Bwindi Impenetrable Forest is one of the best birding destinations in Africa. 348 bird species have been recorded at Bwindi. They include 25 restricted-range species, of which 23 are confined to the Albertine Rift and four are globally threatened: African Green Broadbill -Pseudocalyptomena graueri-Vulnerable, Grauer’s Rush Warbler -Bradypterus graueri; Endangered, Chapin’s Flycatcher -Muscicapa lendu; Vulnerable and Shelley’s Crimson-wing -Cryptospiza Shelley- Vulnerable.
Tourists can not only visit Bwindi for Mountain Gorillas but the place is also a bird watchers haven.
Bwindi has three bird species that are the only surviving representatives of their respective genera: African Green Broadbill, Grauer’s Warbler (Graueria vittata) and Short-tailed Warbler (Hemitesia Neumann). Indeed, both the broadbill and Short-tailed Warbler are thought to be more closely related to Asian- than to African species!
Bwindi hosts at least 220 butterfly species including 8 Albertine rift endemics. Three butterflies occur only in Bwindi including the Cream- banded swallowtail (Papilio leucotaenia), Graphium gudenusi and Charaxes fournierae. The threatened African giant swallowtail (Papilio antimachus) is also found in Bwindi.
Bwindi Bird List
The major species in the forest 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 |
Major trails for birding
The Buhoma Waterfall Trail
Buhoma as the desginated area for birders in the North of Bwindi Impenetrable National park.It is believed to have about 350 bird spiecies and famously for the endangered Mountain gorillas.If planning for birding in Bwindi,one should choose Buhoma waterfall trail a true destiny of birds.
Bamboo zone
The Bamboo trail found on the Eastern wing in the Impenetrable National Park.The trail is commonly used by Gorilla trekkers but still even bird watchers that seldomly vist the Ruhiija sector uses the trail in fulfilling their desires of watching water sorces,different plant spicies,and other categorised mammals in the Park.
Mubwindi swamp trail in Ruhiija
Mubwindi is one of the best trails in Bwindi National Park.The trail have its location in Buhoma region and birders planning to trek,must be escorted by armed rangers providing security through their exercises.The place also endorsed with beautiful scenatic features,the popular dangerous mountain gorillas and so many migrant bird spicies in different physical types.
Best time for bird watching in Bwindi National Park
The birdlife in Bwindi is good year-round, but at its best in March and September. June and July have the least rain while March to mid-May has the most. Heavy rains might interfere with your bird-watching time.
Gadgets Needed in the Exercise
Birders should move with cameras and binoculas for bird watching and photo capturing.Since it is a critical forest,viewers are called upon to carry their lunch,long sleeved pair of shirts.
A walking stick that gives balance in to trekkers amidist muddy trails and steep slopes,break first snachs and lunch.
You need to wear a long sleeved shirt and Long trousers or jeans in fact if you can get waterproof trousers wear those. Both long trousers and long sleeved shirts protect you from branches, nettles, thorns that may injure you.
A Hat
The hat protects your head and neck from rain and direct exposure of the sun raise. One choose to wear a baseball cap but t will not protect your neck form the scotching sun after the mist in the mountains has disappeared.Locals weave fibre thatched head hats that cover up the whole body of the trekkes at a cheap and low price.
Rain Jacket
Rainforest and usually in the morning hours, therefore rain might fall at any time whether it’s a dry season or not, and therefore rain cout or jacket shouldn’t be left out.
Gloves and waterproof boots
Gloves will help the trekkers from being scratched since moving in stiff trails,Birders get the support from veins and branches so gloves play a great role.
Boots will also provide balance and support to the trekkers ankels moving in and around the trains and mud,slippery and steep slopes in the park.
Uganda Birding Packages
Birders enjoy the full packages of bird spiecies ranging 350 bird species within Uganda. There about 26 Albertine Endemic bird species in the range of African Green Broadbill, Chapin fly catcher and other world bird spiecies.
Ruhiija is one of the best destination sectors in Bwindi for bird watching and watchers would love to take a trip in Uganda. The birds are very easy to spot with feeding flocks that are always active throughout the whole seasons, there very many bird species including the Grey crowned crane, Francolin,Shelley’s crimsonwing, white-tailed crested Flycatcher, Cinnamon-chested bee-eater, Rwenzori batis, western Green Tinker bird, red-faced woodland Warbler, yellow-streaked Green buls with other compiled bird packages in the park making it fully and exciting bird watching trek for all times in Uganda and East Africa at large.
Other birds species include:Red-throated Alethe, Rwenzori Nightjar, African Wood Owl, Bar-tailed Trogon, Dwarf Honey guide, Grey Cuckoo-shrike, Fine-banded Woodpecker, Black Bee eater, Western Green Tinkerbird, African Green Broadbill, White-bellied Robin chat, Yellow-streaked Greenbul, Archer’ts Robin chat and lastly but not the least Shelly’s Greenbul