Birding List in Uganda Queen Elizabeth National Park

Birding List in Uganda Queen Elizabeth National Park: Due to its abundance of wildlife, Queen Elizabeth National Park is the most visited national park in Uganda and the country’s second largest. The finest activity here is going on a game drive, followed by bird watching.

With 600 confirmed bird species, the park boasts the highest checklist of any East African protected area. Queen is a great place to go birding because many of the birds that have been observed there are considered to be unique in East Africa. The Ishasha sector’s marsh area is a rewarding location to witness the elusive shoebill stork.

The Ideal Time to Go Bird Watching

Although birdwatching is possible all year round in Queen Elizabeth National Park, the optimum time to go is from late May to September, when there is less rain and more food available. Then, the months of June through July get the least amount of rain, while April through May and September through November see the highest.

Due to inaccessible roads and slick hiking paths, excessive rains cause activities to be interrupted. The park is home to migratory birds from November through April.

The most well-liked and picturesque place to see a wide range of bird species is Queen Elizabeth National Park, which offers a number of breathtaking locations, including marshes, lowland woods, and savannah.

Forest of Marabigambo

Along the Kichwamba escarpment on the right side of the western rift valley arm, this forest offers excellent views of several bird species. When traveling from the Mbarara-Kasese road to the actual forest, one can witness a vast array of animals, such as

These consist of the following: Brown-eared woodpecker, Honeyguide Greenbul, Dark-capped warbler, Red-shouldered Robin-chat, Green Crombac, African paradise flycatcher, Barbets, Red-throated wryneck, Little Grebe, Yellow bill, Blue-throated Roller, African emerald cuckoo, Black coucal, Black-bee eater, and Brown IIIadopsis. Among these are the Western Black-headed Oriole, Black Bishop, Marsh Tchagra, White-breasted Negrofinch, Brubru, Croaking Cisticola, Chestnut Wattle-eye, and Sulphur-breasted Bush Shrike.

Area of Katwe

There are numerous crater lakes and swamps in the Katwe area, such as Lake Munyanyange, where you can observe a variety of water birds, particularly several lesser and a few bigger flamingos. The following species can be seen here:

Common Greenshank, Little Stint, Gull-billed tern, Red-capped lark, African Moustached warbler, Croaking Cisticola, Southern Red Bishop, Curlew Sandpiper, Eurasian Mash Harrier, Pallid Harrier, Avocet, Montagu’s Harrier, and, among others, Lesser Flamingos.

Area of Kasenyi

Every morning, every tourist vehicle travels to this wildlife hotspot, which offers big game watching in an open grassy area dominated by savanna. It’s also a wonderful place to see African bird species like

Bateur, Long-created Eagle, Martial Eagle, Hooded Vulture, African White-backed Vulture, Palm-nut Vulture, Lappet-faced Vulture,The Griffon vulture of Ruppell,Temminck’s Courser, African Wattled Plover, Senegal Plover, Black-bellied Bustard, Grey Kestrel, Crowned Plover, Kittlitz’s Plover,African Crake, Rufous napped Lark, Flapping Lark, White-tailed Lark,Black-headed Gonolek, Black-Crowned Tchagra, Pin-tailed Whydah, Black-lored Babbler, Grey-backed Fiscal, Brown-backed Scrub-Robin, and Croaking Cisticola, among others.

The Peninsula of Mweya

The majority of visitors are headquartered at Queen Elizabeth National Park, which is situated between Lake Edward and the Kazinga Channel. The following bird species can be seen along this site: Nubian woodpecker, Little Bee-eater, Red-capped Lark, Swallows, Swifts, Swamp Flycatcher, Diederick Cuckoo, Slender-tailed Nightjar, Blue-napped Moosebird, Grey-Headed Kingfisher, African Mourning Dove, Raptors, Squire-tailed Nightjar, Pygmy Kingfisher, Black-headed Gonolek, Slender-billed Weaver, Yellow-backed Weaver, Pin-tailed Whydah, and more.

Sector of Ishasha

Even though the Ishasha sector is most famous for its tree-climbing lions, it is still a rewarding place to go bird watching. Some of the species of birds that may be seen here include

Hooded Vulture, Shoebill, Palm-nut Vulture, Cisticolas, Green Crombec, Grey-backed Fiscal, Yellow-billed Oxpecker, African wattled plover, Black bellied bustards, African Crake, Lappet-faced vulture, African White-backed vulture, shoebill, palm-nut vulture, Ross’s Turaco, Broad-billed Roller, Brown-backed Scrub-Robin, White-brown Robin Chat, White-headed Barbet, Double-toothed Barbet, Greater Honeyguide, and many more.

Area of Katunguru Bridge

You must cross the Kazinga Channel from here, and you should look under the bridge since there is a papyrus swamp there that is home to a number of bird species, including

Among these are the Greater and Lesser Swamp Warblers, the White-winged Warbler, the Gull-billed Tern, the Pied Kingfisher, the Malachite Kingfisher, the Papyrus Gonolek, and the Carruthers’ Cisticola.

Kikorongo Lake

Among them are the following: Black Crake, Yellow Wagtail, Lesser Swamp Warbler, Greater Swamp Warbler, Papyrus Gonolek, White-winged Warbler, Common Squacco Heron, Shoebill, Saddle-billed Stork, Knob-billed Duck, African Jacana, and Scared Ibis.

Birdwatchers travel to Queen Elizabeth National Park, a bird lover’s dream where they can witness a wide range of unusual species. Don’t forget to bring a camera, additional batteries, and binoculars for clear vision.

The ideal times to go bird watching are April through May and October through December, when the park has plenty of food and migratory species are visible. It takes about five to six hours to drive from Kampala to the main destination of the park via Mbarara. You have the option of flying to Mweya Airstrip from Entebbe Airport or Kajjansi Airfield. The time to reserve your travel package with a reliable tour operator is now.