Birds of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
The famous Bwindi Impenetrable National Park has variations of altitude and habitat types, there by supporting a variety of species of trees, butterflies and birds. River Ivi trail is the longest in the park and is recommended for bird lovers
Bwindi forest has 346 species of birds and contains 90% of all Albertine rift endemics. Experienced birdwatchers can spot 100 species of birds per day. Visit Ruhija and Buhoma for good bird views. There are over 200 species of butter flies in Bwindi forest national park. Tourists can not only visit Bwindi for Mountain Gorillas but the place is also a bird watchers haven.
The many habitats in Uganda’s most ancient forest implies that is a perfect habitat for a diversity of bird species, with over 350 recorded different species, 23 endemics like the Blue headed sun birds and the short warbler added to the 7 IUCC red data listed bird species. The most simple birds to spot are the red headed bluebill , African blue plus the African Emerald cuckoo and the white tailed blue fly catchers and the common bulbul. Birding mainly occurs along the major trail- the Buhoma water fall trail and along the bamboo zone and the Mubwindi swamp trail that is found in Ruhija.
Bwindi Impenetrable Forest is a bird watchers paradise with over 347 bird species, with ten of the 26 globally threatened species in Uganda, 5 of which are in danger. The forests has 24 of the 25 Albertine species endemic bird species in Uganda and have partial distributions in other place in their range including the Shelley’s crimson wing, Chapin’s fly catcher as well as the African green broad bill.
The forest holds 76 of the 144 Guinea Congo biome bird species found in Uganda and are seen in the northern area. The area also qualifies for the afro Tropical highland biome bird species with actually 68 of the total 86, and for Lake Victoria- biome with 4 of the 12 species. This national park is gifted with 90% of the Albertine Rift endemics that are not so easy to spot in other areas of East Africa and 7 IUCN red data listed bird species. A skilled birder watcher can identify more than 100 species in a day session of birding.
BWINDI BIRD LIST
The major bird species to see in the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park include:
Handsome Francolin
African Wood Owl
Rwenzori Nightjar
Bar-tailed Trogon
Black Bee-eater
Western Green Tinkerbird
Dwarf Honeyguide
Fine-banded Woodpecker
African Green Broadbill
Grey Cuckoo-shrike
Shelly’s Greenbul
Yellow-streaked Greenbul
Red-throated Alethe
Archer’s Robin-Chat
White-bellied Robin-Chat
Kivu Ground-Thrush
Mountain Yellow Warbler
Grauer’s Rush Warbler
Red-faced Woodland Warbler
Short tailed Warbler
Black-faced Rufous Warbler
Grauer’s Warbler
Chestnut-throated Apalis
Collared Apalis
Mountain Masked Apalis
Yellow-eyed Black Flycatcher
Chapin’s Flycatcher
Rwenzori Batis
Strip-breasted Tit
Tit Hylia
Purple-breasted Sunbird
Blue-headed Sunbird
Regal Sunbird
Lagden’s Bush Shrike
Doherty’s Bush Shrike
Montane Oriole
Strange Weaver
Brown-capped Weaver
Red-fronted Antpecker
Dusky Twinspot
Dusky Crimsonwing
Shelley’s Crimsonwing