Birding Mweya Peninsula in Queen Elizabeth National Park

If you are interested in booking a birding tour to Queen Elizabeth national park, consider exploring the mighty Mweya peninsula. Mweya peninsula is located on the northeastern side Kazinga channel and Lake Edward shores, overlooking the spectacular view of Katwe Kabatoro town council. The peninsula offers a wide range of wildlife, plant species, and birdlife. Travelers who choose to go birding at Mweya has endless opportunities of encountering animals like warthogs, elephants, hippos, mongoose, and sounds of roaring lions.

Besides wildlife seeing and birdwatching, Mweya peninsula offer magnificent views of the rolling savannah vegetation of Queen Elizabeth National Park, Kazinga channel, the views of lake Edward, Ruwenzori mountains and Lake Katwe.

Mweya peninsula is located 20km west of Kasese-Mbarara highway using the Kabatoro gate via the main road heading Katwe town council. Entrance via Katunguru and Kabatoro gates offer wonderful views and birders are likely to meet herds of elephants or buffaloes crossing the tracks when heading Mweya peninsula.

Bird species in Mweya Peninsula Queen Elizabeth National Park

Mweya peninsula is a best birding site in Queen Elizabeth national Park, hosting several bird species like; Diederik Cuckoo, Black-headed Gonolek, Raptors, Swamp Flycatcher, Squire-tailed Nightjar, Red-chested Sunbird, Swamp Nightjar, Pygmy Kingfisher, Blue-naped Mousebird, Nubian Woodpecker, red chested sunbird, Scarlet-chested Sunbird, Martins, Slender-billed Weaver, Little Bee-eater, Red-capped Lark, Swifts, Swallows, African Mourning Dove, Grey-capped Warbler, Grey-Headed Kingfisher, tailed nightjar, Lesser Masked Weaver, Yellow-backed Weaver, Slender-tailed Nightjar, malachite kingfisher and Pin-tailed Whydah.

Besides birding trips, Mweya peninsula features other tourist activities such as Mongoose tracking, Morning game drive and Night game drive, guided Nature walks, Boat cruise on Kazinga channel and community tours.

Other Birding Sites in Queen Elizabeth National Park Uganda

Besides Mweya peninsula, guests can go birding in other sites of Queen Elizabeth national park. These include;

Birding in Katwe Area: The Katwe crater area has a wide range of crater explosions that attract several birds such as lesser flamingos, little stint, pallid harrier, croaking cisticola, broad tailed warbler, common greenshank, gull billed tern, southern red bishop among others.

Birding in Ishasha Sector: The Ishasha sector is endowed with both open savannah landscape and savannah woodland. It is a home to several tree climbing lions and other animals. Birding in Ishasha sector is excellent with a number of birds like Giant Kingfisher, African White-backed Vulture, Osprey, Osprey, Long-toed Plover, Palm-nut Vulture, Grey-headed Kingfisher, Veracious Dove, Black-headed Lapwing, Abyssinian Ground, Rock Pratincole, African green pigeon, African Darter, white headed barbet, Ruppell’s Griffon Vulture, Giant Kingfisher, Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird, Black-billed Barbet, Long-tailed Nightjar bird, wood pecker, Hooded Vulture, Lappet-faced Vulture and Brown Snake Eagle and among others.

Birding in Maramagambo Forest: The Maramagambo tropical rain forest is a home to forest birds in Queen Elizabeth national park like; Red-chested Cuckoo, African Emerald Cuckoo, Black Cuckoo, Black Coucal, Yellow bill, Black Bee-eater, Blue-breasted Kingfisher, Barbets, African Finfoot, Brown-eared Woodpecker, Little Grebe, Red-throated Wryneck, Honey guide Greenbul, Red-shouldered, Blue-throated Roller among others.

Birding in Lake Kikorongo: Lake Kikorongo is a crater lake in Queen Elizabeth national park Uganda with an elevation of 923 metres and a home to birds like Common Squacco Heron, Saddle-billed Stork, Knob-billed Duck, Shoebill, Sacred Ibis, Yellow Wagtail, Black Crake, African Jacana among others.

Birding in Kasenyi Area: Kesenyi is well known for being a great spot for game viewing however, it is also an excellent birdwatching track in Queen Elizabeth national park. The following are the birds found in Kasenyi area; Zitting Cisticola, Grey-backed Fiscal, Black-bellied Bustard, Palm-nut Vulture, African White-backed Vulture, Lappet-faced Vulture, Brown-backed Srub-Robin, Wahlberg’s Eagle, Bateleur, Long-crested Eagle, Grey Kestrel, Senegal Plover, Martial Eagle, African Crake, Crowned Plover, Temminck’s Courser, Rufous napped Lark, African Wattled Plover, Brown Snake Eagle, Flappet Lark, Kittlitz’s Plover, White-tailed Lark, Ruppell’s Griffon Vulture, Croaking Cisticola, Grey-capped Warbler, Black-headed Gonolek, Hooded Vulture, Black-crowned Tchagra, Fork-tailed Drongo, Black-lored Babbler, and Pin-tailed Whydah.

Best time to go birding at Mweya Peninsula queen Elizabeth national park

Birdwatching on Mweya peninsula Queen Elizabeth national park is good throughout the year however; the best time to go birding on Mweya peninsula is from late May to September, when the park experiences less rains and food is in abundance. From June to July, these are dry months and park receives the least rain, while April to May and September to November, Queen Elizabeth national park in Uganda receives the most rains; consequently, birders may experience delays due to impassable roads and slippery hiking trails hence limiting their birdwatching time. From November to April, Mweya peninsula hosts several migratory birds.

What you should know before going for birding safari at Mweya Peninsula queen Elizabeth national park

• Avoid eating during birdwatching activity with in the wild
• Avoid littering in the park
• Avoid making noise as this might alert the wild cats and birds
• Ensure to keep quiet and you will see more birds and animals
• Avoid chasing after wild animals
• And lastly, follow the instruction of your birding tour guide.