Birds of Kibale National Park
Birds of Kibale National Park: Even though Kibale National Park is well-known for its Chimpanzee trekking, birdwatchers on Uganda birding tours will find it to be an amazing place to go birdwatching. It is situated in western Uganda and is home to primate wonders, particularly chimpanzees and numerous bird species. As per the park checklist, this park has over 375 bird species and is a well-known refuge for the highly sought-after Green-breasted Pitta. A few bird species, including the Collared Apalis, Dusky Crimsonwing, Red-faced Woodland Warbler, Purple-breasted Sunbirds, and Black-capped Apalis, are unique to the Albertine Rift. Still, four of Kibale Forest National Park’s indigenous bird species—the Masked Apalis, Cassin’s Spinetail, Blue-headed Bee-eater, and Nahan’s Francolin—have never been registered in another park.
A true paradise for birdwatchers, Kibale National Park offers abundant birdwatching locations such as Sebitoli, the Kanyachu Chimpanzee Trail, and the Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary. These areas also offer community-based project activities like farm visits, village walks, coffee brewing, processing, craft making, and traditional cultural encounters and ceremonies in addition to birdwatching opportunities.
Birds of Kibale National Park
Many forest and other bird species find refuge in Kibale Forest, such as the stunning Narina Trogon, Afep Pigeon, Yellow-breasted Apalis, Yellow-mantled Weaver, Blue-headed Sunbird, Double-toothed Barbet, Black-billed Barbet, Yellow-Billed Barbet, Papyrus Canary, Blue-breasted Kingfisher, Red-faced Woodland Warbler, Yellow-spotted, Yellow-billed, and Hairly-breasted Barbets, Abyssinian Ground Thrush, Blue-shouldered Robin-chat, Ruwenzori Apalis, Crowned Eagle, Scaly-breasted Illadopsis, Purple-breasted Sunbird, Blue-throated Roller, and the Toro-olive Greenbul.
The enchanting Great-blue Turaco, Black Bee-eater, African-shrike Flycatcher, Papyrus Gonolek, Grey Apalis, Yellow-rumped Tinkerbird, Red-chested Owlet, White-naped Pigeon, Brown-chested Alethe, Dusky Long-tailed Cuckoo, Red-headed Malimbe, Black-eared Ground Thrush, Western Nicator, Grey Parrot, Blue-headed Bee-eater, Brown Illadopsis, and numerous other bird species are among the others.
Other activities
Chimpanzee Tracking and Habituation
Besides the birds of Kibale National Park, the greatest population of resident primates in Uganda, chimpanzees, is found in Kibale Forest, home to an estimated 1450 species. The top activities in the forest include tracking and habituated chimpanzees. At Kanyanchu River Camp, rangers with the necessary expertise can track habituated groups of chimpanzees. A guided nature walk in the forest at night will allow you to witness a variety of important primates, including the rare L’Hoest’s Monkey to the Albertine Rift region, Mangabey, Black and White Colobus Monkeys, and Red Colobus Monkeys.
Nature Walks
Guided nature walks in Kibale Forest National Park offer a fantastic chance to get up close and personal with the natural world while interacting with a variety of bird species and monkeys. The park activities are led by rangers and trackers who are knowledgeable about the history of the forest. Nature hikes take two to three hours, and the national park trips include views of multiple monkey species. In the morning and afternoon, the park excursions provide wildlife treks. Nighttime strolls, cross-cultural interactions, neighbourhood events, and numerous more are examples.
How to access the Park
If you would like to explore Kibale National Park, it is advised that you go from Kampala via Fort Portal via ground transportation. Because of the well-paved roads, the tour vehicle would take you via Kamwenge Road to the Kanyanchu Visitors Centre and Sebitoli to Kibale. Aerolink is another option for flying from Entebbe to Kasese. Our tour guide can then take you by car to Kanyachu in Kibale National Park.
Best time to go birding in Kibale Forest National Park
Although it is good to visit Kibale National Park all year round, the dry months of June through August and December through February are the ideal times to go on Ugandan birdwatching excursions in Kibale Forest. During these months, Kibale Park receives minimal rainfall due to its rainforest environment. For this reason, there is little possibility of rain interfering with the exercise and the routes are generally drier.
However, Kibale Forest receives a lot of rainfall; March, May, and September through November are wet seasons, and that’s when Kibale’s birdlife is at its peak. This is due to the fact that during this season there is enough food and a large number of birds in breeding plumage from June to September, when fruiting occurs. From November to April, migratory birds can be seen; however, they are not a significant presence in the forests.
Accommodation in Kibale Forest
Kibale National Park is a highly recommended destination that offers an array of exceptional lodging options, catering to different budgets and tastes. Notable accommodations include Turaco Tree Tops, Chimpundu Lodge, Primate Safari Kibale, Crater Safari Lodge, Isunga Lodge, Ndali Lodge, Kyaninga Lodge, and Papaya Lake Lodge.
Besides Birdwatching, the primate population of the world calls Kibale National Park home, and seeing primates is one of the park’s popular adventure activities. Follow ecotourism principles when tracking chimpanzees and discovering other species of primates. Load up your boots, pack your bags, and prepare for an unforgettable journey at Kibale National Park with Journeys Uganda.