Birding in Kaniyo Pabidi

Kaniyo Pabidi is located in the Murchison falls national park and one of the best birding site. It is one of the best birding spots in Murchison falls national park the other being Budongo forest. Murchison falls was voted the best birding area in Africa by lonely planet. Kaniyo Pabidi boosts of about 360 bird species recorded here recently. The forest is located bout 8km from the Masindi gate and it’s about 110km Masindi trading center. The entire forest is under the protection of Uganda Wildlife Authority but under the management of a research institute headed by Jane Good.

The forest is not just a good birding spot but a complete ecosystem with very many butterflies, tree species and other wildlife like duikers, buffalo, elephants, hippos and bush bucks. The forest also boosts of a lot of primates species. Over 10 primate species have been recorded here the most notable one being the chimpanzees.

The most notable bird here is the Puvel’s Illadopsis. Other birds you expect to see in Kaniyo Pabidi are;

Crested Guineafowl ,White-crested Turaco, Buff-throated, Black-throated & Black-capped Apalises, Black-eared Ground-Thrush, Rufous-crowned Eremomela, Chestnut-crowned Eremomela, Yellow & Grey Longbills, Olive-bellied Crombec, Yellow-browed Camaroptera, Green-breasted Pitta, Rufous-sided Broadbill, Blue-breasted, Dwarf & Chocolate-backed Kingfishers, Yellow-crested & Brown-eared Woodpeckers, Yellowbill, Western Black-headed Oriole, Yellow-spotted,  Little Green Sunbird, Crested Malimbe and Red-headed Bluebill among others. Here are many other special birds with a West African origin: White-thighed Hornbill, Hairy-breasted & Yellow-billed Barbets, Green Hylia, the elusive Lemon-bellied Crombec, Crested & Red-headed Malimbes various forest starlings among others.

Where to stay in Kaniyo Pabidi for birding

Kaniyo Pabidi is located in the Budongo forest in the southern sector of Murchison falls national park. If you want to do birding here its best you look for accommodation in the southern sector of Murchison falls specifically in the Budongo area. If you did birding the previous day in the northern sector of the park, you can still bird the next day in the Kaniyo Pabidi as it is not a long drive to reach the forest from the other side of the park.