Bird watching excursion in Queen Elizabeth National Park
Bird watching excursion in Queen Elizabeth National Park : Queen Elizabeth National Park is situated in Rubirizi district in the western part of Uganda, covering a total area of 1,978 square kilometers, making it the second largest protected area in Uganda after Murchison Falls National Park. It sits at an altitude of 900 meters on the adjacent lake Edward, up to 1,845 meters at the peak of the western rift valley’s eastern escarpment. Queen Elizabeth is also the home of the tree-climbing lions and is renowned for its diverse array of wildlife species; however, the national park is one of the true birder’s destinations in Uganda. Queen Elizabeth National Park has recorded a number of over 600 species of birds, making the park one of the magnificent destinations for tourists on a Uganda safari tour adventure. The bird’s species available in Queen Elizabeth National Park vary from open savannah Ishasha plains to humid rain forests, fresh water lakes, acacia and euphorbia bushes lowlands and wetlands, and salty water lakes, among others.
Queen Elizabeth National Park is a paradise for birders with over 600 species of birds, making it the top birdwatching destination in Uganda. Migratory birds can be seen from November to April each year, and resident birds can be sighted throughout the year. Birding in Queen Elizabeth National Park can be conducted in the bird-habituated areas of Mweya Peninsular Area, Maragambo Forest Area, Kyambura Gorge Area, Lake Kikorango Area, Kasenyi Area, Katunguru Bridge Area, and Katwe Salty Lake, among others.
Birds that can be spotted in Queen Elizabeth National Park
Secretary bird, osprey, balk-winged kite, European honey buzzard, African cuckoo hawk, African harrier hawk, palm-nut vulture, Egyptian vulture, bateluer, black-chested snake eagle, white-headed vulture, lizard buzzard, African fish eagle, and Eurasian buzzard. Long-crested eagle, crowned eagle, martial eagle, white-fronted plover, long-toed lapwing, spur-winged lapwing, black-headed lapwing, Eurasian thick-knee, Senegal, thick knee, three-banded lapwing, common greenshank, common redshank, spotted thick knee, black-winged pratincole, black-tailed Godwit, hadada ibis, African spoonbill, African scared ibis, great cormorant, African darter, hamerkop, shoebill, white crested tiger heron, great white palican, abidim’s stock, woolly-necked stock great egret, black heron, little egret, great egret, squacoo heron, Madagascar pond heron, crowned night heron, bare-faced go-away bird, great blue black-billed turaco, white crested turaco, Ross’s turaco, red-throated bee-eater, white throated bee-eater, European bee-eater, cinnamon chested bee-eater, brown-eared woodpecker, yellow-billed barbet, Wahlberg’s honeybird, lesser honeyguide, yellow-crested woodpecker, African grey hornbill, crowned hornbill, common hoopoe, green wood hoopoe, long-tailed hornbill, bar-tailed trogon, common barn owl, Africa wood owl, spotted eagle owl
Other bird species that can be spotted in Queen Elizabeth National Park include: white-faced whistling duck, African pygmy goose, fulvous whistling duck, comb duck, Egyptian goose, spur-winged goose, garganey, red-billed teal, hottentot teal, African black duck, yellow-billed duck, Nahan’s francolin, helmeted guinea fowl, crested guinea fowl, red-winged francolin, common quail, ring-necked francolin, harmlequin quil, crested francolin, blue quil, handsome francolin, Heuglin’s francolin, red-necked spur fowl, Hildebrandt’s francolin, scaly francolin, lesser flamingo, great flamingo, little grebe, great crested grebe, Namaqua dove, tambourine dove, blue-spotted wood dove, black-billed wood dove, emerald-spotted wood dove, African green pigeon, laughing dove, vinaceous dove, red-eyed dove, ring-necked dove, mourning collared dove, dusky turtle dove, western bronze-napped pigeon, African olive pigeon, western bronze-napped pigeon, speckled pigeon, afep pigeon, common swift, mottled spine tailed swift, African swift, sabine’s spine tailed swift, alpine swift, mottled swift, African palm swift, white rumped swift, horus swift little swift, senel coucal, blue-headed coucal, white-brown coucal, African black coucal, yellow bill, jacobin coucal, yellow throated cuckoo, African cuckoo, black cuckoo, Deidrick cuckoo, long tailed cuckoo, red-chested cuckoo, lesser moorhen , red-knobbed coot, African rail, African crake, Allen’s gallinule, common moorhen, black crake, red-chested fluff tail, white spotted fluff tail, buff-spooted fluff, grey crowned crane, African finfoot, black-bellied bustard, Denham’s bustard, pale flycatcher, snowy crowned robin chat, olive sunbird, blue-headed sunbird, purple breasted sunbird, yellow mantled weaver, Angolan swallow, brown throated wattle eye, black throated watt led-eye, red tailed shrike flycatcher, African broadbill, black cuckoo shrike , petti’s cuckoo shrike, northern fiscal, grey backed fiscal, lesser grey shrike, mackinnin’s shrike, pied crow, African golden oriole, eastern black headed oriole, beautiful sunbird, brown capped weaver, fawn breasted waxbill, red-chested quil finch, variable sun bird copper sin bird among others.
What to pack for a bird-watching excursion in Queen Elizabeth National Park
The essentials to consider on your bird-watching excursion in Queen Elizabeth National Park are: a bird guidebook, a pair of binoculars for spotting small and distant species, a good camera with a good lens and enough storage, enough drinking water and snacks, sunglasses, strong waterproof hiking boots, long stocks, a walking stick, long-sleeved shirts to protect your hands from being scratched, a hat, a rain jacket, a backpack for carrying the items you will need while birding, a first aid kit, and a long trouser because you will be walking through the jungles with unpleasant vegetation, among others.
Accommodation safari in Queen Elizabeth National Park
There are several accommodation safaris near Queen Elizabeth National Park where visitors on bird-watching excursions can stay. These accommodations are arranged in different levels to suit all classes of visitors, such as Queen Elizabeth Safari Lodge, Tembo Safari Lodge, Kabatoro Guest House, Katara Lodge, Mweya Safari Lodge, Ishasha Wilderness Camp, Enganzi Lodge, Queen Elizabeth Bush Lodge, Elephant Hub Lodge, Kyambura Gorge Safari Lodge, Irunga Forest Safari Lodge, Marafiki Safari Lodge, Twin Lakes Safari Lodge, Pumba Safari Cottages, Kazinga Channel Eco, Kingfisher Camp, Jacana Safari Lodge, Simba Safari Lodge, and Hippo Hill Lodge, among others.
Besides bird watching, Queen Elizabeth National Park is home to a variety of tourism activities that visitors on Ugandan bird-watching excursions can also embark on while they’re there. Excursions in Queen National Park, popularly known as “Ameldy of Wonders,” include such remarkable activities as game viewing, nature walks and hikes, chimpanzee tracking in Kyambura Gorge, boat cruises along the Kazinga Channel, visits to Katwe Salty Lake, and community visits, among others.
Contact our trusted tour operators for more information and inquiries about Uganda birding tours in Queen Elizabeth National Park and book with our tours and travel companies, such as Achieve Global Safaris, who offer the best tour packages while on your safari in Uganda.
