Uganda Birding Top Destinations
Uganda is considered as a birders’ haven in Africa because of its huge boost of different bird species recorded sightable; it is recorded with over 1061 bird species including the uniquely spotted species and below is the permanent resident species in Uganda’s top major birding sites.
Ostriches
The Ostrich is a flightless bird native to Africa. It is the largest living species of bird. It is
distinctive in its appearance, with a long neck and legs and the ability to run at high speeds.
Grebes
Grebes are small to medium-large sized freshwater diving birds. They have lobed toes, and are
excellent swimmers and divers. However, they have their feet placed far back on the body,
making them quite ungainly on land. There are 20 species worldwide and 3 species which occur
in Uganda which include little grebe, Great crested and Eared grebe.
Shear waters and petrels
The procellariids are the main group of medium-sized ‘true petrels’, characterized by united
nostrils with a medium septum, and a long outer functional primary. There are 75 species
worldwide and 1 species which occur in Uganda known as Antarctic giant petrel.
Pelicans
Pelicans are large water birds with a distinctive pouch under the beak. As with other members of
the order Pelecaniformes, they have webbed feet with four toes. There are 8 species worldwide
and 2 species which occur in Uganda which include Great white pelican, and pink-backed pelican.
Cormorants
Crocoracidae is a family of medium-to-large coastal, fish-eating sea-birds that includes
cormorants and shags. Plumage colouration varies with the majority having mainly dark
plumage, some species being black and white, and a few being colourful. There are 38 species
worldwide and 2 species which occur in Uganda, these species include Great cormorant and long-tailed cormorant.
Darters
Darters are frequently referred to as “snake-birds” because of their long thin neck, which gives a
snake-like appearance when they swim with their bodies submerged. The males have black and
dark brown plumage, an erectile crest on the nape and a larger bill than the female. The females
have a much paler plumage especially on the neck and underparts. The darters have completely
webbed feet, and their legs are short and set far back on the body. Their plumage is somewhat
permeable, like that of cormorants, and they spread their wings to dry after diving. There are 4
species worldwide and 1 species which occurs in Uganda known as African darter.
Bitterns, herons and egrets
The family Ardeidae contains the bitterns, herons and egrets. Herons and egrets are medium to
large sized wading birds with long necks and legs. Bitterns tend to be shorter necked and more
wary. Unlike other long-necked birds suck as storks, ibises and spoonbills, members of Ardeidae
fly with their necks retracted. There are 61 species worldwide and 17 species which occur in
Uganda and these include grey heron, black-headed heron, goliath heron, purple heron, great egret, black heron, intermediate egret, little egret, squacco heron, Madagascar pond heron, Rufous-bellied heron, Cattle egret, striated heron, Black-crowned night-heron, White- backed night heron, Dwarf bittern, and Great bittern.
Hamerkop
The Hamerkop is a medium-sized bird with a long shaggy crest. The shape of its head with a
curved bill and crest at the back is reminiscent of a hammer, hence its name. Its plumage is a
drab brown all over.
Storks
Storks are large, long-legged, long-necked, wading birds with long, stout bills. Storks are mute; bill-clattering is an important mode of stork communication at the nest. Their nests can be large and may be reused for many years. Many species are migratory. There are 19 species worldwide and 8 species which occur in Uganda and these in Uganda include Yellow-billed stork, African open bill, Black stork, Abdim’s stork, Woolly-necked stork, white stork, Saddle-billed stork, and Marabou stork.
Shoe bill
The Shoe bill is a large bird related to the storks. It derives its name from its massive shoe-shaped
bill.
Ibises and spoonbills
The Threskiornithidae is a family of large terrestrial and wading birds which includes the ibises
and spoonbills. They have long, broad wings with 11 primary and about 20 secondary feathers.
They are strong fliers and despite their size and weight, very capable soarers. There are 36
species worldwide and 7 species which occur in Uganda which include Sacred ibis, Olive ibis, Spot-breasted ibis, Hadada ibis, Glossy ibis, Eurasian Spoonbill, and African Spoonbill.
Flamingos
Flamingos are gregarious wading birds, usually 3 to 5 feet high, found in both the Western and
Eastern Hemispheres. They are more numerous in the latter. Flamingos filter-feed on shellfish
and algae. Their oddly-shaped beaks are specially adapted to separate mud and silt from the food
they consume, and are uniquely used upside-down. There are 6 species worldwide and 2 species
which occur in Uganda which include Greater flamingo and lesser flamingo.
Ducks, geese and swans
The family Anatidae includes the ducks and most duck-like waterfowl, such as geese and swans.
These are birds that are modified for an aquatic existence with webbed feet, flattened bills and
feathers that are excellent at shedding water due to an oily coating. There are 131 species
worldwide and 23 species which occur in Uganda and these include Fulvous whistling duck, White- faced whistling duck, White- backed duck, Egyptian goose, Super-winged goose, Comb duck, Hartlaub’s duck, African pygmy-goose, African black duck, Eurasian wigeon, Eurasian teal, Cape teal, Yellow-billed duck, Northern pintail, Red-billed duck, Hottentot teal, Garganey Anas, Northern shoveler, Southern pochard, Common orchard, ferruginous orchard, Tufted duck, and Maccoa duck.
Osprey
The Pandionidae family contains only one species, the Osprey. The Osprey is a medium large
raptor which is a specialist fish-eater with a worldwide distribution.
Hawks, kites and eagles
Accipitridae is a family of birds of prey and include hawks, eagles, kites, harriers and Old World
vultures. These birds have powerful hooked beaks for tearing flesh from their prey, strong legs,
powerful talons, and keen eyesight. There are 233 species worldwide and 60 species which occur
in Uganda and these include African Cuckoo-hawk, European honey-buzzard, Bat hawk, Black-shouldered kite, Scissor- tailed kite, Red kite, Black kite, African Fish-eagle, Palm-nut Vulture, Hooded vulture, Lammergeier, Egyptian vulture, White-backed vulture, Rueppell’s Griffon, Lappet-faced vulture, White-headed vulture, Beaudouin’s snake-eagle, black- chested snake-eagle, brown snake-eagle, banded snake-eagle, bateleur, Congo serpent-eagle, Western marsh harrier, African marsh harrier, Pallid harrier, Montagu’s harrier, African harrier-hawk, Lizard buzzard, Dark Chanting goshawk, Eastern chanting goshawk, Gabar goshawk, Red chested goshawk, Chesnut-flanked sparrowhawk, Shikra, Levant sparrowhawk, Red thighed sparrowhawk, Little sparrowhawk, Ovampo sparrowhawk, Rufous sparrowhawk, Black goshawk, Long tailed hawk, grasshopper buzzard, Eurasian Buzzard, Mountain buzzard, long-legged buzzard, Red-necked buzzard, Augur buzzard, lesser spotted eagle, Greater spotted eagle, Tawny eagle, Steppe eagle, Wahlberg’s eagle, Verreaux’s eagle, African hawk-eagle, Booted eagle, Ayres’s hawk-eagle, Martial eagle, Long-crested eagle, Cassin’s hawk-eagle and Crowned eagle.
Secretary-bird
The Secretary-bird is a bird of prey in the order Falconiformes but is easily distinguished from
other raptors by its long crane-like legs.
Caracaras and falcons
Falconidae is a family of diurnal birds of prey. They differ from hawks, eagles, and kites in that
they kill with their beaks instead of their feet. There are 62 species worldwide and 16 species
which occur in Uganda and these include Pygmy Falcon, Lesser kestrel, Eurasian Kestrel, Greater kestrel, Fox kestrel, Gray Kestrel, Red-necked Falcon, Red-footed Falcon, Amur Falcon, Eleonora’s falcon, Sooty falcon, Eurasian hobby, African hobby, Lanner falcon, Taita Falcon and Peregrine falcon.
Pheasants and partridges
The Phasianidae are a family of terrestrial birds which consists of quails, partridges, snowcocks,
francolins, spurfowls, tragopans, monals, pheasants, peafowls and jungle fowls. In general, they
are plump (although they may vary in size) and have broad, relatively short wings. There are 156
species worldwide and 21 species which occur in Uganda, these Ugandan spotted species include Coqui francolin, Forest francolin, Crested francolin, Ring-necked francolin, Red-winged francolin, Moorland francolin, Shelley’s francolin, Orange river francolin, Scaly francolin, Nahan’s francolin, Heuglin’s francolin, Clapperton’s francolin, Hildebrandt’s francolin, Yellow-necked francolin, Jackson’s francolin, Handsome francolin, Common quail, Harlequin quail, Blue quail and Stone partridge.
Guineafowl
Guineafowl are a group of African, seed-eating, ground-nesting birds that resemble partridges,
but with featherless heads and spangled grey plumage. There are 6 species worldwide and 3
species which occur in Uganda which include Helmeted guineafowl, Crested guineafowl, and Vulturine guineafowl.
Buttonquails
The buttonquails are small, drab, running birds which resemble the true quails. The female is the
brighter of the sexes, and initiates courtship. The male incubates the eggs and tends the young.
There are 16 species worldwide and 3 species which occur in Uganda and these include small buttonquail, Hottentot buttonquail and Quail-plover.
Cranes
Cranes are large, long-legged and long-necked birds. Unlike the similar-looking but unrelated
herons, cranes fly with necks outstretched, not pulled back. Most have elaborated and noisy
courting displays or “dances”. There are 15 species worldwide and 2 species which occur in
Uganda named to be Grey crowned crane, and Black crowned crane.
Rails, crakes, gallinules, and coots
Rallidae is a large family of small to medium-sized birds which includes the rails, crakes, coots,
and gallinules. Typically, they inhabit dense vegetation in damp environments near lakes,
swamps, or rivers. In general, they are shy and secretive birds, difficult to observe. Most species
have strong legs, and have long toes which are well adapted to soft, uneven surfaces. They tend
to have short, rounded wings and be weak fliers. There are 143 species worldwide and 19 species
which occur in Uganda, these species in Uganda include White-spotted, Buff-spotted, Red-chested, streaky-breasted, Nkulengu rail, Gray-throated, African rail, African crake, Corn crake, Black crake, little crake, Baillon’s crake, spotted crake, Striped crake, purple swamphen, Allen’s gallinule, Common Moorhen, Lesser Moorhen, and Red-knobbed coot.
Sun grebe and Finfoots
The Heliornithid are small family of tropical birds with webbed lobes on their feet similar to
those of grebes and coots. There are 3 species worldwide and 1 species which occurs in Uganda known as the African finfoot.
Bustards
Bustards are large terrestrial birds mainly associated with dry open country
and steppes in the Old World. They areomnivorous and nest on the ground. They walk steadily on strong legs and big toes, pecking for food as they go. They have long broad wings with “fingered” wingtips, and striking patterns in flight. Many have interesting mating displays. There are 26 species worldwide and 6 species which occur in Uganda. These Species in Uganda include Kori bustard, Stanley bustard, White-bellied bustard, Buff-crested bustard, Black-bellied bustard and hartlaub’s bustard.
Jacanas
The jacanas are a group of tropical waders in the family Jacanidae. They are found worldwide in
the Tropics. They are identifiable by their huge feet and claws which enable them to walk on
floating vegetation in the shallow lakes that are their preferred habitat. There 8 species
worldwide and 2 species which occur in Uganda including Lesser Jacana and African Jacana.
Painted snipe
Painted snipe are short-legged, long-billed birds similar in shape to the true snipes, but more
brightly coloured. There are 2 species worldwide and 1 species which occurs in Uganda named to be the Greater painted-snipe.
Oystercatchers
The oystercatchers are large and noisy plover-like birds, with strong bills used for smashing or
prising open molluscs. There are 11 species worldwide and 1 species which occurs in Uganda, this is the Eurasian oystercatcher.
Avocets and stilts
Recurvirostridae is a family of large wading birds, which includes the avocets and the stilts. The
avocets have long legs and long up-curved bills. The stilts have extremely long legs and long,
thin, straight bills. There are 9 species worldwide and 2 species which occur in Uganda including Black-winged stilt and Pied Avocet.
Thick-knees
The thick-knees are a group of largely tropical waders in the family Burhinidae. They are found
worldwide within the tropical zone, with some species also breeding in temperate Europe and
Australia. They are medium to large waders with strong black or yellow black bills, large yellow
eyes and cryptic plumage. Despite being classed as waders, most species have a preference for
arid or semi-arid habitats. There are 9 species worldwide and 4 species which occur in Uganda including the Water thick-knee, Eurasian thick-knee, Senegal thick-knee and spotted thick-knee.
Pratincoles and coursers
Glareolidae is a family of wading birds comprising the pratincoles, which have short legs, long
pointed wings and long forked tails, and the coursers, which have long legs, short wings and long
pointed bills which curve downwards. There are 17 species worldwide and 8 species which occur
in Uganda, these include Egyptian plover, Temminck’s courser, Three-banded courser, Bronze winged courser, collared pratincole, Black- winged pratincole, Madagascar pratincole and Rock pratincole.
Plovers and lapwings
The family Charadriidae includes the plovers, dotterels, and lapwings. They are small to
medium-sized birds with compact bodies, short, thick necks and long, usually pointed wings.
They are found in open country worldwide, mostly in habitats near water, although there are
some exceptions. There are 66 species worldwide and 18 species which occur in Uganda, these include Long-toed lapwing, Spur-winged plover, Black-headed lapwing, Senegal lapwing, crowned lapwing, wattled lapwing, Brown-chested lapwing, Black-bellied plover, common ringed plover, little ringed plover, kittlitz’s plover, three-banded plover, forbes’s plover, white-fronted plover, snowy plover, lesser sand plover, greater sand plover, and Caspian plover.
Sandpipers and allies
The Scolopacidae are a large diverse family of small to medium sized shorebirds including the
sandpipers, curlews, godwits, shanks, tattlers, woodcocks, snipes, dowitchers and phalaropes.
The majority of species eat small invertebrates picked out of the mud or soil. Variation in length
of legs and bills enable different species to feed in the same habitat, particularly on the coast,
without direct competition for food. There are 89 species worldwide and 25 species which occur
in Uganda. These include Jack snipe, African snipe, great snipe, common snipe, black-tailed godwit, whimbrel, Eurasian curlew, Spotted redshank, common redshank, marsh sandpiper, common greenshank, lesser yellowlegs, green sandpiper, wood sandpiper, terek sandpiper, common sandpiper, ruddey turnstone, sanderling, little stint, temminck’s stint, curlew sandpiper, dunlin, broad-billed sandpiper, ruff and Red-necked.
Gulls
Laridae is a family of medium to large bird’s seabirds and includes gulls and kittiwakes. They are
typically grey or white, often with black markings on the head or wings. They have stout, longish
bills and webbed feet. There are 55 species worldwide and 6 species which appear in Uganda, these include herring gull, lesser black-backed gull, Caspian gull, great black-headed gull, grey-headed gull and black-headed gull.
Terns
Terns are a group of generally general medium to large sea-birds typically with grey or white
plumage, often with black markings on the head. Most terns hunt fish by diving but some pick
insects off the surface of fresh water. Terns are generally long-lived birds, with several species
now known to live in excess of 25 to 30 years. There are 44 species worldwide and 7 species
which occur in Uganda. These Species include gull-billed tern, Caspian tern, lesser crested tern, common tern, whiskered tern, white-winged tern and black tern.
Skimmers
Skimmers are a small family of tropical tern-like birds. They have an elongated lower mandible
which they use to feed by flying low over the water surface and skimming the water for small
fish. There are 3 species worldwide and 1 species which occurs in Uganda and this is the African Skimmer.
Sandgrouse
Sandgrouse have small, pigeon like heads and necks, but sturdy compact bodies. They have long
pointed wings and sometimes tails and a fast direct flight. Flocks fly to watering holes at dawn
and dusk. Their legs are feathered down to the toes. There are 16 species worldwide and 3
species which occur in Uganda (Black-faced sandgrouse, Lichtenstein’s sandgrouse and four-banded sandgrouse).
Pigeons and doves
Pigeons and doves are stout-bodied birds with short necks and short slender bills with a fleshy
cere. There are 308 species worldwide and 22 species which occur in Uganda. These include Rock pigeon, speckled pigeon, Afep pigeon, Rameron pigeon, White-naped pigeon, delegorgue’s pigeon, western bronze-naped pigeon, lemon dove, Eurasian turtle dove, dusky turtle dove, African mourning dove, red-eyed dove, ring-necked dove, vinaceous dove, laughing dove, emerald-spotted wood dove, blue spotted wood dove, tambourine dove, Namaqua dove, Bruce’s green pigeon and African green pigeon.
Parrots
Parrots are small to large birds with a characteristic curved beak shape. Their upper mandibles
have slight mobility in the joint with the skull and the have a generally erect stance. All parrots
are zygodactyl, having the four toes on each foot placed two at the front and two back. There are
335 species worldwide and 7 species which occur in Uganda. These seven species include Rose-ringed parakeet, red-headed lovebird, black-collered lovebird, gray parrot, brown-necked parrot, Red-fronted parrot and Meyer’s parrot.
Turacos
The turacos, plantain eaters and go-away birds make up the bird family Musophagidae. They are
medium-sized arboreal birds. The turacos and plantain eaters are brightly coloured birds, usually
blue, green or purple. The go-away birds are mostly grey and white. There are 23 species
worldwide and 10 species which occur in Uganda, these include Great blue turaco, Black-billed turaco, White-crested turaco, Hartlaub’s turaco, purple-crested turaco, Ruwenzori turaco, Ross’s turaco, Bare-faced go-away-bid, White-bellied go-away-bird, and Eastern plantain-eater.
Cuckoos
The family Cuculidae includes cuckoos, roadrunners and anis. These birds are of variable size
with slender bodies, long tails and strong legs. Unlike the cuckoo species of the Old World,
North American cuckoos are not brood parasites. There are 138 species worldwide and 22
species which occur in Uganda. These include pied cuckoo, Levaillant’s cuckoo, great spotted cuckoo, thick-billed cuckoo, Red-chested cuckoo, Black cuckoo, Common cuckoo, African Cuckoo, Lesser cuckoo, Madagascar cuckoo, Dusky long-tailed cuckoo, Olive long-tailed, cuckoo, Barred long-tailed cuckoo, Yellow-throated cuckoo, Klaas’s cuckoo, African Emerald cuckoo, Dideric cuckoo, Yellowbill, Black coucal, Blue-headed Coucal, Senegal Coucal and White browed coucal.
Barn owls
Barn owls are medium to large sized owls with large heads and characteristic heart-shaped faces.
They have long strong legs with powerful talons. There are 16 species worldwide and 2 species
which occur in Uganda. These include African grass-owl, and Barn owl.
Typical owls
Typical owls are small to large solitary nocturnal birds of prey. They have large forward-facing
eyes and ears, a hawk-like beak, and a conspicuous circle of feathers around each eye called a
facial disk. There are 195 species worldwide and 17 species which occur in Uganda and these include African scops-owl, Southern white-faced, Cape eagle-owl, Spotted eagle-owl, grayish eagle-owl, fraser’s eagle-owl, Shelley’s eagle-owl, Verreaux’s eagle-owl, pel’s fishing-owl, African wood-owl, Pearl-spotted owlet, red-chested owlet, African barred owlet, chestnut owlet, African long-eared owl, Short-eared owl and marsh owl.
Nightjars
Nightjars are medium-sized nocturnal birds with long wings, short legs and very short bills that
usually nest on the ground. Most have small feet, of little use for walking, and long pointed
wings. Their soft plumage is camouflaged to resemble bark or leaves.
There are 86 species
worldwide and 16 species which occur in Uganda. These include Eurasian Nightjar, Sombre nightjar, black-shouldered nightjar, fiery-necked nightjar, Abyssinian nightjar, montane nightjar, swamp nightjar, plain nightjar, star-spotted nightjar, freckled nightjar, bates’s nightjar, long-tailed nightjar, slender-tailed nightjar, square-tailed nightjar, pennant-winged nightjar and standard-winged nightjar.
Swifts
Swifts are small aerial birds, spending the majority of their lives flying. These birds have very
short legs and never settle voluntarily on the ground, perching instead only on vertical surfaces.
Many swifts have long swept-back wings that resemble a crescent or a boomerang. There are 98
species worldwide and 14 species in Uganda which include Scarce swift, mottled spinetail, sabine’s spinetail, cassin’s spinetail, African palm swift, Alpine swift, mottled swift, common swift, Nyanza swift, pallid swift, African swift, little swift, horus swift, and white-rumped swift.
Mousebirds
The mousebirds are slender greyish or brown birds with soft, hairlike body feathers and very
long thin tails. They are arboreal and scurry through the leaves like rodents in search of berries,
fruit and buds. They are acrobatic, and can feed upside down. All species have strong claws and
reversible outer toes. They also have crests and stubby bills. There are 6 species worldwide and 2
species which occur in Uganda and these include speckled mousebird and blue-naped mousebird.
Trogons
The family Trogonidae includes trogons and quetzals. Found in tropical woodlands worldwide,
they feed on insects and fruit, and their broad bills and weak legs reflect their diet and arboreal
habits. Although their flight is fast, they are reluctant to fly any distance. Trogons have soft,
often colourful, feathers with distinctive male and female plumage. There are 33 species
worldwide and 2 species are permanent residents in Uganda and these include Narina trogon and bar-tailed trogon.
Kingfishers
Kingfishers are medium-sized birds with large heads, long pointed bills, short legs, and stubby
tails. There are 93 species worldwide and 13 species which occur in Uganda and these include Half-collared kingfisher, shining-blue kingfisher, malachite kingfisher, white-bellied kingfisher, African pygmy kingfisher, Dwarf kingfisher, Chocolate-backed kingfisher, Gray-headed kingfisher, Woodland kingfisher, Blue-breasted kingfisher, striped kingfisher, Giant kingfisher, and pied kingfisher.
Bee-eaters
The bee-eaters are a group of near passerine birds in the family Meropidae. Most species are
found in Africa but others occur in southern Europe, Madagascar, Australia and New Guinea.
They are characterized by richly coloured plumage, slender bodies and usually elongated central
tail feathers. All are colorful and have long downturned bills and pointed wings, which give them
a swallow-like appearance when seen from afar. There are 26 species worldwide and 13 species
which occur in Uganda and these include Black bee-eater, Red throated bee-eater, White-fronted bee-eater, Little bee-eater, Blue-breasted bee-eater, Cinnamon-chested bee-eater, Swallow-tailed bee-eater, White-throated bee-eater, Green bee-eater, Blue-cheeked bee-eater, Madagascar bee-eater, European bee-eater and Northern carmine bee-eater.
Typical rollers
Rollers resemble crows in size and build, but are more closely related to the kingfishers and bee eaters. They share the colourful appearance of those groups with blues and browns
predominating. The two inner front toes are connected, but the outer toe is not. There are 12
species worldwide and 6 species which occur in Uganda. These species in Uganda include European roller, Abyssinian roller, Lilac-breasted roller, Rufous-crowned roller, Broad-billed roller and Blue-throated roller.
Hoopoes
Hoopoes have black, white and orangey-pink coloring with a large erectile crest on their head.
There are 2 species worldwide and 1 species which occurs in Uganda.
Woodhoopoes
The woodhoopoes are related to the kingfishers, rollers and hoopoe. They most resemble the last
species with their long-curved bills, used for probing for insects, and short rounded wings.
However, they differ in that they have metallic plumage, often blue, green or purple, and lack an
erectile crest. There are 8 species worldwide and 6 species which occur in Uganda, these include Green woodhoopoe, White-headed woodhoopoe, Forest woodhoopoe, Black Scimitar-bill, Common Scimitar-bill, and Abyssinian Scimitar-bill.
Hornbills
Hornbills are a group of birds whose bill is shaped like a cow’s horn, but without a twist,
sometimes with a casque on the upper mandible. Frequently, the bill is brightly coloured. There
are 57 species worldwide and 17 species which occur in Uganda. These Species in Uganda include White-crested hornbill, Black dwarf hornbill, Red-billed dwarf hornbill, Red-billed hornbill, Eastern yellow-billed hornbill, Jackson’s hornbill, Crowned hornbill, African pied hornbill, Hemprich’s hornbill, African grey hornbill, Piping hornbill, Black and white-casqued hornbill, Brown-cheeked hornbill, White-thighed hornbill, Black-casqued hornbill, Abyssinian ground hornbill and Southern ground hornbill.
Barbets
The barbets are plump birds, with short necks and large heads. They get their name from the
bristles which fringe their heavy bills. Most species are brightly coloured. There are 84 species
worldwide and 24 species which occur in Uganda and these include Grey-throated barbet, Speckled tinkerbird, Western tinkerbird, Moustached tinkerbird, Green tinkerbird, Red-rumped tinkerbird, Yellow-throated tinkerbird, Yellow-rumped tinkerbird, Yellow-fronted tinkerbird, Red-fronted tinkerbird, Yellow-spotted barbet, Hairy-breasted barbet, Red-fronted barbet, Spot-flanked barbet, White-headed barbet, Red-faced barbet, Black-billed barbet, Black-collared barbet, Double-toothed barbet, Black-breasted barbet, Yellow-billed barbet, Crested barbet, Red and yellow barbet, and D’Arnaud’s barbet.
Honeyguides
Honeyguides are among the few birds that feed on wax. They are named for the behaviour of the
Greater Honeyguide which leads large animals to bees’ nests and then feeds on the wax once the
animal has broken the nest open to get at the honey. There are 17 species worldwide and 13
species which occur in Uganda, these include Spotted honeyguide, Scaly-throated honeyguide, Greater honeyguide, Lesser honeyguide, Thick-billed honeyguide, Willcock’s honeyguide, least honeyguide, Dwarf honeyguide, Pallid honeyguide, Lyre-tailed honeyguide, Zenker’s honeyguide, Cassin’s honeyguide, and Wahlberg’s honeyguide.
Woodpeckers and allies
Woodpeckers are small to medium sized birds with chisel like beaks, short legs, stiff tails and
long tongues used for capturing insects. Some species have feet with two toes pointing forward,
and two backward, while several species have only three toes. Many woodpeckers have the habit
of tapping noisily on tree trunks with their beaks. There are 218 species worldwide and 19
species which occur in Uganda. These include Eurasian wryneck, Rufous-necked wryneck, African piculet, Nubian woodpecker, Bennett’s woodpecker, Golden-tailed woodpecker, Green-backed woodpecker, Tullberg’s woodpecker, Buff-spotted woodpecker, Brown-eared woodpecker, Speckle-breasted woodpecker, Cardinal Woodpecker, Gabon woodpecker, Bearded woodpecker, Golden-crowned woodpecker, Elliot’s woodpecker, grey woodpecker, Olive woodpecker and Brown-backed Woodpecker.
Broadbills
The broadbills are small, brightly coloured birds that feed on fruit and also take insects in
flycatcher fashion, snapping their broad bills. Their habitat is canopies of wet forests. There are
15 species worldwide and 3 species which occur in Uganda. These include African broadbill, Rufous-sided broadbill and Grauer’s broadbill.
Pittas
Pittas are medium-sized by passerine standards, and stocky, with fairly long, strong legs, short
tails and stout bills. Many, but not all, are brightly coloured. They are spending the majority of their time on wet forest floors, eating snails, insects and similar invertebrate prey which they find
there. There are 32 species worldwide and 2 species which occur in Uganda. These include African pitta and Green-breasted pitta.
Larks
Larks are small terrestrial birds with often extravagant songs and display flights. Most larks are
fairly dull in appearance. Their food is insects and seeds. There are 91 species worldwide and 13
species which occur in Uganda. These bird species in Uganda include Singing bushlark, White-tailed lark, Red-winged lark, Rufous-naped lark, Flappet lark, Pink-breasted lark, Fawn-colored lark, Foxy lark, Rufous-rumped lark, Chestnut-backed sparrow-lark, Fischer’s sparoow-lark, Red-capped lark and Sun lark.
Swallows and martins
The Hirundinidae family is a group of passerines characterized by their adaptation to aerial
feeding. Their adaptations include a slender streamlined body, long pointed wings and short bills
with wide gape. The feet are designed for perching rather than walking, and the front toes are
partially joined at the base. There are 75 species worldwide and 18 species which occur in
Uganda. These eighteen species in Uganda include Bank swallow, Plain martin, Banded martin, Grey-rumped swallow, Rock martin, Barn swallow, Ethiopian swallow, Angola swallow, Wire-tailed swallow, White-throated blue swallow, blue swallow, Lesser striped swallow, Rufous-chested swallow, Mosque swallow, Red-rumped swallow, Common house martin, White-headed sawing and blue sawing.
Wagtails and pipits
The Motacillidae are a family of small passerine birds with medium to long tails. They include the wagtails, longclaws and pipits. They are slender, ground feeding insectivores of open country. There are 54 species worldwide and 16 species which
occur in Uganda. These species include White wagtail, African pied wagtail, Cape wagtail, yellow wagtail, gray wagtail, Mountain wagtail, Golden pipit, Yellow-throated longclaw, Jackson’s pipit, Plain-backed pipit, African pipit, Tawny pipit, Long-billed pipit, Short-tailed pipit, Tree pipit and Red-throated pipit.
Cuckoo-shrikes
The cuckoo-shrikes are small to medium-sized passerine birds. They are predominantly greyish
with white and black, although some species are brightly coloured. There are 82 species
worldwide and 8 species which occur in Uganda and these include White-breasted Cuckoo-shrike, blue cuckoo-shrike, grey cuckoo-shrike, Grauer’s cuckoo-shrike, Petit’s Cuckoo-shrike, Black Cuckoo-shrike, Red-shouldered Cuckoo-shrike and Purple-throated Cuckoo-shrike.
Bulbuls
Bulbuls are medium-sized songbirds. Some are colourful with yellow, red or orange vents,
cheeks, throat or supercilia, but most are drab, with uniform olive brown to black plumage. Some
species have distinct crests. There are 130 species worldwide and 30 species which occur in
Uganda. These species include Common bulbul, Shelley’s greenbul, Little greenbul, Grey greenbul, Ansorge’s greenbul, Plain greenbul, Slender-billed greenbul, Yellow-whiskered bulbul, Eastern mountain greenbul, Honeyguide greenbul, Spotted greenbul, Simple greenbul, Yellow-throated greenbul, Joyful greenbul, Swamp greenbul, Leaf-love, Cabanis’s greenbul, Northern brownbul, Toro Olive-greenbul, Sassi’s greenbul, Yellow-streaked bulbul, White-throated greenbul, Icterine greenbul, Xavier’s greenbul, Common bristle bill, Green-tailed bristle bill, Yellow-spotted Nicator, Yellow-throated Nicator, Red-tailed greenbul and Eastern bearded greenbul.
Thrushes and allies
The thrushes are a group of passerine birds that occur mainly in the Old World. They are plump,
soft plumaged, small to medium-sized insectivores or sometimes omnivores, often feeding on the
ground. Many have attractive songs. There are 335 species worldwide and 16 species which
occur in Uganda. These sixteen spotted species include Rufous flycatcher-thrush, Red-tailed Ant-thrush, White-tailed Ant-thrush, Miombo Rock-thrush, Rufous-tailed rock-thrush, Little rock-thrush, Abyssinian ground-thrush, Kivu ground-thrush, Black-eared ground-thrush, Gray ground-thrush, Oberlaender’s ground-thrush, Olive thrush, African thrush, Brown-chested Alethe, Red-throated Alethe and Fire-crested Alethe.
Cisticolas and allies
The Cisticolidae are warblers found mainly in warmer southern regions of the Old World. They
are generally very small birds of drab brown or grey appearance found in open country such as
grassland or scrub. There are 111 species worldwide and 43 species which occur in Uganda, these include Red-faced cisticola, Singing cisticola, Whistling cisticola, Trilling cisticola, Chubb’s cisticola, Hunter’s cisticola, Rock-loving cisticola, Rattling cisticola, Red-pate cisticola, Wailing Cisticola, Winding cisticola, Carruthers’s cisticola, Stout cisticola, Croaking cisticola, Tabora cisticola, Siffling cisticola, Foxy cisticola, Zitting cisticola, Black-necked cisticola, Wing-snappping cisticola, Tawny-flanked Prinia, Pale Prinia, White-chinned prinia, Banded prinia, Red-winged prinia, Red-winged gray warbler, Black-collared Apalis, Ruwenzori Apalis, Black-capped Apalis, Black-throated Apalis, Masked Apalis, Black-faced Apalis, Yellow-breasted Apalis, Buff-throated Apalis, Chestnut-throated Apalis, Gray Apalis, Karamoja Apalis, Red-fronted Warbler, gray-capped warbler, green-backed camaroptera, Yellow-browned camaroptera, Olive-green camaroptera and Gray wren warbler.
Old World warblers
The family Sylviidae is a group of small insectivorous passerine birds. The Sylviidae mainly
occur as breeding species, as the common name implies, in Europe, Asia and, to a lesser extent
Africa. Most are of generally undistinguished appearance, but many have distinctive songs.
There are 291 species worldwide and 55 species which occur in Uganda, these include African bush-Warbler, White-winged scrub warbler, Grauer’s Scrub warbler, Bamboo scrub warbler, Cameroon Scrub warbler, Cinnamon bracken warbler, Black-faced Rufous warbler, Moustached grass warbler, Eurasian river Warbler, Sedge warbler, Eurasian Reed warbler, African Reed warbler, Marsh Warbler, Great Reed-warbler, Basra Reed-warbler, Greater swamp warbler, lesser swamp warbler, Eastern Olivaceous warbler, Upcher’s warbler, Icterine warbler, African yellow warbler, Mountain yellow warbler, Papyrus yellow warbler, Buff-bellied warbler, Grauer’s warbler, Yellow-vented eremomela, Yellow-bellied eremomela, Senegal eremomela, Green-backed eremomela, Greencap eremomela, Rufous-crowned eremomela, Turner’s eremomela, Green crombec, Lemon-bellied crombec, White-browned crombec, Northern Crombec, Red-faced Crombec, Neumann,s warbler, Yellow longbill, Gray longbill, Green hylia, Red-faced woodland warbler, Uganda wood warbler, Brown woodland warbler, Willow warbler, Common chiffchaff, Wood warbler, Yellow-bellied hyliota, Southern hyliota, Fan-tailed grassbird, Blackcap Sylvia, Southern hyliota, Fan-tailed Grassbird, Blackcap Sylvia, Garden warbler, Greater whitethroat, Barred warbler, and Brown warbler.
Old World flycatchers
Old World flycatchers are a large group of small passerine birds native to the Old World. They
are mainly small arboreal insectivores. The appearance of these birds is very varied, but they
mostly have weak songs and harsh calls. There 274 species worldwide and 59 species which
occur in Uganda. These include Silverbird, Pale flycatcher, African gray flycatcher, White eyed slaty flycatcher, Northern black flycatcher, Southern black flycatcher, Yellow-eyed black flycatcher, African forest flycatcher, Spotted flycatcher, Gambaga flycatcher, Sooty flycatcher, Swamp flycatcher, Chapin’s flycatcher, African dusky flycatcher, Yellow-footed flycatcher, Dusky-blue flycatcher, Cassin’s flycatcher, Ashy flycatcher, Gray-throated tit flycatcher, Gray tit-flycatcher, European pied flycatcher, Collared flycatcher, Semi collared flycatcher, White-starred robin, Forest robin, Lowland Akalat, Equatorial Akalat, Thrush nightingale, Common nightingale, White-bellied Robin-chat, Archer’s Robin-chat, Cape Robin-chat, Blue-shouldered Robin-chat and Gray-winged Robin-chat. For more information contact us.
