Birding safaris in Murchison Falls Park
Birding safaris in Murchison Falls Park, one of the prominent destinations, offer a unique and wide selection of bird species. Besides the special selection and distribution of birdlife, the park’s diverse ecosystem and vegetation cover ranging from undulating savannah landscapes, woodlands, wetlands, thickets, riverine and tropical rain forests make the park stand out as a true avenue for birdlife. Apart from boasting birding safaris in the mighty Murchison Falls National Park, categories of bird species supported by the park include water, savannah, and tropical rain forest birds dominated by Guinea-Congo biodiversity in the dense thickets of Budongo Forest.
A checklist of over 451 bird species may be found in the park, such as vigrant, endemic, threatened, and nearly threatened species, which are widely spread. Other birds found in the park include the rarities, which are widely spread all over Uganda’s protected areas. During birdwatching, the Shoebill, an extremely threatened prehistoric bird, can be seen in Murchison Falls National Park on a boat ride along the Albert Delta, where the Albert Nile empties its waters into Lake Albert. Murchison Falls National Park birding safaris will expose you to special birds such as the Puvel’s Illadopsis, the only endemic bird species in Budongo Forest that you will never find anywhere else in East Africa.
How is birdwatching done in Murchison Falls?
Birding in Murchison Falls National Park is possible during any activity, like game drives, guided nature walks, launch trips, and top-of-the falls hiking, among other activities. The northern section of the park gives you an opportunity to see birds found inland in the savannah plains, such as the Grey Crowned Crane, Senegal Thick-knee, Yellow-billed Stork, Marabou Stork, African Skimmer, Abyssinian Ground Hornbill, African Fish Eagle, Pied Kingfisher, Secretary Bird, Red-throated Bee-eater, Black Bellied Bustards, Open-billed Stork, and African Grey Hornbill, among others.
Birding in the park can be done on a tour vehicle or on a guided nature walk along the Nile, up the falls nature walk, walks through Budongo Forest, and the boat cruise will enable you to see a number of water birds like the Blue Spotted Doves, Abdim’s Stork, African Fish Eagle, White Backed Night Heron, Giant King Fisher, African Finfoot, African Black Crake, White Thighed Hornbill, Great Blue Turaco, Dwarf Kingfisher, and many others.
From November through April, migratory bird species make their way into the park. These birds come from north-west and southern Africa, while many are palearctic migrants. Throughout the winter and early autumn, when it is chilly outside, migratory birds take flight from Europe to Africa. For this reason, you can see migrating birds along the Nile River if you visit Murchison Falls National Park during the off-season.
When is Murchison Falls ideal for birding?
Even though January through March is the busiest travel season, birding safaris in Murchison Falls are best done throughout the year. In the low season—December through February, when there is the least amount of rain—birding is also done in the park. The trails become slick and unusable in April and October, when there is an excess of precipitation, which hinders birdwatching in Murchison Falls National Park.
You can visit the park at any time of year, but during the dry season, when there are no weather delays during the birding nature walks, it is easier to spot birds and take better photos. However, there are fewer visitors to the national park during the wet season, which allows you to spend more time birdwatching. In Murchison Falls National Park, migratory birds are often visible during the rainy season.
In addition, lodging costs are lower in the national park during the off-peak months. You can decide what to do about the aforementioned, but keep in mind that Murchison Falls National Park is open year-round and welcomes tourists. Take note of this: A tour company can arrange the best birding safaris in Murchison Falls National Park. They can handle all the planning, so you do not need to worry. Thank you very much.