Bird Species in Queen Elizabeth National Park.

Bird species in Queen Elizabeth National Park: The Park is one of the best bird watching destinations in East Africa, with the highest number of bird species, situated in the southwestern region of Uganda. It is regarded as an important birding area by BirdLife International due to its unique bird species. The park is blessed with various ecosystems such as wetlands, savannah grasslands, woodlands, tropical forests, and lakes that provide a habitat to various bird species that call this amazing park home.

There are over 600 bird species in Queen Elizabeth National Park, including the waterbirds, forest birds, migratory birds, savannah birds, and raptor bird species. It has various birding spots, such as Kyambura Gorge, Katungulu Bridge, Maramagambo Forest, Mweya Peninsula, Lake Kikorongo, Lake Munyanyange, Kazinga Channel, and areas around Kasenyi. Each provides a unique and memorable bird watching experience. The park caters to all levels of birders, whether you are an experienced birder or a beginner. Queen Elizabeth National Park promises the best and is a must-visit destination on your birding safari in the Pearl of Africa.

Bird Species to see in Queen Elizabeth National Park.

Ornithologists and nature lovers will find Queen Elizabeth National Park a paradise for bird watching, with over 600 bird species that are found in the park. It allows visitors to explore the birding spots through game drives, nature walks, hiking, and boat cruises, all providing equal opportunities of spotting unique bird species. Some of the notable bird species to spot on a birding safari in the park include the elusive Shoebill Stork, Great Blue Turaco, Grey-crowned crane, Long-crested Eagle, Black and white Casqued Hornbill,  Bateleur, Pied Avocet, White-backed Duck,  Black-bellied Plover, Knob-billed Duck, Egyptian Goose, Spur-winged Goose, African Pygmy-Goose, White-faced Whistling-Duck, Yellow-billed Duck, Blue-billed Teal, Blue-billed Teal, African Black Duck, Yellow-billed Duck, Red-billed Duck, Northern Pintail, Green-winged Teal, Helmeted Guineafowl, Western Crested Guineafowl, Nahan’s Partridge, Crested Francolin,Coqui Francolin ,Harlequin Quail, Common Quail,Blue Quail, Red-winged Francolin,Ring-necked Francolin, Red-necked Spurfowl, Scaly Spurfowl, Hildebrandt’s Spurfowl, Handsome Spurfowl ,Rock Pigeon, Speckled Pigeon, Afep Pigeon, Rameron Pigeon, Western Bronze-naped Pigeon, Red-eyed Dove, Mourning Collared-Dove.

Others include, Dusky Turtle-Dove,White-naped Pigeon, Western Bronze-naped Pigeon, Ring-necked Dove, Vinaceous Dove, Laughing Dove, Blue-spotted Wood-Dove, Black-billed Wood-Dove, Emerald-spotted Wood-Dove, Blue-spotted Wood-Dove,Tambourine Dove, African Green-Pigeon, Black-bellied Bustard, Denham’s Bustard, Eastern Plantain-eater, Bare-faced Go-away-bird, Rwenzori Turaco, White-crested Turaco, Black-billed Turaco, ,Black-tailed Godwit, Black-throated Coucal, Blue-headed Coucal, White-browed Coucal, Olive Long-tailed Cuckoo, Levaillant’s Cuckoo, Dideric Cuckoo, Olive Long-tailed Cuckoo, Dusky Long-tailed Cuckoo, Slender-tailed Nightjar, Plain Nightjar, Olive Long-tailed Cuckoo, Pennant-winged Nightjar, Nubian Nightjar, Common Cuckoo, Red-chested Cuckoo, Pied Cuckoo, Freckled Nightjar, Dideric Cuckoo, Blue-headed Coucal, Great Spotted Cuckoo, Montane Nightjar, African Emerald Cuckoo, Black Cuckoo, Dideric Cuckoo, Alpine Swift, Cassin’s Spinetail, Alpine Swift, Mottled Swift, Common Swift, Little Swift, African Crake, Lesser Moorhen, African Swamphen, Red-knobbed Coot, Horus Swift, Gray-throated Rail, African Finfoot, Spotted Thick-knee, Eurasian Thick-knee, Pied Avocet, Senegal Thick-knee, Forbes’s Plover, Crowned Lapwing, Common Ringed Plover, Long-toed Lapwing, Caspian Plover, Pacific Golden-Plover, Three-banded Plover, Brown-chested Lapwing, Kittlitz’s Plover, Green Sandpiper, Terek Sandpiper, Green Sandpiper, Common Greenshank, Ruddy Turnstone, Great Snipe, Lesser Jacana, Dunlin, Black-rumped Buttonquail, Rock Pratincole, Black-winged Pratincole, Marabou Stork, Black Heron, Slender-billed Gull, Greater Flamingo, Reed Cormorant, Great Crested Grebe and more.

Best Time to do Birding in the Park.

Visitors can see bird species in Queen Elizabeth National Park at any time of the year, and the best time depends on the individual’s interest. The park receives two seasons: the dry and the wet season, both providing unique birding experiences. The dry season runs from June to September and from December to February. During this season, there is little to no rainfall, making it easy to access the birding sites and providing a clear view of various bird species. The wet season runs from March to May and October to November, this season is characterized by enough rainfall, the park is slippery and muddy, making it challenging to penetrate the park. However, this is the season when migratory birds come to the park in search of food, and it’s the breeding season for various bird species.