Explore birds of Lake Mburo National park — Birding safaris and trips

Explore birds of Lake Mburo National park – Birding safaris in Lake Mburo

Explore birds of Lake Mburo National Park – The large variety of habitats in Lake Mburo National Park supports over 350 bird species including rare, but regularly seen species like African finfoot and white-backed heron. If you are able to call the papyrus gonolek using a recorded bird call, it will come to the edge of the papyrus, otherwise this papyrus endemic species is rarely seen. If you are lucky you might see a shoebill and in the rainy season the grey crowned cranes breed and raise their fluffy chicks in the swampy areas of the valleys.

Lake Mburo is also home to a huge number of African fish eagles. There is a large variety of savannah and water birds including some spectacular species like Narina trogon, Ross’s turaco, African green-pigeon and the bare-faced go-away-bird often seen around Mihingo Lodge. If you ask one of our guides you can try and track one of the Narina trogon’s. When you hear their calls a guide can take you close to the area it is calling and with a bit of luck you can spot this very elusive and beautiful little bird. With a recorded bird call it is quite easy to see them as they will come to see who has invaded their territory.

The best birding spots in Lake Mburo National Park include the swampy valleys of Warukiri and Miriti, and the roadsides between Rwonyo camp and the jetty. There are also ideally-situated viewing platforms at the salt lick, in Miriti Valley, and in Rubanga Forest. Species observed at these locations include the Rufous-bellied Heron, Bateleur, Coqui Francolin, Grey Crowned Crane, Black-bellied Bustard, Brown-chested Lapwing, Emerald-spotted Wood-Dove, Brown Parrot, Red-headed Lovebird, Ross’s Turaco, Bare-faced Go-away-bird, Green Wood-hoopoe, Common Scimitarbill, White-headed Barbet, Red-faced Barbet, Nubian Woodpecker, Red-shouldered Cuckoo-shrike, Long-tailed Cisticola, Yellow-breasted Apalis, White-winged Tit and Finfoot among others.

Rubanga Forest can be visited using a vehicle or on foot. This is a real draw for keen birders, and prior arrangement should be made with the warden. The rare Red-faced Barbet – only seen in Lake Mburo National Park – is one of the of the forest’s featured species.