MURCHISON FALLS NATIONAL PARK : Birding Trip Information

MURCHISON FALLS NATIONAL PARK
A variety of unique habitats and alots of superb birds make a visit to Murchison falls National Park a must for every birder. The birding experience here is greatly enhanced by the abundant wildlife and scenic landscape, not least the spectacular falls for which the park is named. Once famous for its immense herds of big game, Uganda’s largest national park suffered greatly at the hands of poachers and hungry soldiers during the late 1970s and 1980s and is still in the process of recovery. However, the vegetation has benefited greatly from reduced grazing pressure and populations of small mammals and birds are healthier than ever.
The park headquarters are situated at Paraa on the southern bank of the Victoria Nile. A strol through the dry thorn scrub between the Paraa rest camp and the ferry crossing should produce Blue-naped Mousebird , Spotted morning thrush , silver bird , buff-bellied Warbler , Black headed batis , Black-headed Gonolek , Chestnut-crowned sparrow-weaver , Vitelline masked weaver and green-winged Pytilia . This is probably the most reliable site in Uganda for the localized white –rumped seedeater Arrange permission from the park to spotlight along the main road south of Paraa. Spot lighting along the main road may produce the amazing standard-winged Nightjar. The rare Egyptian –plover favours the sandy delta of the Nyamsika River and occasionally observed on the launch trip up to the Murchison falls. The red throated Bee-eater breed in large colonies along the Nile. Pairs of rock Pratincoles are commonly encountered on the rocks below the falls.

Districts: Masindi and Gulu

Size : 3840km2

Elevation: 619 -1292m

Habitat : Ironwood forest, Riverine Forest, dry and moist woodland with grassy understorey, Borassus Palm Savanna, grassland with termitaria, papyrus swamps, lakes and rivers.

Status: National Park since 1952

Birds Recorded: 450 species

Timing : January- March (low tourist season and plenty of bird activities)

Recommended Bird Guide: Ismail Onim –Gui

Key Species : Shoebill secretary bird , bat hawk , Red-necked Falcon , Denham’s Bustard , Senegal Thick-knee, Egyptian Plover , African Skimmer , Four-banded Sand grouse , Bruce’s Green Pigeon , Vinaceaous Dove , White-crested Turaco , Pel’s Fishing Owl , Long Tailed , Pennant _winged and standard-winged Nightjars Red-throated , Swallow-tailed and Carmine Bee-eaters , Abyssinian Ground Hornbill , Black- Billed Barbet , Brown-backed woodpecker , Spotted Morning thrush
White- fronted Black Chat , Silver bird , singing , Foxy and Black-backed Cisticolas , Ring-winged Grey warbler , Green-backed Cisticolas , Red –winged Grey warbler , Green –Backed Eremomela , Yellow- Billed and Emin’s Shrikes, White –Breasted Cuckoo-shrike , Lesser blue-eared and Bronze –tailed Starlings, Beautiful Sunbird , Chestnut-crowned sparrow-waever , Northern red Bishop , Grey-Headed Olive back , Red-winged Pytilia , brown Twin spot , Bar-breasted and Black-Bellied Firefinches , Black-Runped waxbill, Paradise Whydah, White Rumped seed eater and brown –rumped cabanis’s Buntings among others .

Please note that on your birding trip, you may need birding binoculars, an othinology book for better indentification of Uganda birds. We also encourage you to participate in efforts that encourage avian conservation of Uganda tourism.

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