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest to see its impressive Albertine Rift endemics, but the forest is better known for being the only place where you can see chimpanzees and mountain gorillas in the same area. Queen Elizabeth National Park is where you may record the highest bird counts, but it is more famous for its black-maned, tree-climbing lions.

Bwindi is one of the most biodiverse areas of Africa, and shelters over 300 bird species – including many of those sought-after Albertine Rift endemics. You can expect to bird over a variety of areas, including the Ruhija Section and the Buhumba Section. Look out for martial eagles and over twenty Albertine Rift endemic birds. There’s another Albertine Rift endemic here too: the famous mountain gorilla.

On Uganda’s border with the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the steep, snow-capped Rwenzori Mountains lie in sharp contrast to Uganda’s usually undulating terrain. Birds live in a unique eco system, which varies with the altitude and is known for special plant life – usually diminutive alpine plants, swelled to improbable sizes, colour the mountain slopes. Among the birds, look out for colourful characters like the Rwenzori turaco and the Rwenzori double-collared sunbird.

This park excites seasoned birders, as it closely resembles some areas of the Congo. Whilst it has over 435 resident bird species, not all of them are easy to spot, making it a park that’s best for more experienced birdwatchers. For casual visitors, the park is known for its hot springs – and the springs attract a variety of shorebirds. Someone should warn them: some of these pools are hot enough to cook an egg.

Lake Mburo is often a favourite spot on a birdwatching tour. It’s small and quiet and great for water birds. Leonie explains more, “It doesn’t have lions, elephants, or any other big herbivores, so people skip it. But for birders it’s really good.” The lack of predators means you can go on foot – or even by bike – through the park, to observe the birds. It’s also the only place you can see zebra in Uganda.

Off the beaten track: northeast when the rest of the tourist sites are to the south west, Kidepo Valley National Park’s open grassland dotted with tall sausage trees has something found nowhere else in Uganda – ostriches. You can track them here, but don’t stop once you’ve found them. Other birdlife is numerous; the parks is second only to Queen Elizabeth National Park in species abundance, and you could happily spend three days here birdwatching in the shadow of the park’s numerous swooping raptors.

The Bigodi swamp tour outside Kibale Forest is a community-run initiative that slots perfectly into a tour if you’ve come to Kibale for a morning trek to look for chimpanzees. Head out for an afternoon at the swamp, scouring the papyrus and the trees for birds, including the great blue turaco.

Jinja town is known for being near the place where the River Nile winds out of Lake Victoria. Water-loving birds join you in your pilgrimage to the source of the world’s longest river, including the magnificent African fish eagle, kingfishers, cormorants, egrets and pelicans.