Birding in Uganda
One of the best places for birding in Africa!
The bird life in Uganda is, arguably, one of the best in all of Africa.
Uganda is home to approximately 1100 bird species that constitutes 50% of the Africa’s bird species and 11% of the world’s bird species count. A significant percentage of the bird species are endemic. Western Uganda, in Murchisons Falls in particular, is excellent as you can often identify 400 species of bird!
The most sought-after bird to see in Uganda is the shoebill stork. The shoebill is a large, pre-historic-looking bird that can weigh up to 6 kilograms and with an enormous head size, it is also referred to as the “King Whale-head”.
The shoebill can be seen in several destinations in Uganda including Murchison’s Falls National Park, but the most reliable being the Mabamba Swamp, located relatively close to the city of Kampala. On route from Kampala to Mabamba Swamps, you can look out for papyrus specialities such as the Papyrus Gonolek, White Winged Warbler, Northern Brown Throated Weaver, Golden-Backed and the Orange Weaver to name a few.
Most of the birding in the Mabamba Swamps is done by canoe and cruising through the swamps and waterways is a great way to look for the rare Shoebill Stork. The guides are exceptionally knowledgeable in the flora, fauna and bird life, and we keep an eye out for other specialist birds in the Mabamba Swamps, including the African Rail, Allen’s and Purple Gallinule, Squacco Heron, Purple and Grey Herons, and a variety of Egrets. To find out more about the Mabamba Swamps, please click here.
