Birding in Kibale Forest National Park

Birding in Kibale Forest : Kibale Forest National Park is an incredible Uganda safari destination and a great spot for Uganda birding safaris, the park covers the evergreen rainforest and ranges between 1100 and 1600m in altitude.

Kibale Forest National Park is found in western Uganda about 326 km (5-6 hours’ drive) from Kampala City, the park is situated about 26 kilometers about 1-hour’s drive south-east of the beautiful Fort Portal City and close to the tranquil Ndali- Kasenda Crater area.

This beautiful park is also located near the other amazing Uganda Safari destinations/national parks in Uganda including Queen Elizabeth National Park, Rwenzori Mountains National Park and Semuliki National Park.

Kibale Forest National Park is a treasured destination for birding in Uganda hosting about 375 bird species including 6 Albertine Rift Endemics, the number one sought – after bird in Kibale Forest – the rare and green Green-breasted Pitta.

Key bird species spotted in Kibale Forest National Park include 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, 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, 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 among so many others.

On birding tour experience in Kibale Forest National Park, you are accompanied by a guide, follow the forest trails and lookout for different types of birds.

Birding tours in Kibale National Park start as early as 7 am in the morning at Kanyanchu Visitor Center under the guidance of an experienced bird guide, with a bird guide travelers are guaranteed to spot a variety of bird species given that the guides know the best trails to take.

The best place to do birding in Kibale Forest is on nature walks through the Bigodi Swamp where a number of birds can be seen on the trail as well as conservation projects.

Best Time for Birding in Kibale Forest National Park

Birding in Kibale Forest National Park can be done all year round and the bird-life is good through the year, but the best time is from March to May and from September to November. June to September is the main fruiting season in Kibale Forest, so food is abundant and many birds are in their breeding plumage.

In Kibale Forest National Park, migratory birds arrive in the park and can be found here from November to April.

December to February and June to July have the least rain while March to May and September to November have the most rain. Rainstorms might limit your bird-watching time.

Kibale Forest National Park is the most accessible of Uganda’s major rainforests and is well-established chimpanzee tracking destination with a high success rate. In addition to chimpanzees, other primates that may be found on the guided walks in Kibale include Guereza Colobus, Olive Baboon, Grey-cheeked Mangabey, L’Hoest’s and Red-tailed Monkeys which are more likely to be found in open areas adjacent to the forest.

Also, you may find evidence of elephants, bush pigs and buffaloes along the trails, whilst bushbucks, blue, harvey’s and peter’s duikers are other shy inhabitants of the forest interior.

The guided night walks are also rewarding offering visitors opportunity to spot Potto, Bush Babies- Spectacled Demidoff’s and Thomas’s Galagos, Lord Derby’s Anomalure, African Civet, Kibale African Golden Cat and Common Genet among others.

Other interesting mammals you will find in Kibale Forest National Park are over 60 species including Ichneumon, Banded and Marsh Mongooses, Alexander’s Cusimanse, Swamp Otter, Ratel (Honey Badger) and African Palm Civet. Although Golden Cat, Serval Cat, Lion, Leopard, Warthog, Giant Hog and Hippopotamus that are recorded in the park. Unfortunately, it is unlikely to be encountered in the Kanyanchu area.

Kibale Forest National Park is community based eco-tourism has been developed here, an array of native plants, animal’s food, medicines and plant products are found here. The canopy rings with bird calls.

Tree species common in Kibale National Park include wild rubber trees, polita figs, and candelabra euphorbia.

How To Get to Kibale Forest National Park

Kibale Forest National Park is situated in western Uganda and it can be reach by road or air.

By Road – Kibale National Park’s chimpanzee trekking trailhead at Kanyanchu is situated about 26 km (1-hour drive) southeast of the town of Fort Portal and 326 hours’ drive from Kampala.

Kibale Forest can also be reached from the south via Lyantonde and Ibanda (391 km), Mbarara and Ibanda (405km) and Mbarara, Kasese and Fort Portal (525 km) taking around 6-7 hours.

All these routes allow a break at Lake Mburo National Park while the Kasese route which is long also allows a night stay in Queen Elizabeth National Park.

By Air – Kibale Forest National Park can be accessed on a domestic or chartered flights from Entebbe International Airport or Kajjansi Airstrip to Kasese Airstrip and connect to the park on a 68km (2 hours) drive on surfaced and dirt roads.