Birding In Murchison Falls National Park : One of the most well-liked and top tourist locations in Uganda and East Africa is Murchison Falls National Park, which is teeming with amazing features like the world’s most powerful waterfall, a diverse range of wildlife, and an abundance of birds. With a total area of 3,893 square kilometers, the park is the largest in Uganda and is situated in Masindi, Northwestern Uganda. Murchison Falls is roughly 305 kilometers away from Kampala, where most safaris begin, and takes five hours to travel there.
The shores of the Nile around the bottom of the falls are among the best places to go bird watching in Murchison Falls National Park. During the boat ride, you can view these and more than fifty water birds. Pied kingfishers, raptors, African darters, grey-crowned cranes, Great White Egrets, and weaver birds are a few of the often sighted species. The uncommon shoebill stork, which is occasionally seen in the Albert Delta in January, February, and March, is one of the many species that may be seen during a boat trip there.
Twenty species from the non-qualifying biomes, eleven species from the Guinea-Congo forest, six species from the Afro-tropical Highlands, and three from the Somali-Masai biome are among the 460 bird species listed on the bird checklist of Murchison Falls National Park. Due to the cold season, the park also attracts migratory birds in November, April, and May that fly in from Europe to areas of Africa.
Birds found in Murchison falls national park include;
Grey-headed Kingfisher, Veracious Dove, Black-headed Lapwing, Abyssinian Ground Hornbill, Rock Pratincole, Yellow-fronted Tinker bird, Black-billed Barbet, Long-tailed Nightjar, Weaver Birds, Yellow-billed Stork, Martial Eagle, Silver bird, Grey crowned crested crane, Sandpipers, Pied Kingfishers, Standard-winged Nightjar, Malachite Kingfishers, Blue-headed Coucal, Denham’s Bustard, Swamp Flycatcher, Giant Heron, African Jacana, Secretary Bird, Read-throated Bee eater, Saddle-billed stork, Senegal Thick-Knee, Red winged Grey Warbler, Shoe bill, Murchison African Darter, Giant Kingfisher, Osprey, Long-toed Plover
Some of the most popular birds are;
Shoebill stork. One of the best sought birds in Murchison falls national park is a shoebill stork. This ancient and prehistoric looking bird is a rare sight in Uganda, but Murchison falls provides an excellent chance to observe this magnificent species in its natural habitat.
African fish eagle. This is another notable bird found in Murchison falls national park. With its white head, dark brown body, and powerful call, the African fish eagle is easily recognized and often spotted near the river banks.
Papyrus gonolek. This is a vibrant bird found in papyrus swamps of Murchison falls national park. Known for its striking red and yellow plumage, this bird is an iconic species of the wetlands habitats in Uganda. Bird watchers often seek the papyrus gonolek due to its colorful appearance and distinctive call
Red-throated bee-eater. This is a beautiful and vibrant species that can be found in Murchison falls national park, particularly in areas with sandy banks and open woodlands. These are known for their striking plumage, with bright green, yellow and red feathers. As their name suggests, they feed primarily on bees and other flying insects. Among others
Best places to view birds in Murchison falls national park
Budongo forest
One of the best spots to see birds is the 115-kilometer Budongo Forest, which is a component of Murchison Falls National Park. More than 360 bird species have been identified in the forest, including 10 of the 22 species of Sudan-Guinea Savanna biome that are found in Uganda and two indigenous bird species that are not found in other regions of East Africa
Birds found in Budongo forest include Puvel’s Illadopsis, Nahan’s Francolin, and the Chocolate–Backed Kingfisher, White-headed Saw-wing, White Wagtail, Black-eared Ground-Thrush, Little Crake, Yellow-billed Barbet, Chestnut-capped Flycatcher, African Paradise Flycatcher, Chin-spot Batis, Grey-backed Camaroptera, Lemon-bellied Crombec, African Moustached Warbler, Green-backed Eremomela, Yellow-throated Greenbul, African Citril, African Golden-breasted Bunting, Black-crowned Waxbill, Bronze Mannikin, Black-billed Bluebill, Black-winged Red Bishop, Yellow-mantled Widowbird, Fan-tailed Widowbird, Spectacled Weaver, Black-necked Weaver, Yellow-backed Weaver, Compact Weaver, Northern Brown-throated Weaver, Holub’s Golden Weaver, Red-headed Weaver, Yellow-billed Oxpecker, Greater Blue-eared Starling, Purple Starling, Purple-headed Starling, Splendid Starling, Northern Puff back, Black-headed Gonolek, Tropical Boubou, Isabelline Shrike, Red-backed Shrike, Lesser Grey Shrike, Western Violet-backed Sunbird and many more.
Lake Albert Delta
The western portion of Murchison Falls National Park is home to the Lake Albert Delta, a body of water where the Victoria Nile empties into Lake Albert.
Abyssinian ground hornbill, African jacana, African quailfinch, Black-billed barbet, Black-headed gonolek, Black-headed lapwing, Goliath Heron, Great Egrets, African fish eagles, and the uncommon shoebill are among the many bird species that may be found in this delta. Red-throated bee-eater, palm-nut vulture, giant kingfisher, Goliath heron, Malachite kingfisher, blue-headed coucal, Denham’s bustard, and Eastern grey plantain-eater White-browed sparrow-weaver, Shoebill, Silverbird, Speckle-fronted weaver, Squacco heron, and swamp flycatcher, among others
Kaniyo-Pabidi Forest
The Kaniyo Pabidi forest, which is a northern extension of the Budongo forest, is distinguished by its mid-altitude semi-deciduous celtis forest, swan-forest mixed trees, and mahogany and ironwood trees, all of which provide excellent bird habitat. More than 360 species of birds from west and central Africa, as well as birds connected to Guinea and Congo, can be found in the forest.
Birds found in Kaniyo Pabidi forest include yellow-footed fly catcher and puvelie illadopsis, other bird species include zoothers, camarones, ceratogymna fistulator, neatrapus cassini, ratis iturinis, white thighed hornbill, the white spotted flufftail, yellow and grey long bill, little green sunbird among others.
Near Parra and Red Chilli
A variety of species, including the Shoebill Bird, Martial Eagle, the African Fish Eagle, Papyrus Gonolek, Lesser and Greater Flamingo, White-tailed Lark, and Verraux’s Eagle Owl, can be seen in the shrubbery surrounding Paraa Safari Lodge and Red Chilli Lodge.
Cost of birding in Murchison falls national park
Birding in Murchison falls national park costs 25 USD for Foreign non residents, 20 USD for Foreign residents and 20,000 UGX for East African Citizens.
Best time for birding in Murchison falls national park
Although the ideal time to observe birds is during the dry season, which is January through March and is also Uganda’s slowest travel period, birdwatching is still abundant throughout this time of year. Even when it starts to rain in December and February, bird watching is still possible. From April-May and from August-October there are heavy rains, which makes it difficult for bird watching since the hiking trails become slippery and roads in the park become impassable.
Although it is uncommon, the shoebill is the park’s most notable attraction and can be seen during the dry season, which runs from January to March. Birds that migrate can be observed from November through April.
What to carry while on birding watching experience
Having the right equipment will ensure that your bird watching experience at Murchison Falls is one you won’t soon forget. The essential items to bring include
Binoculars, Sun glasses, Comfortable hiking shoes, Birder’s guide book, A pointer, A bag pack, Drinking water and a camera
Where to stay while in Murchison Falls National Park
Budget, medium, and luxury lodging options are available at Murchison Falls National Park. These amenities, which are available to visitors on a safari in Murchison Falls National Park, include;
Chobe safari lodge, Murchison River lodge, Nile safari lode, Paraa safari lodge, Pakuba safari lodge, Amuka safari lodge, Baker’s lodge among others
Conclusion
Murchison falls National Park is an exceptional destination for bird watching, offering a unique blend of diverse habitats and wealth of bird species. It provides birding opportunities that cater for all levels of enthusiasts, it is no wonder that this park has earned its place as one of Uganda’s top birding destinations.
