Birding in Budongo Forest
Birding in Budongo forest, it’s one of the top unique sectors primarily famous for birdwatching tours with over 360 bird species, 24 mammals, 9 primates, 450 tree species, 130 moth species, and 260 butterfly species among others. The forest is part of Murchison Falls National Park, which serves as Uganda’s stronghold with vast areas of both tropical rainforests and savanna grasslands. Besides birding, the park offers several other adventure activities such as game viewing, hiking, chimpanzee trekking, boat cruises, sport fishing, and many others.
Budongo Forest spans about 82 sq.km, is located in the southern part of Murchison Falls National Park, and is divided into several sections including Kaniyo Pabidi, Royal Mile, and Busingiro as the top birding sectors. The Budongo forest is home for birdwatching with a diverse range of bird species including species of the Guinea Congo Biome endemics and bird species that are restricted to Budongo Forest such as the Pulvel’s Illadopsis which can not be found anywhere else in East Africa.
The Royal Mile is the leading and one of the top and most popular birding trails and Kaniyo Pabidi is a famous spot for chimpanzee trekking, and birding alongside nature walks. Some of the unique birds in Budongo forest to see include the Pluvel’s Illadopsisi, White-thighed Hornbill, Yellow-footed Flycatcher, Nahan’s Francolin, and the striking Chocolate-backed Kingfisher, among others.
What is the best time to visit Budongo forest for birding
Generally, the park receives two dry season spells and this is the best time for travelers who are planning for chimpanzee trekking activities that occur from June to September and December to February. Although the roads and trekking trails may at times become impassable with mud during the rainy season in the other months of the year but still passionate nature lovers and birdwatchers can travel during this wet season. However, intermittent rains can sometimes still rain during the dry season, hence, no guarantee that the dry seasons are very dry throughout as they seem to sound.
Additionally, the ideal time for birding in Budongo Forest is during the dry season, commonly known as the fruiting season which runs from June to September, and also during November to April when migratory birds are present. These migratory birds move as a result of changes in weather, food sources, and breeding opportunities.
Below are some of the bird species to see in Budongo Forest
These bird species include the Brown-eared Wood Pecker, White-breasted Babbler, Tambourine Dove, Black lured Babbler, Levaillant’s Cuckoo, puvels-Iiiadopsis Brown babbler, Ethiopian Swallow, Nubian woodpecker, Sabine’s Spinetail, Arrow marked, White-throated Bee-eater, Nightingale, Lesser striped swallow, Lemon-bellied Crombec, Sooty chat, Rollers, Harriers, Vultures, Eagles, Yellow-throated Greenbul, White-fronted Black Chat, Rufous chested Swallow, Isabelline wheatear, Rufous-crowned Eremomela, Olive-green Camarroptera, Slender-billed Greenbul and others.
Other activities
Chimpanzee tracking
Budongo Forest is a haven for over 700 habituated chimpanzees that can be tracked by visitors during chimpanzee trekking safaris in Murchison Falls National Park. Travelers visiting the park, especially in Budongo Forest for Chimpanzee trekking should follow the rules and regulations, as it is in other primate destinations with gorillas and chimpanzees such as Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Kibale National Park, and many others.
Guided nature walks
Budongo Forest is one of the famous locations suitable for guided nature walks due to its tropical woodlands and unique trekking trails within the jungle that offer excellent birdwatching and wildlife experiences especially the skulking birds such as Nightjars, flycatchers, greenbuls, and several other species like primates such as blue monkeys, black and white Colobus monkeys, bush babies, olive baboons, vervet monkeys, and others.
Hiking
Visitors can still go hiking at the top of the falls to witness the park’s top highlight and source of happiness. Here, visitors always witness how a mass of water squeezes itself into a narrow 7-meter-wide gorge and plunges 43 meters down the bottom, forming a roaring sound and a misty cloud cover. This spectacular view of the world’s powerful waterfalls is a once-in-a-lifetime experience that always calls for visitors to take memorable photos and videos.
How to Get to the Park- Birding in Budongo Forest
Since Budongo Forest is located in the southern sector of Murchison Falls National Park. Visitors can access Budongo Forest either using road transport or air transport. By road, the journey takes about 4 to 5 hours from Kampala using Kampala Gulu Highway through Masindi town.
Alternatively, visitors can also book an internal flight through Entebbe or Kajjansi to Pakuba or Bugungu airfields in Murchison Falls National Park if traveling by air. It takes about an hour’s Journey to reach the park premises and our driver guide will pick you up at the airfield and connect you to your booked hotel near Budongo Forest.
Where to stay in Budongo
There is a provision of several accommodation facilities for visitors who would love to spend a night or even more, especially for other park activities such as game drives, boat rides, nature walks, and others. These include Masindi Hotel, Budongo Eco Lodge, New Court View Hotel, Mama Washindi Lodge, and others. Don’t hesitate to contact Caracal Explorers to make the right choice of selection that suits your package.
