Kidepo National Park is one of Uganda’s most alluring birding destinations with a birdlist of 463 confirmed and sadly 26 extinctions. Nevertheless, Kidepo is birdlife rich and comes second to Queen Elizabeth National Park. The park’s relatively small size makes birding even more rewarding.
Kidepo valley national park has a number of bird species, which makes ranks it among the birding destinations in Uganda. As many as a 100 of the dry country species within Uganda are confined in Kidepo. There are well-informed birding safari guides that provide the necessary information about the birds. Birders should not forget to carry a pair of binoculars.
Rich Avifauna
The Park boasts of an extensive avifauna. About 480 species have been recorded in the park and this is largely due to its varied vegetation. Its varied vegetation ranges from the montane forests, vast plains, open tree savanna, thick Miombo like woodlands to rocky outcrops. The park features varied habitat where over 480 bird species thrive. For visitors who are planning to spend their next holiday in Kidepo Valley National Park, the best time for you to visit the park is from March to April.
It also has 56 species of raptors of which the most commonly seen are the Pigmy falcon, Tawny eagle, Bataleur, Chanting goshawk, Secretary bird and several types of vulture. Other unique birds which are only found in Kidepo are the Ostrich , Kori bustard, White-bellied go-away bird, Carmine, Fox and white-eyed kestrels, Abyssinian roller, Little green and red-throated bee-eaters, Black-breasted barbet, Red-billed and red-billed hornbills, Jackson’s hornbill, Karamoja apalis, Rufous chatterer, Northern brownbul, Golden pipit and Red-billed and white-headed buffalo weavers besides others.
The park features over 28 bird species from the Somali Maasai and Sudan Guinea savanna biomes. About 480 bird species call Kidepo Valley National Park their home and this ranks the park as the second destination with the largest number of birdlife in Uganda. If you are interested in exploring the best Important Bird Areas, then consider Kidepo National Park a must to include in your bucket list. The park features bird species such as black breasted barbet and Karamoja apalis.
Places of Interest
There are several interesting tourist sites worth visiting while on Uganda safari in Kidepo for bird watching, game viewing and hiking.
They include;
Apoka Tourism Centre which is noted for its excellent views of the Narus Valley.
The Kidepo Valley, 50m wide bed of scenic white sands lying between the river banks.
Namamukweny Valley noted for its astonishing bird sights especially Green wood hoopoe, White crested turaco, Eastern paradise whydah, Common bulbul, Abyssinian roller. Mt Morungole worth hiking through and at its summits, there exist IK people. Lamoj Hills perfect for game viewing especially if you want to catch a glimpse of the mountain reedbucks.
The Apoka Tourism Centre and the park headquarter that overview the southern Narus Valley features as the park’s best birding site. The notable birds for you to spot out include the silver birds, small bands of yellow billed shrike, vinaceous dove, Nubian woodpecker, mosque swallow, Hoopoe, the Rupell’s and superb starlings, scarlet chested sunbird, little weaver and red cheeked cordon bleu, yellow rumped seedeaters, black coucal, Clapperton’s francolins, African moustched and broad tailed warblers, marsh tchagra and crimson rumped waxbill, ostriches, secretary bird, African tailed kite, pygmy falcon, eastern pale chanting goshawk, fox kestrel, Clapperton’s and Heuglin’s francolins, stone partridge, Kori, white bellied and hartlaub’s bustards, violet tipped courser, black headed plover, yellow necked spur fowl, four banded sand grouse, White-faced Scoops Owl, Long-tailed and Standard-winged Nightjars, Little Green Bee-eater, Abyssinian and Rufous-crowned Rollers, Egyptian vulture, the Abyssinian Ground, Eastern Yellow and Jackson’s Hornbills, Red-fronted and Black-breasted Barbets, Brown-backed Woodpecker, Singing Bush lark, Bruce’s pigeon, white crested Turaco, rose ringed parakeet, white bellied go away bird and many more.
In conclusion, Kidepo Valley National Park is a true wilderness paradise in African continent that you should consider a must to visit. There is variety ranging from its rare savanna wildlife to birdlife all for you to catch a glimpse at while on safari in Uganda.