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19 August – 12 September 2021
By Dylan Vasapolli
The sought-after Green-breasted Pitta was arguably the main target of the trip, and showed exceptionally well!
Overview
This custom Uganda birding tour was designed for a single client, with a very specific target list of species wanted. As such, the route would take in virtually all of the primary Ugandan birding sites, with a few exceptions. This would include the main birding circuit centered on the Albertine rift valley in the western half of the country (see details of our Uganda set departure itinerary here), along with the more remote and very infrequently visited eastern section of the country. Despite being run during the worldwide Covid-19 pandemic, this tour fortunately went by seamlessly with no issues or hassles to speak of.
Beginning in Entebbe on the shores of Lake Victoria, our birding tour would first take us to the Mbamba Swamps for the mega Shoebill, before heading eastwards to the more remote Pian Upe Game Reserve, and Kidepo Valley National Park where we would spend several days. The tour was done in this order specifically for Green-breasted Pitta (one of the primary target species for the tour), and would result in us getting to Kibale Forest National Park as early as possible. It did however mean we would likely encounter more rain in the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest mountains later in the trip, but these areas were not of as much importance, with the client having birded here previously. Following on from our early foray to the east, we would rejoin the main birding circuit at the Royal Mile – Budongo Forest, from where Kibale Forest and Semuliki National Parks were next on the agenda. Time in the more open savanna-dominated Queen Elizabeth National Park would break up the forest birding as we followed on with time in both Bwindi Impenetrable Forest and the Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. Lake Mburo National Park would be our final destination, from where the tour would conclude in Entebbe.
Many of the Lions in Queen Elizabeth National Park, especially in the Ishasha sector, are renowned for sleeping in trees during the heat of the day.
This comprehensive tour spanning 25 days (including the arrival day), produced a little shy of 600 species of birds in total, with well over 550 species being seen. This is especially significant given that many of the more common and widespread species were not specifically sought-out, often remaining heard-only or missed entirely. With such a high species list, it is impossible to highlight all the species, but special mention needs to go out to some of the primary targets – all of which were seen well (and many photographed to boot). Green-breasted Pitta was arguably the main target, and after a long and hard search, we were eventually rewarded with incredible views of a bird displaying right in front of us! Special mention also needs to go out to Fox’s Weaver – Uganda’s only endemic bird, which we enjoyed several looks at, including finding a nesting bird! Furthermore, Shoebill, Karamoja Apalis, the massive Black-breasted Barbet, tiny African Dwarf Kingfisher and African Piculet, Nahan’s Partridge, Yellow-footed Flycatcher, Hartlaub’s Duck, a host of Albertine Rift endemic birds topped off with Rwenzori Turaco, Neumann’s Warbler and Regal Sunbird, papyrus restricted species such as Papyrus Yellow Warbler and Papyrus Canary, and the difficult Red-faced Barbet all require mention. Time spent in Uganda is also littered with wonderful encounters of other wildlife, with some great time spent with Chimpanzees and Eastern Gorillas featuring high up there, along with several Lion and Leopard encounters! Forest Hog was another tricky mammal seen, as were several monkeys, such as De Brazza’s and L’hoest’s Monkeys, Semliki and Ashy Red Colobus’ and Grey-cheeked Mangabey.
More detailed information on the species seen are located in the report below, along with the attached lists at the end of the report.
Detailed Report
Day 1, 20th August 2021. Birding Mabamba Swamp and Entebbe
With a late arrival the previous evening, and a long drive to the Pian Upe area on the 21st of August, we opted to do our Mabamba Swamp trip today, allowing us a bit more free time on the following day. We had a leisurely start to the morning, and found ourselves at the Mabamba Swamps in the late morning, where we boarded our dug-out canoes and were soon sailing off into the swamps. The main target here is the incredible Shoebill, which can usually be seen easily. Although it took a little while, and involved paddling deep into the swamps we were rewarded with incredible views of two Shoebills together (including their bill-clapping display!) for an extended period. These prehistoric-looking giants are one of the most sought-after birds in the world, and our walk-away views left us brimming from ear to ear. We also found an additional two Shoebill in flight, bringing the total of Shoebill seen up to 4!
As it had taken a while to track them down, and spending near 30-minutes watching and observing them, we had limited time on our way back for birding stops, but still added various other species, such as African Marsh Harrier, Purple and Squacco Herons, African Jacana, Black Crake, African Swamphen, Long-toed Lapwing, Blue-breasted Bee-eater, Lesser Swamp Warbler and Northern Brown-throated Weaver. Following an interesting ferry journey back to our lodge, we had a good lunch and a short rest, before getting going in the late afternoon. Some rain had fallen, and was sticking around, but we didn’t let the weather deter us. A stop at the Bat Hawk roost in Entebbe was unfortunately unsuccessful, but our stint at the Entebbe Botanical Gardens was more successful. We quickly headed to the lake shore, where we rapidly found the scarce and local Orange Weaver. Winding Cisticola also showed well for us here, before we turned our attention to some of the larger birds of the gardens. We found a big roost of Great Blue Turacos, with up to 8 individuals present in a tree, enjoyed great looks at a few of the monstrous Black-and-white-casqued Hornbill, while Ross’s Turaco took a little while to find, but eventually showed well for us too! Other species of interest seen included Palm-nut Vulture, Black Sparrowhawk and the snazzy Black-and-white Shrike-flycatcher.
The prehistoric-looking Shoebill is one of the main avian attractions in Uganda – easily being the most reliable place in the world to see this bird.
Day 2, 21st August 2021. Transfer to Pian Upe Game Reserve
We had a long day of driving in store for us, as we transferred from Entebbe through to Pian Upe Game Reserve in eastern Uganda. The main reason for visiting this remote reserve is to find the country’s only endemic bird – Fox’s Weaver. This scarce bird was almost thought to be extinct after a spate of no sightings for some time, and survey’s not finding any birds – but have recently been rediscovered in the wider-Pian Upe area. Our birding today was somewhat limited, but we did notch up a stunning African Hobby in Entebbe before we got going. As we neared Pain Upe Game Reserve, we started doing some roadside birding, and added a number of species such as Eastern Chanting Goshawk, Silverbird, Splendid Starling and Northern Red Bishop. Some immense excitement followed, as we picked up on some movement in the road ahead, and found ourselves looking a Leopard crossing the road! We made our way up to the area, and found this stunning cat right next to the road, but all too soon and the Leopard had melted away back into the long grass. We tried for views for a little while, though unsuccessfully. A very threatening bank of dark clouds on the horizon were getting closer and closer, and we decided to press onwards to our lovely lodge – which we arrived at just as it started raining. We checked in and took it easy for the rest of the evening, enjoyed the most evocative sunset with lightening flickering in the clouds, followed by an excellent meal.
Day 3, 22nd August 2021. Birding Pian Upe Game Reserve
Today was an exciting day as we went off in search of a host of scarce and highly localized birds of the Pian Upe area – with the two main targets being the recently rediscovered Fox’s Weaver and Karamoja Apalis. We didn’t have to wait long for our first bit of excitement as we stumbled onto a massive African Rock Python while searching for calling Stone Partridges right next to our lodge. We had to leave the Stone Partridges as a heard only, as we headed off in search of our main targets. Bird activity was high, and we made slow progress with a number of regular stops with various exciting species such as Fox Kestrel, Black Coucal, Nubian Woodpecker, Western Black-headed Batis, Green-backed Eremomela, Pale Prinia and Red-pate Cisticola all drawing our attention. Before we knew it, Bosco our sharp-eyed driver/guide latched onto a weaver and on closer inspection it turned out to be our main quarry – Fox’s Weaver! We managed to get incredible views of this sought-after species, before it melted back into the woodland. It wasn’t 5-minutes later, and we were enjoying our other main target of the day – Karamoja Apalis. Here we had more extended views of a small family of this highly localized and poorly-known species. We continued onwards stumbling into another Fox’s Weaver in a village, we followed it and it led us straight to a nesting tree – where the male was actively defending its nests from some nosy Chestnut Sparrows and Cut-throat Finches, along with doing some maintenance on them as well. It was a slightly strange setting seeing this highly prized species in the middle of a village, but we soaked up our views before leaving the birds be.
Fox’s Weaver is Uganda’s only endemic bird, and was up until recently thought to be extinct. They have been found in the Pian Upe area, and we were extremely fortunate to see this species!
A break for lunch followed, and despite it being pretty hot outside, the camp was full of birds and we added the likes of Great Spotted Cuckoo, Chestnut-crowned Sparrow-Weaver, Red-headed Weaver, Fawn-breasted Waxbill and Yellow-spotted Bush Sparrow. We had a bit of time off in the mid-afternoon before resuming later in the day, and just as we were gearing up to get going again, a very impressive storm-front rolled through. Fortunately it kept clear of us, but we enjoyed some dramatic skylines for the rest of the afternoon. The whole Pian Upe area lies in a drainage area, collecting water from all of the surrounding hills – and the region was very wet already with rains having begun a bit earlier than usual. This did mean that many of the tracks through the reserve were not passable, but we tried our hand at one track this afternoon. We were able to make it a fair way down, before getting to an area of thick mud and almost getting properly stuck – but we didn’t want to risk anything, and turned around and started making our way back to our lodge. The afternoon was fairly quiet by comparison to the morning, but we did enjoy an excellent Clapperton’s Spurfowl parading in the track, a few of the snazzy Bruce’s Green Pigeons sitting up, adult Black Coucals to go with our great sighting of a few juveniles in the morning, Reichenow’s Seedeater and a Ugandan rarity in the form of a Dusky Indigobird – a bird seen (and heard) at length. Following a mightily successful day, we settled in for the evening, enjoying another dramatic sunset over this stunning part of the country!
Day 4, 23rd August 2021. Transfer from Pian Upe to Moroto
We had a relatively short transfer in store for us today as we headed to Moroto, on the lower slopes of Mount Moroto. The morning was set aside as a backup should we still be missing any of the major Pian Upe specials, such as Fox’s Weaver, but with us having been so successful the previous day, we opted for a long birding walk around the camp, before setting off. Stone Partridges were high on our target list, and once again we could easily hear them, but it took some patience (and careful positioning) to ensure we were able to see over six of these special birds – with good (albeit through some grass) and lengthy views. Mosque Swallows graced the skies, while areas of thicker vegetation held the likes of Klaas’s Cuckoo, African Grey Woodpecker and Lesser Honeyguide, and a surprise Boran Cisticola (previously considered a Uganda rarity, and not know from this specific area) turned up on the grassy slopes of a hill. Fruiting figs were another hive of activity and searching through various trees produced Red-fronted Tinkerbird, Black-billed Barbet, Green-backed Eremomela and Wattled and Lesser Blue-eared Starlings.
We then started the transfer north to Moroto, where we would be breaking the long drive to Kidepo Valley National Park for a single night. As we headed north, the vegetation started changing and became much drier, and we bumped into White-bellied Go-away-bird, Jackson’s Hornbill and the stunning Abyssinian Roller. We arrived at our well-suited lodge in Moroto, and set off in the afternoon for some birding on the lower slopes of Mount Moroto. We didn’t make it too far, before rain clouds quickly appeared and we had to seek cover, waiting out the worst of the rain for a little while. We then got a call that our driver had gotten stuck, but were fortunately able to extract ourselves fairly quickly, before resuming our walk with the weather more settled now. It was not the ‘birdiest’ of walks, but we did enjoy stunning White-headed Saw-wings, comical Green Wood-Hoopoe, scarce Dusky Turtle-Dove, snazzy Vitelline Masked Weaver and a few of the dainty Western Citrils.
Localized Clapperton’s Spurfowls were seen on a few occasions in the eastern parts of Uganda.
Day 5, 24th August 2021. Transfer to Kidepo Valley National Park
With another long transfer up to Kidepo Valley ahead, we had an early start to get there in good time, along with allowing for some time birding en-route. Passing through the dry acacia thornveld of the Bokora-Matheniko Game Reserve was extremely productive and we had some superb birding stops. Quite literally, hundreds of Namaqua Doves, White-headed and White-billed Buffalo Weavers and White-browed Sparrow-Weavers littered the roadside, while Northern White-crowned Shrike and Superb Starling were also numerous. We had a stunning sighting of a showy pair of Slate-colored Boubous, and nearby a Grey Wren-Warbler showed equally as well. More open areas held the likes of Black-headed Lapwing, Black Coucal and White-throated Bee-eater, as Abyssinian and Purple Rollers and Northern Red-billed Hornbills watched over them. We had some incredible luck with whydahs, as we ran into all four possible species, and three of them within the same view. A lovely Steel-blue Whydah kicked things off, while Pin-tailed and Long-tailed Paradise Whydahs were numerous, before we rounded things off with an incredibly confiding Straw-tailed Whydah. Other interesting species noted here were Pygmy Falcon, D’Arnaud’s Barbet, Chestnut and Speckle-fronted Weavers and the large Parrot-billed Sparrow. Farther along, open agricultural areas held Heuglin’s Wheatear, and closer to Kidepo species such as Fox Kestrel, Lanner Falcon and Red-winged Starling were seen. We checked into our lovely lodge with great views over the valley, before resuming our birding with a walk around the grounds in the late afternoon. It was fairly quiet, but flowering aloes held numbers of Scarlet-chested and Marico Sunbirds, while the rest of the grounds gave up the likes of White-bellied Go-away-bird, Silverbird, White-bellied Tit and Brown-tailed Rock Chat, amongst others. The lodge was also a great vantage point to watch the skies and some careful scanning had us enjoying the many swifts and practicing our ID skills – Mottled, African Black and Nyanza were all seen well. Raptors seen from here included White-headed and Lappet-faced Vultures, Martial and Tawny Eagles and Bateleur. A surprise came in the form of a Red-winged Lark along the entrance road. We called it a day, excited and ready for our full day in the Kidepo valley tomorrow.
The incredible Straw-tailed Whydah was a major highlight en-route to the Kidepo valley.
Day 6, 25th August 2021. Birding Kidepo Valley National Park
We had a full day to explore the riches of Kidepo Valley National Park. We had our eyes firmly set on the magnificent Black-breasted Barbet for the morning. En-route to the site, we enjoyed seeing some charismatic plains birds such as White-backed Vulture, Abyssinian Ground Hornbill and Piapiac, along with some game such as Plains Zebra, African Buffalo and Hartebeest. On arriving at the barbet site, which is in itself a stunning scenically well-wooded rocky hill, bird activity was low, and we eked out species such as Greater Honeyguide (making its chatter call – trying to lead us to a beehive), Mocking Cliff-Chat and Red-headed Weaver, before the incredible White-crested Turaco provided a brief bit of respite. We worked the area long and hard, and just as we were about to call time, a few hours in, we picked up on a faint call, and some diligent scanning had us locating a single Black-breasted Barbet perched atop a distant tree. We worked our way closer and closer, enjoying good, albeit slightly distant views of this highly sought-after bird (and its massive bill!). We enjoyed our time with the bird for a while, before it disappeared, and we weren’t able to relocate it, despite a dedicated search. We also picked up Foxy Cisticola here – another of our target species! With the time late morning now, we pressed on with a brief game drive, exploring some of the open plains and floodplains, before making our way back for lunch and an afternoon rest. Coucal’s abounded and we enjoyed Black, Senegal and White-browed, while masses of Cardinal and Red-billed Queleas flitted about. A patch of small acacia’s held Brubru and Northern Crombec, and open areas of ground had Plain-backed Pipit and a fair number of Quailfinches. Both Moustached Grass Warbler and Fan-tailed Grassbird took a while to see, but persistence paid off with good views.
Our lunch break was a lot more satisfactory with the barbet under our belt. We resumed in the afternoon, and explored a few different tracks, before heading over to try for the barbet once more and see if we could improve on our views. Numbers of Clapperton’s Spurfowls lined the roads, and a brief sighting of an African Crake left us wanting more, as did an Allen’s Gallinule. Black Crake showed exceptionally well, and nearby we enjoyed watching a secretive Highland Rush Warbler. A quick stop in at the Apoka camp yielded Side-striped Jackal and Grey-capped Social Weaver. An impressive storm had passed over the barbet site, while we were exploring other parts of the park, and the track was a bit slippery getting there. Sadly, we had to go without the barbet in the afternoon, as a dedicated search failed to turn up the bird again – though we had a brief sighting of Stone Partridge (and heard a few groups calling close by in the rocks). We enjoyed a massive herd of African Buffalo on our way out that must have numbered close to 1,000 strong. After dinner, we set off for a night drive, which was by and large fairly quiet especially on the birding front. A lovely Verreaux’s Eagle Owl was the only bird seen, while mammals were more varied and included Central African Large-spotted Genet, Northern Lesser Bushbaby, numbers of African Savannah Hares and the large White-tailed Mongoose.
Day 7, 26th August 2021. Birding Kidepo and transfer to Masindi
Today was largely a travel day as we made the trek from the Kidepo valley in the very north-eastern part of the country, to Masindi – located more centrally. As such, we only had a limited time span in the morning available for birding and we dedicated our morning to the scarce and highly sought-after Ring-necked Francolin. We headed out at first light, bumping into a Freckled Nightjar and Side-striped Jackal along the road, and arrived at our area at daybreak. We slowly explored the open woodlands here for some time, stopping and listening regularly, until we eventually heard a distant Ring-necked Francolin call. The calling was very intermittent and it took us a long while to determine that it wasn’t possible to get anywhere near that particular bird, and we carried on. We did manage to locate some calling Ring-necked Francolins much closer to us, and headed off in pursuit. The long grass was certainly against us, as it was waist-to-chest high, but we first tried flattening a long section of grass and calling the birds into the opening once we were right on them. Sadly this was unsuccessful, and with the birds losing interest and going further away our time had all but run out, and we reluctantly had to call it a morning, with the birds going unseen. We then settled in for a long drive, arriving at Masindi in the late afternoon, where a quick spell of birding in the surrounding farmlands yielded a stunning group of Brown Twinspots which showed well, along with Brown-backed Scrub Robin, African Yellow Warbler, Baglafecht Weaver and Black Bishop.
Day 8, 27th August 2021. Birding the Royal Mile, Budongo Forest Reserve
The Royal Mile section of the Budongo Forest Reserve is always a special site, home to a host of excellent species, and a highlight on any tour. We had a full day at our disposal to cover the forest and surrounds, and we started off in the farmlands on the outskirts with Raymond, our excellent local guide. We couldn’t have gotten off to a better start with an excellent suite of species in a short time period. A small group of Grey-headed Olivebacks gave some brief views early on leaving us wanting a bit more, and rewarded us a short while later with much better and extended views after some patience. The long grass was alive with birds, and careful scanning revealed the likes of Marsh Tchagra, Compact Weaver, Yellow-mantled Widowbird, Black Bishop and Red-headed Quelea, while some scrubby areas nearby held Brown-backed Scrub-Robin, Brown Twinspot, African Firefinch and Cabanis’s Bunting. Before long, we found ourselves on the entrance road to the forest with a quick stop for stunning looks at White-thighed Hornbill. The forest was fairly quiet, and we had to work hard to get views of our target species, but one by one they fell, and by the end of the day, we had knocked off a fair number of our targets. Forest-based kingfishers are always high on the target list, and both Chocolate-backed and African Dwarf Kingfishers were seen very well after some work. A calling Ituri Batis took us a while to track down from the upper canopy, but we eventually managed some good views, while Chestnut-capped Flycatcher and Rufous-crowned Eremomela showed well with comparatively little effort. An incredibly confiding pair of Dusky Long-tailed Cuckoos gave us unbeatable views and left us brimming from ear to ear. A small group of Spotted Greenbuls with their unique habits were admired, before we found a stunning Crowned Eagle perched high up giving us unobstructed views! Forest Robin certainly played tough with us, but with some persistence and a great deal of effort we were rewarded with excellent point-blank views of this shy species! A group of Scaly-breasted Illadopsis also showed well after a bit of work. We enjoyed a number of sunbirds in the forest as well, with Superb, Blue-throated Brown, Little Green, Grey-chinned and Olive Sunbirds all being seen. Some threatening clouds, thunder and some light rain made for an interesting afternoon, but didn’t amount to anything severe. Content with the many excellent birds we enjoyed throughout the day, we bade our farewell to Raymond and settled in for the evening back around our Masindi hotel.
Delightful Brown Twinspots showed well in the scrubby thickets on the outskirts of Masindi, and on the edge of the Budongo Forest.
Day 9, 28th August 2021. Transfer to Kibale, and introductory birding
With a long transfer from Masindi to Kibale, we got going in the morning, stopping off at some papyrus swamps en-route. While our primary target Marsh Widowbird eluded us, we had some good birding adding a number of species, with some of the better species going to a lovely Red-necked Falcon, along with the likes of Marsh Tchagra, Thick-billed and Slender-billed Weavers, Black-crowned and Fawn-breasted Waxbills, Yellow-mantled Widowbird and Black Bishop. We arrived at our comfortable lodge in Kibale in time for a late lunch, before a short siesta and some afternoon birding back in the Kibale Forest. Lowland Masked Apalis eluded us in the afternoon despite a lengthy search, but by and large we enjoyed an excellent afternoon spell of birding. A group of Black Bee-eaters gave us great and extended views, while bare trees held a pair of Chestnut-winged Starling and a few of the strange Grey-throated Barbets. Alpine Swift and Narrow-tailed Starling gave us fly-by views, while we enjoyed excellent looks at a male African Emerald Cuckoo. A group of Ashy Red Colobus were a welcome distraction from the birds, but all too soon we were back at it, enjoying looks at a range of barbets; Hairy-breasted and Yellow-spotted Barbets, along with Yellow-throated and Yellow-rumped Tinkerbirds all showed well, virtually side-by-side. A feeding party provided some late excitement harboring Dusky Tit and Purple-throated Cuckooshrike, amongst others. We settled in for the evening, full of anticipation for the following day.
Day 10, 29th August 2021. Birding Kibale National Park
Kibale National Park has become synonymous with Green-breasted Pittas and Chimpanzees over recent years, and these two attractions would be our key targets for the day. We started off bright and early, and soon found ourselves in the forest listening for Green-breasted Pitta. We were a bit late in the season, and it wasn’t totally unexpected that we learned from our excellent local guide, Justus that it had been almost 2 weeks since the last sighting. Indeed, it proved a long morning as we searched high and low for any sign, call or movement of Green-breasted Pitta – all without success. With our focus being fairly narrow, we didn’t pay attention to everything that was calling around us, but during our morning we did eke out the likes of the sometimes tricky White-throated Greenbul, Western Oriole, Brown-chested Alethe and White-tailed Ant-Thrush. A small group of Chimpanzees that wandered by right alongside us, unperturbed by our presence was a much-welcomed, although brief, distraction during our search. Another species we had on our radar was Red-chested Owlet, and we were eventually rewarded with excellent views after a prolonged search. While we had ran into Chimpanzees earlier in the morning, we still had the exciting Chimpanzee tracking coming up as well – and our initial attempt proved unsuccessful, with no sight or sound of the Chimpanzees in the midday heat, and we opted to rather break for lunch and try again in the afternoon. This was far more successful, and some great views (and photos) and wonderful encounters were had of these great apes, as they went about their business. The afternoon search involved quite a bit of walking and as such, the birding took a bit of a backseat, with rain later in the day putting paid to our attempts to try and get some final birding in. After a day of mixed results, we settled in for the evening, ready to try again the following day.
Red-chested Owlet was a ‘standout’ species seen in the Kibale Forest National Park.
Day 11, 30th August 2021. Birding Kibale, and transfer to Semuliki National Park
With the near-mythical Green-breasted Pitta being one of the main tour targets, and still firmly in our sights, we set off early once more to try and track this special bird down. We were far more optimistic following the previous evenings rain, the first rain for a short while, that the birds would be calling. We had a slow start to the morning with no sight or sound of our quarry, but did improve on our views of Brown-chested Alethe, while a shy Red-tailed Ant Thrush kept to the thickets. A singing Western Nicator in the open was another highlight, before mid-morning came and our huge effort paid off, with great coordination between our local guides and park rangers turned up a pair of Green-breasted Pittas! We started off with views of the birds hopping along the ground feeding, before we were treated to the most amazing display from one of the birds – all of our hard work rewarded. Completely out in the open, we watched in awe as this rare species hopped up and down for quite some time, producing its strange mechanical wing-clapping call leaving us all a bit speechless. High-fives all round, and we made our way out the forest to try and quickly clean up on some of the other species that we hadn’t yet been able to try for. The scarce Lowland Masked Apalis appeared within seconds after arriving into the area, and gave us great views!
Lowland Masked Apalis is a scarce resident of the Kibale Forest area.
We then spent some time exploring some of the community lands surrounding the forest adding species such as White-throated Bee-eater, Brown-throated Wattle-eye, Red-bellied Paradise Flycatcher, Bronzy Sunbird and Magpie Mannikin, amongst others. A quick stop at the BEARC (Bigodi Ecotourism and Agricultural Research Centre) was incredibly productive, despite the searing midday heat. A pair of Yellow-billed Barbets hopped out in the open for us, before we found first a male, and then a female Speckle-breasted Woodpecker – a tricky species anywhere. While enjoying a group of lively White-chinned Prinias, a lovely pair of Lühder’s Bushshrikes popped up and started duetting, again giving us excellent views! Our walk ended off with a bang as we found a pair of the shy Red-headed Bluebill – which again gave us great looks – amongst a hive of other birds. Following a late lunch, we gathered our things, and set off to Semuliki National Park stopping along the way at a small wetland, which produced a small group of the scarce White-collared Olivebacks. These small finches were feeding in the long grass and too gave us great looks. After making our way down the steep descent, we soon found ourselves in the lowland of Semuliki, where we settled in for the evening. A pair of African Wood Owls around the camp capped off a truly wonderful, and bird-filled day!
Day 12, 31st August 2021. Birding Semuliki National Park
We woke up excited for our full day within the lowland forest of Semuliki National Park. This reserve is unique in Uganda, being essentially an extension of the central African lowland forest, and thus holds a number of interesting and poorly known species. We were joined by Alex, an excellent local guide and park ranger for the day. We started off in the hot springs area where the patch of forest produced a brief White-crested Hornbill and excellent views of a pair of White-spotted Flufftails. The open sections surrounding the impressive hot springs proved an excellent place to watch over the surrounding forest. A pair of the massive Black-casqued Hornbills graced the skyline, while a huge flock of African Green Pigeons were disturbed by a young Ayres’s Hawk-Eagle flying by. We also enjoyed looks at the snazzy De Brazza’s Monkey out in the open, before we picked up on our main quarry – White-naped Pigeon, which showed very well. A few stops along the main road netted us Willcock’s Honeyguide and a pair of Orange-cheeked Waxbills, before we set off along the main Kirumya Trail running into the primary lowland forest.
Activity early on rewarded us with the tricky Yellow-eyed Bristlebill, along with Xavier’s Greenbul and Olive-green Camaroptera. Red-bellied Helmetshrike was heard calling, but despite some intensive searching couldn’t be located, while a vocal pair of Nahan’s Partridge showed exceptionally well. As we pressed on deeper into the forest, we started trying for some the more typical central African species. The highly sought-after Yellow-throated Cuckoo put on a great show for us, as did a small family of Yellow-footed Flycatchers. Chestnut-breasted Nigrita were active as well, before major excitement ensued as we located a stunning male African Piculet – which gave us great and extended looks. Red-tailed Leaflove and Banded Prinia were also seen, and a small section of an oxbow lake delivered first a Shining-blue Kingfisher, before we found a Hartlaub’s Duck perched up. We couldn’t believe our luck and soaked up incredible views of this rare species, as it was drying off its feathers in a tree above the water. With the day mostly gone, and very threatening thunder and dark clouds looming, we beat a hasty retreat to avoid the real-risk of having to cross a flooded depression, should the rain increase the levels. Numbers of Forest Robins were seen flitting around on the pathway on the return journey. Both the tricky Grant’s Bluebill and Black-bellied Seedcracker were seen during the day, but our views left us wanting a bit more, while other interesting species seen included Piping Hornbill and Red-tailed Ant-Thrush, amongst many others. Fortunately, we made it back without having a deluge of rain, and it fizzled out into nothing, leaving us to enjoy the sunset over the forest – rounding off a great and highly successful day of birding.
A pair of Yellow-footed Flycatchers call to one another in the lowland forest of Semuliki.
Day 13, 1st September 2021. Transfer from Semuliki to Queen Elizabeth National Park
With a few hours available for birding in the morning, we explored the hot springs area once more where we were able to spend more time. Despite the cooler overcast conditions, it was an extremely quiet morning with very few birds calling. It took a while for us to track down White-crested Hornbill, but we were rewarded with far better views than we had yesterday. The only other notable birds came from the hot springs where some careful scanning revealed two Greater Painted-snipes – a scarce bird anywhere, along with other shorebirds such as Wood and Common Sandpipers and Three-banded Plovers, while a shy flock of Crested Guineafowls roamed the surrounding forest. We returned to camp, gathered our things and began the journey to Queen Elizabeth National Park, where we arrived in the late afternoon. After crossing by ferry over the Kazinga Channel (with the bridge under repairs) and arriving at our comfortable lodge, we set off for a quick spell of birding around the lodge. While not a bird, Forest Hog is an important mammal species that is reliable here, and was our primary target. Fortunately, we found a single Forest Hog with little effort, enjoying our sighting for a short while before it disappeared. A variety of widespread species were seen including Brown and Black-chested Snake Eagles, Pink-backed Pelican, Pied Kingfisher, Hamerkop, Black-headed Gonolek, Yellow-throated Leaflove, Swamp Flycatcher and Red-chested Sunbird. We settled in for the evening, looking forward to what the following day would hold!
Day 14, 2nd September 2021. Birding Queen Elizabeth National Park
We had an early start as we made our way over to the Kasenyi sector of the park, where we would spend the morning. Our first obstacle was to get over the Kazinga channel via the ferry, as work had recently begun on the bridge over the channel. While we were waiting, we snuck off to the nearby papyrus and enjoyed some superb birding in the early morning. A trio of the colorful Papyrus Gonoleks gave us excellent and prolonged looks, before we managed to bring in the skulking White-winged Swamp Warbler – which too showed exceptionally well! The area was a hive of activity, with other species evident being Black Crake, Grey-capped Warbler, Winding Cisticola, Swamp Flycatcher and in the surrounding brush, Golden-backed Weaver. After the ferry obstacle, our next challenge was getting in at the gate – the new system that had been implemented as of 1st September was unfortunately ‘down’, and we had to wait over an hour before things cleared up and we could enter, with the better part of the morning already spent. Lively Lesser Masked Weavers, Mourning Collared Doves, vocal Diederik Cuckoos and stunning Marico Sunbirds kept us company while we waited. Once we got going, we made the most of the morning, picking up the tricky White-tailed Lark fairly soon, along with others such as the sought-after Temminck’s Courser, Collared Pratincole and Black-lored Babbler. An African Crake calling from thickets a little ways off the road sadly couldn’t be drawn into view, but we had to make do with two adolescent Lions making their ways up into the Euphorbia’s – where they sat in a somewhat precarious (and surely uncomfortable) position and began to get some rest. While enjoying a host of Kob at their ‘mating grounds’, we picked up on a large shorebird and quickly discovered it to be a major rarity for the country – Pacific Golden Plover. We spent some time watching the bird as it roamed the plains and was occasionally flushed by the Kob, before leaving the bird be and continuing on. Raptors became more obvious as the day started to heat up, with numbers of White-backed and Lappet-faced Vultures taking to the skies, joining the likes of the many Bateleur. We stopped for lunch at the crater lake, where we enjoyed a picturesque view of the salt pans and works below, with Lesser Flamingos in view. A great deal of other species were seen during the morning, including Red-necked Spurfowl, Kittlitz’s Plover, Senegal Lapwing, Western Black-headed Batis, Flappet Lark, Red-breasted Swallow, Yellow-throated Longclaw and Southern Red Bishop, amongst others.
African Skimmers are always a highlight on the Kazinga Channel.
We then made our way onwards to the Mweya Peninsula, where we would undertake a mid-afternoon boat cruise on the Kazinga Channel. We had an extremely fruitful few hours as we slowly worked our way up and down the channel. A large flock of African Skimmers put on a great show for us, while a number of various wading birds patrolled the edges such as Goliath Heron, Great Egret, Yellow-billed Stork, Spur-winged Lapwing and Water Thick-knee. The hyacinth on the water’s edge hosted Black Crake, African Jacana, Squacco Heron and the jewel-like Malachite Kingfisher. Hundreds of Pied Kingfishers nested along the riverbanks, and while enjoying them we picked up on the surprise bird of the trip – going to a Brown-chested Lapwing on the shoreline. The ‘sanctuary’ area hosted a massive roost of waterbirds, and here we enjoyed the swathes of Great White and Pink-backed Pelicans, various storks, herons, egrets, White-breasted Cormorants and Grey-headed Gulls, along with a few shorebirds such as Common Greenshank, Wood Sandpiper, and another scarce Ugandan bird, Ruddy Turnstone. Mammals abounded on the cruise with the herds of African Elephants, mass numbers of African Buffalo and Hippopotamus, and others such as Kob and Waterbuck all showing well for us. Following a great cruise, we made our way back to the lodge, crossing the ferry with limited issue, before settling in for a wonderful dinner. A short night drive following dinner was productive and yielded numbers of Square-tailed Nightjars and a single Black-shouldered Nightjar.
Day 15, 3rd September 2021. Birding Ishasha, Queen Elizabeth National Park
We had an early start as we made the journey from our lodge to the very southern Ishasha sector of the Queen Elizabeth National Park. The sector is famous for its tree-climbing Lions – who use the many figs in the area to seek some respite from the heat, and would naturally be a target for us. Our first goal, however, was finding African Crake, after missing it yesterday. Fortunately, we quickly located two calling birds, and after some careful positioning and patience were rewarded with great looks at this prized rallid, as it wandered into the open for us. We got word that Lions had been seen, and in a short while, we were watching two male Lions stretched out in a large fig. We soaked in some great views of these massive cats, before resuming our birding. It was fairly warm, and activity was limited, but we did manage to find species such Saddle-billed Stork, Ross’s Turaco, Brown-chested Lapwing, Collared Pratincole, White-throated Bee-eater, Trilling Cisticola and Purple-banded Sunbird, amidst huge herds of Topi, Kob and African Buffalo. Raptors also became obvious with the likes of Lappet-faced and White-backed Vultures, Martial, Tawny and Wahlberg’s Eagles and Bateleur all flying about.
Stopping at a small roadside puddle yielded another major surprise when we found a Forbes’s Plover feeding in it. This is a scarce vagrant to Uganda, being predominantly an equatorial-West African species that only very occasionally wanders as far east as Uganda and is not regular at all! Not 20 meters down the road we found another Forbes’s Plover, that showed even better! We couldn’t believe our luck, and headed to our lunch stop, overlooking the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) still full of adrenaline. We managed to add a few species to our DRC list, with various raptors flying overhead, along with a lovely Cassin’s Flycatcher on the DRC bank of the river. We slowly made our way back out the park, trying for a Leopard that had been seen earlier in the day to no avail, though adding a few more species such as Common Buttonquail, Little Weaver and Crimson-rumped Waxbill. After a wonderful morning in the Ishasha sector, we pressed onwards to Buhoma, where we arrived in the late afternoon and settled in for a restful afternoon – which proved to be a good call as the heavens soon opened up.
Forbes’s Plover is a rare species in Uganda – being more predominant in equatorial West Africa. This was one of several rare and uncommon shorebirds seen on this tour.
Day 16, 4th September 2021. Gorilla tracking at Buhoma
Today was our ‘Gorilla tracking day’, and following the local songs and dances, Tim set off to track the ‘M’ (Mubare) Group of Eastern (Mountain) Gorillas. As always, time spent with these gentle giants is special, and despite the on and off rain throughout the tracking, great photos and excellent views were had – memories to cherish for a lifetime. Still feeling up for some birding, we set off later in the afternoon and birded the first part of the Buhoma Trail, where we tried to track down some specials. We had a wonderfully productive afternoon, enjoying many great and extended looks at first a Grey-winged Robin-Chat, and then the shy Blue-shouldered Robin-Chat, which showed uncharacteristically well! Petit’s Cuckooshrike, Pink-footed Puffback and Bocage’s Bushshrike kept to the canopies, while some of the thickets in the lower strata held species such as Buff-throated Apalis and Black-billed Weaver, along with a roosting African Wood Owl. Before we knew it, we were starting to lose the light and with rain starting up again, we called it a day and settled in for the evening.
Blue-shouldered Robin-Chat is a very difficult bird to see – we were thrilled with our views!
Day 17, 5th September 2021. Birding Buhoma
Armed with our packed lunches, we set off early in the morning for a full day birding on the Buhoma Trail. Bird activity was a bit slow to start off with, but we managed to get both the Albertine Rift Endemic Red-throated Alethe and the tricky Equatorial Akalat early on, along with our first Kakamega Greenbuls for the day (we’d go on to see quite a few through the day). The glorious Bar-tailed Trogon was next to fall, and we enjoyed stellar views of this sought-after species, while a vocal White-bellied Robin-Chat kept to the thickets and left us wanting more. The forest was quiet for long periods of time, but we eventually come across a feeding party of birds, usually led by vocal Red-tailed Greenbuls. Careful searching of these parties throughout the day produced White-headed Wood-Hoopoe, Buff-spotted and Tullberg’s Woodpeckers, Ansorge’s and Cabanis’s Greenbuls, Red-faced Woodland Warbler, Petit’s Cuckooshrike, Pink-footed Puffback, White-tailed Ant-Thrush, Grey-headed Sunbird and Dusky Tit, amongst others. Black-faced Rufous Warbler eventually rewarded us with great views after trying a number of individuals. The difficult and recently described Willard’s Sooty Boubou took a while to track down, but eventually we found the bird and after some work, enjoyed good views of this prized species. Our efforts then moved over towards another difficult species – Neumann’s Warbler. This tiny bird loves deep and dark tangles, keeps low to the ground in thick vegetation, and in summary, is usually a nightmare to see. We found a vocal individual without too much effort, and spent the next while trying to see the bird. Initial fleeting views left us wanting more, but persistence and a lot of patience went a long way as the bird eventually moved to an open area, and we enjoyed some excellent views of this shy bird! As the afternoon progressed onwards, we were able to better our views of White-bellied Robin-Chat from this morning, with a few individuals that showed well, and also added Blue-headed Sunbird to the list, before some ominous clouds, followed by thunder sent us on our way back. The beautiful Black Bee-eater was seen perched in the open in great light on our way back, along with Sooty Flycatchers nearby, before the rain began, and we promptly made our way back to the start of the trail, where we loaded up relatively unscathed, and settled in for the evening.
Day 18, 6th September 2021. Transfer to Ruhija, birding en-route
Ross’s Turaco and Bronzy Sunbird were noted around our lodge, before we checked out, bound for the higher elevations of the Ruhija section of the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. We spent some time birding at ‘The Neck’, which we transit through en-route, and enjoyed a few feeding flocks and some good species. Black Bee-eaters flitted from the treetops, with a group of Scarce Swifts reeling about overhead, while the canopies of the large trees delivered the scarce Chapin’s Flycatcher and a Many-colored Bushshrike that left us wanting a bit more. Feeding flocks were again mostly heralded by Red-tailed Greenbuls, and within them we picked up the likes of Least Honeyguide, White-browed Crombec, Red-tailed Bristlebill, Ansorge’s and Kakamega Greenbuls, Petit’s Cuckooshrike, Tiny Sunbird and Red-headed Malimbe. After some patience we enjoyed great looks at the shy Black-faced Rufous Warbler, while the picturesque river running through the forest held Mountain Wagtail and Cassin’s Flycatcher.
Following on from ‘The Neck’, we spent some time in open brush areas searching for primarily the scarce Dusky Twinspot. After an extensive search, we eventually found a single bird, but our views were less than ideal, and it took quite some time until we got great and more extended views! As it usually happens, once we were finally satisfied with our views, we quickly found a second bird, and a number of other individuals piped up and began calling. A number of other species were present and kept us entertained while we were hunting for the twinspot. Chubb’s and Singing Cisticolas were noisily calling from exposed perches, while small groups of Yellow-bellied Waxbills flitted around. Flowering Coral Trees held numbers of Bronzy Sunbirds, with Streaky Seedeater and Yellow-crowed Canary also feeding in the flowers. We also added our first African Stonechat and Dusky-blue Flycatcher. We arrived in Ruhija in the late afternoon and were contemplating a short walk nearby, but the heavens opened up and rain thwarted our efforts.
Day 19, 7th September 2021. Birding Ruhija and the Mubwindi Swamp
Today was our birding trek down from Ruhija into the valleys below, and ultimately down to the Mubwindi Swamp. The prime reason for this hike is that the valleys near the Mubwindi Swamp are one of only two reliable localities for the mythical Grauer’s (African Green) Broadbill (the other being in remote DRC). A pair of these birds nest annually in the area, and are usually reliable in and around their nesting period (May – August). Outside of this period, the birds leave the nest and roam around and are far less reliable. Sadly, we fell straight into this latter group, with the birds having left the nest around 3 weeks prior to our visit and fewer and fewer sightings coming through in recent days. Nonetheless, we would still give it a shot. We had a lovely start to the morning, with not only a dramatic sunrise, but also a load of good birds. A Mountain Illadopsis showed briefly, before we struck gold and found a small group of Dusky Crimsonwings that took a little work to see, but we eventually enjoyed some good looks at these shy Albertine rift endemics. A flock of noisy White-headed Woodhoopoes provided some entertainment, as we added a number of further Albertine rift endemics with the likes of Yellow-eyed Black Flycatcher, Stripe-breasted Tit, Rwenzori and Mountain Masked Apalises, Blue-headed Sunbird, Strange Weaver and the shy Rwenzori Hill Babbler all showing well! It took a few tries, but we eventually enjoyed some good looks at Mountain Illadopsis. The star of the morning undoubtedly went to Archer’s Ground Robin, and the excellent and close-up views we enjoyed of this shy and skulking endemic. After making it down to the bottom valleys, we spent a while searching in and around the traditional haunts for the Grauer’s Broadbill, including around its recent nest, but all without sight or sound of the bird.
Eventually, we had to call it, and progress onwards to the swamp, where after enjoying our lunch break, we enjoyed some great scope views of the shy Grauer’s Swamp Warbler. We also had Carruthers’s Cisticola here, and added our first Regal Sunbird, though the views left us wanting a bit more. A vocal African Rail pair sadly couldn’t be coaxed from the reeds, but we did enjoy some good scope views of Black-billed Turaco. We worked hard for White-bellied Crested Flycatcher, and eventually came up with the bird, while a calling Dwarf Honeyguide also went by unseen. With cloud cover starting to move in, and the first thunder rumblings beginning, we took this as our cue and started our journey back to the top. We made it about halfway before the heavens opened and we had a major downpour for about 15 minutes, from where it gradually eased up. With the slick and very muddy trail, going was slow up to the top, but we all made it up in one piece, and warmed up in front of the fire with a cup of tea in hand, settling in for the rest of the afternoon.
Archer’s Ground Robin is a shy forest denizen. We fortunately encountered a few confiding birds on the hike to Mubwindi Swamp.
Day 20, 8th September 2021. Transfer from Ruhija to Kisoro, birding en-route
We had the morning to spend in and around Ruhija, and we had two primary targets on our radar – Handsome Spurfowl and Purple-breasted Sunbird. We searched high and low for both species, and had to settle just for the Handsome Spurfowl, of which we had good views, after a lengthy search. Despite missing the sunbird, we had a great morning, and enjoyed a wealth of other birds. Flocks of Waller’s Starlings commuted by overhead, while noisy White-headed Wood-Hoopoes and Black-billed Turacos kept to the canopies. A Rwenzori Batis played hide and seek with us, but eventually showed well. Regal Sunbird also took a few tries, but a stunning male richly rewarded our efforts with excellent looks, with Northern Double-collared Sunbird close by for comparison. Flowering trees also held Blue-headed and Collared Sunbirds, while seeding grasses had Yellow-bellied and the stunning Kandt’s Waxbills in attendance. A Grauer’s Warbler frustrated us by remaining deep within the thickets, but as it wasn’t a primary target, we devoted the bulk of our time to other species. Before we knew it, we were well past our time allotment for the morning, and made our way out of the Bwindi highlands towards Lake Bunyoni, where we would try and find the difficult and highly localized Papyrus Yellow Warbler. Fortunately, we didn’t have to search for too long, before we found an extremely cooperative Papyrus Yellow Warbler, that gave us excellent views! The surrounding area was birdy and also turned up other difficult-to-see warblers such as Greater Swamp and White-winged Swamp Warblers, Carruthers’s Cisticola, Swamp Flycatcher, dashing Bronzy Sunbirds and Streaky Seedeaters. Our last port of call for the day was the Echuya Forest Reserve where we spent a productive late afternoon birding along the edge of the road. Bird activity was high, and we enjoyed the likes of Albertine Rift Endemics such as Rwenzori and Mountain Masked Apalises, Rwenzori Hill Babbler, Regal Sunbird and Strange Weaver. Other exciting species seen included great and close views of Mountain Illadopsis, White-starred Robin, Cinnamon Bracken Warbler, Mountain Yellow Warbler and Black Cuckooshrike, amongst others. We arrived at our lodge in Kisoro, where we settled in for the evening.
Day 21, 9th September 2021. Birding Mgahinga Gorilla National Park
Aside from the incredible beauty of the Mgahinga Gorilla National Park with its picturesque volcanoes, another of the major drawcards is the ease at which several tricky and more localized Albertine Rift Endemics can be seen. One of the easier targets is Rwenzori Double-collared Sunbird, and indeed it was one of the first species we found early on the trail – enjoying an extremely confiding male! As the day progressed, we found many more of these stunning sunbirds, often enjoying them with another stunner – Regal Sunbird. This is perhaps also one of the most accessible places for Doherty’s Bushsrike, and while it took a few goes, we eventually found a bird that was willing to show, and indeed gave us great looks! Dwarf Honeyguide is a tricky species anywhere, and we got lucky finding a bird near the trail without too much effort. However, arguably the main avian attraction for the park is Rwenzori Turaco, and we had to search high and low today before we finally found one, at the eleventh hour. In the midst of the dense bamboo, the bird proved elusive and views were extremely tricky with only a very narrow window, but after very careful maneuvering, we managed to get some good views of this highly prized target! Shortly after our time with the turaco, the rain started up, and we took this as our signal and made our way back down the lower slopes of Mount Sabyinyo to the entrance gate. While searching for these primary targets, several other species of interest were seen, some of which were Mountain Buzzard, Western Tinkerbird, Rwenzori Batis and Kandt’s Waxbills, along with the seldomly-seen Western Tree Hyrax.
Regal Sunbird is an aptly named Albertine Rift endemic.
Day 22, 10th September 2021. Transfer from Kisoro to Lake Mburo, birding en-route
Our morning began off at the Echuya Forest Reserve, where we spent a short while birding. The cool and windy conditions kept the birds down, and we struggled for sightings. We spent a while working one feeding flock, and enjoyed more views of many of the species we had become acquainted with over the previous few days – such as Mountain Masked Apalis, White-starred Robin, Northern Puffback and Strange Weaver. Stunning Regal Sunbirds put on a wonderful show for us, while Northern Double-collared Sunbirds weren’t as showy. We eventually had to call time, and head onwards to a small papyrus swamp area where Papyrus Canary would form our main target. The area was heaving with all sorts of seed-eating birds, with high numbers of Western Citrils and Brimstone Canaries present, along with others such as Black-crowned and Common Waxbills and Thick-billed and Streaky Seedeaters. Some careful searching of the deeper papyrus areas produced the goods and we enjoyed good looks at a pair of the scarce Papyrus Canary. We tracked the birds out into the open surrounding fields where they intermingled and fed with all the other species mentioned. The papyrus also held Greater Swamp and Highland Rush Warblers, along with Carruthers’s Cisticola. Our next stop on the roadside produced the goods once more – a lovely pair of Ruaha Chats, with two sub-adult males in tow – signs of recently fledged chicks. Following lunch and a brief stop in Mbarara, we pressed on to Lake Mburo National Park, and birded along the entrance road. We had a productive afternoon spell of birding, with flashy species such as Black-headed Gonolek, Variable and Marico Sunbird, Green-winged Pytilia and Golden-breasted Bunting all showing well. A pair of the lively Buff-bellied Warblers put in an appearance, while a stately Bare-faced Go-away-bird perched atop one of the many Euphorbias. Open plains produced both Brown-chested and African Wattled Lapwings. We eventually reached our comfortable lodge, and settled in for the evening.
Day 23, 11th September 2021. Birding Lake Mburo National Park
With the day marking our last full day of birding, we set out with a full day planned. We initially focused our morning on birding around our lodge where we would be searching for one of our primary targets – Red-faced Barbet. This tricky, East African endemic, fortunately cooperated nicely for us, and we enjoyed a great showing by a vocal pair early on in the day. African Green Pigeon, Red-headed Lovebird, Yellow-billed Oxpecker and Scarlet-chested Sunbird were some of the other species seen. With the barbet out of the way early doors, we soon proceeded onwards into Lake Mburo National Park. The wind gradually started picking up, and it unfortunately made for slightly tricky birding – but we persisted and enjoyed a very fruitful birding session. Stately Bare-faced Go-away-birds and noisy Meyer’s Parrots were a regular feature, while various bird parties delivered up some great species such as Common Scimitarbill, Nubian Woodpecker, Orange-breasted Bushshrike, White-winged Black Tit, the miniscule Grey Penduline Tit, Red-faced Crombec, Green-capped Eremomela, Black-lored Babbler, Little Weaver and Golden-breasted Bunting, amongst many others.
Barbets are always a regular feature in Lake Mburo, and today was no different with the park delivering Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird along with Spot-flanked, White-headed and Crested Barbets, with Yellow-rumped Tinkerbird heard calling from some of the denser areas. Various raptors were also noted during the morning, with White-backed and Lappet-faced Vultures, Bateleur and Wahlberg’s and Tawny Eagles all featuring. One of the few remaining dams that had some water was a treasure, delivering up a wonderful pair of Grey Crowned Cranes, while also allowing us to compare Common, Wood and Green Sandpipers side by side. Despite intensive searching, we were unable to track down our main target for the park – Long-tailed Cisticola. The park is also home to a wide diversity of mammals, and we enjoyed the likes of Common Warthog, Plains Zebra, African Buffalo, Western Bushbuck, Impala, Waterbuck and Topi – although it was arguably the three mongoose species we saw that were the main highlights; a large group of Banded Mongoose disappearing into the bush; a small group of the Common Dwarf Mongoose that were foraging around a termite mound; and a Slender Mongoose feeding on a buffalo carcass.
African Finfoot is a highlight on the boat cruise at Lake Mburo National Park.
Following a quick lunch break, we were back into the park, and headed onwards to the lake where we would undertake a boat cruise. It took a little while to sort out the formalities, but eventually we were underway on our private boat. The lake is famous for being a very reliable location to see African Finfoot, and it would be one of our main targets. After a short while of searching we did find our first African Finfoot, and enjoyed several more sightings – enjoying great views of both males and females. A quieter backwater was excellent, producing the likes of Saddle-billed Stork, Long-toed Lapwing and a few of the scarce Rufous-bellied Herons. Our second target, White-backed Night Heron was notable only by its absence, though a wide array of other widespread waterbirds were seen. With our time allotment up and having had our fill of the many Hippopotamuses present here, we slowly made our way back through the park. A birding stop along the way produced the goods, and we were eventually rewarded with a Long-tailed Cisticola, while we also started noting some of the first European migrants moving through – Willow Warbler and European Bee-eater. Our day wasn’t done just yet, as a few corners later we were brought to a halt by a stunning female Leopard lazing about right next to the road! We couldn’t believe our luck, and enjoyed the next 30 (or so) minutes with this incredible cat, who we had all to ourselves! Following a scrumptious dinner, our night drive was very quiet with only a number of African Savannah Hares and Square-tailed Nightjars being seen. Despite this, we counted ourselves lucky with all the sightings we had enjoyed, with our day tally touching 130 species.
This beautiful Leopard sighting was the perfect end to an incredibly successful tour!
Day 24, 12th September 2021. Departure from Entebbe
Today was our departure day, and with a bit of a drive in-store as we headed back to Entebbe, meant we couldn’t allow much time for birding. A group of confiding Brown-chested Lapwings bid us farewell as we set off, and the resident pair of Bat Hawks welcomed us to Entebbe later in the afternoon, and was our last notable sighting of the tour. With a bit of time left to freshen up, reflect on the trip, and enjoy one last meal together, we made our way to the airport where the tour came to a close in the evening.
Bird List – Following IOC 11.2
Birds ‘heard only’ are marked with (H) after the common name, birds seen only by the guide are marked with a (G) after the common name, all other species were seen by both client and guide.
The following notation after species names is used to show conservation status following the IUCN Red List:
CR = Critically Endangered, EN = Endangered, VU = Vulnerable.
Ugandan and Albertine Rift endemics are bolded.
| Common Name | Scientific Name |
| Ducks, Geese, Swans (Anatidae) | |
| Egyptian Goose | Alopochen aegyptiaca |
| Hartlaub’s Duck | Pteronetta hartlaubii |
| Yellow-billed Duck | Anas undulata |
| Guineafowl (Numididae) | |
| Helmeted Guineafowl | Numida meleagris |
| Crested Guineafowl | Guttera pucherani |
| New World Quail (Odontophoridae) | |
| Stone Partridge | Ptilopachus petrosus |
| Nahan’s Partridge – VU | Ptilopachus nahani |
| Pheasants & Allies (Phasianidae) | |
| Crested Francolin | Ortygornis sephaena |
| Ring-necked Francolin (H) | Scleroptila streptophora |
| Harlequin Quail | Coturnix delegorguei |
| Handsome Spurfowl | Pternistis nobilis |
| Clapperton’s Spurfowl | Pternistis clappertoni |
| Yellow-necked Spurfowl | Pternistis leucoscepus |
| Red-necked Spurfowl | Pternistis afer |
| Nightjars (Caprimulgidae) | |
| Black-shouldered Nightjar | Caprimulgus nigriscapularis |
| Freckled Nightjar | Caprimulgus tristigma |
| Square-tailed Nightjar | Caprimulgus fossii |
| Swifts (Apodidae) | |
| Scarce Swift | Schoutedenapus myoptilus |
| Sabine’s Spinetail | Rhaphidura sabini |
| African Palm Swift | Cypsiurus parvus |
| Alpine Swift | Tachymarptis melba |
| Mottled Swift | Tachymarptis aequatorialis |
| Nyanza Swift | Apus niansae |
| African Black Swift | Apus barbatus |
| Little Swift | Apus affinis |
| White-rumped Swift | Apus caffer |
| Turacos (Musophagidae) | |
| Great Blue Turaco | Corythaeola cristata |
| Bare-faced Go-away-bird | Crinifer personatus |
| White-bellied Go-away-bird | Crinifer leucogaster |
| Eastern Plantain-eater | Crinifer zonurus |
| Rwenzori Turaco | Gallirex johnstoni |
| Ross’s Turaco | Tauraco rossae |
| White-crested Turaco | Tauraco leucolophus |
| Black-billed Turaco | Tauraco schuettii |
| Bustards (Otididae) | |
| White-bellied Bustard (H) | Eupodotis senegalensis |
| Cuckoos (Cuculidae) | |
| Senegal Coucal | Centropus senegalensis |
| Blue-headed Coucal | Centropus monachus |
| White-browed Coucal | Centropus superciliosus |
| Black Coucal | Centropus grillii |
| Blue Malkoha (H) | Ceuthmochares aereus |
| Great Spotted Cuckoo | Clamator glandarius |
| Levaillant’s Cuckoo | Clamator levaillantii |
| Jacobin Cuckoo | Clamator jacobinus |
| Diederik Cuckoo | Chrysococcyx caprius |
| Klaas’s Cuckoo | Chrysococcyx klaas |
| Yellow-throated Cuckoo | Chrysococcyx flavigularis |
| African Emerald Cuckoo | Chrysococcyx cupreus |
| Dusky Long-tailed Cuckoo | Cercococcyx mechowi |
| Red-chested Cuckoo | Cuculus solitarius |
| Pigeons, Doves (Columbidae) | |
| Rock Dove | Columba livia |
| Speckled Pigeon | Columba guinea |
| Afep Pigeon (G) | Columba unicincta |
| African Olive Pigeon | Columba arquatrix |
| White-naped Pigeon | Columba albinucha |
| Western Bronze-naped Pigeon (H) | Columba iriditorques |
| Dusky Turtle Dove | Streptopelia lugens |
| Mourning Collared Dove | Streptopelia decipiens |
| Red-eyed Dove | Streptopelia semitorquata |
| Ring-necked Dove | Streptopelia capicola |
| Vinaceous Dove | Streptopelia vinacea |
| Laughing Dove | Spilopelia senegalensis |
| Emerald-spotted Wood Dove | Turtur chalcospilos |
| Black-billed Wood Dove | Turtur abyssinicus |
| Blue-spotted Wood Dove | Turtur afer |
| Tambourine Dove | Turtur tympanistria |
| Namaqua Dove | Oena capensis |
| Bruce’s Green Pigeon | Treron waalia |
| African Green Pigeon | Treron calvus |
| Finfoots (Heliornithidae) | |
| African Finfoot | Podica senegalensis |
| Flufftails (Sarothruridae) | |
| White-spotted Flufftail | Sarothrura pulchra |
| Rails, Crakes & Coots (Rallidae) | |
| African Rail (H) | Rallus caerulescens |
| African Crake | Crecopsis egregia |
| Allen’s Gallinule | Porphyrio alleni |
| African Swamphen | Porphyrio madagascariensis |
| Black Crake | Zapornia flavirostra |
| Cranes (Gruidae) | |
| Grey Crowned Crane – EN | Balearica regulorum |
| Grebes (Podicipedidae) | |
| Little Grebe | Tachybaptus ruficollis |
| Flamingos (Phoenicopteridae) | |
| Lesser Flamingo | Phoeniconaias minor |
| Buttonquail (Turnicidae) | |
| Common Buttonquail | Turnix sylvaticus |
| Stone-curlews, Thick-knees (Burhinidae) | |
| Water Thick-knee | Burhinus vermiculatus |
| Stilts, Avocets (Recurvirostridae) | |
| Black-winged Stilt | Himantopus himantopus |
| Plovers (Charadriidae) | |
| Long-toed Lapwing | Vanellus crassirostris |
| Spur-winged Lapwing | Vanellus spinosus |
| Black-headed Lapwing | Vanellus tectus |
| Senegal Lapwing | Vanellus lugubris |
| Crowned Lapwing | Vanellus coronatus |
| African Wattled Lapwing | Vanellus senegallus |
| Brown-chested Lapwing | Vanellus superciliosus |
| Pacific Golden Plover | Pluvialis fulva |
| Kittlitz’s Plover | Charadrius pecuarius |
| Three-banded Plover | Charadrius tricollaris |
| Forbes’s Plover | Charadrius forbesi |
| Painted-snipes (Rostratulidae) | |
| Greater Painted-snipe | Rostratula benghalensis |
| Jacanas (Jacanidae) | |
| African Jacana | Actophilornis africanus |
| Sandpipers, Snipes (Scolopacidae) | |
| Ruddy Turnstone | Arenaria interpres |
| Common Sandpiper | Actitis hypoleucos |
| Green Sandpiper | Tringa ochropus |
| Wood Sandpiper | Tringa glareola |
| Common Greenshank | Tringa nebularia |
| Coursers, Pratincoles (Glareolidae) | |
| Temminck’s Courser | Cursorius temminckii |
| Collared Pratincole | Glareola pratincola |
| Gulls, Terns, Skimmers (Laridae) | |
| African Skimmer | Rynchops flavirostris |
| Grey-headed Gull | Chroicocephalus cirrocephalus |
| Storks (Ciconiidae) | |
| Yellow-billed Stork | Mycteria ibis |
| African Openbill | Anastomus lamelligerus |
| Woolly-necked Stork | Ciconia episcopus |
| Saddle-billed Stork | Ephippiorhynchus senegalensis |
| Marabou Stork | Leptoptilos crumenifer |
| Cormorants, Shags (Phalacrocoracidae) | |
| Reed Cormorant | Microcarbo africanus |
| White-breasted Cormorant | Phalacrocorax lucidus |
| Ibises, Spoonbills (Threskiornithidae) | |
| African Sacred Ibis | Threskiornis aethiopicus |
| Hadada Ibis | Bostrychia hagedash |
| African Spoonbill | Platalea alba |
| Herons, Bitterns (Ardeidae) | |
| Black-crowned Night Heron | Nycticorax nycticorax |
| Striated Heron | Butorides striata |
| Squacco Heron | Ardeola ralloides |
| Rufous-bellied Heron | Ardeola rufiventris |
| Western Cattle Egret | Bubulcus ibis |
| Grey Heron | Ardea cinerea |
| Black-headed Heron | Ardea melanocephala |
| Goliath Heron | Ardea goliath |
| Purple Heron | Ardea purpurea |
| Great Egret | Ardea alba |
| Intermediate Egret | Ardea intermedia |
| Little Egret | Egretta garzetta |
| Hamerkop (Scopidae) | |
| Hamerkop | Scopus umbretta |
| Shoebill (Balaenicipitidae) | |
| Shoebill – VU | Balaeniceps rex |
| Pelicans (Pelecanidae) | |
| Great White Pelican | Pelecanus onocrotalus |
| Pink-backed Pelican | Pelecanus rufescens |
| Kites, Hawks, Eagles (Accipitridae) | |
| Black-winged Kite | Elanus caeruleus |
| African Harrier-Hawk | Polyboroides typus |
| Palm-nut Vulture | Gypohierax angolensis |
| European Honey Buzzard | Pernis apivorus |
| Hooded Vulture – CR | Necrosyrtes monachus |
| White-backed Vulture – CR | Gyps africanus |
| White-headed Vulture – CR | Trigonoceps occipitalis |
| Lappet-faced Vulture – EN | Torgos tracheliotos |
| Black-chested Snake Eagle | Circaetus pectoralis |
| Brown Snake Eagle | Circaetus cinereus |
| Western Banded Snake Eagle | Circaetus cinerascens |
| Bateleur – EN | Terathopius ecaudatus |
| Bat Hawk | Macheiramphus alcinus |
| Crowned Eagle | Stephanoaetus coronatus |
| Martial Eagle – EN | Polemaetus bellicosus |
| Long-crested Eagle | Lophaetus occipitalis |
| Wahlberg’s Eagle | Hieraaetus wahlbergi |
| Ayres’s Hawk-Eagle | Hieraaetus ayresii |
| Tawny Eagle – VU | Aquila rapax |
| African Hawk-Eagle | Aquila spilogaster |
| Lizard Buzzard | Kaupifalco monogrammicus |
| Gabar Goshawk | Micronisus gabar |
| Dark Chanting Goshawk | Melierax metabates |
| Eastern Chanting Goshawk | Melierax poliopterus |
| African Goshawk | Accipiter tachiro |
| Shikra | Accipiter badius |
| Black Sparrowhawk | Accipiter melanoleucus |
| African Marsh Harrier | Circus ranivorus |
| Yellow-billed Kite | Milvus aegyptius |
| African Fish Eagle | Haliaeetus vocifer |
| Mountain Buzzard | Buteo oreophilus |
| Augur Buzzard | Buteo augur |
| Barn Owls (Tytonidae) | |
| Western Barn Owl (H) | Tyto alba |
| Owls (Strigidae) | |
| Pearl-spotted Owlet (H) | Glaucidium perlatum |
| Red-chested Owlet | Glaucidium tephronotum |
| African Scops Owl (H) | Otus senegalensis |
| Greyish Eagle-Owl (H) | Bubo cinerascens |
| Verreaux’s Eagle-Owl | Bubo lacteus |
| African Wood Owl | Strix woodfordii |
| Mousebirds (Coliidae) | |
| Speckled Mousebird | Colius striatus |
| Blue-naped Mousebird | Urocolius macrourus |
| Trogons (Trogonidae) | |
| Narina Trogon (H) | Apaloderma narina |
| Bar-tailed Trogon | Apaloderma vittatum |
| Hoopoes (Upupidae) | |
| African Hoopoe | Upupa africana |
| Wood Hoopoes (Phoeniculidae) | |
| White-headed Wood Hoopoe | Phoeniculus bollei |
| Green Wood Hoopoe | Phoeniculus purpureus |
| Common Scimitarbill | Rhinopomastus cyanomelas |
| Ground Hornbills (Bucorvidae) | |
| Abyssinian Ground Hornbill – VU | Bucorvus abyssinicus |
| Hornbills (Bucerotidae) | |
| Northern Red-billed Hornbill | Tockus erythrorhynchus |
| Jackson’s Hornbill | Tockus jacksoni |
| Crowned Hornbill | Lophoceros alboterminatus |
| African Pied Hornbill | Lophoceros fasciatus |
| Hemprich’s Hornbill (H) | Lophoceros hemprichii |
| African Grey Hornbill | Lophoceros nasutus |
| Piping Hornbill | Bycanistes fistulator |
| White-thighed Hornbill | Bycanistes albotibialis |
| Black-and-white-casqued Hornbill | Bycanistes subcylindricus |
| Black-casqued Hornbill | Ceratogymna atrata |
| White-crested Hornbill | Horizocerus albocristatus |
| Rollers (Coraciidae) | |
| Purple Roller | Coracias naevius |
| Lilac-breasted Roller | Coracias caudatus |
| Abyssinian Roller | Coracias abyssinicus |
| Broad-billed Roller | Eurystomus glaucurus |
| Kingfishers (Alcedinidae) | |
| Chocolate-backed Kingfisher | Halcyon badia |
| Grey-headed Kingfisher | Halcyon leucocephala |
| Striped Kingfisher | Halcyon chelicuti |
| Blue-breasted Kingfisher (H) | Halcyon malimbica |
| Woodland Kingfisher | Halcyon senegalensis |
| African Dwarf Kingfisher | Ispidina lecontei |
| African Pygmy Kingfisher | Ispidina picta |
| Malachite Kingfisher | Corythornis cristatus |
| Shining-blue Kingfisher | Alcedo quadribrachys |
| Giant Kingfisher | Megaceryle maxima |
| Pied Kingfisher | Ceryle rudis |
| Bee-eaters (Meropidae) | |
| Black Bee-eater | Merops gularis |
| Little Bee-eater | Merops pusillus |
| Blue-breasted Bee-eater | Merops variegatus |
| Cinnamon-chested Bee-eater | Merops oreobates |
| White-throated Bee-eater | Merops albicollis |
| Olive Bee-eater | Merops superciliosus |
| European Bee-eater | Merops apiaster |
| African Barbets (Lybiidae) | |
| Grey-throated Barbet | Gymnobucco bonapartei |
| Speckled Tinkerbird | Pogoniulus scolopaceus |
| Western Tinkerbird | Pogoniulus coryphaea |
| Yellow-throated Tinkerbird | Pogoniulus subsulphureus |
| Yellow-rumped Tinkerbird | Pogoniulus bilineatus |
| Red-fronted Tinkerbird | Pogoniulus pusillus |
| Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird | Pogoniulus chrysoconus |
| Yellow-spotted Barbet | Buccanodon duchaillui |
| Hairy-breasted Barbet | Tricholaema hirsuta |
| Red-fronted Barbet (H) | Tricholaema diademata |
| Spot-flanked Barbet | Tricholaema lacrymosa |
| White-headed Barbet | Lybius leucocephalus |
| Red-faced Barbet | Lybius rubrifacies |
| Black-billed Barbet | Lybius guifsobalito |
| Double-toothed Barbet | Lybius bidentatus |
| Black-breasted Barbet | Lybius rolleti |
| Yellow-billed Barbet | Trachyphonus purpuratus |
| Crested Barbet | Trachyphonus vaillantii |
| D’Arnaud’s Barbet | Trachyphonus darnaudii |
| Honeyguides (Indicatoridae) | |
| Cassin’s Honeybird | Prodotiscus insignis |
| Dwarf Honeyguide | Indicator pumilio |
| Willcocks’s Honeyguide | Indicator willcocksi |
| Least Honeyguide | Indicator exilis |
| Lesser Honeyguide | Indicator minor |
| Greater Honeyguide | Indicator indicator |
| Woodpeckers (Picidae) | |
| African Piculet | Sasia africana |
| Buff-spotted Woodpecker | Pardipicus nivosus |
| Brown-eared Woodpecker | Pardipicus caroli |
| Nubian Woodpecker | Campethera nubica |
| Fine-banded Woodpecker | Campethera taeniolaema |
| Yellow-crested Woodpecker | Chloropicus xantholophus |
| Speckle-breasted Woodpecker | Dendropicos poecilolaemus |
| Cardinal Woodpecker | Dendropicos fuscescens |
| African Grey Woodpecker | Dendropicos goertae |
| Caracaras, Falcons (Falconidae) | |
| Pygmy Falcon | Polihierax semitorquatus |
| Fox Kestrel | Falco alopex |
| Grey Kestrel | Falco ardosiaceus |
| Red-necked Falcon | Falco chicquera |
| African Hobby | Falco cuvierii |
| Lanner Falcon | Falco biarmicus |
| African & New World Parrots (Psittacidae) | |
| Grey Parrot – EN | Psittacus erithacus |
| Meyer’s Parrot | Poicephalus meyeri |
| Old World Parrots (Psittaculidae) | |
| Rose-ringed Parakeet | Psittacula krameri |
| Red-headed Lovebird | Agapornis pullarius |
| Pittas (Pittidae) | |
| Green-breasted Pitta | Pitta reichenowi |
| Wattle-eyes, Batises (Platysteiridae) | |
| Rwenzori Batis | Batis diops |
| Chinspot Batis (H) | Batis molitor |
| Western Black-headed Batis | Batis erlangeri |
| Ituri Batis | Batis ituriensis |
| Chestnut Wattle-eye | Platysteira castanea |
| Brown-throated Wattle-eye | Platysteira cyanea |
| Bushshrikes (Malaconotidae) | |
| Grey-headed Bushshrike (H) | Malaconotus blanchoti |
| Many-colored Bushshrike | Chlorophoneus multicolor |
| Bocage’s Bushshrike | Chlorophoneus bocagei |
| Orange-breasted Bushshrike | Chlorophoneus sulfureopectus |
| Doherty’s Bushshrike | Telophorus dohertyi |
| Marsh Tchagra | Bocagia minuta |
| Brown-crowned Tchagra | Tchagra australis |
| Black-crowned Tchagra | Tchagra senegalus |
| Pink-footed Puffback | Dryoscopus angolensis |
| Northern Puffback | Dryoscopus gambensis |
| Lowland Sooty Boubou (H) | Laniarius leucorhynchus |
| Albertine Sooty Boubou (H) | Laniarius holomelas |
| Willard’s Sooty Boubou | Laniarius willardi |
| Slate-colored Boubou | Laniarius funebris |
| Lühder’s Bushshrike | Laniarius luehderi |
| Tropical Boubou | Laniarius major |
| Papyrus Gonolek | Laniarius mufumbiri |
| Black-headed Gonolek | Laniarius erythrogaster |
| Brubru | Nilaus afer |
| Vangas & Allies (Vangidae) | |
| Rufous-bellied Helmetshrike (H) | Prionops rufiventris |
| Black-and-white Shrike-flycatcher | Bias musicus |
| Cuckooshrikes (Campephagidae) | |
| Grey Cuckooshrike | Ceblepyris caesius |
| Black Cuckooshrike | Campephaga flava |
| Petit’s Cuckooshrike | Campephaga petiti |
| Purple-throated Cuckooshrike | Campephaga quiscalina |
| Shrikes (Laniidae) | |
| Yellow-billed Shrike | Corvinella corvina |
| Northern White-crowned Shrike | Eurocephalus ruppelli |
| Mackinnon’s Shrike | Lanius mackinnoni |
| Grey-backed Fiscal | Lanius excubitoroides |
| Northern Fiscal | Lanius humeralis |
| Figbirds, Orioles, Turnagra (Oriolidae) | |
| Western Oriole | Oriolus brachyrynchus |
| Black-headed Oriole | Oriolus larvatus |
| Mountain Oriole | Oriolus percivali |
| Drongos (Dicruridae) | |
| Fork-tailed Drongo | Dicrurus adsimilis |
| Monarchs (Monarchidae) | |
| Blue-headed Crested Flycatcher (H) | Trochocercus nitens |
| Red-bellied Paradise Flycatcher | Terpsiphone rufiventer |
| African Paradise Flycatcher | Terpsiphone viridis |
| Crows, Jays (Corvidae) | |
| Piapiac | Ptilostomus afer |
| Pied Crow | Corvus albus |
| Fan-tailed Raven | Corvus rhipidurus |
| White-necked Raven | Corvus albicollis |
| Fairy Flycatchers (Stenostiridae) | |
| African Blue Flycatcher | Elminia longicauda |
| White-tailed Blue Flycatcher | Elminia albicauda |
| White-bellied Crested Flycatcher | Elminia albiventris |
| Tits, Chickadees (Paridae) | |
| White-winged Black Tit | Melaniparus leucomelas |
| White-bellied Tit | Melaniparus albiventris |
| Dusky Tit | Melaniparus funereus |
| Stripe-breasted Tit | Melaniparus fasciiventer |
| Penduline Tits (Remizidae) | |
| Grey Penduline Tit | Anthoscopus caroli |
| Nicators (Nicatoridae) | |
| Western Nicator | Nicator chloris |
| Larks (Alaudidae) | |
| Red-winged Lark | Mirafra hypermetra |
| Rufous-naped Lark | Mirafra africana |
| Flappet Lark | Mirafra rufocinnamomea |
| White-tailed Lark | Mirafra albicauda |
| Bulbuls (Pycnonotidae) | |
| Slender-billed Greenbul | Stelgidillas gracilirostris |
| Red-tailed Bristlebill | Bleda syndactylus |
| Yellow-eyed Bristlebill | Bleda ugandae |
| Yellow-throated Leaflove | Atimastillas flavicollis |
| Spotted Greenbul | Ixonotus guttatus |
| Honeyguide Greenbul (H) | Baeopogon indicator |
| Kakamega Greenbul | Arizelocichla kakamegae |
| Olive-breasted Greenbul | Arizelocichla kikuyuensis |
| Red-tailed Greenbul | Criniger calurus |
| Little Greenbul | Eurillas virens |
| Yellow-whiskered Greenbul | Eurillas latirostris |
| Little Grey Greenbul | Eurillas gracilis |
| Ansorge’s Greenbul | Eurillas ansorgei |
| White-throated Greenbul | Phyllastrephus albigularis |
| Xavier’s Greenbul | Phyllastrephus xavieri |
| Icterine Greenbul (H) | Phyllastrephus icterinus |
| Cabanis’s Greenbul | Phyllastrephus cabanisi |
| Red-tailed Leaflove | Phyllastrephus scandens |
| Toro Olive Greenbul | Phyllastrephus hypochloris |
| Dark-capped Bulbul | Pycnonotus tricolor |
| Swallows, Martins (Hirundinidae) | |
| Black Saw-wing | Psalidoprocne pristoptera |
| White-headed Saw-wing | Psalidoprocne albiceps |
| Banded Martin | Neophedina cincta |
| Sand Martin (G) | Riparia riparia |
| Brown-throated Martin | Riparia paludicola |
| Rock Martin | Ptyonoprogne fuligula |
| Wire-tailed Swallow | Hirundo smithii |
| Barn Swallow | Hirundo rustica |
| Angolan Swallow | Hirundo angolensis |
| Red-breasted Swallow | Cecropis semirufa |
| Mosque Swallow | Cecropis senegalensis |
| Lesser Striped Swallow | Cecropis abyssinica |
| Red-rumped Swallow | Cecropis daurica |
| Crombecs, African Warblers (Macrosphenidae) | |
| Moustached Grass Warbler | Melocichla mentalis |
| Northern Crombec | Sylvietta brachyura |
| Red-faced Crombec | Sylvietta whytii |
| Green Crombec | Sylvietta virens |
| White-browed Crombec | Sylvietta leucophrys |
| Cettia Bush Warblers & Allies (Cettiidae) | |
| Neumann’s Warbler | Urosphena neumanni |
| Yellow Flycatchers (Erythrocercidae) | |
| Chestnut-capped Flycatcher | Erythrocercus mccallii |
| Hylias (Hyliidae) | |
| Green Hylia (H) | Hylia prasina |
| Leaf Warblers & Allies (Phylloscopidae) | |
| Willow Warbler | Phylloscopus trochilus |
| Red-faced Woodland Warbler | Phylloscopus laetus |
| Reed Warblers & Allies (Acrocephalidae) | |
| Grauer’s Warbler (H) | Graueria vittata |
| Greater Swamp Warbler | Acrocephalus rufescens |
| Lesser Swamp Warbler | Acrocephalus gracilirostris |
| African Yellow Warbler | Iduna natalensis |
| Mountain Yellow Warbler | Iduna similis |
| Papyrus Yellow Warbler – VU | Calamonastides gracilirostris |
| Grassbirds & Allies (Locustellidae) | |
| Fan-tailed Grassbird | Catriscus brevirostris |
| Cinnamon Bracken Warbler | Bradypterus cinnamomeus |
| White-winged Swamp Warbler | Bradypterus carpalis |
| Grauer’s Swamp Warbler – EN | Bradypterus graueri |
| Highland Rush Warbler | Bradypterus centralis |
| Cisticolas & Allies (Cisticolidae) | |
| Red-faced Cisticola | Cisticola erythrops |
| Singing Cisticola | Cisticola cantans |
| Whistling Cisticola (H) | Cisticola lateralis |
| Trilling Cisticola | Cisticola woosnami |
| Chubb’s Cisticola | Cisticola chubbi |
| Rattling Cisticola | Cisticola chiniana |
| Boran Cisticola | Cisticola bodessa |
| Winding Cisticola | Cisticola marginatus |
| Carruthers’s Cisticola | Cisticola carruthersi |
| Croaking Cisticola | Cisticola natalensis |
| Red-pate Cisticola | Cisticola ruficeps |
| Short-winged Cisticola | Cisticola brachypterus |
| Foxy Cisticola | Cisticola troglodytes |
| Long-tailed Cisticola | Cisticola angusticauda |
| Zitting Cisticola | Cisticola juncidis |
| Tawny-flanked Prinia | Prinia subflava |
| Pale Prinia | Prinia somalica |
| Banded Prinia | Prinia bairdii |
| Black-faced Prinia | Prinia melanops |
| White-chinned Prinia | Schistolais leucopogon |
| Rwenzori Apalis | Oreolais ruwenzorii |
| Buff-bellied Warbler | Phyllolais pulchella |
| Yellow-breasted Apalis | Apalis flavida |
| Lowland Masked Apalis | Apalis binotata |
| Mountain Masked Apalis | Apalis personata |
| Black-throated Apalis | Apalis jacksoni |
| Chestnut-throated Apalis | Apalis porphyrolaema |
| Buff-throated Apalis | Apalis rufogularis |
| Karamoja Apalis – VU | Apalis karamojae |
| Grey-capped Warbler | Eminia lepida |
| Grey-backed Camaroptera | Camaroptera brevicaudata |
| Yellow-browed Camaroptera | Camaroptera superciliaris |
| Olive-green Camaroptera | Camaroptera chloronota |
| Grey Wren-Warbler | Calamonastes simplex |
| Black-faced Rufous Warbler | Bathmocercus rufus |
| Green-backed Eremomela | Eremomela canescens |
| Green-capped Eremomela | Eremomela scotops |
| Rufous-crowned Eremomela | Eremomela badiceps |
| Sylviid Babblers (Sylviidae) | |
| Rwenzori Hill Babbler | Sylvia atriceps |
| White-eyes (Zosteropidae) | |
| Green White-eye | Zosterops stuhlmanni |
| Northern Yellow White-eye | Zosterops senegalensis |
| Ground Babblers (Pellorneidae) | |
| Mountain Illadopsis | Illadopsis pyrrhoptera |
| Scaly-breasted Illadopsis | Illadopsis albipectus |
| Laughingthrushes & Allies (Leiothrichidae) | |
| Rufous Chatterer | Argya rubiginosa |
| Arrow-marked Babbler | Turdoides jardineii |
| Black-lored Babbler | Turdoides sharpei |
| Starlings, Rhabdornis (Sturnidae) | |
| Wattled Starling | Creatophora cinerea |
| Purple-headed Starling | Hylopsar purpureiceps |
| Greater Blue-eared Starling | Lamprotornis chalybaeus |
| Lesser Blue-eared Starling | Lamprotornis chloropterus |
| Splendid Starling | Lamprotornis splendidus |
| Rüppell’s Starling | Lamprotornis purpuroptera |
| Superb Starling | Lamprotornis superbus |
| Violet-backed Starling | Cinnyricinclus leucogaster |
| Red-winged Starling | Onychognathus morio |
| Chestnut-winged Starling | Onychognathus fulgidus |
| Waller’s Starling | Onychognathus walleri |
| Narrow-tailed Starling | Poeoptera lugubris |
| Oxpeckers (Buphagidae) | |
| Yellow-billed Oxpecker | Buphagus africanus |
| Red-billed Oxpecker | Buphagus erythrorynchus |
| Thrushes (Turdidae) | |
| Fraser’s Rufous Thrush | Stizorhina fraseri |
| White-tailed Ant Thrush | Neocossyphus poensis |
| Red-tailed Ant Thrush | Neocossyphus rufus |
| African Thrush | Turdus pelios |
| Abyssinian Thrush (G) | Turdus abyssinicus |
| Chats, Old World Flycatchers (Muscicapidae) | |
| Fire-crested Alethe (H) | Alethe castanea |
| Brown-backed Scrub Robin | Cercotrichas hartlaubi |
| White-browed Scrub Robin | Cercotrichas leucophrys |
| Grey-throated Tit-Flycatcher | Myioparus griseigularis |
| White-eyed Slaty Flycatcher | Melaenornis fischeri |
| Yellow-eyed Black Flycatcher | Melaenornis ardesiacus |
| Northern Black Flycatcher | Melaenornis edolioides |
| Pale Flycatcher | Melaenornis pallidus |
| African Grey Flycatcher | Melaenornis microrhynchus |
| Silverbird | Empidornis semipartitus |
| Swamp Flycatcher | Muscicapa aquatica |
| Cassin’s Flycatcher | Muscicapa cassini |
| Chapin’s Flycatcher – VU | Muscicapa lendu |
| African Dusky Flycatcher | Muscicapa adusta |
| Yellow-footed Flycatcher | Muscicapa sethsmithi |
| Dusky-blue Flycatcher | Muscicapa comitata |
| Sooty Flycatcher | Muscicapa infuscata |
| Red-throated Alethe | Chamaetylas poliophrys |
| Brown-chested Alethe | Chamaetylas poliocephala |
| White-bellied Robin-Chat | Cossyphicula roberti |
| Archer’s Ground Robin | Cossypha archeri |
| Grey-winged Robin-Chat | Cossypha polioptera |
| Blue-shouldered Robin-Chat | Cossypha cyanocampter |
| White-browed Robin-Chat | Cossypha heuglini |
| Red-capped Robin-Chat | Cossypha natalensis |
| Snowy-crowned Robin-Chat | Cossypha niveicapilla |
| White-starred Robin | Pogonocichla stellata |
| Forest Robin | Stiphrornis erythrothorax |
| Equatorial Akalat | Sheppardia aequatorialis |
| African Stonechat | Saxicola torquatus |
| Mocking Cliff Chat | Thamnolaea cinnamomeiventris |
| Sooty Chat | Myrmecocichla nigra |
| Ruaha Chat | Myrmecocichla collaris |
| Heuglin’s Wheatear | Oenanthe heuglinii |
| Brown-tailed Rock Chat | Oenanthe scotocerca |
| Sunbirds (Nectariniidae) | |
| Grey-headed Sunbird | Deleornis axillaris |
| Eastern Violet-backed Sunbird | Anthreptes orientalis |
| Little Green Sunbird | Anthreptes seimundi |
| Grey-chinned Sunbird | Anthreptes tephrolaemus |
| Collared Sunbird | Hedydipna collaris |
| Green-headed Sunbird | Cyanomitra verticalis |
| Blue-throated Brown Sunbird | Cyanomitra cyanolaema |
| Blue-headed Sunbird | Cyanomitra alinae |
| Olive Sunbird | Cyanomitra olivacea |
| Green-throated Sunbird (G) | Chalcomitra rubescens |
| Scarlet-chested Sunbird | Chalcomitra senegalensis |
| Bronzy Sunbird | Nectarinia kilimensis |
| Olive-bellied Sunbird | Cinnyris chloropygius |
| Tiny Sunbird (G) | Cinnyris minullus |
| Rwenzori Double-collared Sunbird | Cinnyris stuhlmanni |
| Northern Double-collared Sunbird | Cinnyris reichenowi |
| Regal Sunbird | Cinnyris regius |
| Beautiful Sunbird | Cinnyris pulchellus |
| Marico Sunbird | Cinnyris mariquensis |
| Red-chested Sunbird | Cinnyris erythrocercus |
| Purple-banded Sunbird | Cinnyris bifasciatus |
| Superb Sunbird | Cinnyris superbus |
| Variable Sunbird | Cinnyris venustus |
| Copper Sunbird | Cinnyris cupreus |
| Old World Sparrows, Snowfinches (Passeridae) | |
| Yellow-spotted Bush Sparrow | Gymnoris pyrgita |
| Chestnut Sparrow | Passer eminibey |
| Shelley’s Sparrow | Passer shelleyi |
| Northern Grey-headed Sparrow | Passer griseus |
| Parrot-billed Sparrow | Passer gongonensis |
| House Sparrow | Passer domesticus |
| Weavers, Widowbirds (Ploceidae) | |
| White-billed Buffalo Weaver | Bubalornis albirostris |
| White-headed Buffalo Weaver | Dinemellia dinemelli |
| White-browed Sparrow-Weaver | Plocepasser mahali |
| Chestnut-crowned Sparrow-Weaver | Plocepasser superciliosus |
| Grey-capped Social Weaver | Pseudonigrita arnaudi |
| Speckle-fronted Weaver | Sporopipes frontalis |
| Thick-billed Weaver | Amblyospiza albifrons |
| Baglafecht Weaver | Ploceus baglafecht |
| Slender-billed Weaver | Ploceus pelzelni |
| Little Weaver | Ploceus luteolus |
| Spectacled Weaver | Ploceus ocularis |
| Black-necked Weaver | Ploceus nigricollis |
| Strange Weaver | Ploceus alienus |
| Black-billed Weaver | Ploceus melanogaster |
| Orange Weaver | Ploceus aurantius |
| Northern Brown-throated Weaver | Ploceus castanops |
| Lesser Masked Weaver | Ploceus intermedius |
| Vitelline Masked Weaver | Ploceus vitellinus |
| Fox’s Weaver | Ploceus spekeoides |
| Village Weaver | Ploceus cucullatus |
| Vieillot’s Black Weaver | Ploceus nigerrimus |
| Black-headed Weaver | Ploceus melanocephalus |
| Golden-backed Weaver | Ploceus jacksoni |
| Chestnut Weaver | Ploceus rubiginosus |
| Compact Weaver | Ploceus superciliosus |
| Brown-capped Weaver | Ploceus insignis |
| Red-headed Malimbe | Malimbus rubricollis |
| Red-headed Weaver | Anaplectes rubriceps |
| Cardinal Quelea | Quelea cardinalis |
| Red-headed Quelea | Quelea erythrops |
| Red-billed Quelea | Quelea quelea |
| Black Bishop | Euplectes gierowii |
| Black-winged Red Bishop | Euplectes hordeaceus |
| Southern Red Bishop | Euplectes orix |
| Northern Red Bishop | Euplectes franciscanus |
| Fan-tailed Widowbird | Euplectes axillaris |
| Yellow-mantled Widowbird | Euplectes macroura |
| White-winged Widowbird | Euplectes albonotatus |
| Red-collared Widowbird | Euplectes ardens |
| Waxbills, Munias & Allies (Estrildidae) | |
| Bronze Mannikin | Spermestes cucullata |
| Magpie Mannikin | Spermestes fringilloides |
| Black-and-white Mannikin | Spermestes bicolor |
| White-collared Oliveback | Nesocharis ansorgei |
| Yellow-bellied Waxbill | Coccopygia quartinia |
| Dusky Crimsonwing | Cryptospiza jacksoni |
| White-breasted Nigrita (H) | Nigrita fusconotus |
| Chestnut-breasted Nigrita | Nigrita bicolor |
| Grey-headed Nigrita | Nigrita canicapillus |
| Grey-headed Oliveback | Delacourella capistrata |
| Black-crowned Waxbill | Estrilda nonnula |
| Kandt’s Waxbill | Estrilda kandti |
| Orange-cheeked Waxbill | Estrilda melpoda |
| Fawn-breasted Waxbill | Estrilda paludicola |
| Common Waxbill | Estrilda astrild |
| Crimson-rumped Waxbill | Estrilda rhodopyga |
| Quailfinch | Ortygospiza atricollis |
| Cut-throat Finch | Amadina fasciata |
| Orange-breasted Waxbill (G) | Amandava subflava |
| Red-cheeked Cordon-bleu | Uraeginthus bengalus |
| Grant’s Bluebill | Spermophaga poliogenys |
| Red-headed Bluebill | Spermophaga ruficapilla |
| Black-bellied Seedcracker | Pyrenestes ostrinus |
| Green-winged Pytilia | Pytilia melba |
| Dusky Twinspot | Euschistospiza cinereovinacea |
| Brown Twinspot | Clytospiza monteiri |
| Red-billed Firefinch | Lagonosticta senegala |
| African Firefinch | Lagonosticta rubricata |
| Indigobirds, Whydahs (Viduidae) | |
| Village Indigobird | Vidua chalybeata |
| Dusky Indigobird | Vidua funerea |
| Pin-tailed Whydah | Vidua macroura |
| Steel-blue Whydah | Vidua hypocherina |
| Straw-tailed Whydah | Vidua fischeri |
| Long-tailed Paradise Whydah | Vidua paradisaea |
| Wagtails, Pipits (Motacillidae) | |
| Cape Wagtail | Motacilla capensis |
| Mountain Wagtail | Motacilla clara |
| African Pied Wagtail | Motacilla aguimp |
| Yellow-throated Longclaw | Macronyx croceus |
| African Pipit | Anthus cinnamomeus |
| Plain-backed Pipit | Anthus leucophrys |
| Finches, Euphonias (Fringillidae) | |
| Western Citril | Crithagra frontalis |
| Papyrus Canary | Crithagra koliensis |
| Reichenow’s Seedeater | Crithagra reichenowi |
| Yellow-fronted Canary | Crithagra mozambica |
| Brimstone Canary | Crithagra sulphurata |
| Thick-billed Seedeater | Crithagra burtoni |
| Streaky Seedeater | Crithagra striolata |
| Yellow-crowned Canary | Serinus flavivertex |
| Buntings (Emberizidae) | |
| Cinnamon-breasted Bunting (H) | Emberiza tahapisi |
| Golden-breasted Bunting | Emberiza flaviventris |
| Cabanis’s Bunting | Emberiza cabanisi |
| Species seen | 556 |
| Species heard | 27 |
| Species seen by guide only | 6 |
| Total species recorded | 589 |
Mammal List
Mammals ‘heard only’ are marked with (H) after the common name, birds seen only by the guide are marked with a (G) after the common name, all other species were seen by both client and guide.
The following notation after species names is used to show conservation status following the IUCN Red List:
CR = Critically Endangered, EN = Endangered, VU = Vulnerable.
| Common Name | Scientific Name |
| Hyraxes (Procaviidae) | |
| Western Tree Hyrax | Dendrohyrax dorsalis |
| Rock Hyrax | Procavia capensis |
| Elephants (Elephantidae) | |
| African Elephant – VU | Loxodonta africana |
| Rabbits and Hares (Leporidae) | |
| African Savanna Hare | Lepus victoriae |
| Squirrels and Relatives (Sciuridae) | |
| Carruther’s Mountain Squirrel | Funisciurus carruthersi |
| Fire-footed Rope Squirrel | Funisciurus pyrropus |
| Alexander’s Bush Squirrel | Paraxerus alexandri |
| Bushbabies (Galagidae) | |
| Northern Lesser Galago | Galago senegalensis |
| Old World Monkeys (Cercopithecidae) | |
| Grey-cheeked Mangabey – VU | Lophocebus albigena |
| Olive Baboon | Papio anubis |
| Patas Monkey | Erythrocebus patas |
| Vervet | Chlorocebus pygerythrus |
| L’hoest’s Monkey – VU | Allochrocebus lhoesti |
| Red-tailed Monkey | Cercopithecus ascanius |
| Blue Monkey | Cercopithecus mitis |
| De Brazza’s Monkey | Cercopithecus neglectus |
| Guereza | Colobus guereza |
| Semliki Red Colobus | Piliocolobus semlikiensis |
| Ashy Red Colobus – EN | Piliocolobus tephrosceles |
| Great Apes (Hominidae) | |
| Eastern Gorilla – CR | Gorilla beringei |
| Chimpanzee – EN | Pan troglodytes |
| Bats (Chiroptera) | |
| East African Epauletted Fruit Bat (H) | Epomophorus minimus |
| African Straw-coloured Fruit-bat | Eidolon helvum |
| Cats (Felidae) | |
| Lion – VU | Panthera leo |
| Leopard – VU | Panthera pardus |
| Civets, Genets, Linsangs and allies (Viverridae) | |
| Central African Large-spotted Genet | Genetta maculata |
| Hyaenas and Aardwolf (Hyaenidae) | |
| Spotted Hyaena (H) | Crocuta crocuta |
| Mongooses and Fossa (Herpestidae) | |
| White-tailed Mongoose | Ichneumia albicauda |
| Slender Mongoose | Herpestes sanguineus |
| Common Dwarf Mongoose | Helogale parvula |
| Banded Mongoose | Mungos mungo |
| Canids (Canidae) | |
| Side-striped Jackal | Lupulella adustus |
| Black-backed Jackal | Lupulella mesomelas |
| Horses, Asses and Zebras (Equidae) | |
| Plains Zebra | Equus quagga |
| Hogs and Pigs (Suidae) | |
| Common Warthog | Phacochoerus africanus |
| Forest Hog | Hylochoerus meinertzhageni |
| Hippopotamuses (Hippopotamidae) | |
| Hippopotamus – VU | Hippopotamus amphibius |
| Bovids (Bovidae) | |
| African Buffalo | Syncerus caffer |
| Western Bushbuck | Tragelaphus scriptus |
| Common Eland | Tragelaphus oryx |
| Impala | Aepyceros melampus |
| Oribi | Ourebia ourebi |
| Waterbuck | Kobus ellipsiprymnus |
| Kob | Kobus kob |
| Hartebeest | Alcelaphus buselaphus |
| Topi | Damaliscus lunatus |
| Common Duiker | Sylvicapra grimmia |
| Black-fronted Duiker | Cephalophus nigrifrons |
| Red-flanked Duiker | Cephalophus rufilatus |
| Giraffes and Okapis (Giraffidae) | |
| Giraffe – VU | Giraffa camelopardalis |
| Species seen | 48 |
| Species heard | 2 |
| Total species recorded | 50 |