Whereas Bwindi Impenetrable forest National Park is perhaps most known for being home to almost half of the world’s remaining population of the endangered Mountain Gorillas, this 321-km2 forest national park is a superb birding site for all the birders on an African safari. Bwindi Impenetrable Forest is a prime destination for birdwatchers. The park recorded a list of over 350 species that can be seen in the park including seven which are IUCN red data listed and 90% of all Albertine rift endemics, species which are difficult or impossible to see in any other part of East Africa.
An experienced bird watcher can easily identify up to 100 species in a day!
Located in the far south western corner of the country near the border with the Democratic Republic of Congo, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is a biodiversity hotspot and is home to over 320 species of birds, many of which are listed below and 23 of which are endemic to this particular area of the Albertine Rift. 90% of all Albertine Rift endemics such as the Short-tailed Warbler and Blue-headed Sunbird as well as seven IUCN red data listed species. Easy to see are the African Emerald Cuckoo, Common Bulbul, African Blue and White-tailed Blue Flycatchers and Red-headed Bluebill.
Birding takes place along the main trail, the Buhoma Waterfall Trail and along the bamboo zone and Mubwindi Swamp trail in Ruhija.The other key species include:
- Handsome Francolin
- African Wood Owl
- Rwenzori Nightjar
- Bar-tailed Trogon
- Black Bee-eater
- Western Green Tinkerbird
- Dwarf Honeyguide
- Fine-banded Woodpecker
- African Green Broadbill
- Grey Cuckoo-shrike
- Shelly’s Greenbul
- Yellow-streaked Greenbul
- Red-throated Alethe
- Archer’s Robin-Chat
- White-bellied Robin-Chat
- Kivu Ground-Thrush
- Mountain Yellow Warbler
- Grauer’s Rush Warbler
- Red-faced Woodland Warbler
- Short tailed Warbler
- Black-faced Rufous Warbler
- Grauer’s Warbler
- Chestnut-throated Apalis
- Collared Apalis
- Mountain Masked Apalis
- Yellow-eyed Black Flycatcher
- Chapin’s Flycatcher
- Rwenzori Batis
- Strip-breasted Tit
- Tit Hylia
- Purple-breasted Sunbird
- Blue-headed Sunbird
- Regal Sunbird
- Lagden’s Bush Shrike
- Doherty’s Bush Shrike
- Montane Oriole
- Strange Weaver
- Brown-capped Weaver
- Red-fronted Antpecker
- Dusky Twinspot
- Dusky Crimsonwing
- Shelley’s Crimsonwing