Birdwatching in Bwindi National Park.
Birding in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park: Bwindi Impenetrable Forest is considered among the best places for birding in Uganda and Africa and is a place bird lovers should not miss. 90% of the birds living in Bwindi are found only in the Albertine Rift, and so this highlights the importance of this area in terms of biodiversity. About 90% of the birds in Bwindi are endemic to the Albertine Rift, which makes this region exceptionally rich in birdlife.
It harbours more than 350 bird species, of which 23 are Albertine endemics. In addition to the famed mountain gorillas, Bwindi boasts birdwatching safaris that are some of the best for tourists who want to spend their time in the Bwindi Forest. The park is now subdivided into four sections: Buhoma, Ruhija, Nkuringo and Rushaga, all of which offer you the possibility to go on bird safaris and see an array of different birds. The different types of vegetation found in Bwindi (forest and other habitats) contribute to a substantial diversity of birdlife, including several forest species and several Albertine endemic birds
Birders or not, while on a safari in Uganda in Bwindi, you should be able to see over one hundred bird species in a day. The best birding safari trails include the River Ivi trail, the Munyaga River trail, Ruhija’s bamboo trail and the Mubwindi Swamp trail. If you have a day or two, the Munyaga River trail is the best place to see a wide variety of colourful birds. A Bwindi forest safari, therefore, is the ideal place for a birding safari and wildlife adventure.
Birds in the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park
Grauer’s broadbill, little green sunbird, Shelley’s crimsonwing, Grauer’s swamp warbler, western green tinkerbird, handsome francolin, African emerald cuckoo, regal sunbird, tailed blue flycatcher, handsome spurfowl, white-streaked robin, mountain yellow warbler, African water rail, white bower crombec, red-chested flufftail, Rwenzori nightjar, bar-tailed trogon, blue-headed sunbird, little green sunbird.
African stonechat, black-faced apalis, sooty flycatcher, black bee-eater, Rwenzori hill babbler, Albertine boubou, purple-breasted sunbird, Neumann’s warbler, Ross’s turaco, cinnamon bracken warbler, dusky tit, dwarf honeyguide, tit hylia, Rwenzori batis, fine-banded woodpecker, Carruthers’s cisticola, Chapin’s flycatcher, great blue turaco, African black duck, red-chested flufftail, yellow-eyed black flycatcher, barred long-tailed cuckoo.
Stripe-breasted tit, red-faced woodland warbler, western citril, fine-banded woodpecker, Klaas’s cuckoo, tambourine dove, grey-chested kakamega, Rwenzori apalis, red-tailed greenbul, sooty falcon, grey cuckoo shrike, Sharpe’s starling, Ansorge’s honeyguide, banded prinia, stripe-breasted tit, Cape wagtail, equatorial akalat, red-tailed bristlebill, velvet-mantled drongo, yellow-spotted barbet, joyful greenbul. African emerald cuckoo, faint-bellied illadopsis, chestnut-throated apalis, slender-billed starling, northern puffback, brown-capped weaver, red-headed malimbe, white-headed saw-wing, dark-capped bulbul, red-headed bluebill, Jameson’s antpecker, grey-winged robin-chat, Bocage’s bush shrike, and black-billed turaco.
African broadbill, yellow-throated tinkerbird, black-faced rufous warbler, white-headed woodhoopoe, double-toothed barbet, many-coloured bush shrike, hairy-breasted barbet, grey cuckoo shrike, western bronze-naped pigeon, scaly-breasted illadopsis, thick-billed seedeater, black-throated apalis, western black-headed oriole, olive-green camaroptera and others
When is the best time to go for a birding safari in Bwindi Forest Park?
The best time to embark on birding safaris in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park is during the dry season from June to September and December to February. This time, the park has no rain or very little rain, so the hiking trails are dry and passable. The plants are shorter and more widely spaced, allowing birders to take advantage of great birding windows with many species.
For those who want to embark on a Uganda safari in Bwindi, a birdwatching tour is best done in the morning and late afternoon when the air is cooler, and the rays of the sun are less glaring, which makes it easier to see birds. For a migratory bird, the best time to stop is from November to April. At this time, there are a lot of plants blossoming, and many bird species are around, as they have good supplies of food.
Although the dry season is the best for birdwatching, it is still possible to see various birds in the rainy season from March to May and October to November. On the other hand, the heavy rain comes in, and the trails become muddy and slippery, and the vegetation grows tall, which hides some species. The road might be rough as well to Bwindi Forest Safaris and could also make travel plans difficult in those days.
However, birdwatching safaris in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park are excellent at any time of year, but the best time for birding safaris is during the dry months to see the most birds, and any time of year for the best birdwatching in Africa.
Do I need to pay for birding tours in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park?
Yes. Birding tours in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park require the purchase of a birding permit and park entrance fees. These fees are necessary for participation in birdwatching and for getting after the wide variety of birds that Bwindi is well known for. It costs $40 for non-resident and foreign birders, $30 for resident foreign birders and UGX 30,000 for East African citizens.
Note that these prices are exclusive of the park entrance. The entry fee to the national park is $40 for non-resident foreigners, $30 for resident foreigners and UGX 20,000 for East African nationals. Bwindi Forest safaris, including birding safaris to this world heritage site, always give you a chance to enjoy exquisite Ugandan wildlife and landscapes. A Uganda safari in Bwindi is famous not only for gorilla trekking but also for birds, so it is the perfect place for both wildlife and bird lovers.
Where to stay while on a birding safari in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park
Tourists, while on a birding safari in Bwindi Forest, shouldn’t worry about where to stay in Bwindi. The park offers a variety of stunning accommodations ranging from budget to mid-range to luxury, all situated in its 4 sectors. Some of the accommodation options include Nkuringo Bwindi Gorilla Lodge, Clouds Mountain Gorilla Lodge, and Lake Mutanda Lodge for those opting to stay in the Nkuringo sector.
Rushaga Gorilla Havens Lodge, Rushaga Camp, Icumbi Gorilla Lodge, Gorilla Safari Lodge, Gorilla Heights Lodge, Four Gorillas Lodge and Gorilla Valley Lodge are just a few in the Rushaga sector. Ruhija Gorilla Lodge in Ruhija and Buhoma Lodge, Engagi Lodge, and Buhoma Community Rest Camp in the Buhoma sector.
How to get to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park
The Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park is situated in the southwestern part of Uganda and is reachable by many routes. Most people travel by road from Kampala, the capital of Uganda, which is a trip of 8 to 10 hours either by private car or a shared shuttle. The route is through the picturesque rural landscape and mountains along the way, and you can also make stops at some of the various towns.
Alternatively, visitors can fly into Kihihi Airstrip or Kisoro Airstrip from Entebbe International Airport or Kajjansi Airfield and then arrange for transfer to Bwindi. And these options bring Bwindi within reach for gorilla trekking safaris as well as birding safaris.
