Birding in Kidepo Valley National Park.
Birding Kidepo Valley National Park is one of the rewarding safari activities that bird enthusiasts and ornithologists can enjoy on their birding safari in the park. It is situated in the northeastern region of Uganda, covering an area of about 1,442 square kilometers. This is the second park with a high number of bird species after Queen Elizabeth National Park. Kidepo Valley National Park has savannah vegetation, acacia woodlands, swamps in Narus valley, and Rivers that provide habitats to various bird species.
It’s home to over 480 unique bird species, including 16 Sudan and Guinea savanna, 3 Somali-Masai biome species, 58 birds of prey, 21 Afro-tropical highland species, 4 Guinea Congo Forest Biome species, migratory birds, and the park’s endemic species. It is famous for hosting ostriches, and it’s the only place in Uganda where they roam freely. Birding in Kidepo National Park is best done during morning and evening hours when birds are most active. The park has the best birding spots with rich bird life, such as areas around the edges of Narus Valley and Namamukweny Valley. Apoka Rest Camp is also one of the best spots to begin your birding experience in Kidepo. Whether you are a seasoned birder or simply a beginner, Kidepo Valley National Park offers exceptional birding experiences.
Bird Species to see on Birding Safaris in Kidepo Valley National Park.
Kidepo Valley National Park is a paradise for birding, with over 480 bird species that call this beautiful park home. Bird lovers will indulge themselves in hundreds of these unique bird species that call this park home. This is a guided activity led by an experienced park birder who gives more insights about the bird species that visitors might encounter. Some of the bird species to encounter on a birding safari in Kidepo Valley National Park Include Common Ostrich, White-faced Whistling-Duck. Secretary Birds, Northern Camine bee-eaters, Abyssinian Scimitarbill, Purple Heron, Clapperton’s Francolin, Fulvous Whistling-Duck, Egyptian Goose, Garganey, African Pygmy-Goose, Knob-billed Duck, Spur-winged Goose,Helmeted Guineafowl, Western Crested Guineafowl, Stone Partridge, Crested Francolin, Ring-necked Francolin, Orange River Francolin, Blue Quail, Harlequin Quail, Common Quail, Clapperton’s Spurfowl, Red-necked Spurfowl, Yellow-necked Spurfowl, Speckled Pigeon, Mourning Collared-Dove, Lemon Dove, Dusky Turtle-Dove, Emerald-spotted Wood-Dove, Vinaceous Dove, Laughing Dove, Ring-necked Dove, Black-billed Wood-Dove, Namaqua Dove, Blue-spotted Wood-Dove, Bruce’s Green-Pigeon, Four-banded Sandgrouse, Denham’s Bustard, White-bellied Bustard, Hartlaub’s Bustard, Black-bellied Bustard, Buff-crested Bustard, Great Blue Turaco, White-bellied Go-away-bird, Bare-faced Go-away-bird, Ross’s Turaco, Eastern Plantain-eater, Black-throated Coucal, Senegal Coucal, Great Spotted Cuckoo, Red-chested Cuckoo, Pied Cuckoo,Levaillant’s Cuckoo, Standard-winged Nightjar, Fiery-necked Nightjar, Pennant-winged Nightjar, Long-tailed Nightjar, Freckled Nightjar, Swamp Nightjar, White-rumped Swift, Mottled Swift, Scarce Swift.
Other birds to see on your birding safari in Kidepo Valley National Park include Alpine Swift, Nyanza Swift, African Swift, Little Swift, Common Swift, Horus Swift, African Palm Swift, Buff-spotted Flufftail, White-spotted Flufftail, African Rail, Lesser Moorhen, Allen’s Gallinule, Black Crake, Eurasian Moorhen, African Crake, Lesser Moorhen, Gray Crowned-Crane, Black Crowned-Crane, Senegal Thick-knee, Water Thick-knee, Spotted Thick-knee, Pied Avocet, Black-winged Stilt, Black-winged Stilt, Black-headed Lapwing, Three-banded Plover, Long-toed Lapwing, Wattled Lapwing, Crowned Lapwing, Spur-winged Lapwing, Little Ringed Plover, Greater Painted-Snipe, Lesser Jacana, African Jacana, Marsh Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, African Snipe, Green Sandpiper, Curlew Sandpiper, Small Buttonquail, Black-rumped Buttonquail, Bronze-winged Courser, Temminck’s Courser, Gull-billed Tern, White-winged Tern,Little Grebe, African Openbill, African Woolly-necked Stork, Yellow-billed Stork, Saddle-billed Stork, Abdim’s Stork, Black Stork, Reed Cormorant, Rufous-breasted Sparrowhawk, Black Goshawk, Pallid Harrier, Grasshopper Buzzard, Common Buzzard, African Fish-Eagle, Western Barn Owl, Southern White-faced Owl, Northern White-faced Owl, Pearl-spotted Owlet, Pearl-spotted Owlet, Grayish Eagle-Owl, African Wood-Owl, Blue-naped Mousebird, Speckled Mousebird, Common Hoopoe, Abyssinian Ground-Hornbill, Crowned Hornbill, African Gray Hornbill, Jackson’s Hornbill, Northern Red-billed Hornbill, Olive Bee-eater, Common Reed Warbler, White-throated Bee-eater, among others.
Best Time to do birding in the Park.
Birding in Kidepo Valley National Park can be done throughout the year, and the best time depends on an individual’s preferences. The park receives two seasons: the wet season and the dry season. The dry season runs from June to September and December to February; during this period, the park receives little to no rainfall, and the tracks are dry, which makes it easy to penetrate the park. The vegetation cover is short, which allows visitors to clearly see various bird species. The wet season runs from March to May and from October to November. During this period, the park receives enough rainfall, and the tracks are muddy, making it challenging to penetrate them. However, this is the period when migratory birds come from Europe and North Africa, running away from the harsh weather conditions and in search of food. This is the best time to see hundreds of bird species in the park since there is enough food in the park.
