Birds Found in Akagera National Park.
Visitors planning their bird watching safaris always ask about the birds found in Akagera National Park, and this article will give you some of the bird species to encounter on your birding safari in the park. Akagera National Park is one of the premium birding destinations in Rwanda, with unique bird species that attract various birders across the globe. The park caters to all levels of birders, whether you are an experienced birder or simply a beginner, it offers the best bird watching experiences. Akagera National Park is the biggest park in Rwanda, covering an area of about 1,122 square kilometres. It is the nearest park situated in the northeastern region of the country, and it’s approximately a 2-3 hour drive from Kigali, the capital city of Rwanda, to the Park. The park has various ecosystems, including wetlands, savannah grasslands, woodlands and lakes that provide a habitat to various bird species. It hosts over 480 bird species that include water birds, savannah birds, woodland species and migratory bird species.
Birds Found in Akagera National Park.
Bird lovers will have an opportunity to explore the park’s diverse, unique bird species that can be spotted on nature walks, game drives, and boat cruises. Some of the bird species to encounter while in the park include shoe bill stork, Knob-billed Duck, Secretary bird, Red-faced Barbet, Egyptian Goose, Osprey, White-faced Whistling-Duck, Fulvous Whistling-Duck, 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, Mourning Collared-Dove, Ring-necked Dove, Emerald-spotted Wood-Dove, Blue-spotted Wood-Dove, Laughing Dove, 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, Common Ringed Plover, Senegal Lapwing, Brown-chested Lapwing, Spur-winged Lapwing, Greater Painted-Snipe, Lesser Jacana, African Jacana, Bar-tailed Godwit, Common Sandpiper, Common Snipe, African Snipe, Wood Sandpiper, Marsh SandpiperPied Cuckoo, 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.
Others include Thick-billed Cuckoo, Dideric Cuckoo, African Cuckoo, Madagascar Cuckoo, Klaas’s Cuckoo, Swamp Nightjar, Fiery-necked Nightjar, Pennant-winged Nightjar, Fiery-necked Nightjar, Freckled Nightjar, Green Sandpiper, Curlew Sandpiper, Common Greenshank, Ruff, Black-rumped Buttonquail, Small Buttonquail, Bronze-winged Courser, Temminck’s Courser, Collared Pratincole, Black-winged Pratincole, Malagasy Pond-Heron, Indian Pond-Heron, Goliath Heron, Purple Heron, Yellow-billed Egret, Hamerkop, Great White Pelican, Pink-backed Pelican, Bateleur, Hooded Vulture, Lappet-faced Vulture, European Honey-buzzard, Palm-nut Vulture, Western Banded Snake-Eagle, Bat Hawk, Martial Eagle, 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 Kingfisher, African Pygmy Kingfisher, Giant Kingfisher, Woodland Kingfisher, Malachite Kingfisher, Striped Kingfisher, Purple Roller, Broad-billed Roller, White-headed Barbet, Spot-flanked Barbet, Crested Barbet, Spot-flanked Barbet, Scaly-throated Honeyguide, African Gray Woodpecker, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Gray-hooded Gull, White-winged Tern, African Skimmer, Little Grebe, Saddle-billed Stork, African Darter, Great Cormorant, African Sacred Ibis, Glossy Ibis, Hadada Ibis, Little Bittern, Black-crowned Night Heron, Rufous-bellied Heron, Little Egret, Black Heron, Dwarf Bittern, Western Cattle-Egret, Malagasy Pond-Heron among others.
Best time to visit the Park.
The park is open year round, and the best time for birders to see birds found in Akagera National Park depends on their interests. The park receives two seasons: the wet season and the dry season. The wet season runs from October to November and March to May. During this season, the park receives enough rainfall, tree and plant species bear fruit, which provides sufficient food for birds in the park. This is the time of the year when migratory birds come to the park, running away from harsh weather conditions in Europe. It’s easy to see various bird species in the park in this period since they don’t move deep in search of food. Visitors can also visit Akagera during the dry season, which runs from June to September and December to February. This period receives little to no rainfall, the park is dry, making it easy to penetrate it and the vegetation cover is short and scattered.
