Birdwatching in Queen Elizabeth National Park
Queen Elizabeth National Park is located in southwestern Uganda and is the most popular park in the country due to its various attractions and activities. Birdwatching in Queen Elizabeth National Park is a must-do experience here, influenced by the park’s diverse vegetation and unique features like salt and freshwater lakes, such as Lake Katwe. The park is home to over 600 bird species, making it the best birding spot in East Africa, classified as an Important Birding Area by Birding International. It includes Central African and migratory species. An observatory area was established in 1997 to study these birds. The park offers exceptional birding experiences and is essential for any African safari. Lists of bird species found in the park are provided for serious birders.
Kasenyi Plains-Birdwatching in Queen Elizabeth National Park
The Kasenyi plains are a top wildlife destination for anyone on an African safari due to their status as a prime habitat for the Big African Five, making them ideal for big game viewing. This area is also a great spot for birdwatching because of the many bird species found there. The landscape mainly consists of savannah grasslands with scattered trees. Birdwatchers should look for various species, including the hooded vulture, palm-nut vulture, brown snake eagle, and many others like the African crake and black-headed gonolek, all of which should be included on their birding checklist.
Marabigambo Forest
The Marabigambo Forest, located in the Kicwamba escarpment of the western rift valley, is home to over 60 bird species. It is part of Queen Elizabeth National Park and offers birding experiences through trekking. Birders can explore nearby lakes like Kamunzuku and Nyamusingire, which attract various bird species and primates like chimpanzees. Some of the birds frequently seen in Marabigambo Forest include the Marsh Tchagra, Black Bee-Eater, and African Paradise flycatcher, among others.
Mweya Penisula
The Mweya Peninsula, located in Queen Elizabeth National Park between the Kazinga Channel and Lake Edward, is a well-known birding spot that attracts many tourists. It is home to various bird species, including Black-headed Gonolek, Red-chested Sunbird, Pin-tailed Whydah, Blue-napped Mouse Bird, Lesser Masked Weaver, Swamp Flycatcher, Pygmy Kingfisher, African Morning Dove, and several types of nightjars, weavers, and sunbirds, among others.
Ishasha Sector- Birdwatching in Queen Elizabeth National Park
The Ishasha sector, located on the southwestern rim of Queen Elizabeth National Park in Uganda, is a popular birding destination known for its rare tree-climbing lions. The sector also houses various bird species such as Palm-nut Vulture, Hooded Vulture, Grey Kestrel, Helmeted Guineafowl, Long-crested Eagle, Black-bellied Bustard, Ross’s Turaco, Broad-Billed Roller, Double-toothed Barbet, Striped Kingfisher, Greater honeyguide, Brown snake Eagle, Grey-backed Fiscal, Green Crombec, and Lappet-faced Eagle cisticolas.
Birding in Katwe Area
The Katwe Area is home to numerous bird species, including Croaking Cisticola, Lesser and Greater Flamingos, Avocet, Montagu’s Harrier, Little Stint, Common Greenshank, Southern Red Bishop, African Moustached Warbler, Broad-tailed Warbler, Pallid Harrier, Curlew Sandpiper, Gull-billed Tern, Eurasian Marsh Harrier, all found in their habitats, including small lakes like Lake Munyanyange.
Lake Kikorongo- Birdwatching in Queen Elizabeth National Park
This lake is commonly known for its water birds, also called Waders. This water body is an extension of Lake George which connects to Lake Edward through the Kazinga channel. Notable bird species include Yellow Wagtail, White-winged Warblers, Papyrus Gonolek, African Jacana, Lesser and Greater Swamp Warbler, Common Squacco Heron, Carruther’s Cisticola, Saddle-billed Stork, African Jacana, Sacred Ibis, and Shoebill, among others.
Katunguru Bridge Area
This is one of the top sites for birding in Queen Elizabeth National Park with several bird species, attracted by the swamp vegetation and fish species along the Kazinga channel. This Katunguru Bridge Area is located at the point where you cross the Kazinga channel from Kyambura-Rubirizi district to Kasese and vise versa. The bridge is surrounded by a swamp vegetation, a habitat that attract birds such as Papyrus Gonolek, Great Swamp warblers, Pink-backed Pelican, Malachite Kingfisher, Carruther’s Cisticola, Pied Kingfisher.
