Uganda Bird Checklist

Uganda Bird Checklist

In this article on the Uganda bird checklist, we highlight the different bird species in the country and also where they can easily be spotted. Uganda is an epic birding destination in the world. This is because the country hosts over 1,100 bird species. The country has an incredibly vast landscape of different ecological systems. All work in hand to harbor these bird species. Uganda is strategically located along the equator and thus receives an equatorial or tropical climate. These climatic conditions have curved the best seasons for a variety of bird species. The vast landscape of rolling hills, mountains, savannah plains, and lowland areas has all worked for the good of birds. The country hosts some of the very unique bird species that are rare to find anywhere else in the world.

What are some of the bird species in Uganda?

It is hard to exhaust the bird checklist of Uganda as it is vast, with over 1,100 species of birds recorded. This bird checklist includes different kinds of bird species, from water lovers to savannah and highland dwellers of all sizes, from big to small. The Uganda bird checklist is unveiled below.

African finfoot, blue-breasted kingfisher, southern ground hornbill, papyrus gonolek, Denham’s bustard. Woolly-necked stock, black-collared barbet, bare-faced go-away bird, Ross’s turaco, blue-coucal. Grey crowned crane, the handsome francolin, black-faced apalis, Grauer’s warbler. Rwenzori batis, Shelley’s crimson wing, yellow-eyed black flycatcher, western crested guinea fowl. Rwenzori double-collared sunbird, African green pigeon, dwarf honeyguide. Handsome spurfowl, Rwenzori turaco, regal sunbird, white-starred robin, Albertine sooty boubou. African harrier hawk, crowned hornbill, African broadbill, Neumann’s warbler. Mountain-masked apalis, shoebill stork, hadada ibis, black crave. Green cuckoo, double-toothed barbet, shining blue kingfisher, yellow-backed weaver, red-eyed dove.

Cattle egrets, Goliath herons, orange weavers, grey crowned cranes, and weaver birds. Marabou stocks, the Kori bustard, Long-tailed hawk, black-throated cuckoo, piping hornbill. White-bellied kingfisher, Nkulengu rail, Grant’s bluebill, crested malimbe. Pink-backed pelican. Yellow-billed stork, eastern grey plantain-eater, yellow white-eye, purple-banded sunbird, African jacana, lesser jacana, yellow-billed duck, glossy ibis, gull-billed tern, white-winged tern. Diederik cuckoos, green crombec, tambourine dove, Cameroon, little and tooro olive greenbuls.

Water thick-knee, Madagascar bee-eater, Egyptian goose, black-headed weaver, African open-billed stork, malachite kingfisher, blue-checked bee-eater, common sandpiper, wood sandpiper, green sandpiper, black crake, long-tailed cormorant, crowned hornbill, vieillot’ black weaver, woodland kingfisher, pied kingfisher, red-billed firefinch, black-and-white-casqued hornbill, Senegal coucal, little stint, little weaver, and black-headed gonolek to mention but a few. 

What is birding?

Birding, or bird watching, as some may call it, is one of the popular tourist activities in the country. It involves walking through the designated birding areas of Uganda, searching for bird species. Birding does not necessarily take place on walking birding trails but also on boat cruises to encounter the water-loving birds.  And also, on game drives, birds can be encountered. This birding adventure is led by an experienced birding guide with ample knowledge of all the bird species in a particular birding area. Visitors can capture the bird species in their natural environments as they fly, feed, or even nest. The professional, experienced birders will help to answer any queries about specific bird species that may arise. Birding can be done any time of the day, depending on the specific bird species you are looking for. However, it can also be done in the night to encounter the nocturnal bird species.

What are the best places for birding in Uganda?

As you move through Uganda, several places are recognized as important birding areas. This is because of the variety of bird species they harbor. Some of the best places for birding in Uganda include the following.

Mabamba wetland

The Mabamba wetland is the best birding destination in Uganda located on Lake Victoria. It is a popular hotspot for shoebill stork adventures. The shoebill stork is the most sought-after bird species in the world because of its distinctive look. Along Lake Victoria, the Mabamba wetland is located on the northern side. Being a vast wetland, it is the best place to encounter a variety of bird species, especially water-loving birds. Mabamba wetland covers about 24.2 square kilometers of water, grassland, and lilies. There are over 300 bird species in the Mabamba wetland.

Mubwindi swamp

Located in the heart of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in the Ruhija sector, the Mubwindi swamp is an epic birding area. Mubwindi Swamp is found in the Rukiga highlands, with a maximum height of approximately 2,450 meters above sea level. The swamp has a variety of birding trails that lead you to the habitats of the birds. This swamp hosts over 100 bird species. 

Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary

Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary is a beautiful and unique wetland located in southwestern Uganda, near the town of Fort Portal. The wetland is home to over 200 bird species, making it a great destination for bird watching. Several designated birding trails cut across the wetland, unveiling the different species. Some of the trails include the Bigodi Trail, the Magombe Swamp Trail, and the community trail.

Entebbe Botanical Garden

Entebbe Botanical Garden is a flora species collection and conservation center located in the heart of Entebbe town on the shores of Lake Victoria. The garden stretches for over 40 kilometers from the mainland to the shores of Victoria. There are over 500 bird species at the Entebbe Botanical Garden hence, this garden is a birder’s paradise and an important birding area in Uganda.

What is the cost of birding safaris in Uganda?

The costs of birding safaris in Uganda, just like any other safari, vary on the nationality of the visitors. Additionally, some birding destinations in the country have varying costs for birding. However, the most standard costs for birding in Uganda are USD 40 for foreign non-residents, USD 30 for foreign residents, and UGX 30,000 for East African citizens, including Ugandans.

When is the best time for a Uganda birding adventure experience?

Birding in Uganda is paramount at any time of the year, depending on the preferences of the visitors. This is because there are both migratory and resident endemic birds. Thus, at any time of the year, there are plenty of bird species to encounter. Uganda receives an equatorial type of climate, meaning it experiences two dry and wet seasons per year. The wet season that runs from March to May and October to November is the best for birding in the country. This is because it is during this time that several migratory birds harbor different destinations in the country. The wet season is the breeding season for the bird species.