Birds in Uganda

Birds in Uganda

Birds in Uganda,  Uganda is a birding paradise home to many bird species recorded to be habiting in various destinations of Uganda, in Uganda, there are a total of 1066 confirmed species as per statistics of May 2020. These bird species include 1 endemic species, 66 accidental species, 3 introduced species, and hypothetical species.

Birds in Uganda include

Ostriches

The Ostrich is a flightless bird native to Africa. Ostriches are the largest living species of birds in the whole world characterized by a distinctive appearance and long legs which help them to run at a high speed.

Grebes

Grebes are small to medium-large sized freshwater diving birds characterized by lobed toes, these birds are excellent swimmers and divers.  Grebes are 20 species in the whole world and 3 species occur in Uganda.

• Little Grebe
• Great Crested
• Eared Grebe

Shearwaters and petrels

Shearwaters and petrels are the main groups of medium-sized true petrels characterized by united nostrils with a medium septum and long outer functional primary. These birds occur in only 75 species in the whole world and only 1 species occur in Uganda.

• Antarctic Giant Petrel

Pelicans

Pelicans are part of the large water birds featuring a distinctive pouch under the beak and webbed feet with four toes. Pelicans are 8 species in the whole world and 2 species occur in Uganda.

• Great White Pelican
• Pink-backed Pelican

Cormorants

Cormorants are a family of medium to large coastal, fish eating sea-birds consisting of cormorants and shags, the plumage coloration of these birds varies with the majority of them having dark plumage and some are black and white and a few are colorful. Cormorants are 38 species in the whole world and only 2 species occur in Uganda.

• Great Cormorant
• Long-tailed Cormorant

Darters

Darters are frequently referred to as “snake-birds” because of their long thin neck, these birds have webbed feet their legs are short and set far back on the body. These birds are 4 species worldwide and only 1 species occur in Uganda.

• African Darter

Bitterns, herons, and egrets

Bitterns, herons, and egrets are part of the Ardeidae family consisting of the bitterns, herons, and egrets. Herons and egrets are medium to large-sized wading birds with long necks and legs. Bitterns are shorter necked and warier. These birds are 61 species worldwide and only 17 species occur in Uganda.

• Grey Heron
• Black-headed Heron
• Goliath Heron
• Purple Heron
•  Great Egret
• Black Heron
•  Intermediate Egret
• Little Egret
• Squacco Heron
• Madagascar Pond-Heron
• Rufous-bellied Heron
• Cattle Egret
• Striated Heron
• Black-crowned Night-heron
• White-backed Night-heron
• Dwarf Bittern
•  Great Bittern

Hammerkop

The Hammerkop is a medium-sized bird with a long shaggy crest, these birds have a curved bill, and the crest at the back is reminiscent of a hammer.

• Hamerkop

Storks

Storks are large, long-legged, long-necked wading birds with long, stout bills. These birds are mute bill-clattering which is an important mode of communication at the nest. Storks are 19 species worldwide and only 8 species occur in Uganda.

• Yellow-billed Stork
•  African Openbill
• Black Stork
• Abdim’s Stork
• Woolly-necked Stork
• White Stork
• Saddle-billed Stork
• Marabou Stork

Shoebill

Shoebills are large bird related to the storks getting their name from their massive shoe-shaped bill.

• Shoebill

Ibises and spoonbills

Ibises and spoonbills are a family of Threskiornithidae is a family of large terrestrial and wading birds including the ibises and spoonbills. These birds have long, broad wings with 11 primary and about 20 secondary feathers. These birds are 36 species worldwide and only 7 species occur in Uganda.

• Sacred Ibis
• Olive Ibis
•  Spot-breasted Ibis
• Hadada Ibis
• Glossy Ibis
• Eurasian Spoonbill
• African Spoonbill            

Flamingos

Flamingos are gregarious wading birds usually 3 to 5 feet high living in both the Western and

Eastern Hemispheres.  These birds are 6 species worldwide and only 2 species occur in Uganda.

• Greater Flamingo
• Lesser Flamingo

Ducks, geese, and swans

Ducks, geese, and swans are a family of Anatidae including the ducks and most duck-like waterfowl such as geese and swans. These birds are 131 species worldwide and only 23 species occurring in Uganda.

• Fulvous Whistling-Duck
• White-faced Whistling-Duck
• White-backed Duck
• Egyptian Goose
• Spur-winged Goose
• Comb Duck
• Hartlaub’s Duck
• African Pygmy-goose
• African Black Duck
• Eurasian Wigeon
• Eurasian Teal
• Yellow-billed Duck
• Northern Pintail
• Red-billed Duck
• Hottentot Teal
• Garganey Anas
• Northern Shoveler
• Southern Pochard
• Common Pochard
• Ferruginous Pochard
• Tufted Duck
• Maccoa Duck

Osprey

Osprey is part of the Pandionidae family consisting of only one species the Osprey. The Osprey is a medium-large raptor that is a specialist fish-eater, these birds have only 1 species in Uganda.

Hawks, kites, and eagles

Hawks, kites, and eagles are part of the Accipitridae family of birds of prey including hawks, eagles, kites, harriers, and Old World vultures.

These birds are characterized by powerful hooked beaks for tearing flesh from their prey, strong legs, powerful talons, and keen eyesight. These birds are 233 species worldwide and only 60 species occur in Uganda.

• African Cuckoo-hawk
• European Honey-buzzard
• Bat Hawk
• Black-shouldered Kite
•  Scissor-tailed Kite
• Red Kite
• Black Kite
• African Fish-Eagle
• Palm-nut Vulture
• Hooded Vulture
• Lammergeier
• Egyptian Vulture
• White-backed Vulture
• Rueppell’s Griffon
• Lappet-faced Vulture
• White-headed Vulture
• Beaudouin’s Snake-eagle
• Black-chested Snake-eagle
• Brown Snake-eagle
• Banded Snake-eagle
• Bateleur
• Congo Serpent-eagle
• Western Marsh Harrier
• African Marsh Harrier
•  Pallid Harrier
• Montagu’s Harrier
• African Harrier-Hawk
• Lizard Buzzard
• Dark Chanting Goshawk
• Eastern Chanting Goshawk
• Gabar Goshawk
• Red-chested Goshawk
• Chestnut-flanked Sparrow hawk
• Shikra
• Levant Sparrow hawk
• Red-thighed Sparrow hawk
• Little Sparrow hawk
• Ovampo Sparrow hawk
• Rufous-chested Sparrow hawk
• Black Goshawk
• Long-tailed Hawk
• Grasshopper Buzzard
• Eurasian Buzzard
• Mountain Buzzard
• Long-legged Buzzard
• Red-necked Buzzard
•  Augur Buzzard
• Lesser Spotted Eagle
• Greater Spotted Eagle
• Tawny Eagle
• Steppe Eagle
• Wahlberg’s Eagle
• Verreaux’s Eagle
• African Hawk-eagle
• Booted Eagle
• Ayres’s Hawk-eagle
• Martial Eagle
• Long-crested Eagle
• Cassin’s Hawk-eagle
• Crowned Eagle

Secretary-bird

The Secretary-bird is a bird of prey in the order Falconiformes and easily distinguished from other raptors by its long crane-like legs.

Caracaras and falcons

Caracaras and falcons are part of the Falconidae family of diurnal birds of prey, these birds are 62 species worldwide and with only 16 species occurring in Uganda.

• Pygmy Falcon
• Lesser Kestrel
• Eurasian Kestrel
• Greater Kestrel
• Fox Kestrel
• Gray Kestrel
• Red-necked Falcon
• Red-footed Falcon
• Amur Falcon
• Eleonora’s Falcon
• Sooty Falcon
• Eurasian Hobby
• African Hobby
•  Lanner Falcon
• Taita Falcon

• Peregrine Falcon

Pheasants and partridges

Pheasants and partridges are part of the Phasianidae family of terrestrial birds consisting of quails, partridges, snowcocks, francolins, spurfowls, tragopans, monals, pheasants, peafowls, and jungle fowls. These birds are 156 species worldwide and only 21 species occur in Uganda.

• Coqui Francolin
• Forest Francolin
• Crested Francolin
• Ring-necked Francolin
• Red-winged Francolin
• Moorland Francolin
• Shelley’s Francolin
• Orange River Francolin
• Scaly Francolin
• Nahan’s Francolin
• Heuglin’s Francolin
• Clapperton’s Francolin
• Hildebrandt’s Francolin
• Yellow-necked Francolin
• Red-necked Francolin
• Jackson’s Francolin
• Handsome Francolin
• Common Quail
• Harlequin Quail
• Blue Quail
• Stone Partridge

Guineafowl

Guineafowl is a group of African, seed-eating, ground-nesting birds with resembling partridges, but with featherless heads and spangled grey plumage. These birds are 6 species worldwide and only 3 species occur in Uganda.

• Helmeted Guineafowl
• Crested Guineafowl
• Vulturine Guineafowl

Buttonquails

Buttonquails are small, drab, running birds with a resemblance to the true quails.  These birds are 16 species worldwide and only 3 species occur in Uganda.

• Small Buttonquail
• Hottentot Buttonquail
• Quail-plover

Cranes

Cranes are large, long-legged, and long-necked birds, these birds are 15 species worldwide and only 2 species occur in Uganda.

• Grey Crowned Crane
•  Black Crowned Crane

Rails, crakes, gallinules, and coots

Rails, crakes, gallinules, and coots are part of the large family of Rallidae of small to medium-sized birds including the rails, crakes, coots, and gallinules. These are 143 species worldwide and only 19 species occur in Uganda.

• White-spotted
• Buff-spotted
• Red-chested
• Streaky-breasted
• Nkulengu Rail
• Gray-throated
• African Rail
• African Crake
• Corn Crake
• Black Crake
• Little Crake
• Baillon’s Crake
• Spotted Crake
• Striped Crake
• Purple Swamphen
• Allen’s Gallinule
• Common Moorhen
• Lesser Moorhen
•  Red-knobbed Coot

Sungrebe and Finfoots

Sungrebe and Finfoots are part of a small family of Heliornithidae of tropical birds with webbed lobes on their feet similar to those of grebes and coots. These birds are 3 species worldwide and only 1 species occur in Uganda.

• African Finfoot

Bustards

Bustards are large terrestrial birds associated with dry open country and steppes, these birds walk steadily on strong legs and big toes they use for pecking food as they go. Bustards are 26 species worldwide and only 6 species occur in Uganda.

• Kori Bustard
• Stanley Bustard
• White-bellied Bustard
•  Buff-crested Bustard
• Black-bellied Bustard
• Hartlaub’s Bustard

Jacanas

Jacanas are a group of tropical waders belonging to the Jacanidae family, these birds are found in the tropics and easily identified by huge feet and claws which enables them to walk on floating vegetation of shallow lakes. Jacanas are 8 species worldwide and only 2 species occur in Uganda.

• Lesser Jacana
• African Jacana

Painted snipe

Painted snipe are short-legged, long-billed birds with a resemblance to true snipes but these are more brightly colored, painted snipe are 2 species worldwide and only 1 species occurs in Uganda.

• Greater Painted-snipe

Oystercatchers

Oystercatchers are large and noisy plover-like birds characterized by strong bills used for smashing, these birds are 11 species worldwide and only 1 species occurs in Uganda.

• Eurasian Oystercatcher 

Avocets and stilts

Avocents and stilts are part of the Recurvirostridae family of large wading birds, the avocets have long legs and long up-curved bills and the stilts have extremely long legs and long thin- straight bills. These birds 9 species worldwide and only 2 species occur in Uganda.

• Black-winged Stilt
•  Pied Avocet

Thick-knees

The thick-knees are a group of largely tropical waders belonging to the Burhinidae family found within the tropical zone, and some species also breeding in temperate Europe and Australia. These birds are medium to large waders characterized by strong black or yellow black bills, large yellow eyes, and cryptic plumage. Thick-knees are 9 species worldwide and only 4 species occur in Uganda.

• Water Thick-knee
• Eurasian Thick-knee
•  Senegal Thick-knee
•  Spotted Thick-knee

Pratincoles and coursers

Pratincoles and courses are part of the Glareolidae family of wading birds consisting of Pratincoles which have short legs, long pointed wings, and long forked tails. And the coursers characterized by long legs, short wings, and long pointed bills that curve downwards. Pratincoles and coursers are 17 species worldwide and 8 species occur in Uganda.

• Egyptian Plover
• Temminck’s Courser
• Three-banded Courser
• Bronze-winged Courser
• Collared Pratincole
• Black-winged Pratincole
• Madagascar Pratincole
• Rock Pratincole

Plovers and lapwings

Plovers and lapwings belong to Charadriidae family which includes the plovers, dotterels, and lapwings.

These birds are small to medium-sized birds characterized by compact bodies, short, thick necks, and long, usually pointed wings. Plovers and lapwings are 66 species in the whole world and 18 species in Uganda.

• Long-toed Lapwing
• Spur-winged Plover
• Black-headed Lapwing
• Senegal Lapwing
• Crowned Lapwing
• Wattled Lapwing
• Brown-chested Lapwing
• Black-bellied Plover
• Common Ringed Plover
• Little Ringed Plover
• Kittlitz’s Plover
• Three-banded Plover
• Forbes’s Plover
• White-fronted Plover
•  Snowy Plover
• Lesser Sand plover
• Greater Sand plover
• Caspian Plover

Sandpipers and allies

Sandpipers and allies are part of a large of Scolopacidae of small to medium-sized shorebirds consisting of sandpipers, curlews, godwits, shanks, tattlers, woodcocks, snipes, dowitchers, and phalaropes. These birds are 89 species in the whole world and only 25 species occur in Uganda.

• Jack Snipe
• African Snipe
• Great Snipe
• Common Snipe
• Black-tailed Godwit
• Whimbrel
• Eurasian Curlew
• Spotted Redshank
• Common Redshank
• Marsh Sandpiper
• Common Greenshank
• Lesser Yellowlegs
• Green Sandpiper
• Wood Sandpiper
• Terek Sandpiper
• Common Sandpiper
• Ruddy Turnstone
• Sanderling
• Little Stint
• Temminck’s Stint
•  Curlew Sandpiper
• Dunlin
• Broad-billed Sandpiper
• Ruff
• Red-necked (Phalarope Phalaropus lobatus)

Gulls

Laridae is a family of medium to large seabirds and includes gulls and kittiwakes. They are typically grey or white, often with black markings on the head or wings. They have stout, longish bills and webbed feet. There are 55 species worldwide and 6 species that occur in Uganda.

• Herring Gull
• Lesser Black-backed Gull
• Caspian Gull
• Great Black-headed Gull
• Grey-headed Gull
• Black-headed Gull

 

Terns

Terns are a group of generally general medium to large sea-birds typically with grey or white

plumage, often with black markings on the head. Most terns hunt fish by diving but some pick

insects off the surface of freshwater. Terns are generally long-lived birds, with several species

now known to live in excess of 25 to 30 years. There are 44 species worldwide and 7 species

that occur in Uganda.

• Gull-billed Tern
• Caspian Tern
• Lesser Crested Tern
• Common Tern
• Whiskered Tern
• White-winged Tern
• Black Tern

Skimmers

Skimmers are a small family of tropical tern-like birds characterized by an elongated lower mandible used to feed by flying low over the water surface and skimming the water for small fish. There are 3 species of skimmers in the whole world and 1 species occurs in Uganda.

• African Skimmer

Sandgrouse

Sandgrouse are characterized of small, pigeon like heads and necks, sturdy compact bodies, feathered body down to toes, long pointed wings and tails. There are 16 species in the whole world and 3

Species occur in Uganda.

• Black-faced Sandgrouse
• Lichtenstein’s Sandgrouse
• Four-banded Sandgrouse

Pigeons and doves

Pigeons and doves are stout-bodied birds characterized of short necks and short slender bills with a fleshy cere.

There are 308 species of pigeons and doves in the whole world and only 22 species occur in Uganda.

• Rock Pigeon
• Speckled Pigeon
• Afep Pigeon
• Rameron Pigeon
• White-naped Pigeon
• Delegorgue’s Pigeon
• Western Bronze-naped Pigeon
• Lemon Dove
• Eurasian Turtle
• Dusky Turtle Dove
• African Mourning Dove
• Red-eyed Dove
• Ring-necked Dove
• Vinaceous Dove
• Laughing Dove
• Emerald-spotted Wood Dove
• Black-billed Wood Dove
•  Blue-spotted Wood Dove
• Tambourine Dove
• Namaqua Dove
• Bruce’s Green Pigeon
• African Green Pigeon

Parrots

Parrots are small to large birds characterized by curved beak shape, these parrots are zygodactyl with four toes on each foot placed two at the front and two back. Parrots are 335 species in the world and 7 species occur in Uganda.

• Rose-ringed Parakeet
• Red-headed Lovebird
• Black-collared Lovebird
• Gray Parrot
• Brown-necked Parrot
• Red-fronted Parrot
• Meyer’s Parrot

 

Turacos

The Turacos are plantain eaters and go-away birds and part of Musophagidae family, turacos are medium-sized arboreal birds and brightly colored birds usually blue, green, or purple. Turacos are 23 species in the whole world and 10 species occur in Uganda.

• Great Blue Turaco
• Black-billed Turaco
• White-crested Turaco
• Hartlaub’s Turaco
• Purple-crested Turaco
• Ruwenzori Turaco
• Ross’s Turaco
• Bare-faced Go-away-bird
• White-bellied Go-away-bird
• Eastern Plantain-eater

Cuckoos

Cuckoos are part of the Cuculidae family consisting of cuckoos, roadrunners, and anis. Cuckoos are of variable size with slender bodies, long tails, and strong legs. There are 138 species in the whole world and only 22 species occur in Uganda.

• Pied Cuckoo
• Levaillant’s Cuckoo
• Great Spotted Cuckoo
• Thick-billed Cuckoo
• Red-chested Cuckoo
• Black Cuckoo
• Common Cuckoo
• African Cuckoo
• Lesser Cuckoo
• Madagascar Cuckoo
• Dusky Long-tailed Cuckoo
• Olive Long-tailed Cuckoo
•  Barred Long-tailed Cuckoo
• Yellow-throated Cuckoo
• Klaas’s Cuckoo
• African Emerald Cuckoo
• Dideric Cuckoo
• Yellowbill
• Black Coucal
• Blue-headed Coucal
• Senegal Coucal
• White-browed Coucal

Barn owls

Barn owls are medium to large-sized owls characterized by large heads, heart-shaped faces, and long strong legs with powerful talons. These birds are 16 species worldwide and only 2 species occur in Uganda.

• African Grass-Owl
• Barn Owl

Typical owls

Typical owls are small to large-sized solitary nocturnal birds of prey characterized by large forward-facing eyes and ears, a hawk-like beak, and a conspicuous circle of feathers around each eye called a facial disk. There are 195 species of typical birds in the whole world and 17 species occur in Uganda.

• African Scops-owl
• Southern White-faced Owl
• Cape Eagle-owl
• Spotted Eagle-owl
• Grayish Eagle-owl Bubo
•  Fraser’s Eagle-owl
• Shelley’s Eagle-owl
• Verreaux’s Eagle-owl
• Pel’s Fishing-owl
• African Wood-owl
• Pearl-spotted Owlet
•  Red-chested Owlet
• African Barred Owlet
• Chestnut Owlet
• African Long-eared Owl
• Short-eared Owl
• Marsh Owl

Nightjars

Nightjars are medium-sized nocturnal birds characterized by long wings, short legs, and very short bills and usually nest on the ground. Most of the nightjars have small feet with soft plumage is camouflaged to resemble bark or leaves. There are 86 species of nightjars in the world with only 16 species occurring in Uganda.

• Eurasian Nightjar
• Sombre Nightjar
• Black-shouldered Nightjar
• Fiery-necked Nightjar
• Abyssinian Nightjar
• Montane Nightjar
• Swamp Nightjar
• Plain Nightjar
• Star-spotted Nightjar
• Freckled Nightjar
• Bates’s Nightjar
• Long-tailed Nightjar
• Slender-tailed Nightjar
• Square-tailed Nightjar
• Pennant-winged Nightjar
• Standard-winged Nightjar

Swifts

Swifts are small aerial birds found spending the majority of their lives flying, they are characterized by short legs, long swept-back wings that resemble a crescent or a boomerang. Swifts occur in 98 species worldwide and only 14 species occur in Uganda.

• Scarce Swift
• Mottled Spinetail
• Sabine’s Spinetail
• Cassin’s Spinetail
• African Palm Swift
• Alpine Swift
• Mottled Swift
• Common Swift
• Nyanza Swift
• Pallid Swift
• African Swift
• Little Swift
• Horus Swift
• White-rumped Swift

Mousebirds

Mousebirds are slender greyish or brown birds characterized of soft, hair-like body feathers and very long thin tails. These birds occur in only 6 species worldwide and 2 species occur in Uganda.

• Speckled Mousebird
• Blue-naped Mousebird

Trogons

Trogons belong to the family Trogonidae consisting of trogons and quetzals, these birds inhabit in tropical woodlands worldwide and they feed on insects and fruits which is reflected on their broad bills and weak legs. These birds occur in 33 species in the whole world and only 2 species occur in Uganda.

• Narina Trogon
• Bar-tailed Trogon

Kingfishers

Kingfishers are medium-sized birds characterized of large heads, long pointed bills, short legs and stubby tails.

These birds are 93 species in the whole world and only 13 species occur in Uganda.

• Half-collared Kingfisher
• Shining-blue Kingfisher
• Malachite Kingfisher
• White-bellied Kingfisher
• African Pygmy-Kingfisher
• Dwarf Kingfisher
• Chocolate-backed Kingfisher
• Gray-headed Kingfisher
• Woodland Kingfisher
• Blue-breasted Kingfisher
• Striped Kingfisher
• Giant Kingfisher
• Pied Kingfisher

Old World flycatchers

Old World flycatchers are a large group of small passerine birds native to the Old World. These species are only 274 species in the world and only 59 species are found in Uganda

• Silverbird
• Pale Flycatcher
• African Gray Flycatcher
• White-eyed Slaty-Flycatcher
• Northern Black-Flycatcher
• Southern Black-Flycatcher
• Yellow-eyed Black-Flycatcher
• African Forest-Flycatcher
• Spotted Flycatcher
• Gambaga Flycatcher
• Sooty Flycatcher
• Swamp Flycatcher
• Chapin’s Flycatcher
• African Dusky Flycatcher
• Yellow-footed Flycatcher
• Dusky-blue Flycatcher
• Cassin’s Flycatcher
• Ashy Flycatcher
• Gray-throated Tit-Flycatcher
• Gray Tit-Flycatcher
• European Pied Flycatcher
• Collared Flycatcher
• Semi-collared Flycatcher
• White-starred Robin
• Forest Robin
• Lowland Akalat
• Equatorial Akalat
• Thrush Nightingale
• Common Nightingale
• White-bellied Robin-Chat
• Archer’s Robin-Chat
• Cape Robin-Chat
• Blue-shouldered Robin-Chat
• Gray-winged Robin

Cisticolas and allies

Cisticolas and allies are generally very small birds of drab brown or grey appearance inhabiting open vegetation covers such as grassland or scrubs, these are 111 species in the world and only 43 species occur in Uganda.

Red-faced Cisticola

• Singing Cisticola
• Whistling Cisticola
• Trilling Cisticola
• Chubb’s Cisticola
• Hunter’s Cisticola
• Rock-loving Cisticola
• Rattling Cisticola
• Red-pate Cisticola
• Wailing Cisticola
• Winding Cisticola
• Carruthers’s Cisticola
• Stout Cisticola
• Croaking Cisticola
• Tabora Cisticola
• Siffling Cisticola
• Foxy Cisticola
• Zitting Cisticola
• Black-necked Cisticola
• Wing-snapping
• Tawny-flanked Prinia
• Pale Prinia
• White-chinned Prinia
• Banded Prinia
• Red-winged Prinia
• Red-winged Gray Warbler
• Black-collared Apalis
• Ruwenzori Apalis
• Black-capped Apalis
• Black-throated Apalis
• Masked Apalis
• Black-faced Apalis
• Yellow-breasted Apalis
• Buff-throated Apalis
• Chestnut-throated Apalis
• Gray Apalis
• Karamoja Apalis
• Red-fronted Warbler
• Gray-capped Warbler
• Green-backed Camaroptera
• Yellow-browed
• Olive-green Camaroptera
• Gray Wren-Warbler

Old World warblers

Old World Warblers are a group of small insectivorous passerine birds occurring as breeding species in Europe, Asia, and, to a lesser extent Africa.

Old Warblers are 291 species worldwide and only 55 species occur in Uganda.

• African Bush-Warbler
• White-winged Scrub-Warble
• Grauer’s Scrub-Warbler
• Bamboo Scrub-Warbler
• Cameroon Scrub-Warbler
• Cinnamon Bracken-Warbler
• Black-faced Rufous-Warber
• Moustached Grass-Warbler
• Eurasian River Wrbler
• Sedge Warbler
• Eurasian Reed-Warbler
• African Reed-Warbler
• Marsh Warblr
• Great Reed-Warbler
• Basra Reed-Warbler
• Greater Swamp-Warbler
• Lesser Swamp-Warbler
• Eastern Olivaceous Warbler
• Upcher’s Warbler
• Icterine Warbler
• African Yellow Warbler
• Mountain Yellow Warbler
• Papyrus Yellow Warbler
• Buff-bellied Warbler
• Grauer’s Warbler
• Yellow-vented Eremomela
• Yellow-bellied Eremomela
• Senegal Eremomela
• Green-backed Eremomela
• Greencap Eremomela
• Turner’s Eremomela
• Green Crombec
• Lemon-bellied Crombec
• White-browed Crombec
• Northern Crombec
• Red-faced Crombec
• Neumann’s Warbler
• Yellow Longbill
• Gray Longbill
• Green Hylia
• Red-faced Woodland-Warbler
• Uganda Wood-Warbler
• Brown Woodland-Warbler
• Willow Warbler
• Common Chiffchaff
• Wood Warbler
• Yellow-bellied
• Southern Hyliota
• Fan-tailed Grassbird
• Blackcap Sylvia

Thrushes and allies

The thrushes are a group of passerine birds occurring mainly in the Old World, they are plump soft plumaged, small to medium-sized insectivores. Thrushes and allies feed on the ground and have an attractive song, these birds are 335 species in the whole world and only 16 species occur in Uganda.

• Rufous Flycatcher-thrush
• Red-tailed Ant-thrush
• White-tailed Ant-thrus
• Miombo Rock-thrush
• Rufous-tailed Rock-thrush
• Little Rock-thrus
• Abyssinian Ground-thrus
• Kivu Ground-thrus
• Black-eared Ground-thrush
• Gray Ground-thrush
• Oberlaender’s Ground-thrush
• Olive Thrush
• African Thrush
• Brown-chested Alethe
• Red-throated Alethe
• Fire-crested Alethe

 

Bulbuls

Bulbuls are medium-sized song birds, these birds colorful in appearance with yellow, red or orange vents, cheeks, throat or supercilia, but most are drab, with uniform olive brown to black plumage. These birds are 130 species in the whole world and only 30 species occurring in Uganda.

• Common Bulbul
• Shelley’s Greenbul
• Little Greenbul
• Grey Greenbul
• Ansorge’s Greenbul
• Plain Greenbul
• Slender-billed Greenbul
• Yellow-whiskered Bulbul
• Eastern Mountain-Greenbul
• Honeyguide Greenbul
• Spotted Greenbul
• Simple Greenbul
• Yellow-throated Greenbul
• Joyful Greenbul
• Swamp Greenbul
• Leaf-love
• Cabanis’s Greenbul
• Northern Brownbul
• Toro Olive-greenbul
• Sassi’s Greenbul
• Yellow-streaked Bulbul
• White-throated Greebul
• Icterine Greenbul
• Xavier’s Greenbul
• Common Bristlebill
• Green-tailed Bristlebill
• Yellow-spotted Nicator
• Yellow-throated Nicator
• Red-tailed Greenbul
• Eastern Bearded-Greenbul

Cuckoo-shrikes

The cuckoo-shrikes are passerine birds of small to medium-size, these birds are predominantly greyish with white and black colors in appearance though some species are brightly colored. Cuckoo shrikes are 82 species in the whole world and only 8 species occurring in Uganda.

• White-breasted Cuckoo-shrike
• Blue Cuckoo-shrike
• Grey Cuckoo-shrike
• Grauer’s Cuckoo-shrike
• Petit’s Cuckoo-shrike
• Black Cuckoo-shrike
• Red-shouldered Cuckoo-shrike
• Purple-throated Cuckoo-shrike

 

Wagtails and pipits

Wagtails and pipits are part of the Motacillidae family of small passerine birds with medium to long tails. These animals are slender, ground feeding insectivores of open country. There are 54 species in the worldwide with 16 species occurring in Uganda.

• White Wagtail
• African Pied Wagtail
• Cape Wagtail
• Yellow Wagtail
• Gray Wagtail
• Mountain Wagtail
• Golden Pipit
• Yellow-throated Longclaw
• Jackson’s Pipit
• Plain-backed Pipit
• African Pipit
•  Tawny Pipit
• Long-billed Pipit
•  Short-tailed Pipit
•  Tree Pipit
• Red-throated Pipit

Larks

Larks are small terrestrial birds with often extravagant songs and display flights. Most of the larks are fairly dull in appearance and there are 91 species in the whole world and 13 species occur in Uganda.

• Singing Bushlark
• White-tailed Lark
• Red-winged Lark
•  Rufous-naped Lark
• Flappet Lark
• Pink-breasted Lark
• Fawn-colored Lark
• Foxy Lark
• Rufous-rumped Lark
• Chestnut-backed Sparrow-lark
• Fischer’s Sparrow-lark
• Red-capped Lark
• Sun Lark

Swallows and martins

Swallows and Martins are part of Hirundinidae family a group of passerines characterized by their adaptation to aerial feeding. Swallows and Martin’s adaptations include a slender streamlined body, long pointed wings and short bills with wide gape. These birds are 75 species in the whole world and 18 species occur in Uganda.

• Bank Swallow
• Plain Martin
•  Banded Martin
• Grey-rumped Swallow
•  Rock Martin
• Barn Swallow
• Ethiopian Swallow
• Angola Swallow
• Wire-tailed Swallow
• White-throated Blue Swallow
• Blue Swallow
• Lesser Striped Swallow
• Rufous-chested swallow
• Mosque Swallow
• Red-rumped Swallow
•  Common House-Martin
• White-headed Sawwing
• Blue Sawwing

 

Woodpeckers and allies

Woodpeckers are small to medium sized birds characterized of chisel like beaks, short legs, stiff tails and long tongues used for capturing insects. Some species have feet with two toes pointing forward, and two backward, while some species have only three toes. Woodpeckers and allies are 218 species in the whole world and 19 species occuring in Uganda.

• Eurasian Wryneck
•  Rufous-necked Wryneck
• African Piculet
•  Nubian Woodpecker
• Bennett’s Woodpecker
• Golden-tailed Woodpecker
• Green-backed Woodpecker
• Tullberg’s Woodpecker
• Buff-spotted Woodpecker
• Brown-eared Woodpecker
•  Speckle-breasted Woodpecker
• Cardinal Woodpecker
•  Gabon Woodpecker
•  Bearded Woodpecker
•  Golden-crowned Woodpecker
•  Elliot’s Woodpecker
• Grey Woodpecker
• Olive Woodpecker
•  Brown-backed Woodpecker

Broadbills

The broadbills are small, brightly coloured birds fond of feeding on fruit and insects in a flycatcher way of snapping their broad bills. Broad bills are only 15 species in the world and 3 species occur in Uganda.

• African Broadbill
• Rufous-sided Broadbill
• Grauer’s Broadbill

Pittas

Pittas are medium-sized birds of passerine standards and stocky with fairly long-strong legs, short tails and stout bills. Most of these birds but not all are brightly coloured and are fond of spending the majority of their time on wet forest floors, eating snails and insects. Pittas are 32 species in the world and 2 species occur in Uganda.

• African Pitta
• Green-breasted Pitta

Honeyguides

Honeyguides are wax feeding birds, these birds are only 17 species in the world and 13 species which occur in Uganda.

• Spotted Honeyguide
• Scaly-throated Honeyguide
• Greater Honeyguide
• Lesser Honeyguide
• Thick-billed Honeyguide
• Willcock’s Honeyguide
•  Least Honeyguide
• Dwarf Honeyguide
• Pallid Honeyguide
• Lyre-tailed Honeyguide
• Zenker’s Honeyguide
• Cassin’s Honeyguide
• Wahlberg’s Honeyguide

Barbets

The barbets are plump birds, with short necks and large heads. They get their name from the bristles which fringe their heavy bills. Most species are brightly coloured. There are 84 species worldwide and 24 species which occur in Uganda.

• Grey-throated Barbet
• Speckled Tinkerbird
• Western Tinkerbird
• Moustached Tinkerbird
• Green Tinkerbird
• Red-rumped Tinkerbird
• Yellow-throated Tinkerbird
• Yellow-rumped Tinkerbird
• Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird
• Red-fronted Tinkerbird
• Yellow-spotted Barbet
• Hairy-breasted Barbet
• Red-fronted Barbet
• Spot-flanked Barbet
• White-headed Barbet
• Red-faced Barbet
• Black-billed Barbet
• Black-collared Barbet
• Double-toothed Barbet
• Black-breasted Barbet
• Yellow-billed Barbet
• Crested Barbet
• Red-and-yellow Barbet
• D’Arnaud’s Barbet

 

Hoopoes

Hoopoes have black, white and orangey-pink colouring with a large erectile crest on their head.

There are 2 species worldwide and 1 species which occurs in Uganda.

Woodhoopoes

The woodhoopoes are closely related to the kingfishers, rollers and hoopoe with most resemble to hoopoes, these birds are characterized of long curved bills and short rounded wings. Woodhoopoes are 8 species in the whole world and 6 species occur in Uganda.

• Green Woodhoopoe
• White-headed Woodhoopoe
• Forest Woodhoopoe
• Black Scimitar-bill
• Common Scimitar-bill
• Abyssinian Scimitar-bill

Hornbills

Hornbills are a group of birds characterized of bills shaped like a cow’s horn but without a twist, these bills are brightly colored. Hornbills are 57 species in the world and only 17 species occur in Uganda.

 

• White-crested Hornbill
•  Black Dwarf Hornbill
• Red-billed Dwarf Hornbill
• Red-billed Hornbill
• Eastern Yellow-billed Hornbill
• Jackson’s Hornbill
• Crowned Hornbill
• African Pied Hornbill
• Hem rich’s Hornbill
• African Grey Hornbill
• Piping Hornbill
• Black-and-white-casqued Hornbill
•  Brown-cheeked Hornbill
• White-thighed Hornbill
• Black-casqued Hornbill
•  Abyssinian Ground-hornbill
• Southern Ground-hornbill

Bee-eaters

Bee-eaters are a group of near passerine birds in the family Meropidae mostly found in Africa with other species occurring southern Europe, Madagascar, Australia and New Guinea. Bee-eaters are characterized of richly coloured plumage, slender bodies and elongated central tail feathers. Bee-eaters are 26 species in the whole world and 13 species occurring in Uganda.

• Black Bee-eater

• Red-throated Bee-eater
• White-fronted Bee-eater
• Little Bee-eater
• Blue-breasted Bee-eater
• Cinnamon-chested Bee-eater
• Swallow-tailed Bee-eater
• White-throated Bee-eater
• Green Bee-eater
• Blue-cheeked Bee-eater
• Madagascar Bee-eater
• European Bee-eater Merops
• Northern Carmine Bee-eater

Typical rollers

Rollers share a striking resemblance with crows in size and build, but they are more closely related to the kingfishers and bee-eaters. Rollers also share a colorful appearance of those groups with blues and browns and have two of their inner front toes connected unlike the outer toe is not. In the whole world, there are 12 species with6 species occurring in Uganda.

• European Roller
• Abyssinian Roller
• Lilac-breasted Roller
• Rufous-crowned Roller
• Broad-billed Roller
• Blue-throated Roller