Birding Safaris in Queen Elizabeth National Park
Birding safaris in Queen Elizabeth National Park are one of the most thrilling Uganda safaris you would ever take. Queen Elizabeth National Park is one of the most visited Uganda national parks, located in the south western part of the country. Queen Elizabeth National Park encompasses parts of some districts like Rukunjiri, Rubirizi, Kasese and Kamwenge districts of Uganda.
Queen Elizabeth National Park steams abundant wildlife, with wildlife species like elephants, lions which include tree climbing lions, waterbucks, buffaloes, hippos, giant forest hogs, various primate species including chimpanzees, red-tailed monkeys, vervet monkeys, baboons, among so many others.
Queen Elizabeth also has an array of bird species which roam the park. Queen Elizabeth National Park is home to well over 612 bird species, and is the one protected area in East Africa to have the largest checklist. These birds include aquatic birds, woodland birds, forest dwellers as well as migratory birds among so many others. With all the bird life beaming in the park, birding safaris in Queen Elizabeth National Park are prominent given the park is one of the best birding destination in Uganda.
The various birds in Queen Elizabeth National Park that travellers may come across include black headed gonolek, Diederik cuckoo, red capped lark, Nubian woodpecker, pin tailed Whydah, grey headed kingfisher, Ross’ turaco, striped kingfisher, greater honey guide, green woodpecker, lapped faced vulture, helmeted guniea fowl, white headed barbet, hooded vulture, grey backed fiscal, and double toothed barbet blue napped mouse bird, grey capped warbler, yellow backed weaver, slender billed weaver, pygmy kingfisher, swamp nightjar, African mourning dove, scarlet chested sunbird, long tailed cormorant, African shoebill stork, Pink-backed pelican, Heuglin’s gull, Great white pelican, Common sand martin, among so many others. Bird watching activities in the various parts of Queen Elizabeth National Park shall have you encountering the dazzling bird species in the park. Below are some of the most fruitful areas that bird watching in Queen Elizabeth National Park can be most rewarding;
Kazinga Channel
The Kazinga channel is a 40km water stretch that joins Lake Edward to Lake George. The Kazinga channel is one of the best places to enjoy birding safaris in Queen Elizabeth National Park. Bird watching on Kazinga Channel can be done during the boat safari or boat cruise which travellers can take anytime of the day, except the night. Aquatic bird species are the most sighted bird species, with an array of other birds which include the grey capped warbler, yellow backed weaver, slender billed weaver, pygmy kingfisher, swamp nightjar, African mourning dove, scarlet chested sunbird, long tailed cormorant, African shoebill stork, among so many others. Some of the birds may be even spotted on the backs of hippos seen busking in the waters of the Kazinga Channel.
The Mweya Peninsular
Mweya peninsular is just within the northern bank of the Kazinga Channel, and is covered by thick savannah vegetation. The Mweya peninsular is a great scenic view, inhabiting various wildlife like elephants, hippos, leopards, buffaloes among others; as well as an array of bird species which include the black headed gonolek, Diederik cuckoo, red capped lark, Nubian woodpecker, pin tailed Whydah, grey headed kingfisher, blue napped mouse bird, among so many others.
Kasenyi Plains
Kasenyi plains are known to many travellers as the best place for game viewing in Queen Elizabeth National Park. It is however one of the best places to enjoy birding safaris in Queen Elizabeth National Park. Kasenyi plains are located in the north-eastern part of Queen Elizabeth National Park, just at the western shores of Lake George. Bird watching safaris in the Kasenyi plains of Queen Elizabeth National Park shall see travellers spotting a number of bird species which include the black lured babbler, black headed gonolek, crowned lover, brown snake eagle, grey crowned cranes, palm nut vulture, white tailed lark, and long crested eagle, among so many others.
Ishasha sector
The Ishasha sector is renowned for hosting the famous tree climbing lions, which travellers can easily spot dangling their tails up in the trees while on a game drive in Queen Elizabeth National Park. It is the Ishasha sector from where travellers can spot bird species in the open savannah grassland. Some of the bird species to be spotted here include Ross’ turaco, striped kingfisher, greater honey guide, green woodpecker, lapped faced vulture, helmeted guniea fowl, white headed barbet, hooded vulture, grey backed fiscal, and double toothed barbet, among so many others. While enjoying your game viewing spree in the Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park, be on the lookout for other species including the various bird species that traverse this part of the park.
Katwe salt lake
The Katwe salt lake, as per the name, is a salt lake from where locals extract slat in the area. The Katwe salt lake is just near the Mweya peninsular, and has a number of bird species that travellers on walks or game drives this side of the park can see say Chapin’s flycatcher, papyrus gonolek, pink backed pelican, martial eagle, African broadbill, yellow throated cuckoo, among so many others.
The above are some of the best places to enjoy birding safaris in Queen Elizabeth National Park. The other areas from where one may have abundant bird species being spotted include Lake Kikorongo, Maramagambo forest, as well as Katunguru Bridge. Irrespective of one’s area though, bird watching can be enjoyed all over the park, for as long as you have a bird guide with you knowledgeable of the park.
Best time for birding safaris in Queen Elizabeth National Park
Birding safaris in Queen Elizabeth National Park can be enjoyed all year through. During the dry season, the roads leading to the park are easier to use given that they are not slippery from the rains which do fall during the wet season. The vegetation is also not so overgrown that travellers cannot see the birds clearly to vegetation that is quite overgrown. During the wet season, however, it is the breeding and nestling months especially in November thereby making it possible to view a variety of birds. Migratory birds can also be seen in abundance in the park then.
What to carry for birding safaris in Queen Elizabeth National Park
Some of the must carry items for birding safaris in Queen Elizabeth National Park include light hiking shoes, light clothing, pair of binoculars, camera and extra batteries, waterproof jacket, hat and sunglasses, backpack to safe keep your gadgets, drinking water, as well as sunscreen and insect repellent creams.
Birding safaris in Queen Elizabeth National Park are amazing and quite refreshing given that you get to encounter the nature and other wildlife of Queen Elizabeth National Park in great detail, especially during bird watching activities through the developed trains in Queen Elizabeth National Park. Asides bird watching, other activities like game drives, nature walks, community tours, boat safaris among others can be enjoyed in Queen Elizabeth National Park. Consider booking any of the birding safaris in Queen Elizabeth National Park, any time of the year.
