Get ready to watch the birds

Uganda Has a Great Variety of Birds, and Big Birding day next Saturday, is a good chance to seek them out.

There is good news for tourists: we have free access to all the National parks and conservation areas under Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) on November 29^th, 2014. That day is the long awaited Big Birding day, which Uganda is taking seriously for the second year running. With over 1,050 bird species in Uganda, such a day was long overdue.

“This exercise is expected to improve interests in the bird watching. You can watch birds anywhere. It can be in Kampala City, in your backyard or in a forest. Every region of the country will have a team involved in the bird watching for 24 hours,” said Steven Masaba of UWA. Given the UWA officer, birdwatchers have options of many destinations that are excellent bird habitats, but with a bonus of other attractions to make the trip worthwhile. That day 500 Guides will be all eyes and ears recording the species that they encounter in the swamps, mountains, forests and lake shores.

“Participants will explore the countryside to see birds in flight, listen to their songs, and see them court,” said Uganda Tourist Board (UTB) spoke’s person Edwin Muzahura. “to hone our bird watching skills, the occasion will be blessed by birders, Tim Appleton and Bill Thompson form the US and UK respectively.”

Bill Thompson is Editor of Bird Watcher’s Digest and author of Backyard Birds. He has seen and heard 1,000 different bird species. “These are no mean achievements. Bird Watcher’s Digest is the oldest and most popular bi-monthly magazine devoted to birds and bird-watching enthusiast around the world,” Muzahura pointed out. These birds have millions of social media followers from across the world and it is hoped that their participating in Uganda’s Big Birding Day will highlight the country’s various attractions to the rest of the world. “Thompson and Appleton will be able to sell destination Uganda, among their social media followers,” Muzahura said.

Uganda Tour Guide Association President, Herbert Byaruhanga revealed that an average Bird watcher stays longer and spends more while in the country. “They between $2.000 (Sh5m) and $7,000 (sh17.5m) on accommodation, a bird guide transport, buying mementoes and having fun.” Byaruhanga notes that Uganda should be able to identify a nitche in birding given the variety of avian species as a comparative advantage over other regional destinations.

PLANNING A BIRDING TRIP

Families, friends and workmates cold pool resources to fuel a van or public means of transport to commute throughout the day at affordable rates. The fares vary and depend on the distance and ones negotiating skills. The national parks have budget accommodations ranging from sh30,000 to sh50,000 per night. Meals cost sh10,000 and above. Up market facilities are also available at anything between $75 and $300 (Sh 187,000 and sh750,000) per night. Alternatively one could cut costs by travelling with a tent or hiring one.

Kidepo Valley national Park boasts an extensive list of about 475 bird species.  This makes it second to Queen Elizabeth National Park. A few species of note are the Ostrich, Kori bustard and Karamaja apalis. Kidepo is notable for its birds of prey. Of the 56 species recorded, 14 including Verreaux’s eagle, Egyptian vulture and Pygm falcon – are endemic to Karamoja region. Presently, there is no comprehensive survey of birds found there. On this day visitors stand a good chance of adding to the known numbers.

YOU CAN SEE ANIMALS TOO

While scouting for birds in Kidepo, expect to see exciting Fauna such as lions, leopards, spotted hyenas, and jackals. Also regulary seen species are elephants, Burchell’s zebra, Rothschild’s giraffe, Cape buffalo and several antelope’s types.

Queen Elizabeth National Park is understandable Uganda’s most popular tourist destination. It is endowed with over 600 species of birds in its diverse eco-system set against the backdrop of the Mt. Rwenzori. It is a photographer’s dream  come true with enormous craters punctuating the rolling green hills, Kazinga channel with its banks lined with hippos, buffalo and elephants.

In the Ishasha plains are the famous tree climbing lions and herds of the Uganda Kob.

Mburo National Park, located close to the kampala – Mbarara highway, is home to 350 bird species.  These live with Zebra’s impalas, elands, buffalos and hyenas, among others. Together with 13 other lakes in the area, Lake Mburo forms part of a 50km wetland system linked by a swamp. The park is well suited to host hundreds of birds in its wooded savanna interspersed with rocky ridges, gorges and patches of papyrus swamp.

Murchison Falls National Park has 451 species of birds and 76 different mammals. The park is bisected by the Victoria Nile, which plunges 45 meters over the remnant rift valley wall, creating Murchison falls. The falls are the centerpiece of the park and the final event in an 80km stretch of rapids. This stretch of river provides one of Uganda’s most remarkable wildlifespectacles. Notable visitors to this park in the past have included Winston Churchill, Theodore Roosevelt, Ernest Hemingway and several British Royals.

There are other ideal places to go bird-watching such as at Mabira Forest, Makerere University, Lutembe beach, Uganda Wildlife Education Center, Gaba Beach and Kasenge forest in Mukono. Your backyard can also be a good start.