Uganda Endemic bird species
Uganda Endemic bird species – Fox’s weaver in Eastern Uganda
Uganda endemic bird species – Uganda is a home to over 1000 bird species covering different parts of the country habitat from forest to the savannah.
The fox’s weaver
The species is a medium-sized weaver of about 14 – 15 centimemters/6 inches with a very thick bill and short tail compared to similar Weavers like Speke’s Weaver (Ploceus spekei) and Heuglin’s Masked Weaver (Ploceus heuglini). The male has a dark facial mask that washes into brown down the throat, crown and nape golden-yellow, dark back to the upper back, outer feathers with narrow yellow fringes, rump yellow, tail light brown to black and a significantly shorter tail. The underparts are all yellow. The female has lighter yellow underparts and yellow-green upperparts with a short tail too.
It is a weaver family that is endemic to eastern Uganda; it is common in disctricts of Katakwi, soroti, kumi near the Mount Elgon region and pian upe game reserve all located in the eastern part of the country.
Uganda endemic bird species – Through an organization called Nature Uganda research has been taking place about the fox’s weaver’s status since it is only endemic in the eastern part of Uganda and these areas have not been accessible for years due to uncertainty in the north eastern Uganda
Fox’s weaver is listed as one of the globally threatened bird species togter with other species like African green broadbill, shoebill, shelly’s crimson wing, congo serpent eagle which is only found in semuliki national park which is the lower part of the Congo basin in Uganda
Fox’s weaver habitat
Mnay birders have traveled to Uganda to search for the Uganda endemic bird which like to stay in flooded wetland swamp of Lake ekyoga, Lake opeta, lake Bisina and some open plains near farm land bordering Pin Upe wildlife reserve, so birder must spend more time in the area in order to increase the chances of seeing the fox’s weaver and for more information contact Great Adventure safaris for specialist Uganda guide.
Accessibility
The north eastern part of Uganda has been one of the hard reach areas of the country due to bad road network which affected tourism activities in the area, some of the hard reach areas include the big wetland swamp of Lake Opeta, which usually floods and cut off the roads. Travelers wanting to go birding there must use a strong 4×4 Jeep as you may have maneuver into smaller and steep villages to look for the bird.
Where to stay
Birders wanting to search for the fox’s weaver must have to stay in the nearby areas of sorot, sipi falls, soroti town, kumi town or pian upe and more preferably camping would be the best way. Contact Great Adventure Safaris for lodge options and booking a trip to search for the fox’s weaver.