Birding in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Are you looking for birding in Bwindi? Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is located in the southwestern part of Uganda in the districts of Kanungu, Kabale, and Kisoro. The Park is situated along the Democratic Republic of Congo border with Uganda and is next to Virunga National Park on the edge of the Albertine Rift Valley. The Park covers an area of 333 square kilometres and is popularly known for harboring half of the Mountain Gorilla population in the world and is a bird watcher’s paradise with the number 1 birding site as per the African Bird Club. The Park is a UNESCO Heritage site.
Furthermore, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is part of the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest which is comprised of both Afro montane and tropical rain forests making it a home to over 350 bird species hence an excellent destination for avid birders. The African Green (Grauer’s) Broadbill is the park’s most famous and sought-after bird. Some of the most common bird species to spot while in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park includes the Common Bulbul, African Emerald Cuckoo, Red-chested Cuckoo, Red-headed Bluebill, White-eyed Slaty-flycatcher and White-tailed blue Flycatcher.
14 bird species can only be found in the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park in Uganda, 23 of the very localized 24 Albertine Rift Endemics can be spotted here such as the Regal and Purple-breasted and the Rwenzori Blue-headed Sunbird, the dense forest and bamboo thicket in-habiting Handsome Spurfowl, the Buhoma section highly yearned to sight Neumann’s Warbler were among the 7 IUCN red data-listed bird species. 10 of the 26 globally threatened bird species are in the park. There is presence of 76 Guinea-Congo biome bird species in the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, out of the 144 species found in Uganda, especially in the northern part of the park. Bwindi furthermore is home to 68 Afro-Tropical highland biome bird species and 4 Lake Victoria biome species. It also offers shelter to different species of migratory birds usually present from November to April making the park a bird watcher’s paradise where a skilled birder can spot over one hundred different bird species in a single day.
Some of the major and key bird species to see while in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park include the following;
The African Green Broadbill, African Broadbill, Great Blue Turaco, Ross’s Turaco, Black-billed Turaco, Handsome Spurfowl, Black-faced Apalis, Rwenzori Apalis, Rwenzori Blue-headed, Purple-breasted and the Northern Double Collared Regal among the endemics and high altitude rarity Sunbirds, Western Nicator, Dusky Crimsonwing, Yellow-Rumped Tinkerbird, Yellow-throated, Speckled and the small distinctive Western Green Tinkerbird, White-Headed Wood -hoopoe, Yellow-billed, Yellow-spotted and Hairy-breasted Barbet, Cinnamon-Chested Bee-Eater, the stanning scarlet throated Black Bee-Eater, the large Black and White Casqued-hornbill, Crowned Hornbill, Fine-Banded Woodpecker, Elliots, Olive Cardinal and Buff-spotted Woodpecker, Western Crested Guineafowl, the Albertine Rift Endemic Neumann’s and Red-faced Woodland Warbler with other high and forest plus riverine Black-Faced Rufous Warbler, Cinnamon Bracken and Evergreen Forest Warblers, Strange, Black-billed, Black-necked and Brown-Capped Weaver, the very shy Forest and Kivu Ground Thrush, Red-Throated Alethe, the forest dwelling Blue-Throated Roller, the very vocal and active Mountain Yellow Warbler, the only nocturnal Rwenzori Nightjar is easily seen in the Ruhija area of Bwindi forest, the distinctive forest Finch with Oriole like plumages, Pin-Tailed Whydah on the forest edges, the Chin-spot and Rwenzori Batis, Black-crowned, Kandt’s and Yellow-bellied Waxbill, Klaas’s and African Emerald Cuckoo, Bwindi is among the best forests for the dark and long tailed cuckoos including the Barred Long-tailed, Olive Long-tailed and Dusky Long-tailed, to mention but these. A great range of colorful Bushshrikes including the reasonably common but shy Doherty’s, Many-Coloured, the montane restricted Ladgen’s, Bocages, and Luhder’s respectively. Trogons – Narina and the recently split Western Bar-tailed, the medium-sized black forest Cassin’s and Ayres’s Hawk-Eagle, African Thrush, Abyssinian Thrush, Mountain Illadopsis Tropical Boubou, Mountain and Western Black-headed Oriole, Stipe-breasted Tit, Brimstone, Yellow-crowned and Yellow-Fronted Canary, Archer’s Robin-Chat, Chapin’s Flycatcher, White-bellied Crested and White-Tailed-blue Flycatcher, Bwindi is a wonderful haven for a selection of Greenbuls including the Yellow-streaked, Kakamega, Yellow-whiskered, Cabans’s, Plain, Toro Olive, the lately recorded Ansorge’s, Red-tailed, Little Grey and the Eastern Mountain among others.
Birding in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park mainly occurs along the Buhoma-waterfall Trail which is the major Trail that connects the Nkuringo and Rushaga sectors of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, The Neck area that connects the lower Buhoma sector to the highly elevated Ruhija is very productive mostly in the Morning and evening hours with higher chances of the Western Bronze-naped Pigeon, Black Bee-eater, African Black Duck on the ponds and the main river which also houses the Casine’s Flycatcher and Mountain Wagtail, along the Bamboo zone towards the Ndego gate, is wonderful with chances of the Handsome Spurfowl and White Starred Akalat, Grauer’s Warbler, and along the Mabwindi swamp Trail which is found in the Ruhija sector of the national park and the only Ugandan trail that gets you to the Grauer’s Broadbill and Rush Warbler.
What is the best time of the day to see birds in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park?
The ideal time to start birding as an activity in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is in the morning. This is because, during the morning session, birds are getting out to feed. During the afternoon, some birds tend to shelter themselves in their nests. On the other hand, the night-time is also a rewarding time for spotting nocturnal bird species, and the Ruhija area is very good for the Rwenzori Nightjar, come join Journeys Uganda birding guides for some of the secret spots for rare Bwindi bird species.
What is the best time of the year to carry out birding in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park?
Bird watching in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park can be carried out all year round. The best season to carry out birding is the dry season as all parts of the park are accessible, unlike the wet season which may render some parts of the park inaccessible. The months with the least rain are from June to August and December to February. March to mid-may have the most quantities of rainfall. However, migratory birds are present for spotting from November to April – both palea-arctic and intra-African migrants.
What to carry while on a birding Safari in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park?
For one to have a rewarding and satisfying birding experience in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, he/she needs to carry certain essential equipment to help them while spotting the birds. Some of the essentials include the following;
A Field Guidebook to the Birds of East Africa by Terry Steveson and John Fanshawe
A laser pointer that highly aids forest birding
Rack sac
Appropriate clothing
Good Hiking boots
A pair of Binoculars
Good Camera
Flashlight
Extra batteries
Toiletries
A hat
Bottled mineral water
Light Rain Jacket
Insect repellents
Medication such as anti-malaria drugs
Etc etc
Where to find accommodation when birding in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park?
Apart from the various primate and bird species, the park offers a wide range of lodging and accommodation facilities. The facilities cater to luxury, mid-range, and budget travelers. Some of the notable accommodation facilities include; the luxury ones are Buhoma Lodge, Bwindi Lodge, Chameleon Hill Lodge, Clouds Mountain Lodge, Ichumbi Gorilla Lodge, and Sanctuary Gorilla Forest Camp among others. For mid-range, one could use Haven Lodge, Gorilla Mist Camp, Bakiga Lodge, Ride 4 A Woman, and others. The budget accommodation facilities include Broadbill Forest Camp, Albertine Gorilla Campsite, Buhoma Community Rest Camp, Bwindi Backpacker’s Lodge, Mutanda Eco Community Center, and Nkuringo Guest House.