Are you
a birder? Are you planning your safari but you do not know which unique birds
to sight in Uganda? Besides the renowned mountain gorilla and the big game,
Uganda is exceptionally a bird watchers paradise! Over 1100 distinct avian
species are all confined within different habitats in Uganda offering higher
opportunity for tourists to realize their dreams while on their avian safaris. This
means that about half of the bird species in Africa thrive in Uganda and represents
about 11% of the world’s avian species.
Below
is a list of elusive bird species that you shouldn’t miss to explore while on
your safari in Uganda.
The shoebill stork
Endemic
to Africa is the elusive shoebill stork. Tourists across the world gather in Uganda primarily
to catch up with this giant specie. At first, it was not conserved and its eggs
were from time and again stolen from the nests till the Uganda Bird Guide Club
efforts succeeded in making it illegal to catch these species and steal their
eggs. The shoebill stork is also known as “King whale head” due to its huge
head size. It derived its name from its shoe-like bill that grows up to 24 centimeters in
length and 20 centimeters width. Although they can weigh up to six kilograms, the
shoebills can still stand on floating vegetation while hunting for fish. Uganda
features most of hotspots for these elusive species which is why it is the best
birding destinations for tourists on who are interested in bird watching
safaris in Uganda. The famous sites include Murchison Falls National Park along
the banks of the River Nile especially in the delta sector; Mabamba swamp just
as you get out of Kampala and tourists with tight schedule can spend at least
seven hours on birding excursion in this swamp with higher chances of spotting
the shoebill stork. Other sites include the Southern end of Lake Edward meaning
as you are on wildlife safari to Queen Elizabeth National Park don’t miss to
catch a glimpse of these giant specie, Rugogo swamp at Ziwa Sanctuary, Lake
Mburo National Park and Semuliki Valley National Park and near Lake Albert.
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| ELUSIVE SHOE BILL STORK |
The Ostrich
Features
as the biggest and heaviest living bird in the world. It is popular as camel
bird due to its long neck, prominent eyes and sweeping eyelashes and jolting
walk. It is 2.5 meters tall and weighs about 145 kilograms and mostly dwells
within the stunning savanna, desert and open woodlands of Central and Southern
Africa. In Uganda, mostly found in Kidepo Valley National Park and Pian Upe
Game Reserve in the extreme Northeastern part of the country. They feature
long, muscular legs built for taking off. Compared to other birds that possess
3 or 4 toes, Ostriches only feature 2 toes on every foot that gives it higher
chances of taking off at higher speed. They can run as fast as 70 kilometers
per hours and hold a steady speed of 50 kilometers per hour. At the time of
danger, the Ostrich can over take any wildlife species posing a threat. They
use their legs to kick; with talon on every foot their downward kicks can cause
serious harm to potential predators. They feed on roots, leaves and seeds as
well as anything that comes their way. They usually graze among giraffes, gnus,
antelopes and zebras. They live in groups of ten with a dominant male and
female. The male protects the rest in the territory. The males have loud and
deep warning calls and if you are not careful, you may think that it’s a lion
roaring from far. From March to September it is ostrich breeding season and
dominant male performs a ritualized courtship dance by shaking his wings and
tail feathers to please the female.
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| THE OSTRICH |
The green breasted pitta
Features
as the rarest bird specie and relatively sighted in the Central African
countries. Mainly lives well camouflaged in the lowland tropical rainforests
and taking a photo of one of them is such amazing experience. The green
breasted pittas feature among the only pitta species in the entire Africa and
in Uganda mainly found in Kibale Forest National Park.
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| GREEN BREASTED PITTA |
The African green broadbill
This is
only sighted in two sites in the entire world, the Itombwe Mountains in the
Democratic Republic of Congo and Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park in
Southwestern Uganda. Due to habitat loss, these birds are at high risk of
extinction. They were first discovered in 1908 but disappeared in the following
two years. It is a small plump bird that features bright grass green plumage
and a pale blue tinge to the throat, breast, base of the short tail and the
feathers covering the ears. The forehead is buff, finely streaked with black
and narrow black stripe runs through the eyes. Also known as Grauer’s
broadbill, scientifically called Pseudocalyptomena graueri is a real broadbill
of Asian family. It features among the big five most sought after birds in the
world.
The Great Blue Turaco
This together
with the white crested Turaco feature among the largest most magnificent bird
in Uganda. They are mostly hunted for their meat and feathers as the most
sought after commodities. Scientifically known as Corythaeola cristata, the
Great Blue Turaco is elusive specie to be explored while on birding safaris and
tours in Uganda. They have a turquoise blue head with a bluish black crest at
the fore crown and the crown. The bright appearing yellow bill with red tip is
visibly big and curved as sighted on a tour in Uganda. The reddish brown eyes
are surrounded by plain dark turquoise blue eye rings. The throat, cheeks and
the chin of the great blue Turaco have gray coloring while the turquoise blue
color mark the Turaco’s upper part which include the tail and the wings. Being
the largest species in Musophagidae family, they range from 70 to 76 centimeters in
length and weigh 0.8 to 1.2 kilograms and the males are a bit smaller as sighted
on birding safaris in Uganda. They range within canopies, secondary growth
trees, forests and the forest patches in the montane, humid and the savanna
areas.
Shelley’s crimson wing
Features
as the world’s most unique birds, mostly thrive around the mountains and
volcanoes popular as the Albertine rift at the borders of Uganda, Rwanda and
the Democratic Republic of Congo. They featured on record in 1902 and it is
13 centimeters long with a bright red crown, face and back, with contrasting black wings
and tail together with olive yellow under parts with warmer tones on the flanks
and belly. Females and males have bright red bills.
Black breasted barbet
The
giant black breasted barbet has been sighted by few people and it has become
the most sought after bird for birders. The unfortunate bit of it is that they
mostly thrive around places of conflict and so it is challenging for visitors
to reach them but for Uganda, it can be sighted safely. These bird species
belong to Ramphastidae family and scientifically called Lybius rolleti.
Bar tailed trogon
Bar
tailed trogon (Apaloderma vittatum) is a medium sized bird that is found in
higher altitude forests and sighted throughout Central and South Africa though
rarely sighted. In Uganda, it can be sighted around Bwindi Impenetrable Forest
especially in Buhoma sector. This bird is 28 centimeters high and adult bird has dark
green and red plumage with a blue band across the breast.
Standard winged nightjar
Features
among the impressive bird species of the Caprimulgid family and has central
flight feathers which appear during breeding season on the males. They become
raised during display. This bird specie stands at 38 centimeters in length. It breeds in
dry savanna habitat of Central Africa.
Short tailed warbler
These
bird species are mainly sighted in Uganda’s forest undergrowth as well as the
jungles of Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda.
Doherty’s Bush shrike
The
Doherty’s Bush shrike (Telophorus Doherty) is mostly sighted around the
subtropical montane forests and moist shrub lands of Central Africa. They
feature among the common bird in Uganda and they have stable number in most of
the areas where they are inhabited. They are relatively small billed bush
shrike. Male of crimson morph has forehead and fore crown, lower cheek, chin
and throat bright crimson rump. It is very secretive and keeps to the small
bushes of about 2300 above sea level.
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