Birds to see in Murchison Falls National Park.
Bird lovers visiting the park often ask about the birds to see in Murchison Falls National Park, and this article will list some of the birds to encounter on your bird watching safaris. It’s a prime bird watching destination in Uganda, situated in the northwestern part of the country. The park is not only known for its rich birdlife but also for its most powerful waterfalls in the world ‘’ Mighty Murchison Falls’’, which force its way through a 7m narrow gorge, plunging 43m into a Devil’s Cauldron with a thunderous roar and a misty spray. This is a centrepiece of the park with its breathtaking views attracting thousands of visitors across the globe.
Murchison Falls National Park is blessed with rich ecosystems such as wetlands, woodlands, savannah grasslands, and riverine tropical forests, which provide a habitat for various bird species. It is home to over 455 bird species, including savannah birds, forest birds Guinea-Congo biome endemics, water birds, and migratory bird species. It has various bird watching destinations with unique avian life such as the Royal Mile, Budongo Forest, Kaniyo Pabidi, all offer equal chances of encountering unique bird species.
Birds to see in Murchison Falls National Park.
- Abyssinian Ground Hornbill (Bucorvus abyssinicus)
- Black-and-white Casqued Hornbill (Bycanistes subcylindricus)
- White-thighed Hornbill (Bycanistes albotibialis)
- Piping Hornbill (Bycanistes fistulator)
- Yellow-casqued Hornbill (Tockus flavirostris)
- Red-billed Hornbill (Tockus erythrorhynchus)
- White-faced Whistling-Duck (Dendrocygna viduata)
- Fulvous Whistling-Duck (Dendrocygna bicolor)
- Knob-billed Duck (Sarkidiornis melanotos)
- Egyptian Goose (Alopochen aegyptiaca)
- Spur-winged Goose (Plectropterus gambensis)
- Yellow-billed Duck (Anas undulata)
- Helmeted Guineafowl (Numida meleagris)
- Western Crested Guineafowl (Guttera verreauxi)
- Greater Flamingo (Phoenicopterus roseus)
- Rock Pratincole (Glareola nuchalis)
- Rock Pigeon (Columba livia)
- Afep Pigeon (Columba unicincta)
- Black-bellied Bustard (Lissotis melanogaster)
- Kori Bustard (Ardeotis kori)
- Red-necked Spurfowl (Pternistis afer)
- Heuglin’s Spurfowl (Pternistis icterorhynchus)
- Crested Francolin (Ortygornis sephaena)
- Yellow-necked Spurfowl (Pternistis leucoscepus)
- Scaly Spurfowl (Pternistis squamatus)
- Mourning Collared-Dove (Streptopelia decipiens)
- Red-eyed Dove (Streptopelia semitorquata)
- Ring-necked Dove (Streptopelia capicola)
- Vinaceous Dove (Streptopelia vinacea)
- Laughing Dove (Spilopelia senegalensis)
- Tambourine Dove (Turtur tympanistria)
- Blue-spotted Wood-Dove (Turtur afer)
- Black-billed Wood-Dove (Turtur abyssinicus)
- White-cheeked Hornbill (Tockus leucomelas)
- Black-casqued Hornbill (Ceratogymna atrata)
- Brown-cheeked Hornbill (Tockus multistratus)
- Pale-billed Hornbill (Tockus pallidirostris)
- White-cheeked Hornbill (Tockus leucomelas)
- Black-casqued Hornbill (Ceratogymna atrata)
- Brown-cheeked Hornbill (Tockus multistratus)
- Pale-billed Hornbill (Tockus pallidirostris)
- Yellow-casqued Hornbill (Tockus flavirostris)
- Red-billed Hornbill (Tockus erythrorhynchus)
- Giant Kingfisher (Megaceryle maxima)
- Malachite Kingfisher (Corythornis cristatus)
- Pied Kingfisher (Ceryle rudis)
- Woodland Kingfisher (Halcyon senegalensis)
- Grey-headed Kingfisher (Halcyon leucocephala)
- Chocolate-backed Kingfisher (Halcyon badia)
- Blue-breasted Kingfisher (Halcyon malimbica)
- Striped Kingfisher (Halcyon chelicuti)
- Brown-hooded Kingfisher (Halcyon albiventris)
- Black-capped Kingfisher (Halcyon pileata)
- Northern Carmine Bee-eater (Merops nubicus)
- Red-throated Bee-eater (Merops bulocki)
- Swallow-tailed Bee-eater (Merops hirundineus)
- White-fronted Bee-eater (Merops bullockoides)
- Little Bee-eater (Merops pusillus)
- Blue-cheeked Bee-eater (Merops persicus)
- European Bee-eater (Merops apiaster)
- Red-fronted Bee-eater (Merops rubriceps)
- Black Bee-eater (Merops gularis)
- Green Bee-eater (Merops orientalis)
- African Scops Owl (Otus senegalensis)
- Pearl-spotted Owlet (Glaucidium perlatum)
- White-faced Scops Owl (Otus leucotis)
- Verreaux’s Eagle-Owl (Bubo lacteus)
- Spotted Eagle-Owl (Bubo africanus)
- Mottled Owl (Strix ocellata)
- Barn Owl (Tyto alba)
- Giant Eagle-Owl (Bubo lacteus)
- African Wood Owl (Strix woodfordii)
- Brown Fish Owl (Ketupa zeylonensis)
- White-backed Vulture (Gyps africanus)
- Egyptian Vulture (Neophron percnopterus)
- Cape Vulture (Gyps coprotheres)
- Griffon Vulture (Gyps fulvus)
- Denham’s Bustard (Neotis denhami)
- White-bellied Bustard (Eupodotis senegalensis)
- Black Francolin (Francolinus francolinus)
- Standard-winged Nightjar (Caprimulgus longipennis)
- Pennant-winged Nightjar (Macrodipteryx vexillarius)
- Long-tailed Nightjar (Caprimulgus climacurus)
- Freckled Nightjar (Caprimulgus tristigma)
- European Bee-eater (Merops apiaster)
- Willow Warbler (Phylloscopus trochilus)
- Common Redstart (Phoenicurus phoenicurus)
- Pied Flycatcher (Ficedula hypoleuca)
- Eurasian Reed Warbler (Acrocephalus scirpaceus)
- Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica)
- Common Cuckoo (Cuculus canorus)
- Lesser Whitethroat (Curruca curruca)
- Spotted Flycatcher (Muscicapa striata)
- Wood Warbler (Phylloscopus sibilatrix)
- Red-throated Bee-eater (Merops bulocki)
- European Pied Flycatcher (Ficedula hypoleuca) – some overlap
- White Stork (Ciconia
- African Skimmer (Rynchops flavirostris) – partial migration
- African Hobby (Falco cuvierii)
- Yellow Wagtail (Motacilla flava)
- Common Swift (Apus apus)
- Amur Falcon (Falco amurensis) – rare visitor
- Rüppell’s Griffon Vulture (Gyps rueppelli)
- Lappet-faced Vulture (Torgos tracheliotos)
- Hooded Vulture (Necrosyrtes monachus)
- Palm-nut Vulture (Gypohierax angolensis)
- White-headed Vulture (Trigonoceps occipitalis)
- Bearded Vulture (Gypaetus barbatus)
