Most visitors come to Bwindi impenetrable forest National Park not just for gorilla trekking which is common but the park is also best for bird watching. Bwindi impenetrable forest National Park is the best birding spot destination for the tourists who are interested in bird watching since it has the best montane forest bird watching scenery in Africa.

Bwindi impenetrable National park has 350 bird species and where some of these species are not seen anywhere else in Uganda. 23 special bird types like the blue-headed sun bird and Neumann’s warbler are in Alberine rift and 90% of Albertine rift birds are endemics.

The Mubwindi swamp trail, Buhoma waterfall trail and the bamboo zone are best places for bird watching.

Bird list / species in Bwindi for watching.

Some of the main bird species for tourists to see in Bwindi Impenetrable national Park are;  Jameson’s Antpecker, Pink-footed Puff back, Waller’s Starling, Crested Guinea fowl, Barred Long-tailed Cuckoo, Grey Crowned Crane, White-headed Saw-wing, Yellow-rumped Tinkerbird, African Olive-pigeon, Buff-spotted Woodpecker, Petit’s Cuckoo-shrike, Cassin’s Flycatcher, Ruwenzori Batis, Ansorge’s Greenbul, Klaas’s Cuckoo, White-throated Greenbul, Snowy-crowned Robin-chat, African Paradise flycatcher, Cape Wagtail, Mountain Wagtail, Yellow-fronted Canary, Archer’s Robin-chat, Dusky Twin spot, Brown-capped Weaver, Vieillot’s Black Weaver, Lühder’s Bush-shrike, Mackinnon’s Shrike, Blue Spotted wood dove, Tambourine dove, Handsome francolin, Helmeted guinea fowl, African Goshawk, Sooty Falcon, Great Blue Turaco, African Wood-owl, Elliot’s Woodpecker, Yellow-whiskered, African Flycatcher-chat, African Dusky Flycatcher, Ross’s Turaco, Black Bee-eater, Grey-cheeked Hornbill, Angolan Swallow, African, Broadbill, White-eyed Slaty-flycatcher, African Hill-babbler, Doherty’s Bush-shrike, African Citril, Double-toothed Barbet, African Pygmy-kingfisher.

Best Time for bird watching in Bwindi Impenetrable forest national park

You can best view birds in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park during March and September. However birding is okay throughout the year. Rainfall I received in small amount during the months of June and July if you compare it to May that has the highest rainfall in the park. It is good to note that during this period the roads are impassable due to the muddy and slippery roads thus it can cause the limitation of visitors chance to watch birds. Nesting is commonly spotted in the months of May and June. Migrating birds can be spotted in November and April.

Where to go bird watching in Bwindi impenetrable forest national park.

Birding Buhoma        

There is a lot of birding done at Buhoma visitor centre.  On many paths near the River Munyaga, common birding spots are Neck and Ruhija sector of the park which includes, paying visits to the Mubwindi swamp and walking near the park’s offices and also nearby farmlands. Most birds are watched from Buhoma region as you pass through the forest margins and via village paths. Ruhija section needs the guidance of local guides to watch forest birds and swamp birds

Birding in Ruhija

If you are a bird watcher, Ruhija is the best site for you to watch plenty of birds at once. The sector inhabits 23 endemic birds, that is, yellow streaked greenbul, Dusky crimson, grey bush shrike, yellow-eyed black flycatcher, hornbills and many more.  Ruhija is well known in the world for being a bird area with important conservation. Trekkers are recommended to have binoculars for zooming and to easily see birds. Guides are available to explain bid feature of birds spotted. You can also decide to have a nature walk so as to spot many birds and have a memorable experience with birds. Nature walks an also help you to explore caves, waterfalls, rock and the entire forest. You will also hear birds singing with good melody and also you come across animals in one way or the other.

Birding in Nkuringo

Nkuringo is also among the bird sectors in Bwindi that should not be ignored. It has beautiful bird species that provide a wonderful scenery as one is watching birds. Bird lovers will be able to meet and watch colorful bird species, canoe when at Lake Mutanda as you use a wooden paddle and the astonishing sceneries of Virunga volcanoes that are at the border of Rwanda and Uganda. Sometimes impassable and slippery