Murchison falls National park birds

Murchison falls National park birds : Murchison Falls national park is ranked among Uganda’s best birding spots hosting over 451 bird species including Albertine rift endemic birds, water birds and savannah birds.

Murchison Falls national park is one of the most popular and best tourist destinations in Uganda and East Africa as well endowed with fascinating attractions including Murchison Falls – the most powerful fall in the world, array of wildlife and spectacular bird life among others. The park is located in Northwestern Uganda Masindi and is at a size of 3,893 square kilometers which makes it the biggest national park in Uganda. From Kampala – the starting point for most safaris to Murchison Falls, it is a distance of about 305 kilometers and a drive of 5 hours by road.

Murchison Falls National Park being a great habitat for birds is attributed to savannah vegetation and several other habitants including riverine forests and woodland vegetation.

Murchison Falls National Park has a bird checklist of 460 bird species including 20 species from the here non-qualifying biomes, 11 species of Guinea-Congo forest, six species of the Afro –tropical Highlands and 3 of the Somali – Masai biome.

The park also receives migrating birds during November, April to May which fly in from Europe to parts of Africa due to the cold season.

Birds found in Murchison Falls National Park

Grey-headed Kingfisher
Veracious Dove
Black-headed Lapwing
Abyssinian Ground Hornbill
Rock Pratincole
Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird
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

BEST PLACES TO VIEW BIRDS IN MURCHISON FALLS NATIONAL PARK

BUDONGO FOREST

Budongo forest which is part of Murchison Falls National park is a 115 kilometers forest and is among the ideal places to view birds. The forest hosts various bird species recorded to be more than 360 species including 2 endemic bird species which cannot be seen in other parts of East Africa, 10 of the 22 species of Sudan – Guinea Savanna biome that occur in Uganda.

Birds found in Budongo forest include the 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 Puffback, Black-headed Gonolek, Tropical Boubou, Isabelline Shrike, Red-backed Shrike, Lesser Grey Shrike, Western Violet-backed Sunbird and many more.

LAKE ALBERT DELTA

The Lake Albert Delta in Murchison Falls National Park is a stretch of water where Victoria Nile pours its water in Lake Albert, the delta is located in the western part of the park

this delta is a great birding spot with array of bird species including Goliath Heron, Great Egrets, African fish Eagles and the rare shoebill, Abyssinian ground hornbill, African jacana, African quailfinch, Black-billed barbet, Black-headed gonolek, Black-headed lapwing Blue-headed coucal, Denham’s bustard, Eastern grey plantain-eater, Giant kingfisher Goliath heron, Malachite kingfisher, Palm-nut vulture, Piapiac, Red-throated bee-eater Shoebill, Silverbird, Speckle-fronted weaver, Squacco heron, Swamp flycatcher and White-browed sparrow-weaver among others

NEAR PARRA AND RED CHILLI

A list of birds can be spotted in shrubs around Paraa safari lodge and red chilli lodge and these include Shoebill stalk, Martial Eagle, the African Fish Eagle, Papyrus Gonolek, Lesser and Greater Flamingo, White-tailed Lark and Verraux’s Eagle Owl.

KANIYO – PABIDI FOREST

Kaniyo Pabidi forest is a northern extension of the Budongo Forest, the forest is characterized by Mahogany and ironwood trees, Swan – forest mixed trees and mid-altitude semi deciduous celtis forest which are great habitat for birds. The forest hosts over 360 birds of west and central African species as well as Guinea – Congo – related birds.

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.

BEST TIME TO GO BIRD WATCHING IN MURCHISON FALLS NATIONAL PARK

Murchison Falls National Park birds can be spotted all year – round, however the best period to see these birds is from January to March and November to April which are dry seasons.

From April – May and from August – October, the park receives heavy rains which makes it difficult for birdwatching due to the slippery roads and trails become impassable.

WHAT TO CARRY

Carrying the right equipments for a birding experience in Murchison Falls will reward you with an unforgettable experience, the must carry equipments include

Binoculars
Sun glasses
Comfortable hiking shoes
Birder’s guide book
A pointer
A bag pack
Drinking water
A camera

WHERE TO STAY IN MURCHISON FALLS NATIONAL PARK

Murchison Falls National park has a variety of accommodation facilities ranging from budget, midrange to luxury. These facilities accommodate tourists on a safari to Murchison falls national park and they include