Birding Kalinzu Forest

Looking for Birding Kalinzu Forest? The Kalinzu forest is located in the southern western districts of Kasese, Kamwenge, Rubirizi and Rukungiri. The forest is within distance with Queen Elizabeth National park and the destroyed and extinct Maramagambo forest. It’s approximately about 380km by road from Kampala to the Kalinzu forest.

The forest covers about 145sq Km and it’s at an elevation of about 1400 meters above sea level. The forest boosts of over 375 bird species recorded here in recent times. There also over 200 butterfly species recorded here. The forest is an almost complete ecosystem with lots of other wildlife, over 100 moth species have been recorded and a few reptiles.

The Kalinzu forest is also home to the endangered Chimpanzees and there are habituated groups here that you can track. Some of the bird species here are:

Little Grebe, African Finfoot, Brown-eared Woodpecker, Chestnut Wattle-eye, African Paradise Flycatcher, Brown Illadopsis, Brubru, Black Coucal, Blue-breasted Kingfisher, Black Bee-eater, Blue-throated Roller, Barbets, Red-throated Wryneck, White-breasted Negrofinch, Red-shouldered Cuckoo-shrike, Honeyguide Greenbul, Blue-shouldered Robin-Chat, Dark-capped Warbler, Green Crombec, Broad-tailed Warbler, Black-headed Batis, Black-and-white Shrike Flycatcher, African Moustached Warbler, Croaking Cisticola, Marsh Tchagra, Sulphur-breasted Bush-shrike, Western Black-headed Oriole, Black Bishop, Red-chested Cuckoo, Black Cuckoo, African Emerald Cuckoo, Yellowbill.

BEST TIME TO VISIT KALINZU FOREST FOR BIRDING

Kalinzu forest can be visited throughout the year, but the best time for birding is during the two dry seasons: from June to August and from December to February with most precipitation expected in April and November with passable tracks while in the rainy season the tracks are slippery, muddy and impassable.

WHERE TO STAY IN KALINZU FOREST DURING BIRDING

The forest does have accommodation but the fact that its within distance with distance with Queen Elizabeth national park, you can lodge in the park and head to the forest to do your birding. The park has a variety of accommodation facilities you can choose from.