Uganda birding and wildlife safari with Epic Uganda Vacation
Summary: An amazing trip with lush green vegetation and somewhat dry savannah made us visit different sites such as Mabamba swamp, Ziwa rhino sanctuary, Murchison fall national park, kibale forest national park, Queen Elizabeth national park, Bwindi impenetrable national park, Mgahinga gorilla national park, lake bunyonyi, lake Mburo national park. During our travels, we also compiled a useful Uganda bird checklist for enthusiasts interested in the region’s avian diversity.
Tips on this tour. We did not details everything here on each bird however we believe everyone will enjoy checking through on our list. I am pretty sure Birds can be seen everywhere in Uganda except for certain species such as albertine endemics and others like shoebill. Be sure to have fun on your birding excursion with us. While on this tour many animal were seen such as elephants, leopards, lions, buffaloes, Rhinos, hippos, Uganda Kobs, Hyenas, Giraffes, Tops and elands among others
TOPIC: Birds, Gorillas, shoebill, general wildlife and much more…..
With Guides: Niwamanya Moses, Stephen Ingraham and Gordon Tumukwasibwe, Liza, Tanya, Stanley wallen and Doug
Location;
Day 1: Entebbe Airport
Day 2: Mabamba and Entebbe botanical gardens
Day 3: Ziwa Rhino sanctuary
Day 4: Royal mile budongo
Day 5: Murchison falls national park
Day 6: Kibale national park forest edges
Day 7: bigodi swamp I kibale national park
Day 8: Travel to QENP I Equator crossing I boat cruise
Day 9: Excursion and Ishasha
Day 10: travel to Bwindi NP
Day 11: Bwindi gorilla trekking
Day 12: Mgahinga gorilla national park
Day 13: Bunyonyi-Mburo Np
Day 14: Mburo Np-EBB
Uganda Bird Checklist
Discover Uganda’s rich birdlife during your safari, featuring diverse species across wetlands, forests, and savannahs. Below is a categorized checklist of birds spotted during the tour.
Water Birds & Wetland Species
Grebes (Podicipedidae)
- Little Grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis)
Pelicans (Pelecanidae)
- Pink-backed Pelican (Pelecanus rufescens)
Cormorants (Phalacrocoracidae)
- Great Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo)
- Long-tailed Cormorant (Phalacrocorax africanus)
Herons, Egrets & Bitterns (Ardeidae)
- Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea)
- Black-headed Heron (Ardea melanocephala)
- Goliath Heron (Ardea goliath)
- Purple Heron (Ardea purpurea)
- Great Egret (Ardea alba)
- Black Heron (Egretta ardesiaca)
- Intermediate Egret (Egretta intermedia)
- Little Egret (Egretta garzetta)
- Squacco Heron (Ardeola ralloides)
- Madagascar Pond Heron (Ardeola idae)
- Rufous-bellied Heron (Ardeola rufiventris)
- Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis)
- Striated Heron (Butorides striata)
- Black-crowned Night Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax)
Hamerkop (Scopidae)
- Hamerkop (Scopus umbretta)
Storks (Ciconiidae)
- African Open-billed Stork
- Yellow-billed Stork (Mycteria ibis)
- Black Stork (Ciconia nigra)
- Saddle-billed Stork (Ephippiorhynchus senegalensis)
Shoebill (Balaenicipitidae)
- Shoebill (Balaeniceps rex)
Ibises & Spoonbills (Threskiornithidae)
- Sacred Ibis (Threskiornis aethiopicus)
- Hadada Ibis (Bostrychia hagedash)
- Glossy Ibis (Plegadis falcinellus)
Waterfowl (Anatidae)
- White-faced Whistling Duck (Dendrocygna viduata)
- Egyptian Goose (Alopochen aegyptiaca)
- African Black Duck (Anas sparsa)
Birds of Prey (Accipitridae & Falconidae)
- African Fish Eagle (Haliaeetus vocifer)
- Black Kite (Milvus migrans)
- Palm-nut Vulture (Gypohierax angolensis)
- Hooded Vulture (Necrosyrtes monachus)
- Egyptian Vulture (Neophron percnopterus)
- White-backed Vulture (Gyps africanus)
- Lappet-faced Vulture (Torgos tracheliotos)
- White-headed Vulture (Trigonoceps occipitalis)
- Bateleur (Terathopius ecaudatus)
- Martial Eagle (Polemaetus bellicosus)
- Tawny Eagle (Aquila rapax)
- African Hawk-Eagle (Aquila spilogaster)
- Long-crested Eagle (Lophaetus occipitalis)
- Grey Kestrel (Falco ardosiaceus)
- Lanner Falcon (Falco biarmicus)
Ground Birds & Game Birds
Francolins & Cranes
- Crested Francolin (Francolinus streptophorus)
- Ring-necked Francolin (Francolinus afer)
- Scaly Francolin (Francolinus squamatus)
- Grey Crowned Crane (Balearica regulorum)
Bustards
- Kori Bustard (Ardeotis kori)
- Black-bellied Bustard (Lissotis melanogaster)
Shorebirds & Waders
Jacanas
- African Jacana (Actophilornis africanus)
Plovers & Lapwings (Charadriidae)
- Spur-winged Lapwing (Vanellus spinosus)
- Long-toed Lapwing (Vanellus crassirostris)
Sandpipers (Scolopacidae)
- Common Sandpiper (Actitis hypoleucos)
- Common Greenshank (Tringa nebularia)
Pigeons & Doves (Columbidae)
- Rock Pigeon (Columba livia)
- Speckled Pigeon (Columba guinea)
- African Green Pigeon (Treron calvus)
- Red-eyed Dove (Streptopelia semitorquata)
- Laughing Dove (Streptopelia senegalensis)
- Namaqua Dove (Oena capensis)
Parrots (Psittacidae)
- Grey Parrot (Psittacus erithacus)
- Brown-necked Parrot (Poicephalus robustus)
- Red-headed Lovebird (Agapornis pullarius)
Turacos & Plantain-eaters (Musophagidae)
- Great Blue Turaco (Corythaeola cristata)
- Ross’s Turaco (Musophaga rossae)
- Eastern Grey Plantain-eater (Crinifer zonurus)
Kingfishers (Alcedinidae)
- Malachite Kingfisher (Alcedo cristata)
- Pied Kingfisher (Ceryle rudis)
- Giant Kingfisher (Megaceryle maxima)
- Woodland Kingfisher (Halcyon senegalensis)
Bee-eaters (Meropidae)
- Little Bee-eater (Merops pusillus)
- White-throated Bee-eater (Merops albicollis)
- Northern Carmine Bee-eater (Merops nubicus)
Hornbills (Bucerotidae)
- African Grey Hornbill (Lophoceros nasutus)
- Crowned Hornbill (Lophoceros alboterminatus)
- Abyssinian Ground Hornbill (Bucorvus abyssinicus)
Sunbirds (Nectariniidae)
- Scarlet-chested Sunbird (Chalcomitra senegalensis)
- Variable Sunbird (Cinnyris venustus)
- Regal Sunbird (Cinnyris regius)
Weavers & Finches
Weavers (Ploceidae)
- Village Weaver (Ploceus cucullatus)
- Spectacled Weaver (Ploceus ocularis)
- Black-headed Weaver (Ploceus melanocephalus)
Waxbills & Mannikins (Estrildidae)
- Common Waxbill (Estrilda astrild)
- Red-billed Firefinch (Lagonosticta senegala)
- Bronze Mannikin (Spermestes cucullata)
