Birding in Akagera National Park.

Birding in Akagera National Park is a prime safari activity that ornithologists and bird lovers can enjoy on their trip in the park. It’s one of the top bird-watching destinations in Rwanda and the park with the highest number of bird species in the country. Akagera National Park is situated in the northeastern region of Rwanda, bordering Tanzania. It’s the only savannah park in the country, covering an area of about 1,122 square kilometres. The park was named after the Akagera River that flows along its eastern boundary and feeds a system of scenic wetlands and lakes. The park is known for its diverse natural systems, including woodlands, savannah grasslands, lakes and wetlands that support its rich biodiversity.

Akagera National Park hosts up to 90 mammal species, including the African Big Five mammals, leopards, lions, elephants, rhinos and buffalo, 200 butterfly species, reptiles and amphibians. It has a rich avian life of over 480 bird species that call this awesome park home, including savannah birds, acacia-dwelling bird species, migratory birds, water birds and those endemic to the park. Bird enthusiasts will encounter unique bird species, including the Red-faced Barbet, the elusive Shoebill Stork, Papyrus Gonolek, and the Northern Brown-throated Weaver, among others.

Birding Experience in Akagera National Park.

Bird watching in Akagera National Park is a rewarding activity that attracts bird lovers worldwide. This is a guided activity led by an experienced park birder who helps visitors identify bird species by listening to their sounds, calls and giving more insightful information about the bird species that you might encounter. Participants are encouraged to prepare a birding checklist, which helps them search for the specific bird species they are interested in seeing and also makes the safari more interesting and memorable as they tick the bird species that they have encountered. Visitors can see birds while on game drives, boat cruises and nature walks, all provide exceptional birding experiences in the park. It’s best done in the morning or evening hours when birds are more active, and visitors have higher chances of encountering various bird species in the park.

Bird Species in Akagera National Park.

Bird lovers will find the park a paradise for bird watching with over 480 bird species, which include water birds, savannah birds, migratory birds, woodland species and the park’s endemic species. Birds to see on your birding safari in the park include Red-faced Barbet, Osprey, White-faced Whistling-Duck, Fulvous Whistling-Duck, shoe bill stork, Knob-billed Duck, Secretarybird, Egyptian Goose, African Pygmy-Goose, Red-billed Duck, Garganey, Blue-billed Teal, Helmeted Guineafowl, Crested Francolin, Ring-necked Francolin, Shelley’s Francolin, Coqui Francolin, Hildebrandt’s Spurfowl, Blue Quail, Red-necked Spurfowl, Red-winged Francolin, Dusky Turtle-Dove, Speckled Pigeon, Tambourine Dove, Red-eyed Dove, African Green-Pigeon, Denham’s Bustard, Black-bellied Bustard, White-crested Turaco, Ross’s Turaco, Purple-crested Turaco, Eastern Plantain-eater, Bare-faced Go-away-bird, Blue-headed Coucal, White-browed Coucal, Black Coucal, Blue Malkoha, Great Spotted Cuckoo, Pied Cuckoo, Thick-billed Cuckoo, Dideric Cuckoo, African Cuckoo, Madagascar Cuckoo, Klaas’s Cuckoo, Dark Chanting-Goshawk, Booted Eagle, African Harrier-Hawk, Western Barn Owl, Verreaux’s Eagle-Owl, African Barred Owlet, Spotted Eagle-Owl, Marsh Owl, Speckled Mousebird, Narina Trogon, Common Hoopoe, Green Woodhoopoe,Red-headed Weaver, African Gray Hornbill, White-throated Bee-eater, European Bee-eater, Little Bee-eater, Cinnamon-chested Bee-eater, African Pygmy KingfisherSwamp Nightjar, Fiery-necked Nightjar, Pennant-winged Nightjar, Fiery-necked Nightjar, Freckled Nightjar, Common Swift, African Swift, Mottled Swift, Alpine Swift, Horus Swift, Red-chested Flufftail, African Crake, Lesser Moorhen, Corn Crake, Eurasian Moorhen,Striped Crake, Black Crake, Red-knobbed Coot, African Swamphen, African Finfoot, Gray Crowned-Crane, Water Thick-knee, Black-winged Stilt, Black-bellied Plover, Mourning Collared-Dove, Ring-necked Dove, Emerald-spotted Wood-Dove, Blue-spotted Wood-Dove, Laughing Dove among others.

Best Time for Bird Watching in the Park.

Birding in Akagera National Park can be done year-round, and the best time depends on an individual’s interests. The park experiences two seasons, the wet season and the dry season. The wet season runs from October to November and March to April. This is the most preferred season for birders; during this period, the park receives enough rainfall, plants and tree species bear enough fruits, which creates food abundance in the park. This is when migratory birds come to the park, running away from harsh weather conditions in Europe and in search of food and good weather conditions. Since the park has enough food, this prevents birds from moving deep into the park in search of food and spotting birds in this season is easy. Birders should be aware that during this season, the park is always muddy. However, visitors can do birding during the dry season, which runs from June to September and December to February. It is characterized by little to no rainfall, the park is less muddy and slippery, which makes searching for birds easy, and the vegetation cover is short and scattered.