Bird Watching in Lake Mburo National Park
Bird watching in Lake Mburo National Park is one the tourist activities carried at the small park. The Savannah park, one of the tourist places in western Uganda is also among the best bird watching spots the country with several species endemic to the area. Among the best spots for birding safaris in the park are the marshy valleys of Warukiri and Miriti plus the waysides between the Rwonyo camp and the landing stage. There are also well setup platforms for viewing birds at the salt lick in Rubanga Forest and Miriti Valley.
Bird Species seen at these areas include the Bateleur, Coqui Francolin, Rufous-bellied Heron, Grey Crowned Crane, Emerald-spotted Wood-Dove, Black-bellied Bustard and Brown-chested Lapwing. Others are the Brown Parrot, Common Scimitar bill, White-headed Barbet, Red-headed Lovebird, Ross’s Turaco, Bare-faced Go-away-bird, Long-tailed Cisticola, Green Wood-hoopoe, Red-faced Barbet, Nubian Woodpecker, Yellow-breasted Apalis, Red-shouldered Cuckoo-shrike and the White-winged Tit plus Fin foot among others. The rare Red-faced Barbet in Lake Mburo among the forest’s present species.
Rubanga Forest is good for visiting in a safari vehicle or by walking. The jungle is indeed excellent for birders. Birding Specials
Abyssinian ground hornbill, African fin foot, African scops owl, Bare-faced go-away bird, Blue-breasted kingfisher, Blue-headed coucal, Brown-chested lapwing and Carruthers’ cisticola.
Other birds in Lake Mburo are the Greater painted-snipe, Mosque swallow, Papyrus gonolek (Laniarius mufumbiri), Papyrus yellow warbler, Red-faced barbet (NE), Shoebill, Tabora cisticola and white-winged swamp warbler.
Best Time for Birding
Spotting birds in Lake Mburo is good all continuously through the year. June and July are low-rain months whereas March and April have high rain. Birding safaris are smoothly doable in drier months than in rainy conditions. Migratory birds move between November and April.
Other National Parks good for Seeing Bird
Murchison Falls National Park is good for birding including the shoebill. Bwindi Impenetrable Forest and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park are much ideal for seeing the Albertine Rift endemics. Whereas Semuliki is the only site in East Africa for seeing several Guinea-Congo regional species. Arrangement should be made with the warden before the tour.