Uganda Birds in Queen Elizabeth National Park

Uganda Birds in Queen Elizabeth National Park are over 600 out of the approximated 1096 Uganda bird species.

This park has the highest number of birds in Uganda and Africa, concentrated in one place.

Thus, one of the best destinations for your African birding safaris in Uganda!

While celebrating annual Uganda’s Big Birding Day on 30^th September 2011, different bird watchers collectively recorded these estimated 600 bird species.

Consequently, Queen Elizabeth National Park won for having the highest bird count in Uganda and it has continued to defend this record!

The park also boasts over 54 species of raptors and all aquatic species of birds in Uganda.

Furthermore, it is home to the big five birds of Uganda.

These are the Shoebill, Great Blue Turaco, Gray-crowned crane, Long-Crested Eagle, and Black-and-White-Casqued Hornbill.

The shoebill is Uganda’s most sought-after bird because of its ancient nature and the elusive stories that surround it.

In addition, the park is a bird migration corridor that hosts many of the over 300 migratory bird species that Uganda receives every year. The endangered Madagascar Pond-Heron is an example.

Albert Rift Endemic birds in Queen Elizabeth National Park are unpredictably infrequent. The common that some birders see is the Rwenzori Turaco.

This is because the Albertine Rift Endemic birds live in high altitudes and elevations, yet this park slopes in altitude.

However, the park protects some threatened bird species classified by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as vulnerable, endangered, and critically endangered.

For example,  the nationally endangered Shoebill and Grey-Crowned Crane,  the critically endangered Egyptian Vulture, and the Lappet-faced Vulture.

The vulnerable Lesser Flamingos are also threatened birds of this park.

Encountering such rear species creates a memorable experience of birding in Uganda!

In addition, Queen Elizabeth National Park has birds that only stay in the Ishasha sector, but not in any other part of the park. The Cuckoo-Hawk is an example.

This park also hosts many weaver birds including the beautiful black-headed weaver bird.

Uganda birding tours in Queen Elizabeth park occur in Kazinga Channel, Kasenyi Area, Mweya Peninsula, Maramagambo Forest, and Katwe Area.

Other areas to see birds in the park include Kazinga Channel, Lake George, Kyambura Gorge, Katunguru Bridge Area, and Lake Kikorongo Area.

The birds in Queen Elizabeth National Park are important in a way that they help in environmental conservation, tourism, cultural promotion, and research.

Queen Elizabeth National Park is indeed a reputable destination for your Uganda birding safaris, given the lushness of the birds that she preserves.

Below Are the Most Notable Birds of Uganda in Queen Elizabeth National Park| Most Notable Uganda Bird List in Queen Elizabeth National Park

A Detailed Explanation of All Uganda Birds in Queen Elizabeth National Park

A. Order; Pelecaniformes

A.I Family; Balaenicipitidae

A.I (1)  The Shoebill (Balaeniceps Rex)

The shoebill is also known as the whalebill, whale-headed stork, or shoe-billed stork.

It is an elusive African endemic bird based in Uganda and is believed to be the oldest living bird in the world!

It has been classified on the red list of the International Union for Conservation of Nature, IUCN as an endangered species.

The shoebill is monotypic in the Balaenicipitidae family and gets its name from its heavy hooked shoe-shaped bill.

It is said that this specie is the only bird that ever lived closest to the extinct dinosaur error, hence surviving the prehistoric ice age.

They mostly lived along the Nile in South Sudan, but because humans were killing them, they migrated southwards and settled in the Albertine Region in Uganda.

General Identification

Physically it is a tall, heavy bird with a distinctive enormous bill.

It has fairly long dark legs with extremely large feet that help it to stand on aquatic vegetation in shallow waters.

It has a short neck, greyish plumage, and a hidden fleshy tongue.

Behavior

Social Life; the shoebill does not call like other birds. Instead, it ‘claps’ its bills in a clattering way.

During hot days, it soars to its highest points to cool off. As the old saying goes, “the higher you go, the cooler it becomes”.

It is also a shy bird that avoids places where there is active human activity. However, it can be friendly and even habituated.

Feeding; its main food is the lung fish, which it hunts using a technique called “collapsing”.  This technique involves a bird falling frontward on its prey.

Breeding; the shoebill lays 1 or 2 eggs after about 5 years.

In case the female lays two eggs, the first hatchling kills its sibling while its mother watches and lets nature take its course.

She allows this to happen to avoid food competition since she can only provide for one hatchling.

The shoebill lives for about 48 to 50 years in the wild.

Distribution and Habitat

The shoebill prefers living in large water swamps with grasses, reeds, and papyrus. This is why it is referred to as “the king of the marshes”.

In Queen Elizabeth National Park, you can see it in the Ishasha sector, L. Kikorongo, and the Southern ends of Lake Edward.

A.II Family; Scopidae

A.II (2) The Hamerkop (Scopus Umbretta)

The Hamerkop is the only bird species in the Scopus genus and Scopidae family.

It is identified as the closest relative to the shoebill, but is listed among birds of ‘least concern’.

General Identification

Physically, it is an ibis-like, short, brown, bird with a bushy-crest and a “hammer-head”.

Behavior

Social Life; despite their relatively small size, hammerkops build big stick tree nests in nearby large trees.

The Hamerkop is active during the daytime, but can also be active at dusk even though it is not nocturnal like is sometimes reported.

Feeding; this wading bird mostly feeds along rivers and wetlands primarily eating fish and amphibians in shallow waters.  However, it can also eat rodents.

Breeding; they lay between three to seven eggs, which incubate for about 30 days. Both parents provide food for the young.

Distribution and Habitat

They are spread in wetlands and rivers. You can see it around the Katunguru bridge area.

A.III Family; Pelecanidae

A.III (3) Great White Pelicans(Pelecanus Onocrotalus)

The Great White Pelican is also known as the Eastern White Pelican, White Pelican, or Rosy Pelican.

General Identification

It is a huge water bird in the pelican family and can easily be identified by its giant and awkward bill which has a yellow-orange throat pouch.

Great White Pelicans also have pink legs and pink bare skin around the eyes that extends towards the bill.

The juveniles have browner plumage while the adults are white.

During the flight, they show black remiges.

Behavior

Social Life; their social nature is seen by how they live in large flocks.

Feeding; they feed mainly on fish, and they usually fish cooperatively, swimming in a wide arc, rounding up the fish, and then scooping them into their pouch.

Breeding; a female lays between 1 to 4 eggs which are incubated between 29 to 36 days.

Distribution and Habitat

The Great White Pelican is a migratory bird from Europe and Asia and is listed as “least concern”

They live in swamps and shallow lakes. Their strong, short legs and webbed feet help them in living in these areas.

They can be spotted around Lake Edward and the Kazinga channel.

A.III (4) Pink-backed Pelican(Pelecanus Rufescens)

The pink-backed Pelican belongs to the Pelican family.

It is usually confused with the Great White Pelican although it is much smaller than the Great White Pelicans. The two bird species live in the same habitat.

General Identification

It weighs about 4 to 7 kg and has a grey and white plumage, with a pink touch that is not as pink as the flamingo. Their crest is grey while their outer wing is dark grey while flying.

Its upper bill is yellow and the pouch is grey. Adults have long feather plumes on their heads.

Behavior

Feeding; they usually feed on fish and amphibians. The fish they mostly hunt is Haplochromis and Tilapia.

Breeding; The Pink-backed Pelican usually breeds in trees, for example, the mangrove tree.  However, it can also roost on cliffs, sandy islands, and coral reefs.

Their breeding peaks in the rainy season even though they breed all year round.

A female Pink-backed Pelican lays two or three large, white eggs which she incubates for 30 days.

Chicks feed by dipping their heads deep into their mother’s pouch to eat the partly digested fish.

Distribution and Habitat

It is a resident bird that lives, breeds, and feeds in swamps and shallow waters. It prefers fresh, quiet shallow vegetation-free waters, and large rivers with slow flows.

These Pelicans build nests close to each other along water sides, and they reuse them yearly until the trees, reeds, or bushes get ruined.

They can be spotted in small groups around the banks of the Kazinga channel on a boat trip and, the Katunguru Bridge area.

A.IV Family; Ardeidae

A.IV (5) Goliath Heron(Ardea Goliath)

The Goliath Heron is also known as the Giant Heron. It is a heron water bird in the Ardeidae family and has been listed as “Least Concern”.

General Identification

The Goliath heron is the largest living heron species in the world weighing about 4-5kg and 6-7ft tall.

It has a robust dagger-like bill,  a wingspan of 2 meters, and slate-grey plumage. Its head is chestnut-colored, the neck is striped, and the chin and throat are white.

It has black legs, yellow eyes, and a yellow eye ring.

Behavior

Social Life; they are very territorial loners, especially on feeding grounds. In an instance where two are seen together, it is most likely that they are a breeding couple.

Feeding; they hunt and feed on large fish and amphibians.

Breeding; the peak of their breeding is in the rainy season around November to March. However they can also breed at any time of the year, but sometimes it does not happen yearly.

These birds nest on islands or near water bodies on trees, bushes, reeds, rocks, or large tree bases.

A female lays between 2-5 pale blue eggs that are incubated within a period of 24 to 30 days.

Parents take care of the hatchlings for about 40 to 80 days, but usually within 5 weeks, chicks permanently leave the nest and survive on their own till adulthood.

Distribution and Habitat

It is an aquatic bird that lives around water bodies.

The Goliath Heron can be spotted around the Kazinga channel area or the Katunguru bridge expanse.

A.IV (6) Great Egrets(Ardea Alba)

The Great egret is also known as the Common egret, large egret, great white egret, or the great white heron.

It has been listed among the birds of “least concern” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

General Identification

It is an attractive large, gangly, long-necked white heron distinguished from other white egrets by its size, yellow bill, and black legs plus feet.

However, during the breeding season, its bill becomes darker and the lower legs become lighter. Also, it produces delicate ornate feathers on the back, during the breeding season.

Both males and females are identical while the juveniles resemble nonbreeding adults.

The Great Egrets have a slow withdrawn-necked flight, but they walk with their wing close to the body, and their necks extended.

Behavior

Social Life; they are often alone, but can sometimes come together in places where there is a lot of food.

Feeding; its diet consists of fish, amphibians, snakes, crayfish, insects like grasshoppers, and small mammals.

Breeding; they build nests near lakes or large swamps.

A female Great Egret can lay up to six bluish-green eggs at once. Both parents incubate the eggs within a period of about 23 to 26 days.

The young are fed partially digested food from both parents and can leave a nest between 6 to 7 weeks.

Distribution and Habitat

It can be seen in shallow wetlands for example marshes and ponds, from where it also hunts for its food.

On your Uganda tour in Queen Elizabeth Park, it can be spotted around Kazinga Channel and Katunguru bridge area.

A.IV (7) Little Egret(Egretta Garzetta)

A Little egret is a lovely small snow-white heron species in the Ardeidae family.

General Identification

It has a slim black bill, long black legs, and yellow feet also known as “golden slippers”.

However, breeding adults develop two long thin plumes on the head that forms a crest on the neck and a sprig of plumes on the lower back. They also have falling feathers on their breast.

Behavior

Social Life; Even though they are silent most times, they call in a croaking and bubbling way.

They can either live alone or communally, but in most cases, they nest and roost together, especially in a place where there is a lot of prey.

Feeding; their diet consists mainly of fish, worms, amphibians, small reptiles and mammals, spiders, mollusks, and insects.

Breeding; they are territorial when breeding and a female lays about 3 to 5 eggs which both parents incubate between 21 to 25 days.

Both parents take care of the hatchlings until they are fully fledged at about 40 to 45 days.

Distribution and Habitat

They are residents in warm places like Queen Elizabeth National Park, but some migrate from Europe to escape the winter.

It is a wading bird that lives and feeds in shallow waters and wetlands for example lakes, rivers, or marshes and they mostly feed on fish.

The Little Egrets can be spotted around Kazinga Channel or the Katunguru bridge area.

A.IV (8) Cattle Egret(Bubulcus Ibis)

It is monotypic to the genus Bubulcus and has been listed among birds of “Least Concern” because of its widespread population.

General Identification

The Cattle Egret is a small, white heron with fairly a short yellow bill.

A nonbreeding adult can be identified by white plumage, yellow bill, and greyish-yellow legs.

In the breeding season, they develop orange plumes on the breast, back, and crown. Their irises, bills, and legs, become bright red, a short while before pairing.

Both males and females are identical, although the males are a bit larger and have slightly longer breeding plumes than those of the females.

Juveniles have white plumage and black bills.

Behavior

Social Life; The Cattle Egrets usually live in flocks, always following cattle or tractors in parks.

Feeding; The Cattle Egrets feed on insects, particularly grasshoppers, adult flies and maggots, beetles, moths, spiders, frogs, fish, small snakes, lizards, and earthworms. They are rarely seen eating figs.

Breeding; a female can lay up to 5 eggs which she incubates in around 23 days. Chicks can become fully fledged in 30 days and can leave the nest in 45 days.

Distribution and Habitat

It is a migratory bird that is mostly on dry land, and rarely near water, as it loves warm areas.

A.IV (9) Intermediate Egret(Ardea Intermedia)

The Intermediate egret is also known as the median egret, the smaller egret, or the yellow-billed egret.

General Identification

It is a stout egret that is smaller than the Great Egret, but bigger than the Cattle Egret and the Little Egret.

The bird is called the Intermediate Egret because its identity is confusing among the remaining three Egrets.

Physically, it has a yellow bill that is shorter than that of the Great Egret but longer than Cattle Egret.

It has a relatively round head and legs shorter than that of the Great Egret, but almost the size of the Cattle Egret.

It can be differentiated from the little egret by its black feet and shorter bill.

Its bill also becomes black during the breeding season

Behavior

Feeding; their food consists of fish, crustaceans, frogs, and insects.

Breeding; they nest together with other herons, and a female can lay up to 6 eggs which are incubated by both parents between 24 to 27 days.

Young ones feed on the parent’s regurgitated food and are free to leave the nest at 24 days when they are fully fledged.

Distribution and Habitat

They technically hunt from shallow fresh water or flooded fields.

In Queen Elizabeth National Park, they can be seen at Kazinga Channel.

A.IV (10) Black Heron(Egretta Ardesiaca)

The Black heron, also known as the Black Egret is an African heron species.

It is listed under the ‘Least Concern’ grouping by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

General Identification

It has black plumage, a bill, legs, and yellow feet.

In the breeding season, a long plume grows on its crown and the back of its neck.

Behavior

Social Life; Some feed alone while others are reported to feed and live in groups of about 50 to 200 individuals.

Feeding; the black heron is famous for its incredible fishing technique of using its wings to form an “umbrella” shade that draws fish.

Breeding; they nest in the rainy season and the female lays about 2 to 4 dark blue eggs.

Distribution and Habitat

It can be seen around freshwaters and occasionally on salty wetlands.

This heron can be seen around the Katunguru bridge area, Kazinga area, and sometimes crater lake areas.

A.IV (11) Squacco Heron(Ardeola Ralloides)

The International Union for Conservation of Nature classifies it as “least concern” because of its great population.

General Identification

You can see its short neck, a short thick bill, and brown back when it’s on the ground.

However, the bird transfigures to white at flight because of the white color of its wings and tail.

Adults develop long neck feathers in the summer while breeding adults have a yellowish-brown neck.

Nonbreeding adults and juveniles have a short speckled necks.

Behavior

Feeding; The Squacco Heron hunts lazily, in a quiet hooked way at the edge of waters for fish, frogs, and insects.

Breeding; they usually nest in groups, and a female lays about 3 to 4 eggs.

Distribution and Habitat

The Squacco Heron is a small migrant heron that mostly lives around freshwater marshes, lakes, and ponds with reeds.

In Queen Elizabeth National Park, Squacco herons can be spotted in the Katunguru bridge area.

A.IV (12) Malagasy Pond-Heron(Ardeola Idea)

The Malagasy Pond-Heron, also known as the Madagascar pond heron or Madagascar squacco heron, is a migratory bird.

It is a monotypic bird with no subspecies and is classified as “near threatened” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s red list.

General Identification

Physically their feathers, eyes, and bill colors differ by their growth stage and reproductive category.

Non-breeding adults have a mixture of yellowish-beige and black on their crown and hind.

Other parts of the body are majorly brown. They likewise have a green bill with a black tip while their iris is yellow.

Feathers are however white during flight.

Breeding adults have a snow-white color all over their bodies and a bright sky-blue beak.

Out of breeding, they develop plumes around their necks and breasts.

A chick has a yellowish-beige color while a juvenile has pale green eyes dull orange bill.

Behavior

Social Life; The Malagasy Pond-Heron is a territorial bird that limits its interaction with other enemy birds.

They usually come together only during breeding and sometimes roosting.

However, the limitation in their habitat due to human activity causes them to stay together even with other herons like the Squacco Heron and the Cattle Egret.

Feeding; it is believed that the Malagasy Pond-Heron feeds on only fish, small amphibians, small invertebrates skink, geckos, and insects since little is known about their feeding.

Breeding; they live in groups during the mating season, and breeding occurs within 21 to 25 days in Madagascar. Their incubation period is about 21 to 25 days.

Crocodiles and snakes are their main predators.

Distribution and Habitat

The Malagasy Pond-Heron migrates, to different places around May, but during breeding in October, it flies to Madagascar.

Only those that are breeding travel to Madagascar, while those that are not, stay in nonbreeding areas.

Other birds belonging to the order Pelecaniformes and family Ardeidae

A.V. Family; Threskiornithidae

A.V (22) African Sacred Ibis(Threskiornis Aethiopicus)

General Identification

The African Sacred Ibis is an African Endemic bird that can easily be identified by its bald black head, thick curved black bill, black legs, brown eyes plus, its black-edged wingtips.

They weigh about 1.35 to 1.5 kg but males are relatively larger than females.

An adult has completely white plumage apart from the dark plumes of its hind.

Juveniles have brown eyes, white plumage, shorter bills, and greenish-brown scapulars.

Behavior

Social Life; The African Sacred Ibis produces a sound like that of the puppy.

Feeding; its diet consists of insects, fish, worms, and other small reptiles, mammals, and amphibians.

Breeding; they build nests on trees next to the water, and breed once, in the wet season of every year which is from March to August.

Female adults lay between 1 to 5 eggs that both parents incubate for about 21 to 29 days.

Chicks become fully fledged after 35 to 40 days and can leave the next after 44 – 48 days. They also reach sexual maturity between one to five years.

Distribution and Habitat

They are wading birds that live both in the wetlands and on land. They prefer the shallow marshy wetlands to ease feeding.

They’re mostly spotted around the Katunguru bridge area.

A.V (23) African Spoonbill(Platalea Alba)

General Identification

The African Spoonbill is a distinct pale water bird with long pink-red legs, a bright pink-red face that is bare, and a strange spoon-shaped bill that’s visible even when flying.

Its long toes help it to walk through deep waters.

Juveniles have black tips on their wings but do not have bright pink-red skin wings.

Behavior

Feeding; it forages on small fish and other aquatic invertebrates. It uses its spoon bill to get this food.

Breeding; the bird also nests on trees above water, made out of sticks, reeds, and leaves.

A female lays about 3 to 5 eggs around April and May. They are incubated by both parents for around 29 days.

Both parents take care of the chicks for around 20 to 30 days.

Distribution and Habitat

It is a migratory bird that usually moves from one place to another in response the rainfall.

They prefer large and quiet marshy, shallow water bodies.

It can be spotted around the Kazinga channel area.

Other birds in the order Pelecaniformes and the family Threskiornithidae

B. Order; Musophagiformes

B.I Family; Musophagidae

B.I (27) The Great Blue Turaco(Corythaeola Cristata)

The Great Blue Turaco is also called the Blue Plantain Eater.

It is one of the most beautiful birds in Uganda.

It belongs to the Musophagidae family but is monotypic to the Corythaeolinae subfamily of the turacos.

Even though the Great Blue Turaco is listed as “least concerned”, it still has to be protected from human threats.

General Identification

Physically, it can easily be identified by its tall black crest, red-and-yellow bill, white chin, brown eyes, and black legs, with a yellow base. It also has a combination of grey-blue and yellow-green plumage.

The Great Blue Turaco also has short, round wings that make their flying seem like gliding. However, they adapted to this condition by using their feet and fourth toe to grip and climb the fruit trees.

Behavior

Social Life; It lives in small family flocks of about 6 to 20 birds, in territories encompassed with many fruit-bearing trees.  They become more territorial during the mating season.

Feeding; The Great Blue Turaco is a plantain eater that feeds mainly on fruits, leaves, flowers, and seeds.

Breeding; the female bird mostly lays 2 eggs which both the male and female incubate concurrently for one month. Both parents take care of the hatchlings too.

Distribution and Habitat

It is an African endemic bird that lives in Central and East Africa.

In Queen Elizabeth National Park, they can be spotted in the Maramagambo forest, Kyambura gorge, and Ishasha sector.

B.I (28) White-Crested Turaco (Tauraco Leucolophus)

A White-Crested Turaco is a beautiful resident bird.

The bird is classified as “least concern” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s red list because of its wide population.

General Identification

This is a bird with a shiny greenback and underparts, dark blue wings and tail, and a prominent white head with a black mark above the eye.

This bird has a white crest, neck, cheeks, and throat. It also has crimson wings while flying.

Behavior

Social Life; It usually moves vigorously from tree to tree.

Feeding; the white-crested Turaco feeds on fruits, berries, flowers, and small invertebrates like snails.

Breeding; it breeding season is in August.

Distribution and Habitat

It dwells mostly in riverine forests and extensive woodlands.

On your Uganda birding tour in Queen Elizabeth Park, it can be spotted within the Maramagambo forest.

B.I (29) Ross’s Turaco(Musophaga Rossae)

The Ross’s Turaco is also known as Lady Ross’s Turaco.

General Identification

The Ross’s Turaco is a stunning bluish-purple African bird. It has a yellow bill and face, as well as a red crest.  The bird also has black legs with three toes.

Like any other Turaco in flight, it exhibits crimson wing patches.

Females have faintly yellow-green beaks wile males have bright yellow ones.

It typically inhabits woodlands and open forests.

Behavior

Social Life; Breeding birds are alienated and they live solely in pairs.

Feeding; The Ross’s Turaco is a plantain eater the feeds on plantain plants, fruits, seeds, figs, and small insects like termites.

Breeding; a female lays about 2 to 3 eggs which both parents incubate in about 25 days.

Unlike other birds, the flock members of the Ross’s Turacos contribute to raising the chicks for about 4 to 7 weeks, when they are fully fledged and left to go on their own. They do this especially if the bird is a first-time mother.

The birds reach sexual maturity in one year and have a life span of about 8 to 20 years.

Distribution and Habitat

It is an African Endemic bird that lives in open forests, woodlands, and riparian habitats

On your Uganda birding safari in Queen Elizabeth Park, it can be spotted within the Maramagambo forest.

B.I (30) Bare-Faced Go-Away-Bird(Corythaixoides Personatus)

The Bare-faced go-away-bird belongs to the Musophagidae family and is named after its unusual bare black face.

General Identification

Both the male and female are identical apart from the female’s green bill.

It has a bare face, a bushy crest, and a long beak and tail.

It is a grey turaco, that has a white head, white collar, and green breast.

Behavior

Social Life; the Bare-Faced Go-Away-Bird is very social, restless, and noisy. This is why it lives in small groups

Feeding; it is an Eastern plantain eater that feeds on fruits, seeds, buds, and leaves.

Breeding; a female bird lays 2 to 3 greenish-white eggs in every breeding season. The birds build their nests on tall acacia trees.

Distribution and Habitat

The Bare-Faced Go-Away-Bird is an African native bird that is in Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, Ethiopia, Zambia, and Malawi

It lives in moist savannah, woodlands, and shrubs.

This lovely bird can be spotted in the Kasenyi plains.

B.I (31) Eastern Plantain-Eater  (Crinifer Zonurus)

The Eastern Plantain-Eater is also called the eastern grey plantain-eater.

General Identification

It has a long tail and a bushy crest. Its head, chest, breast, and neck are brown with silver stripes. It’s under part is white and striped with brown while its thick bill is bright and yellow.

Juveniles have pure black woolly heads.

It is sometimes confused with the Western Plantain Eater but can be differentiated by its darker belly and wings, the white tail bars, and the lack of chest bars.

The bird weighs between 392–737 g

Behavior

Social Life; It is a social and noisy bird.

Feeding; it feeds on fruits, figs, and leaves.

Flight Pattern; It displays white bars on the outer wing and white sides to the tail while flying.

Breeding; A female lays 2 or 3 eggs.

Distribution and Habitat

This bird is endemic to Africa.

It lives in savannahs, open woodlands, shrubby cultivations, and gardens usually in small flocks.

A visitor can see it within Mweya peninsular, Kasenyi plains, and Ishasha plains.

Other birds in Musophagiformes order and Musophagidae family

 C. Order; Gruiformes

C.I Family; Gruidae

C.I (33) The Grey Crowned Crane(Balearica Regulorum)

The Grey Crowned Crane is also called the African crowned crane, golden crested crane, golden-crowned crane, East African crane, East African crowned crane, African crane, Eastern crowned crane, Kavirondo crane, South African crane, and crested crane.

It is the Uganda National bird that features in the Uganda flag and coat of arms.  It moves gracefully in the noblest way and at a very honorable pace.

The Uganda Crested Crane bird belongs to the Gruidae family and is closely related to the black-crowned crane.

General Identification

It is an attractive, tall bird with majorly grey plumage. It has a gleaming black-and-white face, a bright red inflatable throat sack, and golden-yellow plumes.

The long legs are for wading while its long hind toe enables them to rest in trees.

Behavior

Social Life; The Grey Crowned Cranes live in flocks of about 30 to 150 birds and usually like dancing especially during courtship.

The Crested Crane has a loud call that involves inflation of the regular sac.

Feeding; it is an omnivore, and mostly feeds on plants, seeds, grains, snakes, frogs, small fish, worms, insects, and eggs of aquatic animals.

Breeding; Grey crowned cranes are very territorial during the breeding season, and they time it around the rains when it’s hard for predators to access them.

Both the male and female build the nest using vegetation materials. The female lays 2-5 eggs and the precocial chicks are taken care of by both parents. Their lifespan is between 22-25 years.

Distribution and Habitat

It is an African endemic bird based in East and South Africa and has been listed as an endangered species.

They like living in wetlands, flooded grasslands, and manmade water bodies, but can also be seen in other open habitations, especially while hunting.

You can spot them around the Kazinga channel or the Katunguru Bridge.

C.II Family; Heliornithidae

C.II (34) African Fin foot(Podica Senegalensis)

General Identification

This is a lovely long-necked, duck-like bird that you can identify by its strikingly sharp neon orange beak and legs plus bright red feet.

Its plumage depends on its race but it usually has pale underparts and darker upper parts, which are unevenly spotted and barred.

Male birds are darker than female birds. The throat of males is grey and white in the female.

Its short thick neck and bright-colored bill and feet distinguish it from darters and cormorants.

Behavior

Social Life; they are loners, and secretive in a way that they either move alone or in a breeding pair. They are also elusive to researchers who are not sure whether they spend their time in the water or on land.

Feeding; it feeds on small aquatic invertebrates, fish, amphibians, snails, and small insects.

They take the opportunity to quickly get their prey from the water’s surface. They feed from banks as well.

Breeding; these birds breed in the rainy season. They build a nest on a tree above water out of twigs and reeds.

Distribution and Habitat

They live all through Africa in places with rivers, streams, and lakes because they are aquatic.

A female lays eggs which she alone incubates. Chicks become independent a few days after hatching.

C.III Family; Rallidae

C.III (35) Black Crake (Zapornia Flavirostra)

General Identification

It has a short tail, long toes, and black plumage with an olive-brown touch.

The upper wings are difficult to see when it’s on the ground.

It has a yellow bill, red eyes, legs, and feet.

Males are larger than females and they also have an upper hooked bill.

Juveniles have brown upper parts, dark grey heads and underparts, greenish-yellow bills, and dull red legs.

Their chicks are however black.

 This bird is about 19–23 cm long.

Behavior

Social Life; the Black Crake is a free open bird unlike other rails that are secretive

Feeding; it feeds on small fish, invertebrates, frogs, and seeds.

It also scavenges on the eggs of other birds or feeds on other insects.

Breeding; the bird is very hostile when breeding and usually attacks and kills other rails.

Both parents build a deep clean round nest out of vegetation plants in which the female lays 2 to 6 cream eggs with brown spots.

The chicks are precocial and they leave the nest as early as 1 or 2 days. However, parents or other black crakes feed them.

Distribution and Habitat

It lives and breeds in sub-Saharan African areas, apart from very arid places.

It also lives on fresh water marshes and vegetation.

Other birds in the order Gruiformes, and the family Rallidae

C.IV Sarothruridae

D. Order; Accipitriformes

D.I Family; Accipitridae

D.I (45) Long-Crested Eagle(Lophaetus Occipitalis)

A Long-crested eagle is a spectacular African bird of prey locally known as Kamusungu-sungu.

The long-crested Eagle is an African prey bird that belongs to the Accipitridae family.

It is monotypic to the Lophaetus genus which is believed to have diversified between 5 to 7 million years ago.

General Identification

This unique eagle is easily identified by its blackish-brown plumage and long thin feathers growing from the rear of the crown, usually held erect.

Their secondary feathers are black barred with light grey and have broad black tips while their primary feathers and underwings are white and have a black tail barred with pale grey.

Kamusungu-sungu’s eyes are bright yellow though, females have darker and their cere and feet are yellow, fading to white in males.

It also has a bushy, long crest and dark plumage known as Kamusungu-sungu in Uganda.

It also has bright yellow eyes and feet.

Behavior

Social Life; has a long powerful call, that is, “kweeeeya.”

Feeding; they mostly feed on forest edges and near moist areas and rodents are their main food.

Breeding; they can breed throughout the year, but July to November is their highest breeding period because of abundant food availability.

If possible, she reuses the nest of another bird for example the black sparrow hawk to lay its eggs. it lays 1-2 eggs which it incubates while the male brings her food.

Hatchlings fly between 53 to 58 days old.

Distribution and Habitat

The Long-Crested Eagle likes living on the forest edges, and moist woodlands, especially near grasslands, streams, or marshes.

In Queen Elizabeth National Park, they can be spotted in the Ishasha sector.

D.I (46) Palm-nut Vulture(Gypohierax Angolensis)

It is also called the Vulture fish eagle and the only member of the Gypohierax genus.

General Identification

It is a large bird that features a red patch around the eyes and white plumage except for black areas on its wings and tail.

A juvenile matures in about 3 to 4 years and has brown plumage with little black and yellow eye patches.

It can be confused with the African fish eagle however, it lacks a chest nut. It can also be differentiated from the Egyptian Vulture with its black tail, for the Egyptian vulture has a white tail.

Behavior

Feeding; it majorly feeds on palm fruits and the fleshy fruits husks of oil palms.

However, it is also a bird of prey that feeds on small mammals, frogs, locusts, fish, eggs, and hatchlings of other birds.

Flight Pattern; in flight, the palm-nut vulture looks more like an eagle than a vulture. It sustains flapping its wings for a long time.

They fly in an aerial rolling and diving show when breeding, showing off their acrobatic nature.

Breeding; they mostly nest and breed in an area with palms.

A female lays one white-brown egg which both parents incubate for four to six weeks. Chicks become fully fledged at 85 to 90 days.

Distribution and Habitat

It lives in sub-Saharan Africa on Savannahs, and mostly near water.

They love forests, mangrove swamps, and wet savannahs.

D.I (47) African Cuckoo-Hawk(Aviceda Cuculoides)

Africa Cuckoo-Hawk is also known as the African baza.

General Identification

It is a mid-sized raptor with females being larger than males.

A male has black-brown plumage, a grey head, and chest, and a black crest.

They have white underparts striped with broad chestnut bars.

Their black tail streaks with three grey bars and white tips.

Females, on the other hand, are brown and have paler stripes of chestnut bars on the underparts.

They also have broad, narrow rounded wings.

Behavior

Social Life; their general behavior is elusive as they are secretive and lonely creatures.

Feeding; they feed on reptiles and insects.

While hunting, they fly from one tree to another and fly to get their prey from the ground or trees.

Their diet consists of a flap-necked chameleon, southern dwarf chameleon, lizards, frogs, snakes, fish, fruit bats, birds, mice, grasshoppers, and silverfish.

Breeding; they breed in the two seasons from March to June and November to February, just after the rainy period.

A breeding pair builds a nest from vines, twigs, leaves, grass, and small sticks.

A female then lays between one or three eggs, and both parents feed the chicks.

They later become independent at 28 days although juveniles still depend on their parents, one week after their flight.

Distribution and Habitat

It is native to sub-Saharan Africa. However, they migrate to East Africa around April to November

It lives in woodlands and forests of both exotic and indigenous types.

D.I (48) Lappet-faced Vulture(Torgos Tracheliotos)       

The Lappet-faced Vulture, also called the Nubian vulture, is an endangered species. It has a Greek scientific name meaning “Cartilage-eared Vulture”

General Identification

Lappet-faced vultures’ upper parts are covered in black plumage which is lined with brown and their thighs have white feathers. Their undersides range from white- buff brown.

Just like other vultures, the lappet-faced vulture has a distinctive bare head that is reddish to dull pink on the back of the head. The head also has fleshy folds, making it look incredible.

Behavior

Social Life; they are loners who do not like nesting with other members. It nests in a place where there are at most 10 nests of others.

Feeding; this bird is a scavenger that feeds on dead animal flesh.

It has a strong bill that can easily tear though their flesh. It especially loves newly killed animals.

Breeding; it lays one or two eggs that both parents incubate for over 54 to 56 days.

Young ones become fully fledged at about 124 to 135 days and are ready to breed at about six years.

Distribution and Habitat

It is variably distributed through Africa and Arabian Peninsula.

The bird loves areas with generally little grass, for example, dry savannah, arid plains, thorn bushes, and deserts.

This bird can be spotted in the Kasenyi savannahs or the Ishasha plains.

D.I (49) Hooded Vulture(Necrosyrtes Monachus)

A Hooded vulture is an old-world vulture that is critically endangered.

General Identification

This bird has a pinkish-to-white head though, it turns red when distressed.

Its distinctive feature is the grey-to-white soft hood on the head.

The hooded vulture is uniformly covered in dark brown plumage and its face is usually light red.

Young ones look like adults- only darker and plainer and their body feathers have a purplish shine.

Behavior

Social Life; the hooded vulture lives in small colonies.

Feeding; they scavenge mostly on carcasses of wildlife and domestic animals.

Breeding; it lays only one egg.

Distribution and Habitat

It is endemic to Sub-Sahara Africa and is widespread in South, East, and West Africa.

In Queen Elizabeth National Park, they can be spotted in the Kasenyi plains, and also possibly in the Ishasha area.

D.I (50) Black-chested Snake-Eagle (Circaetus Pectoralis)

It is also called the Black-breasted snake eagle. It got its name from its black chest and the fact that it feeds on snakes.

General Identification

Both males and females are identical but the female is larger.

It is a beautiful eagle identified easily by its dark brown-black head and chest.

This eagle features a white belly, bright yellow to orange eyes, and legs, and the hooked bill is a pale grey.

In flight, it has white wings striped with brown and is smaller than other snake eagles.

Behavior

Social Life; they are usually solitary, especially during the breeding season. However, they can live in groups of 200 birds in the non-breeding season.

Feeding; it feeds by preying on snakes, lizards, insects, small mammals, and frogs.

Breeding; the female lays only one egg which she incubates for 52 days as the male bird brings her food.

The parents take care of the chick for 3 months before it leaves to be independent.

Distribution and Habitat

It moves within plains, savannas, and semi-desert.

It can be spotted in the Kasenyi plains, Mweya Peninsula, and also possibly in the Ishasha sector.

D.I (51) Brown Snake-Eagle (Circaetus Cinereus)

General Identification

The Brown Snake Eagle is a mid-sized dark brown bird, but can also reflect a purple shine in some light conditions.

It has a short brown-and-white-striped tail that can be clearly seen in flight.

Juveniles are not as brown as the black-chested snake eagle.

In flight, the feathers are silvery-grey in pattern

Behavior

Social Life; it is a very solitary bird

Feeding; it mostly feeds on snakes, but also forages on other vertebrates.

Breeding; has a prolonged breeding cycle and raises a single eaglet.

Distribution and Habitat

It can move from one place to another in plains, savanna, and semi-deserts.

D.I (52) Martial Eagle(Polemaetus Bellicosus)

The endangered Martial Eagle is monotypic to the genus Polemaetus.

General Identification

The Martial Eagle is one of Africa’s largest eagles, with a short but noticeable chest. When it stands upright, its long wings cover its tail making it seem like it is sitting

Their upper parts which are the head, back, and chest are dark brown with a lighting edge, while downer parts are white with blackish-brown spots. Their wings are also brown in flight.

A mature eagle has yellow eyes and large pale green feet.

The Juvenile martial eagles are however different, that is they have a pearly gray plumage with white edges. Their crown and hind neck also have a speckled grey on them.

Their underparts are completely white while their wings have grey-brown and white spots. The bar patterns on their tail are lighter and greyer than those of an adult.

As they grow for about four to five years, they become browner, but the crown and back remain fairly grey, and there are also increased speckles. The juveniles’ eyes are also dark brown.

However, the feathers of the martial eagle change depending on some light conditions, that is grey, black, or plum.

It averagely weighs 4.17kg.

Behavior

Social life; they live alone or in a breeding pair. If they are not breeding, they spend time resting or hunting alone, and away from the nest

They spend a lot of time soaring high in the air.

The eagles, more so adults love quite places for a good view of their prey, or to stay away from humans towards whom they are shy.

The martial eagles are also nomadic and move for long distances for a long time.

Feeding; it feeds on birds, rats, and other vertebrates which it surprisingly attacks because it has eyes sharp enough to see its prey from about 6km afar off.

Its spotting underpart plumage and a strong predator’s competence earned it the nickname “the leopard of the air”.

Most of its common, scientific, and African names, mean “war-like”, referring to its fearless nature and the violent way it hunts its prey.

It also attacks large mammals and tactfully separates them from their young ones to easily get them.

It also commonly feeds on the helmeted guineafowl.

Flight Pattern;

Its long, broad, and narrow wings make it flexible in the air to both fly and glide, and it spends more time in the air than on land.

Breeding;

The martial eagle either breeds at the beginning or end of the dry season so that breeding does not happen during the heavy rains.

They nest in big high trees with thorny branches that are hard to climb, so that their eggs and hatchlings are protected from prey.

Distribution and Habitat

The Martial eagle is endemic to sub-Saharan Africa and lives in wooded savannahs, thorn bush habitats, woodland edges, and open woods.

They’re mostly spotted in the Kasenyi plains.

D.I (53) African Fish-Eagle  (Haliaeetus Vocifer)

The African Sea Eagle is another name for the African Fish Eagle.

General Identification

The adult is a large, unique, chestnut and white eagle.

A juvenile is a dark brown with white speckles on its head. It also has white wing windows, pale eyes, and a pale dark-tipped tail.

The adult however has a brown body and a white head. It also has powerful, large, black wings. Their head, breast, and tail are snow white their featherless face is yellow.

Their eyes are dark brown while their hook-shaped beak is yellow with a black tip.

They also have coarse soles that are powerful for holding aquatic prey easily.

Behavior

Social Life

The African Fish Eagle has a sound among the birds of Africa. It makes a call of a loud piercing “wheeeee-ah-kleeuw-kleeuw-kluu”.

Feeding

The African Fish Eagle dives into shallow water surfaces to get fish that it mainly feeds on. Its diet also consists of reptiles, birds, and carrion.

It uses its powerful rough talons with spiricules to grab the slippery fish from the water or other prey.

Breeding

The African fish eagle stays with one mate for the rest of its life and breeds in the dry season when there are not many water levels or rains.

The nests which are built on high trees with sticks and wood are used over the years.

The female bird lays 1 to 3 white eggs with red speckles which the female incubates. The males only incubate when the females go hunting for food.

Incubation takes place for about 42 to 45 days, and both parents take care of the chicks for about 70 to 75 days when they fledge.

Parents thereafter take care of the fledged chicks for about more 3 months when the juveniles can move on their own.

If the juveniles live through the first year, they have a lifespan between 12 to 24 years.

Distribution and Habitat

They are endemic to sub-Saharan Africa and live in open waters which are lakes, rivers, and other water bodies.

D.I (54) Western Banded Snake Eagle(Circaetus Cinerascens)

General Identification

The Western Banded Snake Eagle is a thick, dark grey-brown bird with streaked underparts. It has a short tail and a large head.

These birds have dark-streaked heads, breasts, and necks.

They also have white underparts with pale brown streaks majorly on their belly and thighs.

Their eyes, legs, and ears are yellow.

In its flight, it shows a wide group of feathers in its tail.

Juveniles have browner and paler upperparts and feathers with white edges. However, they may not have streaked underparts, but have crested chests.

It resembles the African Cuckoo-Hawk but is larger and dark brown head contrary to the gray head of the African Cuckoo-Hawk.

Behavior

Social Life; The Western Banded Snake Eagle rarely flies but spends a lot of time sitting.

They are loners and secretive birds who are only most times recognized by their sounds.

Feeding; The Western banded snake eagles majorly feed on snakes.

However, also eat small vertebrates. They always attack their prey from their habitats.

Breeding; it nests within vegetation, causing it to build a nest yearly from sticks. A female bird lays only one egg which she mainly incubates between 35 and 55 days.

The chicks take about 10 to 15 weeks to fledge.

Distribution and Habitat

The Western Banded Snake Eagle lives in riverine woodlands.

Other birds in the order Accipitriformes, and family Accipitridae

E. Order;Bucerotiformes

E.I Family; Bucerotidae

E.I (91) Black-and-white-casqued Hornbill(Bycanistes Subcylindricus)

The Black-and-White-Casqued Hornbill is also known as the grey-cheeked hornbill.

It is a monogamous specie that is marked as “least concern”.

It belongs to the Bycanistes genus and its closest relative is the Brown-Cheeked Hornbill.

General Identification

It is a fairly large bird that has black plumage, and a black bill with a noticeable casque on top.

Females have smaller bills compared to males who have relatively large black-and-white bills.

They have a large white patch on the underside of each wing and a black tail with white sides when seen in flight.

It can be confused with the White-thighed hornbill, however, has a black wingtip, and a black tail center, and holds a darker bill and a casque than those species.

Behavior

Social Life; this is a monogamous bird that is mostly seen in pairs.

Feeding; this bird mainly feeds on fruits, figs, insects, and small animals that live in the trees.

Breeding; the female in most cases lays two eggs.

Distribution and Habitat

It mostly lives in thick forests and fruiting trees. You can see it in the Maramagambo forest.

E.I (92) Crowned Hornbill   (Lophoceros Alboterminatus)

The Crowned Hornbill is a beautiful African hornbill.

General Identification

The Crowned Hornbill has a white belly, black back and wings, yellow eyes, and a long tail.

The tail feathers are white while the bill is orange with a thick casqued upper mandible. The male and the female both resemble, however, the casque in males are however bigger while for the females are smaller.

The Crowned Hornbill is differentiated from the Bradfield’s hornbill by its shorter beak.

Its tail’s white corners stand out in flight, and its yellow eyes differentiate it from other hornbills.

Behavior

The Crowned Hornbill is social and lives in small flocks, especially in the dry season.

Feeding; it feeds from trees, insects, small rodents, eggs, small reptiles, seeds, and fruits.

The Crowned Hornbill gets the insects in flight.

Breeding; a female lays four to five white eggs which incubate for 25 to 30 days. Both parents take care of the juveniles for around 8 weeks before becoming independent.

Distribution and Habitat

They live in forest edges, lush woodlands, and riverine forests.

On your Uganda birding tour in Queen Elizabeth Park, you can see it in the Maramagambo forest.

E.I (93) Black-casqued Hornbill (Ceratogymna Atrata)

The Black-casqued hornbill is also called the Black-Casqued Wattled Hornbill.

General Identification

It is a great black hornbill.

Male birds have a big black bill and hornbill, while the females have a small pale bill and a brown hood on their heads and necks.

You can differentiate them from other hornbills by the long, black tail with white tips.

Behavior

Social Life; the Black-casqued Hornbill are seasonal nomadic birds, that are common in some seasons and few in others.

They have a harsh, loud wail that you can hear from many kilometers away.

Feeding; the Black-casqued Hornbill mostly feeds on fruits.

Distribution and Habitat

They are found in Africa and they live in rainforests, and fruiting tree tops.

Visitors can see it in the Maramagambo forest.

E.I (94) Piping Hornbill (Bycanistes Fistulator)

General Identification

The Piping hornbill is a beautiful, medium-sized black-and-white bird in the hornbill family.

It has a black head, forewings, back, and center tail feathers and is uniquely bicolored in flight.

It resembles the African pied hornbill but is different by its wider white flying feathers in flight and a smaller bill and neck.

Behavior

Social Life; its voice and call is a high-pitched whistling pipe of “huhuhuhuhu”, its name.

Distribution and Habitat

It is an African bird living in Western, Central, and East Africa in humid woodlands.

It can be encountered while on nature walks in the Maramagambo forest.

E.I (95) White-Thighed Hornbill (Bycanistes Albotibialis)

General Identification

The White-Thighed Hornbill is a massive canopy hornbill with a broad white outer wing with white patches inside and a white tail tip.

It has a pale bill, black forewing, and a white belly and vent.

Feeding; this bird feeds on fruits.

Distribution and Habitat

It is majorly in Central and West Africa but also distributed in East Africa.

They live in the canopy of fruiting trees.

E.I (96) Southern Ground-Hornbill (Bucorvus Leadbeateri)

General Identification

The Southern ground hornbill is the largest African hornbill species with black plumage.

Male adults have bright red faces and throat wattles, while the females have a purple-blue patch in the center of the red throat patch.

Juveniles have frazzled hair, yellowish throat, and faces.

It is black in flight and exposes white wingtips.

Behavior

Social Life; It is a social bird that lives either in pairs or small groups.

Feeding; these birds feed on reptiles, snails, frogs, insects, and mid-sized mammals.

Breeding; the female bird lays 1 to 3 eggs at the beginning of the wet season which incubates between 40 to 45 days.

Young ones fledge in about 85 days and have a lifespan of 70 years in captivity.

Distribution and Habitat

It is an African bird that lives in Central, South, and East Africa in woodlands and savannahs.

Other birds in the order Bucerotiformes and the family Bucerotidae

E.II Bucorvidae

E.III Phoeniculidae

E.IV Upupidae

F. Order; Piciformes

F.I Family; Lybiidae

F.I (105) White-Headed Barbet(Lybius Leucocephalus)

General Identification

The White-Headed Barbet is a thick, mid-sized, black-and-white barbet with a short neck and heavy-toothed bill.

However, the degree of their black and white plumage depends on geographical location.

Their tails vary from black to white, wings are either black or greatly white-spotted.

The underparts are white or black with thin white streaks.

It measures 18 to 19.5 cm in length.

Behavior

Social Life; the White-Headed Barbet is social and lives in small colonies.

They usually call together in repeated “wheet” and rapid chatters.

They are also the only barbets with duet song patterns and a harsh, loud noise while in their greeting ceremonies.

Feeding; they find food in jacaranda trees and fig trees since they feed on figs.

Distribution and Habitat

They live in lush woodlands, open savannahs, gardens, and gallery forests. They particularly love fig trees, as they feed on figs.

In Queen Elizabeth National Park, visitors can see within Mweya peninsular.

F.I (106) Yellow-billed Barbet (Trachyphonus Purpuratus)

General Identification

This is a colorful bird, with an outstanding bright yellow bill.

It has a dark head, back, tail, and bright yellow belly.

Their throat color depends on their location, that is, it can vary from dark blue-purple to lavender.

Distribution

On your Uganda tour in Queen Elizabeth Park, you can spot them in the Maramagambo forest and while on Kyambura gorge walks.

F.I (107) Red-rumped Tinkerbird (Pogoniulus Atroflavus)

General Identification

The Red-rumped Tinkerbird has black upperparts with yellow edges on its wing feathers. It also has yellow underparts and a mustache.

In flight, it has a bright red rump.

They resemble the Yellow-throated and Yellow-rumped tinkerbirds but are differentiated by their more yellow underparts and bright red rump.

Behavior

Feeding; this bird feeds on high trees and dense vegetation.

Distribution and Habitat

They are dispersed in the African tropical rainforests.

It can be spotted on nature walks within Kyambura gorge or in the Maramagambo forest.

F.I (108) Yellow-Rumped Tinkerbird (Pogoniulus Bilineatus)

General Identification

This pretty bird has bold white stripes on its face, yellow to gold rump which differs according to location.

It is only different from the Yellow-throated tinkerbird, by its white and not yellow facial markings.

Distribution and Habitat

They live in sub-Saharan Africa in forests and thick woodlands.

On your Uganda tour in Queen Elizabeth NP, Kyambura gorge, and also within Maramagambo forest with the help of our expert local guide.

F.I (109) Yellow-Fronted Tinkerbird (Pogoniulus Chrysoconus)

General Identification

The Yellow-Fronted tinker has streaked upperparts, lemon underparts, and a forehead patch of yellow-gold.

It resembles the Red-fronted tinkerbird but is different by its red patch on the head of the Red-fronted tinkerbird.

Behavior

Feeding; it feeds on sticky seeds, fruits, and regurgitated food.

Breeding; the female lays 2 to 3 eggs which both parents take care of.

Distribution and Habitat

This bird is an African resident breeder that lives in woodlands, and trees with wide leaves.

In Uganda Queen Elizabeth National Park, stays within Mweya peninsular and also in the Ishasha plains.

F.I (110) Double-Toothed Barbet (Lybius Bidentatus)

A Double-toothed barbet is a fine-looking bird species in the family Lybiidae.

General Identification

This colorful barbet has lovely black and red coloring, a huge ivory-colored bill, and yellow skin around the eyes.

This colorful barbet is black on the top side of its body with a cover of white feathers on its back.

It also has a red breast with white patches on its side.

Behavior

Feeding; it mostly feeds on insects and fruits.

Breeding; the female bird lays about two to four white eggs which she incubates in about 13 days.

Other birds in the order Piciformes, and the family Lybiidae

F.II Family; Picidae

F.II (117) Rufous-necked Wryneck(Jynx Ruficollis)

The Red-throated Wryneck is also known as the Rufous-Necked Wryneck, Red-Breasted Wryneck, African Wryneck, or the Rufous-Throated Wryneck.

It is a peculiar bird among the woodpecker family.

There are three species of the Rufous-necked Wryneck that is the Jynx ruficollis aequatorialis, Jynx ruficollis pulchricollis and the Jynx ruficollis ruficollis.

The ones to see in Uganda are the Jynx ruficollis pulchricollis and the Jynx ruficollis ruficollis.

General Identification

It has a reddish brown throat, but this is minimal in juveniles.

Its plumage is a distinctive mixture of browns and greys.

Their underparts are different depending on their geographical location. Their throat is also streaked in some places.

Behavior

Social Life; they make a nasal, woodpecker-like call of loud, ringing repeated “kwee”

Flight Pattern; the Rufous Necked Wryneck has an undulating flight.

Breeding; the Red-throated wryneck breeds and nests in trees having old woodpecker or barbet holes.

Distribution and Habitat

They are non-migratory birds that live in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Their home is in the woodlands, grasslands, forest edges, gardens, cultivated areas, and in some trees.

F.II (118) Nubian Woodpecker   (Campethera Nubica)

General Identification

A Nubian Woodpecker is a medium-sized bird with a plumage of boldly spotted patterns, but a plain white throat.

Male birds have red crowns and napes and also a streaked red on their cheek.

A female’s crown is black, but with white speckles, and a red nape. Its cheek is dark but also speckled with white.

Other parts are similar in both males and females.

Their upper parts are olive-brown with cream speckles while their wings are greenish-brown with a white touch.

Their greenish-yellow tails have drops of brown, and the shafts of their feathers are gold.

They have a cream throat and white-black spotted head, neck, breast, and belly.

They also have a grey beak with a dark tip, red or pink eyes, and olive or grey feet.

It looks like Bennett’s woodpecker but can be differentiated by its black-streaked ear.

It also resembles the Golden-tailed and Mombasa Woodpeckers but, is separated by their spotted underparts.

Behavior

Social Life; the Nubian Woodpecker usually lives in a pair.

They usually sing in high repeated pitches in as a duo. Their voice is musical and metallic.

Feeding; it forages alone with its mate or vocally connects with it. It feeds on termites, spiders, beetles, and ants both in trees and on the ground.

Distribution and Habitat

The Nubian woodpecker is a non-migratory bird that is only found in East Africa. It lives in savannah habitats, acacias, euphorbia, scrub, and bushes.

It also loves altitudes of about 2,000 m.

Visitors can spot it within the Kasenyi plains.

Other birds in Order Piciformes, and Family Picidae

G. Order; Charadriiformes

G.I Family; Glareolidae

G.I (133) Temminck’s Courser (Cursorius Temminckii)

General Identification

This is a graceful, long-legged, highland shorebird.

They display a completely black wing in flight.

It is distinctive in way that it has a rufous crown, black belly patch, and black wings.

Behavior

Social Life; it lives in a pair or a family group.

It has an up-and-down series of offkey mournful calls.

Breeding; this bird lays dark ash-black eggs in the burnt bushes and grass of the African savannah.

Distribution and Habitat

It is a wader that lives in the water bodies in sub-Saharan Africa.

It stays in very open areas like short semi-desert, grasslands, and overgrazed and burned areas.

Other birds in this order and family

G.II Family; Jacanidae

G.II (139) African Jacana (Actophilornis Africanus)

General Identification

The African Jacana has a sky-blue bill, long grey toes with long claws for floating on aquatic vegetation.

It also has chestnut upper parts having black wingtips, a short rear neck, and an eye stripe.

They have chestnut underparts but juveniles have white.

Behavior

Feeding; they mostly feed on insects and other aquatic vegetation.

Flight Pattern; they are weak at flying and therefore, fly over waters, hence leaving an awkward trail of their legs and toes behind.

Breeding; a female lays eggs that either of the parents incubates.

Distribution and Habitat

African Jacanas are spread across sub-Saharan Africa.

Other birds in this order and family

G.III Family; Laridae

G.III (141) African Skimmers (Rynchops Flavirostris)

General Identification

The African skimmer is a beautiful water bird with long wings, a short white forked tail, and a unique bill. The lower mandible is longer than the upper one.

They also have a black hind neck, back, and crown and a white body and forehead.

Their legs are bright red, their beaks are long and bright orange and their beaks have a yellow tip. The juveniles however have a black tip on their beaks.

Behavior

Feeding; they mainly feed on fish and during their low flight on water surfaces, they use their knife-like lower mandible for snapping small fish.

Flight Pattern; these birds have a low-elevation flight over water surfaces.

Breeding; they breed in colonies and each breeding bird mostly lays between 2 to 4 eggs.

Distribution and Habitat

It is an African bird that lives in large tropical rivers. They migrate within Africa depending on the river water levels between April to June and November to January.

G.III (142) White-Winged Terns (Chlidonias Leucopterus Or Chlidonias Leucoptera)

It is also called the White-winged black tern.

As their name implies, their wings are mainly white. They can be spotted around Katunguru area.

General Identification

A non-breeding adult has short red legs, a black neck and belly, a short black bill, dark grey back, a white rump, and a light grey tail that is almost white.

They majorly have white wings hence their name.

Behavior

Feeding; their diet majorly consists of fish and insects which it catches in flight

Distribution and Habitat

They are mostly in Europe, Central Asia, Eastern, and Russia, but they migrate to Africa during the winter season.

Other birds in this order and family

G.IV Family; Charadriidae

G.IV (150) Black-Headed Lapwing (Vanellus Tectus)

A Black-headed lapwing is also called the Black-headed plover.

General Identification

The Black-Headed Lapwing is a mid-sized bird with a black and white head, a brown back, and pale underparts. Its bill and legs are red while the tail is white with black tips.

It also has a thin black crest and a black stripe that runs down from the center of its breast.

In flight, it shows a broad white underwing and its black flight feathers. There is also a brown color with white bars.

Behavior

Social Life; they mostly live in pairs or small groups, and are so lively at the night, early morning, and dusk.

Feeding; The Black-headed plovers mostly feed on insects and invertebrates as they pick them from the ground dry places, golf courses, and grassy scrubs.

Breeding; this bird breeds on wet lowlands and the female bird lays about two or three eggs.

Distribution and Habitat

Black-headed plovers are African resident birds who move seasonally across sub-Saharan Africa mostly found in the dry savannahs.

Other birds in this order and family

G.V Turnicidae

G.VI Scolopacidae

G.VI Rostratulidae

G.VIII Burhinidae

G.IX Recurvirostridae

H. Order; Galliformes

H.I Family; Numididae

H.I (196) Helmeted Guineafowl (Numida Meleagris)

General Identification

The Helmeted Guineafowl is a bird with a large round body, a small head, and gray-black plumage with white spots. It measures about 53 to 58 cm and weighs about 1.3 kg.

It has a head without feathers, a bone-like casque, and a warty-bare face of white, black, red, or blue depending on the original location.

They have short tails and rounded wings that are also short. Young birds are however brown.

The Helmeted Guineafowl resembles the Crested Guineafowl but is differentiated by its darker plumage and the plumed crest on its head top.

Behavior

Social Life;

The Guineafowls have awkward behaviors of lunatics, and they usually charge about aimlessly and call in a “kek-kek-kek-kraaaaah” or “kuuuh-keeeerk” way.

The Guineafowls are social, and they live and roost together except during the breeding seasons. Young ones usually stay with adults.

They have short gliding flights.

However, when they sense danger, they run rather than fly because their body naturally suits running more than flying. They can even move for about 10 km in one day.

Feeding; Helmeted Guineafowls feed on ticks that cause Lyme disease. They also feed on both animals and plant foods.

In the non-breeding season, their diet entails tubers, corns, and seeds, especially agricultural weeds.

In the breeding season, they majorly feed on invertebrates, especially arthropods like beetles.

Their strong claws help them to look for food in the soft soil, by scratching.

Males usually fight violently to the extent of harming and blooding each other. In fighting, they show superiority by raising their wings on both sides and running toward an opponent with a wide beak.

Breeding; Helmeted Guineafowls are seasonal breeders who breed in warm and dry open habitats filled with savannahs, and trees.

They hide their nests, and a female lays about 6 to 12 large eggs which she incubates for about 26 to 28 days.

Sometimes, more than one female uses one nest resulting in one nest having many eggs.

A domesticated guineafowl lays thick-shelled eggs, and always abandons its nest.

The young ones of the Helmeted Guinea fowl are called keet and they have a fast growth of feathers.

Their lifespan in the wild is about 12 years.

Distribution and Habitat

The bird is an African native that is majorly found south of the Sahara and lives in Savannahs, scattered shrubs, or farmlands. However, it is also domesticated by some people.

Other birds in this Order and Family

H.II Odontophoridae

H.III Phasianidae

I. Order; Passeriformes

I.I Family; Estrildidae

I.I (211) Common Waxbill (Estrilda Astrild)    

General Identification

The common waxbill is a small slender bird (4-5 inches) with short rounded wings, a long dark tail, and a bright red bill and mask. Juveniles have a dark bill.

Their plumage is mostly grey-brown with unclear dark-brown bars.

The eyes and chicks have a red stripe and the throat is white.

There is a pinkish underpart and red stripes on the belly depending on the subspecies.

It has a wingspan of four and a half inches and 3/5 to 3/4 ounces of weight.

Females are only different by their paler and lesser red on the belly.

The juveniles have a duller color, no red on their belly, and black bills.

Behavior

Social Life; the Common Waxbill is social and lives in noisy flocks. It also has hoarse, descending calls.

Feeding; it mainly feeds on grass and millet, but also on insects occasionally.

These birds feed by using their long, thin claws to cling to stems as they pick seeds from plants. They can also just look for food on the ground.

Breeding; the breeding season depends on which part of the world it is in.

The common waxbill builds its nest in dense vegetation in an intersected pattern.

The female lays between 4 to 7 white eggs which both parents incubate for about 11 to 13 days. Hatchlings fledge in about 17 to 21 days.

The common waxbill is also prone to brood parasitism from other birds, especially the pin-tailed whydah.

Distribution and Habitat

It is an African native bird, but mostly lives in urban areas, and has also been introduced to other parts of the world.

They stay in grasslands and areas with reeds.

I.I (212) Black-crowned Waxbill (Estrilda Nonnula)

General Identification

The black-crowned waxbill is a gray, black, and white, bird with some red colors. Its bright red rump is easy to see in flight.

It resembles the Black-headed and Kandt’s Waxbills but is different by its paler and grayer plumage, and a white but not black under the tail.

Behavior

Social Life; the Black-crowned waxbill either lives as a pair or in flocks. A flock of birds usually sings in flight.

Distribution and Habitat

It lives in grasslands, moist savanna, forest edges, woodlands, cultivations, and gardens.

I.I (213) Crimson-rumped Waxbill (Estrilda Rhodopyga)

General Identification

The Crimson-Rumped Waxbill is a small finch with gray-brown plumage and bright red patches on the rump and eyebrows.

Distribution and Habitat

It is native to East Africa but has also spread to other parts of the world. The bird stays in both wet and dry lands with extensive, tall, grassland vegetation.

Other birds in this order and family

I.II Family; Campephagidae

I.II (241) Red-shouldered Cuckooshrike    (Campephaga Phoenicea)

General Identification

The male and female Red-shouldered Cuckooshrike are extremely different.

Males are completely black with patches that are either red or rarely yellow-orange shoulder.

Females have olive-gray upper parts and dark bands on their pale under parts.

Males resemble male Black Cuckooshrikes, but the red or yellow-orange shoulders differentiate them.

Females also look like the female Black Cuckooshrike, but their black under tail with yellow fringes differentiate them.

Behavior

Social Life;

They have a high-pitched, disorderly call that includes a “tik”.

Distribution and Habitat

The Red-shouldered Cuckooshrike’s natural habitat is the dry savanna, subtropical, and tropical moist lowland forests. For example the lush woodland, cultivated lands, gallery forests, and forest edges.

Other birds in Order; Passeriformes, Family; Campephagidae

I.III Family; Malaconotidae

I.III (244) Papyrus Gonolek (Laniarius Mufumbiri)

General Identification

The Papyrus Gonolek is a red mid-sized bush shrike with a dull yellow crown, black upper parts, and wings with white bar stripes.

Its breasts and upper belly are orange crimson and its lower belly is whitish.

Distribution and Habitat

It is a bird of East Africa that lives only in papyrus swamps.

I.III (245) Black-Headed Gonolek (Laniarius Erythrogaster)

General Identification

The Black Headed Gonolek has shining red and black plumage.

It resembles the papyrus gonolek, except for the absence of the yellow crown.

Distribution and Habitat

This is an African bird that is widely spread in dry savannahs, seasonally flooded lowlands, and tropical moist shrubs.

Other birds in this order and family

I.IV Family; Nectariniidae

I.IV (261) Red-Chested Sunbird (Cinnyris Erythrocercus)

A Red-chested sunbird is a beautifully colored bird in the family Nectariniidae.

General Identification

It has a slim curved billed. Males and females appear differently.

Males are black and green with red bands passing through their underparts and long fluffs on their central tails.

Females have grey-brown upper parts and pale underparts with dark markings.

Distribution and Habitat

They survive in different habitats that are, savannahs, wetlands, scrubs, gardens, and woodlands.

I.IV (262) Scarlet-Chested Sunbird (Chalcomitra Senegalensis)

General Identification

A Scarlet-chested sunbird is a dark African bird with a long de-curved bill.

Males have a scarlet daub on their chest and a dazzling green crown and throat.

Females have streaked undersides and dark grey-brown plumage.

Behavior

Social Life; they live either alone or in a breeding pair.

Feeding; this bird feeds on nectar and insects.

Distribution and Habitat

The Scarlet-Chested Sunbird lives majorly in extensive dry and moist savannahs or gardens.

I.IV (263) Bronze Sunbird (Nectarinia Kilimensis)

General Identification

The Bronze sunbird is a rare stunning mid-sized bird.

It has a thin, long curved bill.

Males are black in the light even though they naturally have bronze-and-green undertones.

Females have pale eyebrows and streaking yellowish underparts.

Behavior

Feeding; this bird feeds on nectar, insects, and spiders.

Breeding; the female bird lays about 1 to 2 eggs which she incubates for about 16 to 21 days.

Distribution and Habitat

The Bronze Sunbird is an African bird that mostly lives in subtropical forests and brushland.

They also live in savannahs, seasonally flooded areas, dried shrub areas, and rural gardens.

Other birds in this order and family

I.V Family; Nicatoridae

I.V (283) Yellow-Throated Nicator (Nicator Vireo)

General Identification

The Yellow-Throated Nicator has green upper parts and grey under parts.

It also has a yellow throat and some body parts, and yellow spots on the tips of its flight feathers.

Distribution and Habitat

It is an African native bird that spreads in East, West, and Central Africa. It lives in forests edges, subtropical and tropical moist lowlands.

In Queen Elizabeth national park Uganda, it is seen during guided nature walks within Kyambura gorge and also in the Maramagambo forest.

Other birds in this order and family

I.VI Family; Ploceidae

I.VI (285) Compact Weaver (Pachyphantes Superciliosus)

The compact Weaver is one of the Weaver Birds in Queen Elizabeth National Park, Uganda.

General Identification

This bird has a heavy bill, a thick body, and a short tail.

Breeding males and females have a black mask, and the yellow crown in males and black in females.

Non-breeding males and females are yellowish-beige on their underparts, with a dark crown and eye stripe.

Superficially similar to other weavers, but separated by their distinctive shape.

Behavior

Social Life; It usually lives in small flocks.

Along with typical weaver “chit” notes and sizzling, “radio static” song, also often gives a “cheep” call.

Distribution and Habitat

These birds live in savannas, forests, and scrubs.

Subtropical or tropical seasonally wet or flooded lowland grassland is its natural habitat

I.VI (286) Red-collared Widowbird (Euplectes Ardens)

General Identification

The Red-collared Widowbird is a small type of widowbird.

The male bird has brown plumage in the breeding season and black plumage, a long tail of about 22cm, and a semicircular, carotenoid chest patch in the non-breeding season.

Females and Juveniles in the nonbreeding season are dull brown with streaks and have a short tail of about 4cm.

Behavior

Social Life; males are polygamous and territorial, but the birds are social, living in groups of about 50 to 100 birds. Males fight to keep the territories away from invaders.

They also live with other birds including the red-billed quelea, yellow bishop, southern red bishop, fan-tailed widowbird, and white-winged widowbird.

Feeding; their diet consists of sorghum seeds, grass seeds, nectar, small berries, and insects like ants, termites, and caterpillars.

Breeding; they have a seasonal breeding pattern between October and April.

The males are indifferent to parenting, but they offer territories for a fruitful mating period and nesting sites.

The Red-collared widow bird has sexual ornaments that are the long tail, plumage, and red badges.

Females make oval-shaped nests from grass and lay about 2 to 4 grey or bluish-green eggs with brown speckles.

She incubates them between 12 to 15 days, and the offsprings feed on majorly regurgitated food.

Distribution and Habitat

Red-collared widow birds are native to Africa and are in Eastern and Southern Africa.

They majorly stay in open grasslands, forest clearings, agricultural areas, and slopes with little vegetation.

I.VI (287) Southern Red Bishop (Euplectes Orix)

Its other name is the Red bishop.

General Identification

The Southern Red Bishop is a small bird of about 10 to 11 cm.

It has a thick conical bill, brightly collared red and black plumage, and a black forehead, face, and throat. They also have brown wings and tails, and black lower breasts and bellies.

Non-breeding males and females have streaked brown plumage.

Behavior

Feeding; it feeds on seeds and other insects.

Distribution and Habitat

They mostly live in wetlands and grasslands.

Other birds in the order Passeriformes, and the family Ploceidae

I.VII Family, Viduidae

I.VII (333) Pin-Tailed Whydah (Vidua Macroura)

General Identification

None breeding males have a very long black tails, black backs, and crowns.

They also have dark brown wings with white patches and white underparts. They similarly have an orange-pink bill.

Males have a pennant-like tail in the breeding season.

Females have streaked brown upper parts, but do not have a long tail extension.

They also have white underparts, buff black faces, and orange-pink bills.

Distribution and Habitat

It lives in sub-Saharan Africa in grasslands, scrubs, savannahs, and gardens.

They are common in the Mweya Peninsular.

Other birds in this order and family

I.VIII Family, Buphagidae

I.VIII (336) Yellow-Billed Oxpeckers (Buphagus Africanus)

General Identification

The Yellow-billed oxpecker has plain brown upperparts and head, a pale rump, and buff underparts.

They also have yellow bills at the mandible below and red at the mandible above and strong feet.

Behavior

Feeding; they feed on parasitic insects like ticks on large wild mammals such as buffaloes, and antelopes. They often feed directly from their wounds.

Breeding; the female lays about 2 to 3 eggs.

Distribution and Habitat

It is widely spread in South, East, and North East Africa.

It’s normally pecking on buffalos around the Kazinga channel and in the Ishasha sector.

I.VIII (337) Red-Billed Oxpecker (Buphagus Erythrorynchus)

General Identification

These are bulbul-sized brown birds, with vibrant red bills, striking red eyes, and a fleshy yellow wattle.

Behavior

Social life; they live in large flocks during the non-breeding season.

Feeding; they feed on ticks and mites in small flocks.

They feed from the wounds of mammals until blood comes, and the animals tolerated them.

Breeding; the females lay about 2 to 5 eggs.

You can spot them around the Kazinga channel, especially around the resting buffaloes.

Distribution and Habitat

It is an African native bird of the Sub- Saharan savannahs.

I.IX Family; Corvidae

I.IX (338) Piapiac (Ptilostomus Afer)

General Identification

This bird has a long narrow tail, heavy black bill, glossy black feathers, and black legs and feet.

They also have a purplish iris with a blue-purple outer ring.

Juveniles have pink bills with black tips.

Behavior

Feeding; they mostly feed on insects and other invertebrates.

Breeding; it lays between 3 to 7 pale bluish-green eggs.

Visitors can view it around the Kazinga channel area resting on grazers like buffaloes.

Distribution and Habitat

The bird lives in tropical equatorial regions in central Africa.

They also live in flocks, perched treetops, or the backs of mammals.

Other birds in this family

I.X Family, Calyptomenidae

I.XI Family, Oriolidae

I.XII Family, Platysteiridae

I.XIII Family, Vangidae

I.XIV Family, Dicruridae

I.XV Family, Monarchidae

I.XVI Family, Laniidae

I.XVII Family, Hyliotidae

I.XVIII Family, Stenostiridae

 I.XIX Family, Paridae

I.XXX Family, Remizidae

I.XXI Family, Alaudidae

I.XXII Family, Macrosphenidae

I.XXIII Family, Cisticolidae

I.XXIV Family, Acrocephalidae

I.XXV Family, Locustellidae

I.XXVI Family, Hirundinidae

I.XXVII Family, Pycnonotidae

I.XXVIII Family, Phylloscopidae

I.XXIX Family, Scotocercidae

I.XXX Family, Sylviidae

I.XXXI Family, Zosteropidae

I.XXXII Family, Pellorneidae

I.XXXIII Family, Leiothrichidae

I.XXXIV Family, Sturnidae

I.XXXV Family, Turdidae

I.XXXVI Family, Muscicapidae

I.XXXVII Family, Passeridae

I.XXXVIII Family, Motacillidae

I.XXXIX Family Fringillidae

  I.XXXX Family, Emberizidae

J. Order; Cuculiformes

J.I Family; Cuculidae

J.I (572) Black Cuckoo (Cuculus Clamosus)

General Identification

The Black Cuckoo is a bird with a long brown tail and a black bill that is a little curved. It has a brown head, white underparts, and zygodactylous feet.

Adult birds have red orbital rings while juveniles have yellow ones. Juveniles are also plainer, and rufous on their wings.

Their chicks have white, scanty feathers on the downer parts and black skin. They also have normal warty pigments on their mouth and tongue.

Behavior

Social Life; its call is a mournful “I’m so saaaaaad” rising note.

Feeding; their diet mainly consists of insects, for example, the caterpillars, but also on berries, eggs of other birds, and snails.

It first beats the caterpillars on a branch to remove its indigestible hairs, but the remaining hair is at a later stage excreted like the pellets for the owls. They also feed on moths.

Flight Pattern; in flight, the Black Cuckoo often changes direction abruptly.

Breeding; The Black Cuckoos breed where there is food abundance, for example, the caterpillars and worms. This is important because it helps them to lay in the early breeding seasons.

They build their nests from pine needles, dried leaves, and twigs.

Their copulation first entails a male bringing an insect using its beak to the female.

The female flicks her tail for around 15 minutes as the sitting male motionlessly watches her.

They then copulate while the insect is still on the male bird’s beak. He later eats the insect or gives it to the female bird.

The female Black Cuckoo lays between 2 to 5 bluish-green eggs which may turn to marble after a few days of incubation.

Incubation is for 10 to13 days, and hatchlings leave the nest after only 7 to 9 days.

Because they are prone to predators at this stage, they only defend themselves by remaining motionless, and only relax when the predator leaves.

The Black Cuckoos, however also engage in brood parasitism by laying their eggs in the nests of other birds. A case in point is the Black-billed Cuckoo in whose nest it lays eggs in the afternoon when it is unguarded.

Distribution and Habitat

The Black Cuckoo is both a resident and migrant bird that lives in any place. However, it mostly stays in coniferous forests and the edges of mature deciduous forests.

They also live in dense shrubs and thickets, open areas, golf courses, and farmlands.

They mostly choose habitats next to water bodies for example rivers, lakes, ponds, or marshes. Their migratory nature enables them to easily find these places.

They intend to remain hidden no matter the habitat they choose.

J.I (573) Red-chested Cuckoo (Cuculus Solitarius)

General Identification

The Red Chested Cuckoo is a medium-sized grey cuckoo with reddish bands in its upper breast. It measures about 31cm long

A young one has streaked underparts and black breasts, throat, and back.

It strongly resembles a small goshawk.

The male bird has slate-grey upper parts, a pale-grey throat, and sides of the head. It also has a dark grey tail with white tips.

It also either has rufous or cinnamon breasts and cream white or pale buff belly.

The female bird is identical except for its duller breasts and variable barring amounts.

Behavior

Social Life; it is a secretive bird that mostly lives solitarily. It is usually recognized by its three-note song of “Pete-my-wife”

Feeding; the red-chested cuckoo feeds on hairy caterpillars, centipedes, spiders, millipedes, snails, slugs, small vertebrates, and berries.

Flight Pattern; it flies on fast pointed wings.

Breeding; the red-chested cuckoo is a brood parasite that lays its eggs in the nests of the wagtails, thrushes, and robin chats.

This bird is polygamous. The female lays about 20 brown eggs each season, which other birds take care of.

Distribution and Habitat

The Red Chested Cuckoo is both a resident and migrant bird that prefers living in woodlands, plantations, and forests.

J.I (574) African Emerald Cuckoo (Chrysococcyx Cupreus)

General Identification

The African emerald cuckoos are beautiful cuckoo species that are sexually dimorphic.

Males have yellow breasts, and a green back and head.

Females however have green and white breasts and barred backs of green and brown.

Distribution and Habitat

These birds are native to Africa and they live in the sub-Saharan regions.

Behavior

Feeding; it mainly feeds on caterpillars and ants.

Breeding; the emerald cuckoo is a brood parasite that lays its eggs in the nests of other birds and depends on them to raise its chicks. It lays about 19 to 25 eggs.

J.I (575) White-Browed Coucal (Centropus Superciliosus)

It is also called the Lark-heeled cuckoo and it belongs to the family Cuculidae.

General Identification

Both males and females look the same.

Adults have black crowns, rump, tail, and napes, rufous-brown back, white supercilium, and chestnut wings.

They also have creamy-white underparts, eyes red, black beaks, and greyish-black or black legs and feet.

Distribution and Habitat

These birds are native to East and South Africa and mostly live in savannahs and woodlands.

Other birds in this order and family

K. Order; Anseriformes

K.I Family; Anatidae

K.I (592) White-faced Whistling-Duck (Dendrocygna Viduata)

General Identification

This is an outstanding duck with a long black-and-white head and neck, reddish-brown breasts, and striped sides.

It also has long legs, a white face, and plumage whose color differs in different regions.

It has a dark brown to black back and wings, black underparts with a white touch on its sides, and a chestnut neck.

The plumage of both males and females is identical, while juveniles are only different by their different head patterns.

Behavior

Social Life; they are social birds that usually live in flocks of over hundreds.

Their name reveals the noisy nature of the three-note whistling call.

Feeding; the white-faced whistling ducks feed at night on seeds and other foods from plants.

Breeding; they mostly nest near the ground and very rarely on trees. The female lays about 8 to 12 eggs.

Distribution and Habitat

The White-faced Whistling-Duck normally stays in Africa and South America in lakes, freshwater marshes, and rice fields. They generally stay in places with a lot of vegetation.

Other birds in this order and family

L. Order; Ciconiiformes

L.I Family; Ciconiidae

L.I (605) Saddle-billed Stork (Ephippiorhynchus Senegalensis)

The Saddle-billed Stork also called the Saddle bill, is a bird in the stork family.

General Identification

It’s a tall black-and-white stork with a distinctive red, yellow, and black bill.

The huge bird is about 145 to 150 cm tall, 142 cm high and 2.4 to 2.7 m wide on the wings.

The male is larger and heavier than the female. It weighs 5.1 to 7.52 kg while the female weighs 5 to 6.84 kg.

They have long legs of about 36.5 cm, and also a long bill of about 27.3 to 36 cm.

Males and females are identical both on land and in flight. While in flight, they both mostly reflect white feathers and dazzling black heads, backs, necks, wings, and tails.

They are different from the golden-yellow irises of the female and the brown irises and hanging yellow wattle of the male.

Juveniles have brown-grey plumage, an enormous red bill with black bands, and a yellow shield at the front.

They also have black legs and feet with pink hocks.

Behavior

Social Life; they are silent birds that either lives alone or in pairs.

Feeding; The saddle-billed stork is an aquatic prey that feeds on fish, crustaceans, mollusks, and frogs. They also feed on reptiles, small mammals, and insects.

They prey by using their bill to catch fish from the water.

While feeding, it swallows the fish’s head first and later drinks water when it finishes.

Flight Pattern; they fly with their wings outstretched which makes them easily seen by birders.

Breeding; the saddle-billed stork is a lonely nester that breeds in wetlands and floodplains.

The female lays about two to three white eggs which she incubates for about 30 to 35 days. The chicks fledge in about 70 to 100 days.

Distribution and Habitat

They are wading birds that are widely spread in Africa and they live in open waters.

L.I (606) African Openbill (Anastomus Lamelligerus)

General Identification

This is a medium-sized black stork with a distinctively-shaped bill that has an opening between the upper and lower mandible.

Juveniles however do not have this gap.

Their beaks only meet at the tip and not in the middle hence, the name “openbill”.

Distribution and Habitat

The African Openbill lives in still waters of seasonal pans, shallow lakes, and swamps.

L.I (607) Yellow-billed Stork       (Mycteria Ibis)

This bird is also called the Wood stork or Wood ibis.

General Identification

It is a mid-sized stork tall bird with white plumage and a short black tail.

It has a deep yellow bill, deep red skin, brown legs, and a feathered head and neck.

Males are normally heavier than females.

The birds have pink plumage and legs in the breeding season.

Juveniles are grey-brown with orange faces and dull yellow bills.

Behavior

Feeding; it mainly feeds on small, freshwater fish. However, their diet also consists of crustaceans, aquatic insects, worms, frogs, small mammals, and birds.

It hunts for its prey by the sense of touch and not by vision.

They slowly move in the waters with open bills and when it touches the prey, there is a fast reflex to hold it.

Breeding; the Yellow-billed Stork breeds in heavy rainfall seasons when there is a lot of fish to prey on.

Its breeding season also varies with the start or end of the rain.

The female lays about 2-4 eggs which both parents incubate for about 30 days.

Both parents also feed the young mostly on regurgitated food.

Young ones fledge in about 50 to 55 days and are adults in 3three years.

Distribution and Habitat

The yellow-billed stork is a large wading bird that lives in open waters.

L.I (608) White Stork (Ciconia Ciconia)

General Identification

It is a large bird with generally white plumage, black wings, a long pointed red beak, and red legs

Behavior

Social Life; they live and migrate in a flock of thousands of individuals.

It communicates by opening and closing its mouth rapidly.

Feeding; this bird mostly feeds on insects, especially beetles, locusts, grasshoppers, and crickets. It also eats reptiles, earthworms, and amphibians, especially frogs.

Breeding; the white stork is territorial during the breeding season, and the female lays about 4 white-yellowish eggs. They incubate for about 33 to 34 days.

Distribution and Habitat

This bird migrates from Europe to tropical sub-Saharan Africa to avoid winter.

L.I (609) Abdim’s Stork (Ciconia Abdimii)

This bird is also called the White-bellied stork.

General Identification

The Abdim’s Stork has grey legs and bill, red knees and feet, and white underparts.

In the breeding season, the facial skin in front of its eye is red, and the skin near the bill is blue.

The smallest species measures 73cm tall and weighs about 1kg.

Behavior

Feeding; they mostly feed on insects

Distribution and Habitat

This bird stays in open places across sub-Saharan Africa. However, it also stays on wetland edges.

L.I (610) Marabou Stork (Leptoptilos Crumenifer)

The Marabou Stork is also called the “Undertaker bird” because of its hind structure.

General Identification

It is a large macabre-looking bird with a lot of tiny white hair on its body.

This bird has skinny white legs and cloak-like wings and back.

It also has a bare pink head and neck that looks like it is severely sunburnt.

Its bills are gigantic and dagger-like, the underparts are white and the back is black.

It also has a pink gular sac in its throat, black legs, and wings.

Both males and females are identical, but juveniles are browner and have smaller bills.

Behavior

Feeding; this bird mostly preys on fish, insects, frogs, eggs, small mammals, hatchlings, and eggs of reptiles like crocodiles, lizards, and snakes.

It also feeds on dead flesh and rotting garbage.

Breeding; this bird breeds in colonies during the dry season and the female lays about 2 to 3 eggs which she incubates in 30 days.

Young ones reach sexual maturity at 4 years. They have a lifespan of 25 years in the wild and 43 years in captivity.

Distribution and Habitat

These birds survive in both wetlands and arid areas, regularly around humans.

Other birds in this Order and family

M. Order; Phoenicopteriformes

M.I Family; Phoenicopteridae

M.I (613) Lesser Flamingos(Phoeniconaias Minor)

General Identification

It is the smallest species of flamingo with deep pink-white plumage and a pale pink bill.

Behavior

Breeding; they only lay one egg.

Distribution and Habitat

The lesser and greater flamingos are migratory wading birds that come to Uganda from around November to April.

M.I (614) Greater Flamingos (Phoenicopterus Roseus)

General Identification

This is a tall, large, pinkish-white plumaged flamingo with reddish wing parts.

They have dark legs and their chicks have  grey and fluffy downer parts.

Behavior

Breeding; Like all flamingos, they also lay only one egg and have a lifespan of about 30- 40 years.

Distribution and Habitat

They are also migratory birds that come to Uganda from November to April.

N. Order; Suliformes

N.I Family; Phalacrocoracidae

N.I (615) Long-Tailed Cormorants (Microcarbo Africanus)

This bird is also called the reed cormorant.

General Identification

It is small speckled cormorant with mainly black plumage, a bill, and a short crest.

Nonbreeding adults and juveniles are both browner with a white bellies.

Young birds are brown and have pale underparts.

It is black with green sparkles during the breeding season.

Behavior

Feeding; it is a prey bird that hunts in shallow water for fish but also eats frogs, small birds, and aquatic invertebrates.

Breeding; a female lays between 2 to 4 eggs on trees hidden by long grasses.

Distribution and Habitat

It is an aquatic bird that lives and breeds in wetlands and quiet coasts.

Other birds in this order and family

 N.II Family; Anhingidae

N.II (617) African Darter (Anhinga Rufa)

General Identification

The African darter is also called the snake bird because of its snake-like appearance as it swims with a body fully submerged in water.

Adults have black plumage with white streaks.

Males have reddish necks with white stripes from the eye down to the head side.

Females and juveniles are however muted and brown.

Behavior

Feeding; its diet is mainly fish which it catches by diving into the water.

Breeding; they build nests on trees and the female lays about 3 to 6 eggs.

Distribution and Habitat

They are spread throughout sub-Saharan Africa.

O. Order; Coraciiformes

O.I Family; Alcedinidae

O.I (618) Pied King Fisher (Ceryle Rudis)

General Identification

The Pied kingfisher is a beautiful kingfisher species with black and white streaked plumage.

It has a short, bushy crest and a dark silky bill.

Males are double banded across their breasts and females have a single gorget that breaks in the middle.

Behavior

Social Life; these birds live in small groups or breeding pairs.

Feeding; they feed majorly on fish and aquatic insects.

Distribution and Habitat

This bird is widely spread in Africa and Asia in areas around open clear waters.

O.I (619) Malachite King Fisher (Corythornis Cristatus)

General Identification

The Malachite kingfisher is a small kingfisher, about 13cm long.

It is beautifully colored, that is, it has a short crest, bright metallic blue upper parts, and rufous underparts, faces, and cheeks.

There are also white patches on their throat, rare neck sides, bright red legs, and a reddish-orange bill. Juveniles however have black bills.

Both males and females are identical.

Behavior

Feeding; it mostly feeds on fish and aquatic insects. The bird sits still beside the waters before diving to catch fish.

Breeding; the female lays about 3 to 6 eggs on excreted pellets or fish bones.

Distribution and Habitat

This bird is widely spread throughout sub-Saharan Africa.

O.I (620) Giant Kingfisher (Megaceryle Maxima)

General Identification

This is the largest kingfisher bird in Africa about 42-46cm long.

It has a large bushy crest, a large black bill, black upper parts, and white spots on the plumage.

Males have a band on their chestnut breasts while females have a band on their white-spotted black breasts and chestnut bellies.

Behavior

Feeding; the Giant King Fisher feeds on fish, crabs, and frogs. It dives from its perch to get the fish.

Breeding; both the male and female build the horizontal tunnel nest.

They are monogamous and they breed alone. Females lay about three eggs at the end of the tunnel.

Distribution and Habitat

It is an African endemic bird that lives mostly in arid areas.

O.I (621) Grey-Headed Kingfisher (Halcyon Leucocephala)

General Identification

The Grey-headed kingfisher is a colorful mid-sized bird with unique chestnut underparts and a blue tail.

It also has a bright red pointed bill and an ashy-grey head and breast.

Distribution and Habitat

This bird is widely spread through tropical and semi-tropical Africa and lives in woodlands near water.

O.I (622) Woodland Kingfisher (Halcyon Senegalensis)

General Identification

The woodland kingfisher is mid-sized about 23 cm long.

An adult has a bright blue electric back, wing panel, and tail.

It also has a white head, neck, and underparts.

Their bi-colored bills are red on top and black below.

Behavior

Social Life; they commonly live in pairs and are violently territorial.

Feeding; the bird hunts from dead tree branches as it looks for food.

Breeding; the female lays about three white eggs in a tree hole.

Distribution and Habitat

The bird lives in Africa especially in the south of the Sahara in tall dry woodlands, forest edges, and riverine forests.

They however prefer lowland, denser rainforests.

O.I (623) Blue-Breasted Kingfisher (Halcyon Malimbica)

General Identification

This bird has a blue-breasted chest, bright blue head, wing panel back, and tail. It has white underparts and black shoulders.

Its large bill has red on top and black in the lower mandible.

Distribution and Habitat

It mostly lives in rainforests and thicker habitats.

O.I (624) Chocolate-Backed Kingfisher (Halcyon Badia)

General Identification

The Chocolate-Backed Kingfisher is a bird with a blood-red bill, white underparts, broadly chocolate-brown upperparts, bright blue wing patches, and a tail.

Distribution and Habitat

It lives in tropical rainforests in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Other birds in this order and family

O.II Family; Meropidae

O.II (630) Red-Throated Bee-Eater (Merops Bulocki)

The Red-throated bee-eater is a nice-looking bird in the Meropidae family.

General Identification

This beautiful brightly collared bird has a vivid red throat, green upper parts, pale orange breasts, and a black face mask around the eyes.

They also have bright blue under the tail and thigh.

In flight, it displays cinnamon underwings and black edges.

Behavior

Social Life; this bird lives in small flocks that perch in small flocks.

Distribution and Habitat

The Red-Throated Bee-Eater is an African tropical bird that lives in East and Central Africa in savannahs, and woodlands with wide leaves.

The areas they choose are suited near water.

O.II (631) Black Bee-Eater (Merops Gularis)

General Identification

It is predominantly a black bird with a scarlet throat, blue belly, blue eyebrows, blue under tails, and chest spots.

Distribution and Habitat

It mostly lives in rainforests and secondary woodlands.

Black bee-eaters can be spotted in the Maramagambo forest and also in the Ishasha region.

O.II (632) Blue-Breasted Bee-Eater (Merops Variegatus)

General Identification

The Blue-breasted bee-eater is a beautiful bird with a yellow throat, greenback, and buffy underparts.

It is black in most light conditions, but most commonly vivid blue.

In flight, it shows rufous patches with black bars, wings, and tails.

Behavior

Feeding; it mostly feeds on honey bees and other insects.

Breeding; this is a monogamous breeder and a female lays between 2 to 3 eggs which both parents incubate.

Distribution and Habitat

It’s usually spotted in moist and open habitats counting savanna and forest edges.

It can be spotted within Mweya peninsular.

O.II (633) White-Throated Bee-Eater

General Identification

It’s a beautifully colored slender bird in the family Meropidae.

Mostly, green however, with a white face and throat. It has an eye stripe, black crown, and neckband.

The bird has greenish-blue underparts, red eyes, and a black beak.

Behavior

Feeding; they mainly feed on bees flying in the air.  However, they also feed on other insects like wasps.

Breeding; the female lays about 6 to 7 eggs which both parents incubate.

Distribution and Habitat

This one is a migratory bird that comes to Africa to escape winter. It settles in tropical rainforests.

White-Throated Bee-Eater can be spotted in Mweya peninsular, Kasenyi plains, and the Ishasha sector.

O.II (634) Little Bee Eater

General Identification

This is a little bee-eater with a brightly colored feather a yellow throat and a black gorget.

It has green upper parts, brown upper breasts, and black beaks.

Behavior

Feeding; they mostly feed on insects, particularly bees and wasps.

Distribution and Habitat

It is a resident of sub-Saharan Africa.

They can be spotted in Mweya peninsular and also in the Ishasha sector.

O.II (635) Northern Carmine Bee-eater

General Identification

A Northern carmine bee-eater is a beautiful bee-eater, with a primarily carmine body, blue-green head, belly, and elongated central tail feathers.

While in flight, it displays rosy underwings with a black trailing edge and blue-green rump.

It can be confused with the much similar Southern carmine bee-eater, but, it is different by its blue-green color rather than a carmine throat.

Behavior

Feeding; It mostly feeds on bees, grasshoppers, and locusts.

Distribution and Habitat

They live in Central and Eastern Africa on thorny trees.

With your Uganda birding tours in Queen Elizabeth National Park, you can see it within the Mweya Peninsula, Kasenyi and Ishasha plains.

O.II (636) Cinnamon-chested Bee-eater (Merops Oreobates)

General Identification

A Cinnamon-chested bee-eater is a mid-sized colorful bee-eater with rufous underparts and a bright green head, tail, and upper parts.

Their chin and throat are also yellow. They have cinnamon-brown breasts with a black strike.

Their black tail also has a white tip and a yellow base.

Behavior

Social Life; they are frequently seen resting high in open areas in small groups.

Distribution and Habitat

They are widely distributed in Central and East Africa.

In Uganda Queen Elizabeth national park, they can be spotted within Mweya peninsular, Kasenyi, and Ishasha plains.

Other birds in this order and family.

O.III Family, Coraciidae

O.III (643) Broad-Billed Roller (Eurystomus Glaucurus)

General Identification

It has a brown back, head, and the rest of its plumage, its bill is bright yellow while its wings display a bright blue in flight.

Distribution and Habitat

It prefers open woodlands near water and can be spotted in Mweya peninsular, and also in the Ishasha sector.

Other birds in this order and family

P. Order, Caprimulgiformes

P.I Family, Caprimulgidae

P.I (650) Standard-Winged Nightjar (Caprimulgus Longipennis)

General Identification

Both males and females have grey and brown plumage.

Breeding males grow bizarre wings of about 38cm in the middle of their wings.

In flight, it looks like two bats are chasing it.

Behavior

Social Life; It is a nocturnal bird that spends the day sleeping.

Distribution and Habitat

It lives in African savannahs and scrubs.

Other birds in this order and family

Queen Elizabeth National Park is the ideal place for your Uganda bird watching tours. Every tourist ought to visit this habitation to know about the various birds, their way of life, and their contribution to nature’s inheritance.

Why Is Queen Elizabeth National Park The Best Birding Destination In Africa?

This simple example shows the size of Queen Elizabeth National Park vis a vis her number of bird species. The same is done to the other two notable birding spots in Africa.

1. Queen Elizabeth National Park (1,978km2) in Uganda has over 600 bird species.
2. Serengeti National Park (14,763 km²) in Tanzania has over 500 bird species.
3. Kruger National Park (19,485 km²) in South Africa has over 500 bird species.

The number of bird species in a National Park.

Given the illustration above, it is no doubt that Queen Elizabeth National Park is the best birding spot in Africa.

Why Are There So Many Bird Species In Queen Elizabeth National Park?

Queen Elizabeth National Park has a variety of biomes and conditions that favor the high number of bird species.

These biomes and conditions include

1. Vegetation
2. Climate
3. Landscape
4. Altitude/Elevation
5. Availability of food for the plants

These conditions favor the variety of bird species, depending on the flora, weather, and setting that the birds prefer.

This greatly depends on their physical makeup, feeding, and breeding nature. Let’s have a look at each factor.

1. Vegetation In Queen Elizabeth National Park

The vegetation in Queen Elizabeth National Park comprises savannah grassland, woodland, swamp vegetation, and humid rainforests.

Birds in these habitations find it easy to feed, reproduce, and live comfortably.

2. Climate In Queen Elizabeth National Park

Queen Elizabeth National Park has a warm climate. Day temperatures rise to about 29°C or 84°F and gradually drop to about 17°C or 63°F at night.

This climate has welcomed many migratory birds that come from Europe and South Africa from around November to April.

3. Landscape In Queen Elizabeth National Park

The landscape in Queen Elizabeth National Park comprises a variety of vegetation, streams, salty craters, and freshwater lakes.

This accommodates both vegetation and water birds.

4. The Altitude/Elevation In Queen Elizabeth National Park

The altitude in Queen Elizabeth National Park ranges from 910m to 1,390 m.

The highest altitude is at the Katwe area while the lowest altitude lies at Lake Edward.

Different birds fly at different elevations, depending on their inherent abilities. Therefore, birds built for a high elevation will prefer higher altitudes to lower altitudes. On the other hand, birds that live at lower altitudes will prefer that.

5. Availability Of Food For The Birds In Queen Elizabeth National Park

The freshwater lakes and swamps provide fish, rodents, worms, and other invertebrates to water birds.

The grasslands provide seeds to birds of the open plains while the humid forests offer fruits, buds, leaves, shoots, and flowers to forest birds.

This also favors the many bird species in Queen Elizabeth National Park.

The Big Five Birds in Queen Elizabeth National Park

The big five birds are the most sought-after birds not only in Queen Elizabeth National Park but also in Africa.

Every birder’s interest is primarily glued to these birds.

They include the

1. Shoebill
2. Long-Crested Eagle
3. Grey Crowned Crane
4. Black-and-White Casqued Hornbill
5. Great Blue Turaco

The parameters for which these birds were considered the “big five” were based on majorly their high demand in the birding sector, rareness, and big size.

All these birds are native to Africa, and the shoebill in particular is endemic to Africa.

Migratory Uganda Birds in Queen Elizabeth National Park

Queen Elizabeth National Park is a migration door that hosts many of the over 300 migratory bird species that enter Uganda yearly.

Palearctic migratory birds come around October/November and return around March/April while other birds come from the summer nesting sites of South Africa.

Another group of migratory birds check-in in April and depart in October whereas others land in August and stay till April.

Intra-African migratory birds come in July and begin to leave in December.

The different bird species control these migratory phases due to different conditions, mostly weather and climate.

Other reasons for their migration include the availability of food, the elevation, and the landscape of the park.

Most of these birds settle regularly at the Kazinga Channel and the Ishasha sector when they arrive in Queen Elizabeth National Park.

Different nations around the world celebrate World Migratory bird day to recognize how these birds connect our worlds.

Ugandan birders also hope to carry out bigger events on such days since it has been celebrated to a small extent.

Examples of migratory birds to Queen Elizabeth National Park include the Malagasy Pond Heron, Common Cuckoo, White-Winged terns, and Great White Pelicans.

African intra-migratory birds include the African Spoonbill, African Cuckoo-Hawk, Little egret, and the Lesser and Greater Flamingos.

Brood Parasitism among Some Migratory Birds in Queen Elizabeth National Park

Brood parasitism among birds is the situation where a bird of one species lays its eggs in the nest of another bird species and depends on it to raise its hatchling(s).

The European Cuckoo

The European Cuckoo is also called the Common Cuckoo.

It migrates from Europe or Asia to Queen Elizabeth National Park during the winter season.

The European Cuckoo is a brood parasite as seen in the phases below.

1. It first surveys and studies the eggs laid by the bird it wishes to raise its eggs.
2. It then mates with a male and lays the exact type and color of eggs as that of the bird it surveyed in the same nest.
3. The bird will take care of the European Cuckoo’s egg together with its own.
4. However, the eggs of the European Cuckoo will hatch before its eggs, and the hatchling will push down the real eggs of its “fake mother”.
5. As this bird feeds its assumed hatchling, it begins to realize how it grows taller or faster than it or how its real chicks could.
6. Then it will realize that this is not its child, and will abandon it.
7. Upon learning how to fly, the European Cuckoo will intrinsically fly to where the real mum originates from.
8. And this pattern continues and will continue as long as European Cuckoos exist.

This event observes how these birds help to connect our different nations, continents, and worlds when they migrate from one place to another.

Where Can You Find/See Birds in Queen Elizabeth National Park

You can see the Birds in Queen Elizabeth National Park from various sectors. Some of these habitats include among others, the

• Mweya Peninsula
• Lake George
• Kazinga Channel
• Kasenyi Area
• Ishasha Sector
• Kyambura Gorge
• Maramagambo Forest
• Katwe Crater Lakes Area
• Katunguru Bridge Area
• Lake Kikorongo Area

The birds live in different groupings, which means that their inherent uniqueness directs their environment!

The favorably diverse landscape in the park is advantageous to the water and lakeshore birds, open plain species, shrub, woodland, and forest birds.

For example, the Mweya Peninsula, together with Lake George and Kazinga channel host a variety of wading birds.

Lake George, Uganda’s oldest Ramsar site, was established in 1988 because of its biological diversity, including the birds.

The Kasenyi plain crowds with grassland birds, and is a great spot to view the water birds at the Kazinga channel during a game drive.

The Ishasha sector hosts bird species that are rare or not in any other area of Queen Elizabeth National Park.

The Katwe area hosts water birds and birds that prefer higher altitudes.

They, therefore, find comfort in the fresh and saline water lakes, fertile swamps, wide savannahs, acacia woodlands, and humid forests.

Importance of Uganda Birds in Queen Elizabeth National Park 

Birds in Queen Elizabeth National Park contribute greatly to the ecosystem. They are therefore a prized part of the wildlife sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park.

They are pillars in

1. Environmental Conservation
2. Tourism
3. Cultural Emblems
4. Research

Environmental Conservation

It is not just their beauty, number, or peculiar way of life that they portray. Birds in Queen Elizabeth National Park keep the environment in balance as seen here,

1. Scavenging birds are cleaners of the environment.

By eating decaying flesh and dead animals, they save the environment from disease-causing organisms. For example bacteria.

In doing this, the environment is also free from the bad stench of rotting flesh.

Some birds also eat rats that are a threat to human health.

2. They disperse seeds to different places.

These distributed seeds grow into new plants and trees that help in various natural processes like making rainfall.

These plants are also habitations and sources of food for other animals, and so this cycle continues.

Tourism

Birds in Queen Elizabeth National Park are a vital part of tourism. Birders openly express the thrill and ecstasy of meeting these birds.

Some birds have cultural attachments to time and sounds. Others are ancient, elusive, and endangered while some have the beauty that every nature lover would want to see.

Cultural Emblems

Queen Elizabeth National Park is also home to many of the birds that represent some of Uganda’s culture.

A case in point is the Baganda; each Muganda requires to have a totem that is either a bird or an animal.

Some of them choose birds like cattle egrets (Nyange), the crow (Nnamung’oona), or any other bird according to their clan.

When someone has a bird as a totem, they neither eat it, disrespect nor kill it.

Totems are important even during cultural ceremonies like marriages. People with the same totem are not allowed to marry each other because it is considered incest.

Culturally, these totems/birds also have spiritual significance attached to them.

Research

The concentration of these birds in one place helps in research.

Researchers are still discovering the life of these birds. For example habitations, feeding, breeding, and distribution.

More so, new birds are discovered now and then.

Birds in Queen Elizabeth National Park have ecological importance to the environment, tourism, culture, and research. Therefore, protecting them is protecting our humanity.

What Is The Best Time Of The Year To Do Birding In Queen Elizabeth National Park

Queen Elizabeth National Park offers a good birding experience all year round. However, the best time is from November to April where many migratory birds flock the park.

June to September is also a good birding season since there is plenty of fruits for the birds.

In the rainy season, that is around March to May and August to November, the trails in Queen Elizabeth National Park are wet and slippery.

What To Wear When Going For Birding In Queen Elizabeth National Park

Birding is more enjoyable with the little details like dressing put to check. To enjoy your birding experience, wear

1. Long-sleeved shirts and trousers

This protects you from the the vegetation that may hurt your skin or the insects that may bite you.

2. Firm shoes

This will enable you to walk comfortably on the ground whether it be slippery or rocky.

3. A hat and Sunglasses

These will help to cover you from the sun and help your skin to not get exposed to the bright sunrays.

What To Carry When Going For Birding In Queen Elizabeth National Park

A memorable birding experience comes with carrying important things for your journey. This helps you to study and keep the memories of your birding adventure.

These include

• Camera
• A Pair of Binoculars
• A Field Guide (Bird Guidebook)
• Notebook and Pen
• Insect Repellent
• Sunscreen
• Water Bottle
• Backpack or a Waist Bag
• Poncho or Rain Jacket

1. Camera

A camera will help you to take photos and keep the memories of the birds that you saw on your Uganda birding safari.

You can use the cameras that you are comfortable with for example your phone camera.

However, it is best to use the best birding cameras for still photos because the birds do keep in one place all the time.

Below are some of the best birding cameras

• Canon Powershot SX70 HS
• Nikon Coolpix P1000
• Sony Cyber-Shot RX10 IV
• A Mirrorless Cameras for example Olympus OM-D E-M1X and Panasonic LUMIX GH5

2. A Pair of Binoculars

Binoculars will help you to view distant birds closely. Some of the best birding binoculars include

• Steiner Wildlife XP 8×44 Binoculars
• Fujifilm KF 10×42 H Fujinon Binoculars
• Steiner Skyhawk 4.0 10×32 Binoculars

3. A Field Guide (Bird Guidebook)

This guide book will help you to know the different birds in different sectors of the park.

After identifying it, you can consult your birding guide for clarification.

4. Notebook and Pen

You can write down observations about your birds and experiences with them in your notesbook.

5. Insect Repellent

This will help to keep the insects from biting you and making your experience uncomfortable.

6. Sunscreen

A sun screen will protect you from the hot sun rays at Queen Elizabeth National Park.

The park is generally hot since it is near the equator, and so a sunscreen lotion will do you wonders.

7. Water Bottle

It will keep you hydrated during your birding adventure in Queen Elizabeth Park.

8. Poncho or Rain Jacket

Just incase itr rains, you will be on a safer side on your day. Therefore, pack your Poncho or Rain Jacket.

9. Backpack

A back bag will help you to safely keep all your belongings without worrying about them.

Precautions When With The Birds At Queen Elizabeth National Park

When with the birds, kindly take note of the following,

• Observe silence because the birds feel uncomfortable in noisy places and therefore may fly away
• Carry out the activity in small groups. This is because in big groups, you may not take clear photos of the birds
• Be attentive to because some birds are recognized by their sound.
• Do not stone the birds because you can injure them.
• Walk on the birding trails always as directed by your guide.
• Park a drink and a snack to eat during the activity. You may get hungry!

Other Ideal Sites To See Birds And Do Birding In Uganda Include

• Semuliki National Park
• Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
• Murchison Falls National Park
• Kidepo Valley National Park

Measures Taken By Conservationists To Make Sure That Endangered Species Do Not Go Extinct?

The Ugandan government through the Uganda Wildlife Authority makes sure that these species are protected from harm, especially human-animal conflicts.

One of the reasons for Queen Elizabeth National Park’s designation is to preserve and protect the populations of these birds.

The conservation bodies teach people how to coexist with these birds so that their protection is also owned by the community.

There are laws against illegal interference with the birds, and individuals get a penalty for trying to harm them.