Bird Watching In Semliki National Park

Bird Watching In Semliki National Park : Semliki national park is known to be an extension of the huge ituri forest thus making it to be the richest area for flora and fauna. The national park has a cover area of 220 square kilometers and consists of savannah grassland, low and tropical forest that has over 336 tree species with 24 restricted tree species. The national park consists of Semliki river and the famous hot springs.

The national reserve was established in 1926 as toro game reserve in order to protect the uganda kob and later renamed as a national reserve in 1932 and well known for being a conservation unit for lions and later upgraded to a national park in i993. The national park lies in the north east of Bundibugyo road and expands to ntoroko in the southern shores of lake albert.

The Semliki national park is well known for being a habitat to the uganda kob as well as various bird species. The park has a 53 mammals species such as buffaloes, antelopes, waterbuck, leopards, lions and forest elephants, primates such as black and white colobus monkey, olive baboons, red tailed monkey and vervet monkeys.

The national park is also famous for being a bird haven perfect for a birding safari in Uganda. The national park boosts with over 441 bird species that include 23 Albertine rift endemics, 35 Guinea-Congo forest biome, forest species as well as migratory birds among others.

The bird watching activity within semliki national park can either be done in the morning or evening with a bird guide where tourists get an opportunity to spot various bird species. These include Congo serpent eagle , mountain greenbul, white tailed robin-chat, black-wattled hornbill, purple glossy-starling, red throated bee-eater, long tailed hawk, lyre-tailed honeyguide, white-throated alethe, petits cuckoo-shrike, white-throated blue swallow, double-toothed barbet, Cassin’s spinetail, toro olive greenbul, purple throated cuckoo-shrike, common stonechat, shinning-blue kingfisher, crested malimbe, red billed dwarf hornbill, maxwell’s black weaver, chestnut-breasted negrofinch, red thighed sparrow hawk , lemon-bellied crombec among others. Tourists that are interested in bird watching within Semliki national park come purposely to watch the shoebill stork which is spotted while on the boat ride.

Bird Watching In Semliki National Park

While preparing to have the birding safari tourists are encouraged to carry equipment’s such as cameras that are fully charged, binoculars, field bag, optics, guide book, water bottles, hiking shoes, rain gears, hat, insect repellent among others

BEST TIME FOR BIRD WATCHING IN SEMLIKI NATIONAL PARK

Bird watching can be best done throughout the whole year within semliki national park but the best time is during the dry seasons within the months of march to May and September to November. During this time or season the rains are less within the national park therefore bird watching is made easier as tourists will be able to spot the birds clearly as well as photography is clear.

Bird watching as well can be done in the months of June, July and December to February. This is because the birding trails within the national park are dry and can easily be passable which makes the Uganda birding safari within semliki national park amazing and memorable.

In the months of April to May and September to October that’s when the national park receives a lot of rains making the trails slippery and its also known as the best period for migratory birds. Therefore, the tourists can as well get the opportunity to spot the birds.

While on bird watching tourists can as well enjoy other activities within semliki national park such as guided nature walks while on foot, game drives where tourists can spot wildlife such as elephants, waterbucks, buffaloes, warthogs as well as uganda kob, visit the sempaya hot springs, cultural visits where tourists interact with the Bakonjo, Batwa and Bamba people and many more.

Therefore, with such the tourists can either decide on when to have their Uganda birding safaris within semliki national park.