The Bird Watching Club for World Travelers |
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Uganda
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You don't need to be an expert birder to contact a Pal. Together you have love for nature, birds, new countries and learning.
These are serious birdwatchers willing to share their time to help you. It is a privilege to contact them. Your message should be respectful.
A Birding Pal does not charge a fee, however you should pay for their expenses, transportation costs, entrance fees, meals, etc.
Pals will answer your messages quickly, if they can. You might select someone who is traveling, so write to more than one Pal, and be patient. Let us know if someone doesn't answer and we'll check that everything is okay.
Let us know when you are going to meet a Pal, and then let us know how it went.
Happy birding.
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Note
My name is D. Sande. I have been birding for more than 7 years now, a hobby I picked up while working as a reservation assistant at an adventure company in Uganda. In the last years I have been inspired to start Nature Trails East Africa where I share prominent and new birding destinations and trails in our region of East Africa, and have planned birding and wildlife trips for a number of twitchers and nature lovers.
My name is D. Sande. I have been birding for more than 7 years now, a hobby I picked up while working as a reservation assistant at an adventure company in Uganda. In the last years I have been inspired to start Nature Trails East Africa where I share prominent and new birding destinations and trails in our region of East Africa, and have planned birding and wildlife trips for a number of twitchers and nature lovers.
Area
My country is Uganda which is so beautiful and so diverse, no wander it is famously referred to as the “Pearl of Africa”. It is gifted with nice weather (here it is not blazing hot and it is not cold, you can comfortably be shirtless through the day and the night). Uganda is a meeting point of Africa’s several biomes and so is endowed with beautiful landscapes and diverse habitats and wildlife. This diversity can be seen in the huge checklist of 1097 (and counting) bird species and all types of animals including primates like gorillas and chimps, all the famous big five (lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo and rhino) and lots of reptiles and fishes. I live near Lake Victoria and enjoy birding in the many wetlands (Mabamba, Lutembe, Makanaga), gardens, bushlands and forests along Africa’s biggest lake. My favorite time of the year is the migrants’ season that starts from around October to May when lots of wintering birds fly in from the Palearctic region running from the freezing winter of Europe and beyond to take shelter in the beautiful warm weather along the Equator. I look forward to seeing the arrivals in October and follow their plumage changes from dull when they just arrived, to stunning when they are setting off to go back. My checklist increases every migration season.
My favorite local bird in my locality is the legendary Shoebill. For the visiting migrants, well I don’t have a fixed favorite because I see something exciting each time. But I never get enough of the stunning European Roller, as much as I love the challenge of the very difficult warblers.
Area Birds
Lutembe wetland: Little Bittern, Ruff, Spotted Redshank, Marsh Tchagra, Rufous-chested Swallow, Common Moorhen, Purple Swamphen, Black Crake, Nubian Woodpecker, Orange Weaver, Purple Heron, Klass' Cuckoo, Diederik's Cuckoo, Red-headed Lovebird, Fawn-breasted Waxbill, Slender-billed Weaver
Mabamba wetland: Shoebill, African Darter, African Jacana, Lesser Jacana, Weyn's Weaver, Superb Sunbird, Purple Swamphen
Botanical Gardens: Northern Black Flycatcher, Crowned Hornbill
Mabira Forest: Red-headed Malimbe, Green-tailed Bristlebill, Honeyguide Greenbul, Forest Robin, Narina Trogon, Yellow-mantled Weaver, Forest Woodhoopoe, Rufous Flycatcher-Thrush
My country is Uganda which is so beautiful and so diverse, no wander it is famously referred to as the “Pearl of Africa”. It is gifted with nice weather (here it is not blazing hot and it is not cold, you can comfortably be shirtless through the day and the night). Uganda is a meeting point of Africa’s several biomes and so is endowed with beautiful landscapes and diverse habitats and wildlife. This diversity can be seen in the huge checklist of 1097 (and counting) bird species and all types of animals including primates like gorillas and chimps, all the famous big five (lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo and rhino) and lots of reptiles and fishes. I live near Lake Victoria and enjoy birding in the many wetlands (Mabamba, Lutembe, Makanaga), gardens, bushlands and forests along Africa’s biggest lake. My favorite time of the year is the migrants’ season that starts from around October to May when lots of wintering birds fly in from the Palearctic region running from the freezing winter of Europe and beyond to take shelter in the beautiful warm weather along the Equator. I look forward to seeing the arrivals in October and follow their plumage changes from dull when they just arrived, to stunning when they are setting off to go back. My checklist increases every migration season.
My favorite local bird in my locality is the legendary Shoebill. For the visiting migrants, well I don’t have a fixed favorite because I see something exciting each time. But I never get enough of the stunning European Roller, as much as I love the challenge of the very difficult warblers.
Area Birds
Lutembe wetland: Little Bittern, Ruff, Spotted Redshank, Marsh Tchagra, Rufous-chested Swallow, Common Moorhen, Purple Swamphen, Black Crake, Nubian Woodpecker, Orange Weaver, Purple Heron, Klass' Cuckoo, Diederik's Cuckoo, Red-headed Lovebird, Fawn-breasted Waxbill, Slender-billed Weaver
Mabamba wetland: Shoebill, African Darter, African Jacana, Lesser Jacana, Weyn's Weaver, Superb Sunbird, Purple Swamphen
Botanical Gardens: Northern Black Flycatcher, Crowned Hornbill
Mabira Forest: Red-headed Malimbe, Green-tailed Bristlebill, Honeyguide Greenbul, Forest Robin, Narina Trogon, Yellow-mantled Weaver, Forest Woodhoopoe, Rufous Flycatcher-Thrush
Interests
Nature: birdwatching, twitching, photography, hiking, butterflies, fishing, sport fishing, boating
Travel: bus, car, biking, long walk canoe
Visit: tourist site, museum, restaurant, nature spot, beach, lake
Attend: theatre, live music,sports event, antique, convention
Participate: night life, party, dance, club, bar
Nature: birdwatching, twitching, photography, hiking, butterflies, fishing, sport fishing, boating
Travel: bus, car, biking, long walk canoe
Visit: tourist site, museum, restaurant, nature spot, beach, lake
Attend: theatre, live music,sports event, antique, convention
Participate: night life, party, dance, club, bar
Professional Birding Guides
A professional Birdingpal guide can customize your tour, and you will see the birds you want.
Your guide is also your travel companion, who will make sure you experience the native people, scenery, culture, history and food, first hand.
Hiring a Birdingpal guide will boost the local economy and help protect birds other wildlife and their habitat
A professional Birdingpal guide can customize your tour, and you will see the birds you want.
Your guide is also your travel companion, who will make sure you experience the native people, scenery, culture, history and food, first hand.
Hiring a Birdingpal guide will boost the local economy and help protect birds other wildlife and their habitat
Deo Muhumuza
Maps
Kampala, Central, Uganda
Social Media
Available
Anytime
Languages
English, French
Deo is one of the best birding guides in Uganda with over 10 years leading birding trips in Uganda and Rwanda.
He is renowned as a great organizer and spotter! His dedication to the progression has taken him to spearhead a community project in his home district to save a degraded community wetland by introducing ecotourism activities. The Nzuguto Community wetland and the nearby Kamweru crater are now very popular spots for birding.
Contact Deo today and he will help you plan an affordable birding trip to Uganda and Rwanda.
Kudos
Hello! We had an AMAZING 3 month trip with Deo last April - June (2022). He asked that we write a review for you to put on the Birdingpal website, so here it is:
Deo is an expert on birding and wildlife, not only in Uganda, but also in Rwanda. He is kind and intelligent, and he managed to fit in all sorts of cultural experiences (music and village visits) that we’d requested, while also adding 30% to my life list! He has fostered great relationships with local guides & rangers, which ensured we were able to visit less well-known spots and view otherwise impossible-to-view species. I would recommend him to anyone who wants a capable, informative, friendly & knowledgeable guide. Finally, go see the Mountain Gorillas in Uganda, with Deo… it’s a lot cheaper than Rwanda!
Sincerely,
K. (in Alexandria, VA, USA)
My wife, K., just submitted a review of birding guide Deogratius (Deo) Muhumuza, and now I'd like to submit my own. Thanks so much!
My wife and I were so fortunate to have Deo as our guide on a long (3-month!), once-in-a-lifetime birding trip in Eastern Africa. Deo is an expert birder and guide in his native Uganda, but also proved more than capable in neighboring Rwanda.
He's formed great relationships with other birding guides in Tanzania and Kenya, too, so we were spoiled rotten by the wealth of local expertise in those countries, as well as Deo's obvious birding & planning/organization skills.
I'm actually not a birder myself (but my wife is; I'm more interested in photography in general, including wildlife & bird photography). Deo was very patient with me throughout the whole trip, making sure I had enough time and opportunity to get really great photos--not just a modest "money shot."
And all that experience and dedication was matched by his kindness, good humor and flexibility. So I heartily recommend Deo for any birding/wildlife trip in East Africa, and suggest you contact him about your future birding trip plans. He definitely won't disappoint!
M.
Alexandria, Virginia
Website: www.luxuryecotours.com
facebook: www.facebook.com/LordDeoson
twitter: @UGLuxurySafaris
e-mail: ugandapal@gmail.com
Tours
16-Day Uganda Fixed Date Bird Watching
About Uganda
Uganda as a country is known world over as one of the best birding destinations. The county's multitude of habitats, geographical location, and good weather and climate, make it Africa's best nature paradise. Though not holding many country endemics, the unusually high number of bird species per square kilometer, and the ease to the variably lush vegetation, puts Uganda amongst the top birding destinations.
There are Over 1070 species recorded, representing over 50% of the species of birds found on the African continent
Hot Spots:
Mabamba wetlands for the world's wonder; Shoebill
Semliki Forest for the west African biome species
Bwindi Impenetrable forest and Mgahinga Mountain National Park - for Albertine Rift endemics and other highland species
Mabira and Budongo Forests for lowland tropical rain forest species
Queen Elizabeth National Park; one the of the best migratory birds stopover spots
Murchison falls NP and Kidepo Valley National Park for Savannah and semi-arid and arid species
Lake Mburo National Park: famous for Northern Tanzania overlap species and for the beautiful African Finfoot
Kibale NP for over 10 primate species including chimps. Very popular for the Pittas
Pian Upe Game Reserve for Karamoja Apalis and Fox's Weaver
Area Birds
Shoebill
Great blue Turaco
Grauer's Swamp Warbler
Green-breasted Pitta
African Green Broadbill
Papyrus Gonolek
African Finfoot
Rwenzori Turaco
Pygmy Goose
Fox's Weaver
Davis Kibuga
Maps
Kampala, Central, Uganda
Company
Wide Birding Eco-Tours
Social Media
Available
Anytime
Languages
English
Davis Kibuga is Ugandan by birth. He is assessed, licensed and registered tourist guide in Uganda with vast experience in birds’ identification and guiding, general tours and culture of Uganda and East Africa at large.
Davis developed quick reflexive attitude in birdwatching and nature conservation since 2009, he was boosted by a local community tourism initiative dubbed “NECA” of which he is a pioneer member and local bird guide. He has done research about birds and mammals of East Africa, birding areas and hotspots around Uganda and the neighboring countries.
Contact Davis today, he will help you plan your budget birding trip in Uganda.
Chat with Davis on WhatsApp.
WhatsApp: +256701928094
Direct mail to Davis for swift response!
Email: kibugadbirder@gmail.com
Website: www.widewildsafaris.com
Facebook: Wide-Wild Uganda Safaris
Twitter: @UgandaWide
LinkedIn: Kibuga Davis
Uganda is endowed with special birding hotspots which are unique and defer from each other according to altitude, isolation & bird endemism. Among others;
Kidepo Valley National Park is unforgettable track of true African wilderness!
One of the most alluring destinations in the country boasting a strong wilderness atmosphere, rugged mountain scenery and exceptional game viewing, bird watching and photograpy. This park lies in the far northeast isolated from the rest of the country by the sparsely populated, arid badlands of Karamoja region. The mountainous terrain is broken by the Narus valley in the southwest and kidepo valley in the northeast.
Semliki Valley National Park is a true birders heaven!
Is situated within the Albertine Rift, it's of particular interest to birdwatchers: about 435 bird species have been recorded, including a high proportion of forest birds and about 45 species seen nowhere else in Uganda including rarity of the smallest African piculet. For amateur birders, Semliki is not only certain to throw up a clutch of "lifers"- it also offers a faint but real possibility of a brand-new East African record like Congo Serpent-Eagle, Grey-Throated Rail, and Black-Throated Coucal.
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Bwindi is home of about 350 species of birds including 23 Albertine rift endemics! And at least 14 species recorded nowhere else in Uganda! And ranks one of the best forest birding destinations in Africa (it's this park/forest where you will experience an unfathomable connection during a magical hour in the company of mountain gorillas!)
Queen Elizabeth National Park is medley of wonders!
More than 600 bird species (largest number among the other parks in Uganda) are in this great park making it a perfect birding destination with more than 300 bird species recorded in one day by serious birders! There is a plenty to occupy the die-hard birdwatchers. Quite a number of these species follow the migratory trends of breeding in Asia and Europe but wintering in Africa. Enthusiasts will have feverish nights trying to guess what rare bird will get focused in their binoculars and scopes the next day.
Murchison falls National Park.
Largest N.park with over 480 bird species and birders consider this park a paradise. With their frequently loud chirping sounds, most tropical birds have vibrant colors which only add to their graceful movements as they streak across the skies. The birding experience here is enhanced by the abundant wildlife and scenic landscape, which present a mesmerizing game drive encounter. (Experience world's powerful falls with explosive froth of thunderous falls as it funnels through just 6m wide cleft!)
Lake Mburo National Park
Lake Mburo national park is one of the best birding destinations to see the acacia associated bird species among other national parks in Uganda. It is home of about 320 species of birds recorded making it a good place to look for the likes of African-Grey Hornbill, Black-Loward Babbler, Red-Headed Weaver, Greater Blue-Eared Starling, Trilling Cisticola, Green-Wood Hoopoe, Brown-Chested Lapwing, Scaly-Throated Honeyguide, Lesser-Masked Weaver, White-Backed Vulture, Tabora Cisticola, Crestd-Spurfowl, Red-Faced Barbet, Little Bee-Eater, Green-Caped Eremomera, Black-Throatd Barbet, Black-Collard Barbet, Southern Ground Hornbill, Rufous-Bellied Night Heron. Of special interest to birders are the swamps, in which six papyrus endemics are resident including; Papyrus Gonolek, Blue-Headed Coucal, and the highly localized White-Winged and Papyrus Yellow Warblers, the last record nowhere else in Uganda!
Other birding hotspots include;
Pian Upe game reserve
Budongo Forest
Karinzu Forest
Lake Opeta
Nzuguto Wetland
Entebbe Botanical Gardens
Kibale Forest
Bigodi Sanctuary
Rwenzori National Park
Mabira Forest
Kaku Swamp
Kibimba Rice Scheme
Mabamba Bay wetland. One of a few remaining productive wetland in Uganda protected by the local communities. extensive papyrus swamps with labyrinth's channels and lagoons, classified as an important bird area (IBA), it's a home of multiple Shoebills-Uganda's most famous avian resident and the only representative in its family, is the amongst most sought after birds in the whole African continent! It's only traced by canoeing through the channels with a wooden boat.
For more information visit
www.widewildsafaris.com
Area Birds
shoebill, fox's weaver, karamoja apalis, rufus charterer
Nature: birdwatching, twitching, photography, swimming, surfing
Travel: stroll, walking, hiking, climbing,car, biking, long walk, backpack, canoe, tourist site, museum
Tours
2023-2024 Featured Bird Watching Tours in Uganda.
8 Days Full Uganda Birding Safari (docx)
16 Days of Uganda Birding and Photography Safari (docx)
23 Days Uganda Birdwatching And General Wildlife Safari (docx)
Albertine Rift Endemic Birds Checklist Uganda-Rwanda
Uganda Group Birding Tours November&December, January&February, May&June, July&August
3 Weeks Of Uganda GroupBird Watching Tour.docx
16 Days Of Uganda Group Bird Watching And Photography Tour (docx)
1 Week Of Uganda Group BirdWatching Tour (docx)
Testimonals
Birding Pals recommend Kibuga Davis