Birding in Kibale Forest National Park 2024-2025 : Kibale National Park is the most magnificent of Uganda’s tropical forest and one of the most rewarding protected areas to explore. The park covers an area of about 795 kilometres and its famously known for hosting over 13 captivating primates including the fascinating chimpanzees, black and white colobus monkeys, grey cheeked mangabey, red tailed monkeys, blue monkeys, olive baboons, bush babies, pottos, mammals like forest elephants, buffaloes, bush pigs, duikers and over 375 bird species. Kibale forest national park offers a number of activities that tourists can engage in during the safari including chimpanzee trekking, nature walks, birding, cultural encounters among others.
List of amazing species of birds in Kibale National Park
During birding safari in the park, you will have a great opportunity to spot some of the different wildlife species including the gorillas and other primate species. The park is an excellent birding destination site with a variety of habitants, you will be amazed with different bird species such African Emerald Cuckoo, African green-pigeon, Black-crowned Tchagra, African wood owl, alpine swift, Ash flycatcher, Barn swallow, Black-and-white shrike-flycatcher, Black-billed Turaco, Black-billed weaver, African dusky flycatcher, Blue-shouldered Robin-chat, Blue-throated Roller, Zebra Waxbill, Brown-eared woodpecker, African-pied wagtail, Cameroon Sombre greenbul, papyrus canary, papyrus gonolek, and white collared olive, Little greenbul, Black-eared ground thrush, Brown-chested alethe, Yellow-rumped tinker bird and Blue-breasted kingfisher. Chubb’s Cisticola, Black-capped waxbill, Africa Shrike-flycatcher, African Black-headed Oriole, African Emerald Cuckoo, African green-pigeon, Black-crowned Tchagra, Green-breasted pitta which is the most sought after, African Pitta, Abyssinian ground thrush, Crowned eagle, Dusky crimsoning, Collared appalis, Black-capped appalis, Black bee-eater, Yellow spotted nicator among others
Packing list for tourists when birding in Kibale Forest National Park.
The essentials to consider on your birding safari adventure in Kibale National Park such as birds guidebook, a pair of binoculars for spotting small and distant species, good camera with good lens and enough storage , enough drinking water and snacks, sunglasses, strong waterproof hiking boots, long stocks, walking stick, long-sleeved shirts to protect your hands from being scratched, a hat, rain jacket and a sweater due to the unpredictable weather, backpack for carrying the items you will need while birding, first aid kit ,long trouser because you will be walking through the jungles with unpleasant vegetation among others.
Other activities to combine with Birding in Kibale Forest National Park 2024-2025
Chimpanzee trekking
Chimpanzee trekking is the main highlight to any safari in Kibale National Park, and is the main activity offered to visitors to ensure that tourists have an amazing time during your Uganda national parks tour. The captivating national park is home to over 1000 chimpanzees and surprisingly four chimpanzee families are habituated to ensure that you participate in chimpanzee trekking. Chimpanzee trekking in the park involves visitors walking through the different trails in the park to search for habituated chimpanzee families in Kibale National Park. During the chimpanzee trekking safari in the park, you will be fascinated with a variety of rewarding sceneries and attractions like a number of monkey species like red tailed monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys, the Mona monkey, Vervet Monkey among other monkey species. Up on encountering with these fascinating primates in their natural environment, you will be allowed on hour interaction with these captivating primates, while observing their behaviour in the park such as about the diet of the chimpanzees, their eating intervals, how they co-exist with one another among other
Nature walks
Nature walks in Kibale National Park offers visitors with an opportunity to explore the hidden gems of the forest, and also away to connect with the nature. during the nature walks in the park, you will get the chance to see a number of attractions that will be eye-catching like the different primate species like monkey species like black and white colobus monkey species, red tailed monkeys, the vervet monkey, Mona monkeys among other different monkey species, you will also have the chance to see numerous bird species like the white winged warbler, grey breated pitta, yellow spotted nicator, papyrus gonolek, white collared olive back, grey winged robin chat, black bishop, white spotted flufftail, hairy breasted barbet, black-crowned wax bill among other bird species.
Chimpanzee habituation
Kibale National Park is the only park among the 10 national parks in Uganda where chimpanzee habituation can be carried out. Chimpanzee habituation is one of the most fascinating activities in Kibale National Park that can be carried out to ensure you have unforgettable and great time during your Uganda tour safaris. This activity is a guide’s safari where visitors join a company of researchers early in the morning to trek through the jungles of the tropical rainforest to hunt for these fascinating primates. These researchers are a team of individuals who are responsible for training the primate species to get used to human presence during trekking
Cultural Encounters;
Tourists can engage with the local communities residing around the park, particularly the Batooro and the Bakiga people. During these interactions, tourists can partake in traditional practices, including traditional healing, local African crafts, music, dance, and engaging conversations with these captivating groups of people.
Best time to go for birding
You can go for birding in the Kibale Forest National Park any time of the year. However, the Kibale National Park are usually wet and often covered in the mist, the dry seasons will be a best ideal for your bird viewing safari in the park mostly in the dry months of June, July, August and September and in the shorter seasons of December, January up to mid-February. Within the dry months, there are low rain and thus offering a perfect time to spot numerous bird species that in the wet seasons.
In conclusion, apart from bird watching, Kibale national park is a home to a number of wild life species among which include the endangered chimpanzees, golden monkeys, andother primate species, giant forest hogs, duikers, buffaloes, African elephantsamong others. There are other three national parks in Uganda that can be visited for many tourism activities including bird watching safaris and these include Queen Elizabeth national park with its amazing wildlife and the tree climbing lions that can be seen during the game drive, or you can choose to visit Bwindi Impenetrable forest national park to trek the mountain gorillas and lastly you can visit Murchison falls national park for chimpanzee trekking as well as immersing yourselves with the thrilling waterfalls.