Birding Safaris in Queen Elizabeth National Park with Bird Species

Welcome to Queen Elizabeth National Park, home to over 620 species of birds. Birding safaris in Queen Elizabeth National Park, Uganda, promise an unforgettable bird-watching adventure. Embarking on birding safaris in this park offers birders a complete immersion into Uganda’s rich avian paradise.

Queen Elizabeth National Park is a birdwatcher’s haven located in Western Uganda. Its boundaries stretch up to about 4 districts, including Kasese, Rubirizi, Kamwenge, and Rukungiri. It also extends to parts of Kanungu and Bushenyi, comprising a range of birding sites. The key birding sites include Lake Edward, Kazinga channel, Maramagambo Forest, Katwe, Kyambura Gorge, Mweya Peninsula, Ishasha, and Kasenyi.

The Bird Species in Queen Elizabeth National Park (Rubirizi)

A total of 620 species of birds are in Queen Elizabeth National Park, including forest, savanna, raptors, migratory, and water birds. The birds to see in Queen Elizabeth Game Park include crested cranes, African fish eagles, pelicans, Great blue turacos, black-headed gonoleks, yellow-throated longclaws, long-crested eagles, crab-plover, black bee-eaters, and African hobby.

African skimmers, African finfoot, common sand martin, black-rumped buttonquil, Ayres’s hawk-eagle, collared pratincole, broad-billed rollers, cassin’s flycatchers, red-chested sunbird, palm-nut vultures, and water thick-knee. Queen Elizabeth National Park protects birds such as lesser flamingos, western banded snake eagles, papyrus canary, Heuglin’s gull, spotted redshank, Pel’s fishing-owl, yellow-bellied wattle-eye, and slender-tailed nightjars.

Other habitats in Queen Elizabeth National Park holds birds such as rupell’s griffon vultures, hooded vultures, lappet-faced vultures, white-backed vultures, swamp nightjars, diedrik cuckoos, African mourning doves, grey-backed fiscal, brown-backed scrub-robin, yellow-billed oxpeckers, and squire-tailed nightjars.

Where to go for Birding Safaris in Queen Elizabeth National Park

The popular birding safari trails and sites to explore in Queen Elizabeth National Park include Ishasha region/sector, Kasenyi track, Katunguru Bridge, Maramagambo Forest, Katwe, Kikorongo, Mweya Peninsular, and Kyambura Gorge.

Birding Safaris in the Kazinga Channel

Extending over 32 km is the scenic Kazinga channel, a natural stream/channel that drains its water into Lake Edward from Lake George. It is a notable birding site with a diversity of water birds.

A birding tour along the Kazinga channel allows you to spot birds such as the African fish eagle, white-billed storks, pelicans, black-headed gonoleks, saddle-bellied stork, yellow-billed storks, water thick-knee, African jacanas, and Knob-billed ducks.

Birding Safaris on Lake George

Lake George is a Ramsar Site and holds diverse species of birds, including threatened birds and wetland species. The common birds to identify on a birding safari in this Ramsar site include papyrus canary, white-winged warblers, shoebill storks, migrant waders, & waterfowls.

Birding Safaris along the Kasenyi Track/Sector

Located in the Northern section of Queen Elizabeth National Park, Kasenyi game track rewards avid birders with amazing sightings. The notable birds to be spotted during the guided birding tour along the Kasenyi track include grey-backed fiscal, white-backed vultures, red-throated spurfowl, hooded vultures, black-bellied bustards, palm-nut vultures, long-crested eagles, cisticola, and more. Birds in the Kasenyi game track can be explored during guided game drives.

Birding Tours in Mweya Peninsula

Lying on the Northern tip of Queen Elizabeth National Park is the Mweya Peninsula, next to the Kazinga channel. At Mweya Peninsula, expect to explore the diversity of birds, including the black-headed gonoleks, martins, swamp nightjars, weaver birds, Nubian woodpeckers, little bee-eaters, African mourning doves, and red-chested sunbirds.

Birding Experience in Maramagambo Forest

In the southwestern end of Queen Elizabeth Park is Maramagambo Forest, home to diversity of bird species of birds. The key birds to find in Maramagambo Forest include snowy-headed robin chat, woodpeckers, African fin foot, African mustached warblers, scaly-breasted illadopsis, white-napped pigeon, red-throated wryneck, forest greenbul, African emerald cuckoo, and brown illadopsis. The majority of the birds in Maramagambo Forest can be explored during the guided forest walks and actual birding excursion.

Bird Watching Tours in Ishasha

Ishasha lies in the Southern part of Queen Elizabeth National Park and is popular not for tree-climbing lions but also for birding tour safaris. This sector features a range of birds that are of avid birders’ interest during birding safaris.

At Ishasha, expect to find birds such as compact weaver birds, black bee-eaters, shoebill storks, fan-tailed widow, broad-bellied rollers, herons, black coucal, and Cassin’s grey-flycatchers. Ishasha is also popular for birds such as lappet-faced vultures, Hooded vultures, Palm-nut vultures, and African white-backed vultures.

Ishasha, like Kasenyi offer more than birding experiences. Visitors can also enjoy guided game drives, which reward with astonishing sightings of elephants, buffalo, lions, antelopes, and leopards.

Birding Trips in Kyambura Gorge

Known as the Valley of Apes, Kyambura Gorge is situated in the Northeastern part of Queen Elizabeth National Park. This section of the park contains a range of birds, including Verreaux’s eagle owl, great blue turacos, black bee-eaters, African fish eagle, African falcons, African broadbill, black-rumped buttonquail, and martial eagle.

Katwe Birding Safaris

Explore Katwe on a birding tour for you to identify the diversity of birds. The Katwe region comprises the scenic Lake Munyanyange and is an ideal location to find birds such as black bishops, marsh tchagra, white-breasted nigro finch, chestnut wattle eye, and more.

Katunguru Bridge Birding

Birding experience in the Katunguru Bridge offers amazing sightings of birds, including the lesser and greater swamp warblers, papyrus gonoleks, pied kingfishers, malachite kingfishers, white-winged terns, and others.

Best Time for Birding in Queen Elizabeth Game Park

Birding in Queen Elizabeth National Park can be done any time of the year. But May, June, July, August, & September offer excellent sightings. November and April are perfect if you are interested in migratory species of birds.

Essential Gear/Equipment to Pack

Carry a pair of binoculars, long-sleeved shirts, insect repellents, birding vests, sturdy shoes, a safari hat, Cargo pants, a camera, and a daypack. Get a field guide book (for birds), a bottle of drinking water, sunscreen, a notebook, and others. Get the best camera to capture amazing bird pictures.

Tips for a Successful Birding Safari in Queen Elizabeth National Park

Know how best to spot birds with experts. During the birding excursion, the best or key things to consider while identifying birds include calls, beak, plumage, body shape, size, eyes, legs, habitat, habits, and feet.

Embark on a birding safari with an expert. While it is possible to go self-driving on a birding safari, a guided tour is more rewarding since the expert attached to you has vast knowledge about the birds and where to find them.

Book the best accommodation (camps/lodges) that are suitable for your birding safaris. The lodges to book include Mweya Safari Lodge, Engiri Game Lodge, Enganzi Game Lodge, Elephant Plains Lodge, Mazike Valley Lodge, Ishasha Wilderness Camp, and Bush Lodge.

How to reach Queen Elizabeth National Park for Birding Safaris

Hire a 4×4 safari car with Flawless Adventure Planners Ltd and reach Queen Elizabeth National Park by road in 7-8 hours via Mbarara -Bushenyi-Ishaka. Or take a 6-7-hour drive to reach Queen Elizabeth Game Park via the Mubende-Fort Portal-Kasese route.

Each route comes with a photography moment at the Uganda Equator crossing. Through Mbarara route, you have a stopover at Kayabwe Equator and via Kasese, you can make a stop at Kikorongo Equator point/monument.

Why Plan & Book Uganda Birding Safaris to Queen Elizabeth National Park with Flawless Adventure Planners?

Flawless Adventure Planners is the best Uganda safari company to book your birding safaris and wildlife tours. We have experts to guide you plan and booking an unforgettable bird watching adventure in Uganda and beyond.

Contact us now to secure a slot for birding in Uganda and explore Queen Elizabeth National Park birds and more!