32 DAYS OF BIRDING UGANDA SAFARI

Arrive at Entebbe International Airport, transfer to the Hotel. Depending on the time of arrival, we bird Entebbe botanical Gardens or Uganda Wildlife Education Centre.

Early in the morning, we bird Via Mabamba Swamps for the elusive Shoebill,Orange Weaver, Papyrus Gonolek) Some papyrus endemics, the African and Lesser Jacanas, the White-faced and Fulvous Whistling Ducks, Blue breasted bee-Eater, Carruther`sCisticola, The Black-Chested, Brown and western Banded Snake Eagles, a number of Gull and Heron Species and other water birds species to L. Mburo National Park for our night. We have a short stop at the Equator for an informative talk, photography and the equator experience.

Red-necked SpurfowlHave an early morning breakfast before going birdwatching in a game car, bird and return for lunch then later go for a boat ride in search for the African Finfoot, Coqui, and the Red-winged Francolins, Blue-spotted Wood Dove, Brown Parrot, Barefaced Go-away bird, Harlequin and Blue Quails, Common Button Quail, White-headed and Black-billed Barbet, Greenwood Hoopoe, Common Scimitarbill, Blue-napped Mousebird, Blue-breasted and Shining-blue Kingfishers, Lilac-breasted Roller, African-grey Hornbill, the Nubian, Buff-spotted, Brown-eared, and the Grey Woodpeckers, Trilling, Stout, and Wing-snapping Cisticolas, Red-necked spurfowl, Black-bellied Bustard, Temminck’s Courser, African-wattled Plover Rufous napped and Flappet larks, Rufous-chested Swallow ,Yellow-throated Longclaw, Black-winged Bishop, Chubb’s, Carruther’s and a number of other Cisticolas, the Lesser and Great Swamp Warblers, Black Crake, Common Squacco, Striated, Goliath, Purple, Black-headed, Grey, and Black-headed Herons, Great White and Pink-backed Pelicans, the African Fish Eagle,(African Finfoot, Papyrus Yellow Warbler & Red-faced Barbet) among others.

Today, we bird to Kisoro in western Uganda for the birding experience in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park which is the country’ most scenic protected area.

We bird through a variety of Montane habitats, in search of the RwenzoriTuraco, (Shelley's CrimsonwingLagden' Bush-shrike)Dwarf Honeygude, Kivu Ground Thrush, Rwenzori Double-collared, Regal and the Purple-breasted Sunbirds, Archer`s Robin chat, The cinnamon Bracken and Mountain Yellow Warblers, the Dusky and much Sought after Shelley’s Crimson-wing and many more.

Today we bird Ruhija in search of the darling African Green Broadbill, Handsome Francolin, Strange Weaver, Shelley’s and Dusky Crimson-wings, Stripe-breasted Tit, RwenzoriBatis, White-browed Crombec, White-naped Raven,(African Green Broadbill & Shelley's Crimsonwing)Purple-breasted Sunbird, Sharp’s Starling, Mountain masked and RwenzoriApalises and many more.

As we bird Mubwindi Swamp we look out for the Yellow-eyed Black Flycatcher, White-tailed Blue-flycatcher, Brown-capped warbler, Black-billed weaver, Black-necked weaver, Red-headed Malimbe, Grey-headed Sparrow, Waller's Starling, Stuhlmann's starling, Montane Oriole, Many Coloured Bush Shrike, Bocage's Bush Shrike, Brown Crowned Tchagra, Pink Footed Puffback,(Handsome Francolin, Grauer's Rush Warbler & Chapin's Flycatcher)Ludher's Bush-shrike, Doherty's Bush-shrike, Mountain Illadopsis, Rwenzori Nightjar.

As we bird to Buhoma, we look out for species like, the Black Bee-Eater, Dusky Tit, Brown-caped Weaver, the Yellow-billed and yellow-spotted Barbets, the African and Black-and-white Shrike-flycatchers, Common Stonechat, (Dwarf Honey guide Brown-throated and Chestnut Wattle-eyes, Apalises, Kivu Ground-thrush, Oberländer's Ground-thrush)just to mention but a few of the forest species.

There are less than 800 mountain Gorillas in the whole world. Uganda is home to more than a half of these beautiful, majestic gentle giants and yet endangered apes. Therefore, Gorilla tracking in Uganda is a must experience not to be missed. Bwindi impenetrable forest habituates families of mountain Gorillas along with other species of primates for example, Chimpanzees, Colubus monkeys, Olive baboons, name it. To be certain of going gorilla tracking, it is a must you buy a permit which is issued by the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) at USD 600 only. It is our duty to arrange this for you should you be interested in this memorable activity.

MOUNTAIN GORILLAS

 At Buhoma, we look out for species like, the Black Bee-Eater, Dusky Tit, Brown-caped Weaver, the Yellow-billed and yellow-spotted Barbets, the African and Black-and-white Shrike Flycatchers, Common Stonechat, Brown-throated and Chestnut Wattle-eyes, Apalises, Equatorial Akalat, SlatyFlyacatcher, White-bellied Robin-Chat, Black-throated Apalis, Mountain Masked Apalis, Grey Apalis, Chestnut-throated Apalis, the Olive-green and Grey-backed Camaropteras, White-chinned Prinnia, Green Hylia, Short-tailed Warbler, White-tailed Antithrush, Cape Wagtail, Grey-capped Warbler, Black-faced Rufous Warbler, Red-faced Woodland Warbler, Grauer's Warbler, Grauer's Rush Warbler, White-browed Crombec, the list is long.

Today we head to Queen Elizabeth National Park; we bird through the Ishasha sector as we look out for the African Thrush, Ruppell's Long-tailed Sterling, Black-headed Gonolek, Slender-billed Weaver, Little Weaver, Black-headed Weaver,Park-(Black-winged Pratincole& White-napped Pigeon) Grey-headed Sparrow, Red-headed Lovebird, Spur-winged Lapwing, the African, Red-eyed and African Mourning Doves, the Winding, Croacking and ZittingCisticolas, and hundreds of other Savanna Species.

Early in the Morning we leave for a game drive for more Savanna Species and in the afternoon we take a boat ride on the Kazinga Channel for water birds like the Great White and Pink-backed Pelicans, African Skimmer, Yellow-billed and the Saddle- billed storks, African Wattled Lapwing, Long-toed Lapwing, Black-winged Stilt, Water Thick-knee, Collared Pratincole, -(Lesser Kestrel & Lesser Flamingo)the Grey-headed, Black-headed and Slender-billed Gulls, Grebes, Ducks and many more.

After an early morning breakfast, set off for Kibale Forest National Park, along the way expect to see; the Fan-tailed Widowbird, Yellow-mantled Widowbird, the Black and Black-winged Red Bishops, the African Palm and Little Swifts, Common Bulbul, Doves, Pigeons, the Lesser-stripped and Angola Swallows among others.

We bird here for two full days in search of the darling Green-breasted Pitta and more forest species like the Brown Illadopsis, Brown Illadopsis, Brown-capped Weaver, Brown-chested Alethe, Black-headed Oriole, African Emerald Cuckoo,African Green-pigeon, Black-crowned Tchagra, African Wood Owl, African/Rwenzori/Abyssinian Hill-Babbler, Alpine Swift, Ashy Flycatcher, Barn Swallow, Black Bee-eater, Black Cuckoo, Black Cuckoo-shrike, Black-and-white Casqued Hornbill, Black-and-white Mannikin, Black-and-white Shrike-flycatcher,Black-billed Turacco, Black-billed Weaver, Black-faced Rufous Warbler, African Dusky Flycatcher, Black-headed Weaver, Black-necked Weaver, African Citril (Western Citril),Black-throated Apalis, Blue-shouldered Robin-chat, Blue-throated Brown Sunbird, Blue-throated Roller, African Blue Flycatcher, Bocage' Bush-shrike, Bronze Mannikin, Zebra Waxbill, Bronze Sunbird name it.

Today morning, we bird Kibale Forest for more forest species possibly missed the previous days and later proceed to Semliki Valley National Park

Early in the morning, we take on to the Kirumi trail for our whole day birding experience. We look out for a number of predominantly Central African species which cannot be found anywhere else in East Africa yet are some of the continent's most spectacular and sought-after birds such as; Long-tailed Hawk, Congo Serpent Eagle, Lyre-tailed Honeyguide, Black and White casqued Hornbill, the Nkulengu Rail, and other species;Blue Swallow, White-throated Swallow, Swamp Palm Bulbul, Spotted Greenbul,White-starred Robin, Lowland Akalat, Red-throated Alethe, Fire-crested Alethe, Snowy-headed Robin-Chat, Blue-shouldered Robin-Chat, Red-eyed Puffback, White-tailed Robin-Chat, Northern Bearded Scrub-Robin, Capped Wheatear, Common Stonechat, Abyssinian Ground-Thrush, Oberlaender’s Ground-Thrush, Grey Ground-Thrush, Little Grey Greenbul, Toro Olive Greenbul, Mountain Greenbul,(African Piculet, Great Snipe, Sassi'sGreenbull, and White-throated Blue Swallow) Yellow-throated Nicator, Western Nicator, just to mention but a few. There is a single, unconfirmed report of the globally threatened Lesser Kestrel.

The earlier session of this day will be spent searching for forest species possibly missed the previous day after which, we head to Fort Portal for the night.

Today we transfer to Murchison Falls National Park birding via the Escarpment in search for, the Yellow-rumped and Yellow-fronted Tinkerbirds, Foxy Cisticola, Black Bishop, the Northern and Black-winged Red Bishops, Cinnamon-breasted Rock Bunting, Tropical Boubou, the Grey-crowned and Black-crowned Tchagras, Stripped Kingfisher, White-headed Barbet, and many more

Today, we do Game drive birding in search for, The Giant, Pied, Malachite, Stripped, Chestnut-bellied, Blue-breasted, Woodland and the African Pygmy Kingfishers, House Martin, African Rock Martin, Lesser Stripped Swallow, Ethiopian Swallow, Angola Swallow, Red-rumped Swallow, Rufous-chested Swallow,-(Lesser Kestrel, Black-winged Pratincole, and Shoebill) Nightingale, Rock Thrush, Pied Wheatear, Whinchat, Common Redstart, White-fronted Black Chat, Sooty Chat, Isabelline Wheatear, Common Bulbul, Cameroon SombreGreenbul, Yellow-throated Greenbul, the Black, White-breasted, and Red-shouldered Cuckoo Shrikes, the Black and Penduline Tits, the Arrow-marked, Black-lored and Brown Babblers, Nubian Woodpecker, Cardinal Woodpecker, Brown-backed Woodpecker, Lesser Honeyguide, Scaly-throated Honeyguide, Black Scimitarbill, Green Wood Hoopoe, a number of Buzzards, Barbets, Rollers, Harriers, Vultures, Eagles, Bee-eaters, Warblers, and so forth.

We also take a boat on the Victoria Nile for water birds like the elusive Shoebill Stork, Little Grebe, Great White and the Pink-backed Pelicans, Red-knobbed Coot, African Water Rail, Allen’s Gallinule, Black Crake, African Crake, Black-crowned Crane, Southern Pochard, The Egyptian, African Pygmy, and the Spur-winged Gooses, Storks like; the Saddle-billed, Open-billed, Abdim’s, White, Yellow-billed, Marabou, and the Wooly-necked, the Little and Dwarf Bitterns, Night Heron, Black Heron, Goliath Heron, Purple Heron, Green Backed Heron, Common Squacco Heron, Great White Egret, Cormorants, the African and Eurasian Spoonbills, the Lesser Flamingo, Lesser Jacana, African Finfoot, Painted Snipe, Wattled Plover the list is very long.

We leave the park birding and head to Uganda’s biggest Forest Reserve and the second most important after Semliki National Park. We bird KaniyoPabidi for a few hours then proceed to the hotel in Masindi.

Today, we bird Budongo Forest which has a prolific birdlife with two species of birds not found elsewhere in East Africa: 10 of the 22 species of the Sudan–Guinea Savanna biome and 93 of the 144 species Guinea–Congo Forests biome that occur in Uganda.

We bird the marvelous Royal mile and several other trails for the whole day. We look for the Puvel’sIlladopsis and Nahan’s Francolin other special birds include; the Yellow-billed Barbet, Grey-throated Barbet, HoneyguideGreenbul, Chocolate–backed Kingfisher,White-headed Saw-wing, White Wagtail, Black-eared Ground-Thrush, Little Crake, Chestnut-capped Flycatcher, African Paradise Flycatcher, Chin-spot Batis, Grey-backed Camaroptera, Lemon-bellied Crombec, African Moustached Warbler, Green-backed Eremomela, Yellow-whiskered 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,(Puvel’sIlladopsis, Nahan’s Francolin) 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.

Have breakfast then Bird to the 480 species search adventure in the only IBA located entirely within the Somali– Masai biome. The park has the second-highest bird record of any Ugandan protected areas, after Queen Elizabeth National Park and supports some of the rarest species in Uganda, such as Black-breasted BarbetandKaramojaApalis.We stop in Gulu town for lunch.

Today, bird the Kidepo Valley for special species and view a lot of other wild life. In the search, expect sight of the KaramojaApalis, Black-breasted Barbet, Four-banded Sandgrouse, Buffalo Weavers, The Common Ostrich, Secretary Bird, African Swallow-tailed Kite, Eastern Pale Chanting Goshawk, Pygmy Falcon, Fox Kestrel, Stone Partridge, Clapperton's and Heuglin's Francolins, Yellow-necked Spurfowl, Kori, White-bellied and Hartlaub's Bustards, Violet-tipped Courser, Black-headed Plover, Four-banded Sand Grouse, Bruce's Green Pigeon, Rose-ringed Parakeet, White-crested Turaco, White-bellied Go-away bird, (KaramojaApalis, Sandgrouses)White-faced Scoops Owl, Long-tailed and Standard-winged Nightjars, Little Green Bee-eater, Abyssinian and Rufous-crowned Rollers, Abyssinian Ground, Eastern Yellow and Jackson's Hornbills, Red-fronted Barbet and many more.

The earlier session of this day, we bird the NamamuKwenyi area and the Kidepo River (Katarumu) in the evening for some water species.

With Lunch packed, the safari starts early in the morning since the way is long, a flight to Soroti is also recommendable.Here we search for the Fox’s Weaver which is endemic to Uganda.

We bird for two days in this area as we search for the Fox’s Weaver (Uganda’ endemic bird).(Shoebill, and Papyrus Gonolek) The area has water habitats harboring the Shoebill and a number of other bird species, both water and woodland.

The park harbors 43 of the 144 species of the Guinea–Congo Forests biome and 56 of the 88 species of Afro-tropical Highland biome that occur in Uganda. There are isolated records of the near-threatened species, the Taita Falcon.

Whole day birding, search for Hunter’s Cisticola and Jackson Francolin, Moorland Francolin, Moustached Green Tinkerbird, Alpine Chat, White-starred Robin, Cape Robin-Chat, Blue-shouldered Robin-Chat, Little Rock-Thrush, Northern Anteater Chat, Nightingale, Spotted Morning-Thrush, Mountain Yellow Warbler, African Reed Warbler, Little Rush Warbler, Upcher’s Warbler,(Taita Falcon, Hunter’s Cisticola) Blackcap, Common Whitethroat, Common Chiffchaff, the Uganda and Brown Woodland Warblers, Green Hylia, White-browed Crombec, Yellow-bellied Hyliota, Stout, Thrilling, and Rattling Cisticolas, chances of seeing the Banded Prinia, Chestnut-throated Apalis, Northern Double-collared Sunbird, Grey-headed Sunbird, Yellow-billed Shrike, Ludher’s Bush-shrike, Cape Rock, Fan-tailed and White-napped Raven, Chestnut Sparrow, Chestnut-crowned Sparrow-Weaver, White-headed Buffaloe-Weaver.

We bird all the way to the biggest forest reserve closest to the city center with a record of 315 bird species. The forest has 74 of the 144 species of the Guinea–Congo Forests biome that occur in Uganda.

Whole day birding, Search for the Nahan’s Francolin which is an IUCN Red list’ endangered species, Cassin's Hawk-eagle, White-spotted Flufftail, Afep Pigeon, Grey Parrot, Dusky Long-tailed Cuckoo, Black-shouldered Nightjar, Sabine's Spinetail, Cassin's Spinetail, Blue-throated Roller, African Dwarf Kingfisher, White-bellied Kingfisher, Forest Woodhoopoe, African Pied Hornbill, Black-and-white Casqued Hornbill, Speckled Tinkerbird, Yellow-throated Tinkerbird, Yellow-spotted Barbet, Hairy-breasted Barbet,Yellow-billed Barbet, Green-breasted Pitta, African Shrike-flycatcher, Jameson's and Chestnut Wattle-eyes, Forest Robin, Fire-crested Alethe, Red-capped Robin-Chat, the Speckle-breasted, Yellow-crested, Brown-eared, and the Buff-spotted Woodpeckers, Cassin's Honeyguide, Red-tailed Bristlebil, etc.

SHOEBILL BALAENICEPS REX

Diet: Lungfishes, Catfish, Tilapia, Frogs, Reptiles, and small mammal

Habitat and feeding: Swamps, marshes, particular floating vegetation, generally muddy areas on fresh water bodies

The Shoebill is a massive bird, growing to heights of 3-1/2ft to 4-1/2ft tall.

The birds nest solitarily, laying one to three eggs in a large flat nest built amid swamp grasses or sedges, usually in remote areas. These eggs measure 80 to 90 mm high by 56 to 61 mm and weigh around 164 g. It takes 140 days of nest-attendance to get from new-laid egg to independent offspring and it takes three to four years to get from newly independent offspring to mature adult.

This species is considered to be one of the five most desirable birds in Africa by ornithologists.

SADDLE-BILLED STORK (EPHIPPIORHYNCHUS SENEGALENSIS)

Diet: Mainly feeds on fish, frogs and crabs, but also on small birds and reptiles.

The Saddle-billed Stork breeds in forested waterlands and floodlands in tropical lowland. The female lays one or two white eggs weighing about 146g each. The incubation period is 30–35 days, with another 70 – 100 days before the chicks fledge.

Birds grow to 150 cm height,142 cm length and 2.4–2.7 m wingspan. The male is larger and heavier than the female, with a range of 5.1–7.5 kg. The female is usually between 5 and 7 kg. It is probably the tallest of the Storks.

The long bill measures from 27.3 to 36 cm.

Sexes can be readily distinguished by the golden yellow iris of the female and the brown irises and dangling yellow wattles of the male.

GRAUER'S BROADBILL (PSEUDOCALYPTOMENA GRAUERI)

Kingdom: Animalia, Phylum: Chordata, Class: Aves, Family: Eurylaimidae, Genus: Pseudocalyptomena, Species: Pseudocalyptomenagraueri

The Grauer's Broadbill or African Green Broadbill (Pseudocalyptomenagraueri) is an actual broadbill, one of only a few African representatives of a primarily Asian family. It is bright green with a blue throat and vent and a small bill, quite unlike those of the other broadbills. It is endemic to the Albertine Rift Mountains of Uganda and Democratic Republic of Congo. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forests where it forages in canopies. It is one of the African Big Five bird species, highly sought after by ornithologists but very elusive.

The species is both globally endangered and endangered according to the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.