Bird watching in Uganda; Which Birds To See

Bird Watching in Uganda

Uganda’s remarkable avian diversity (over 1,050 species within an area similar in size to that of Great Britain) can be attributed to its location between the East African savannah, West African rainforests and semi-desert of the north. Uganda offers easy access to bird-rich habitats that are difficult to reach elsewhere. The country has only two endemics, but if you only take East Africa into consideration, there are 150 species to be found only in Uganda. Migrant birds are present from November to April.

Where to go bird watching in Uganda

No matter where you’re at, there’s bound to be a nearby place for you to go bird watching in Uganda. One of the most scenic places to see birds is Murchison Falls National Park in the northwestern corner of the country. This park is a treasure trove of birds, and astute observers can see over 450 species including the lesser flamingo, papyrus gonolek and the martial eagle — the scenery around the falls certainly doesn’t hurt.

In the southwest of the country is another great place for bird watching, the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Most people go here to see the mountain gorillas, but birders are in for a delight as well. Some of the rare birds at Bwindi include the Grauer’s swamp warbler, forest ground thrush, and the African green broadbill.

If you’re on the lookout for shoebill, head to the Mabamba Bay that runs along the shores of Lake Victoria. Shoebills are huge, awkward looking birds that are so unique that scientists have considered giving them their own order.

If you’re in the western part of the country, head to Kibale National Park and also get a chance to hang with the chimpanzees. The park offers a guided forest walk where birders can see around 350 species of birds (six of them endemic to the region). You’ll also find wild chimpanzees and 13 other species of primates here.

Other great places around the country include South Luangwa National Park, Echuya Forest, Budongo Forest, Mount Elgon, and anywhere along the Nile River.

Of course, you could simply stay in a hotel in Kampala and see more birds than most places. And if you can’t decide where to go, why not go to pretty much every top spot in the country?

Naturetrack Expeditions offers a “Bird Watching Holiday” that includes 18 days in a row of birdwatching.

And if that wasn’t enough, try our Uganda safari package. You’re sure to see more birds while enjoying your holiday activity like a Savannah game drive, gorilla trekking or boat safari.

Most Famous Birds in Uganda

Long-crested Eagle

Long-crested Eagle adult is dark brown or black. It has long white patches at the joint of the wings, visible when perched, forming white lines on each side of the breast. Underwing coverts are white, with black spots. It has broad dark tail strongly barred of white. Tarsi are whitish. Wings are long and broad.  Hooked bill is yellow with dark tip. Eyes are golden or reddish-brown. Feet are yellow with slender talons.

The only bird with prophetic abilities. It is believed that the Long-crested Eagle has prophetic abilities in foretelling marriages. You ask where you will get the bride or groom and the direction it turns is the source of the mate.

Long-crested Eagle feeds mainly on small rodents. It drops from an exposed perch on its prey, and catches it. It does not hunt on the wing.
It is often perched on trees on the road sides, fences or telegraph poles. It hunts generally in the early morning or at dusk, and it rests during the day under the shadow of a tall tree.

Pair has usually a regular area where they can be seen day after day. Long-crested Eagle is very noisy when it displays. It calls from perches, around the nest site. Usually, it uses the same perch every day.

Long-crested Eagle frequents woodlands or cultivated areas, and open lands with trees. It can be found in moist savannahs, and in cleared forest areas and forest edges, except in arid zones. We can find it from sea level to 3000 metres of elevation.

Marabou stork

Marabou stork (Leptoptilos crumeniferus) is a large, unusual looking bird. In addition to hollow leg bones, marabou storks have hollow toe bones. In such a large bird, this is an important adaptation for flight. The African Marabou storks reach a wing span of 2,6 metres and a height of 1,5 metres. Marabou storks are bald-headed. Males can be identified by their large air sacs. In addition, males are generally slightly larger and taller than females. Very large, heavy-bodied stork with a massive conical bill. Sexes are alike in coloration. They are bare, dull and have a red-spotted head with long black legs. They are mainly dark grey above and white below.

Juvenile has similar colouration but is duller. Immature birds have a woolly covering on their heads and do not gain the black in their plumage until about three-years-old. By four-years the full plumage will have grown in. Its soft, white tail feathers are known as marabou. Its neck and head contain no feathers. The Marabou stork has a long, reddish pouch hanging from its neck. This pouch is used in courtship rituals. The naked 18-inch inflatable pink sac is particularly conspicuous during the breeding season. It connects directly to the left nostril and acts as a resonator allowing the bird to produce a guttural croaking. While usually silent, the Marabou Stork will also emit a sound caused by beak clacking if it feels threatened.

The only bird with a Christian name, Kaloli or Charles! Very common in most Ugandan towns and fishing villages on lakes in the Albertine Rift Region.  As a scavenger it is probably the most useful bird of all. In Uganda it is a common sight in the city center of Kampala, its biggest breeding colony in the world.

They mainly feed on carrion and scraps. Although it doesn’t seem to be very sympathic in human eyes, this behaviour is of great importance to the ecosystem they inhabit; by removing carcasses and rotting material, Marabous help avoiding the spreading of pathogenes. They are scavengers, they eat anything from termites, flamingoes and small birds and mammals to human refuse and dead elephants. They also feed on carcasses with vultures and hyenas.

African Fish Eagle

Widespread in East Africa, the Fish Eagle is particularly common in and around some of the Rift Valley lakes. So well known and clear is the call of this bird that it is often known as “the Voice of Africa”.

Most Elegant Eagle in the world and the most photographed by bird watching enthusiasts. They can be seen in all fresh water lakes in Uganda, but for the best views, visit lake Mburo, Kazinga channel in Queen Elizabeth National Park and Nile Valley in Murchison Falls National Park.

A handsome bird, the African Fish Eagle is easily recognised by its pure white head, the striking contrast between the white upper-body and tail, the chestnut belly and the black wings. The sexes look alike but the female is the larger of the two.

The African Fish Eagle is most frequently seen sitting high in a tall tree from where it has a good view of the stretch of river, lakeshore or coastline which is its territory. Near a lake with an abundant food supply, a pair may require less than a km² of water to find enough food, whereas next to a small river, they may require a stretch of 25km or more.

Shoebill Stork

The shoebill stork is a large bird mostly found in the lakes in the eastern part of Africa. It is most easily found in Uganda. But can also be seen in Kenya, the Central African Republic, northern Cameroon, south-western Ethiopia, Malawi, Botswana and the upper Congo River. This is one of the most sought after birds in Africa and is quite the sight if you mange to see it on your Uganda safari.

If you missed to see a dinosaur, you are not late! The shoebill still occurs in Uganda. It derives its name from the massive shoe-bill. It has gained superiority as the most exciting and sought-after by bird watching tourists in Uganda. Shoebills can be seen in several places such as; In the Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth Park along the Lake Edward Flats, in Murchison Falls national Park where the Nile merges with Lake Albert, Lake Mburo National Park, Ziwa Rhino Reserve, Lake Kyoga , Semiliki Wildlife reserve, the Mabamba Swamp close to Entebbe and in the Nabajuzi Swamp in Masaka

There are a few interesting facts about this bird that make it an interesting species worth seeing on Uganda safari.

The Shoebill Stork has outstanding prehistoric looks. It has a massive shoe shaped bill. It’s usually about 150cm tall and can weigh up to 14 pounds. The Arabs used to call the Shoebill Stork –“Abu Maruk” meaning father of the shoe – one could call the Shoebill Stork a flying shoe because of the unique bill.

The shoebill is a solitary bird with has a lifespan of about 50 or more years. It interestingly forms monogamous relationships during the mating season which falls between April and June. The parent birds make a nest on the ground, and the female usually lays two eggs. Both parents participate in the incubation period which lasts a month. The new chicks are fed by the parent birds for several months until they are old enough to forage for their own food.

The shoebills are found lake or swamp so they find their food in the water. Their main diet is lungfish, which can be supplemented. The Shoebill stork, a swamp specialist, survives on a diet of mainly of lung fish which supplemented by frogs, puddle fish, the occasional baby crocodile and water snakes. All of this is possible because of the sharp edges of the wide bill.

Best time to go bird watching in Uganda

The actual best time to go bird watching in Uganda is from late May through September. To be more specific, probably the very best time overall is late August through early to mid September. The main nesting season in Bwindi and Mgahinga (key sites for the Albertine Rift Endemics) is May and June so this could also be your first choice (depending on your priorities, of course) – e.g. African Green Broad-bill is often easier to find in May/June than in August/September.

The northern summer is the main fruiting season in most of the forests and seeds are plentiful in the open areas – in other words, food is abundant and so are the birds. Another advantage of this time of year is that widow birds, bishops, quealea’s etc. are in breeding plumage. Also, there are large numbers of spectacular butterflies to enjoy in the northern summer. Actually, the only disadvantage is that June through September is also a nice time where most birders live (northern Europe and North America).

Another good time to go birding in Uganda is late March through early April, i.e. after the rains have started and cooled down the north a bit and caused the forest birds to start vocalizing, but before the rains become too heavy for birding to be pleasant. The food supply is not yet so good, though, and bird populations are low.

Ideal bird watching Tour Duration in Uganda

The ideal trip duration highly depends on one’s interest and or expectations. Otherwise if you want to cover as many areas as there is to cover whilst wanting to check off as many birds off Uganda’s over 1000 bird-list, we recommend you to spend at least 3 ½ weeks /24 days. However, if your group includes non-birders, we caution that 24 days will probably be too long a trip. Uganda’s main attractions for non-birders are the mountain gorillas, chimpanzees and Grade 5 white water Rafting in Jinja.  While Uganda National park are worth a visit, we like to emphasis that the are remote and are off the beaten touristic path – If you are looking for animals, Uganda is the wrong country to visit but if your are a discerning tourist looking for an experience, then Uganda is the place for you.

Kidepo Valley National Park in the far northeast corner of Uganda is an additional area which is definitely worth a visit, both for mammals, spectacular bird life and the Ik Cultural experience – No other park in Uganda beats Kidepo.

Can I interest you in a some tailored Uganda safaris? Take a look at what our travel experts have managed to put together based on popular requests by our travellers and hit that enquiry button to talk to someone who cares that you enjoy your safari trip.

Uganda Safaris that include bird watching

Murchison Falls Safari in 5 Days

Gorilla Safari Uganda Luxury Holiday

Uganda Gorillas & Wild Adventure Safari

Classic Africa Safari in Uganda

Highlights of East Africa Safari

Ultimate Uganda Safari Holiday

Uganda Bird Watching Tour & 18 Days