Birding

Lake Mburo is the smallest savanna national park in Uganda and is located in the Western side of the country. This park is characterized by rocky ridges, Acacia savanna, papyrus wetlands, grasslands, taller mixed woodland and Lakes which all have unique wildlife and bird species, but is mainly dominated by tall grasses with scattered Acacia and Euphorbia trees. Lake Mburo national park covers an area of 370 square kilometers and is a haven to over 350 bird species hence it is considered an important Bird Area (IBA) and a bird watcher’s Paradise. The most perfect bird viewing spots in Lake Mburo national park are the Swampy valleys of Warukiri and Miriti, the paths between Rwonyo Camp and the Salt Lick area. Other good bird viewing points include Rubanga Forest area, the open grasslands North of Rwonyo Camp (especially the Zebra track) and the Lakeside among others.

Some of the common bird species within Rubanga forest include Blue-breasted Kingfisher, White-winged Tit, Hairy-breasted Barbet, Yellow-rumped Tinkerbird, Black-bellied Bustard, Red-faced Barbet, Long-tailed Cisticola, Ross’s Turaco, Grey Crowned Cranes, Red-headed Lovebird, Bare-faced Go-away-bird, Brown Parrot, Brown-chested Lapwing, Red-shouldered Cuckoo-shrike, Common Scimitarbill, African Finfoot, Yellow-breasted Apalis, Nubian Woodpecker, Coqui Francolin, White-headed Barbet, Emerald-spotted Wood-Dove, Rufous-bellied Heron and Green Wood-hoopoe among others.

Some of the bird species within the Lake include the Yellow-throated Leaf love  Red-faced Barbet (is only found within the Lake), Water Thicknee, African Darter, African Water Rail, Giant Pied Leaf love,  African Fish Eagles, Spur-winged Plover, Hammerkop, African Fin foot Malachite kingfishers, and Pink Backed-pelicans among others. This Lake can be accessed through the Kyempitsi trail.

There are also some fascinating bird species found within the woodland vegetation and they include Green-capped Eremomela, Lead-coloured Flycatcher, Red-headed lovebird, Black Cuckoo-shrike, Narina Trogon and Long tailed warbler among others.

The swamp vegetation harbors riveting bird species that include Long-tailed Tabora, Carruther’s Cisticola, African-wattled Lapwing, Saddle-billed Stork, the endemic African Finfoot, Papyrus Yellow Warbler, White-winged Warbler, Brown-chested Lapwing, Papyrus Gonolek, African Scops Owl, Abyssinian Ground Hornbill and the elusive the rare Shoebill.

Bird species common within the Warukiri and Miriti Valley include Emerald-spotted Wood-Dove, Green Wood-hoopoe, Black-bellied Bustard, Common Scimitarbill, Brown Parrot, Yellow-breasted Apalis, Brown-chested Lapwing, Ross’s Turaco, Red-headed Lovebird, Red-shouldered Cuckoo-shrike, Rufous-bellied Heron, White-headed Barbet, Red-faced Barbet, Coqui Francolin, Nubian Woodpecker, Grey Crowned Crane, White-winged Tit, Long-tailed Cisticola and Bare-faced Go-away-bird. The grasslands around Miriti Valley are famous for fascinating Northern Ground Hornbill.

While on your way to Rwonyo Camp/headquarters, you are likely to encounter the African Grey Hornbill, Blue-napped Mousebird, Barefaced Go-away –bird, Brown Parrot, Trilling Cisticola, Red-necked Spurfowl, Emerald spotted wood Dove, Crested Francolin, Greater Blue-eared starling, common scimitarbill, Green Wood-hoopoe, Broad-billed Roller, Northern Black Flycatcher, Nubian Woodpecker, Arrow marked Babler, Marico sunbird, Speckled Mousebird, Yellow-Breasted Apalis, Lilac-breasted Roller, Spot-flanked Barbet and Chin-spot Batis.

The Open grassland North of Rwonyo headquarters especially along Zebra Track is popular for Rufous-Naped Larks, African Wattled Plover, the migratory Brown-chested Plover, Black-bellied Bustard, Red-necked Spur fowl, Coqui Francolin, Yellow-throated Longclaw, lapped Larks, Temminck’s Courser, Rufous-chested Swallow and the Southern Red Bishop.

The entrance to Rwonyo Park headquarters is perfect for viewing nocturnal bird species like the White-tailed winged Nightjars, Verreaux’s Eagle-Owl, African Scops Owl, Pennant-winged Nightjars and Fiery-necked. When using the Kigambira Loop, through taller and mixed woodlands, you will come across the Red-faced Barbet and the Black-collared Barbet. Much as Lake Mburo is considered a considerably small National park, it is a home to over 35 species of raptors that include African Harrier Hawk, Banded snake, Lizard Buzzards, African Marsh Harrier, African Fish, Grey Kestrel, Gabar chanting Goshawks, Martial Eagles, African White-backed, African Hawk, Dark chanting Goshawks, Augur Buzzards, white headed Vultures and Reppell’s Griffon among others.

You will need a pair of Binoculars and a Camera for a prefect sighting of the birds species and a memorable birding experience. The best time for viewing the migratory bird species is June to August and December to February.

Lake Mburo National Park is situated about 230 kilometers/3-4 hours drive from Kampala on the Kampala-Masaka highway, and the route used to access it is Kampala-Masaka- Sanga trading center (before Mbarara town) then to Rwonyo Park Headquarters via Sanga gate.

Bird Species in Lake Mburo National Park

If you would like to explore the lake, take the road leading south out of Rwonyo Rest Camp which is the Lakeside Track. This route brings you alongside the swamp almost immediately and down to the lake edge after a kilometre.  Here you can rent a boat and go out on the lake. The fish-landing site here is haunted by marabou storks which scavenge fish offal.

A boat is available from the Park Office at Rwonyo. Please check with the Warden in charge to seee if it is available and to arrange payment. Private boats can be used, but these should be rowboats or sailboats – no out-board motors as these interfere with fishing activities and also disturb the wildlife.

The northern, western and southern areas are fringed with dense stands of the giant sedge cyperus papyrus. This seemingly monotonous habitat in fact harbours an amazing number of bird species, and there are in fact six birds here that live only in such swamps – the so-called “papyrus endemics”. The papyrus gonolek is one such bird. It has a yellow nape and crown, black wings and red breast, and long toes to allow it to grip the thick papyrus stalks.  However, you are more likely to hear its mellow plaintive calls than to see it.

In addition to the permanent swamps fringing the lakes, there are many temporary pools and seasonally flooded swamps in the park. These attract many of the birds found around the lake, but some birds perfer to feed in the seasonal swamps and flooded grasslands which are shallower and often contain abundant frogs and insects.

Pairs of saddle-billed stork are sometimes seen in the Africa. Although widely distributed, they need large territories in which to feed and breed and their wetland habitats are shrinking elsewhere due to drainage for agriculture.  This huge black and white bird has a large red and black bill with a yellow “saddle” across its base. Males and females can be distinguished by their eyes – those of the females are yellow, while those of the male are brown.

Birds of the open water

Birds of the lake side and papyrus swamps

Fish eagle
Fish eagles are magnificent birds with a chestnut-brown belly and forewings, and black flight feathers which contrast with a white head and tail.  They nest in pairs in tall tress along the lakeshore.

Woodland birds

Grassland birds
Short grass and valley bottoms:

Long grass:

Forest birds
Over forty species of birds have been recorded in the forest of which 5 are forest “specialists”; the rest can also be found in other habitats, but use the forest’s hollow trees for nesting holes, or roost in the canopy. Some of the more common species are: