Field report about the avian density in the IBAs and research areas around Kampala encompassing Lake Victoria basin while birding in Mpanga Forest. Trained ornithologists and also National bird guide Tony Byarugaba with head patch guide of Mpanga forest Prossy Namuyomba have in recent months after there Kanyawala refresher birding course of forest species with proper field craft have embarked on tallying the resident and migratory species eminent during any birding tours in Uganda as well as studying behaviors of elusive species hence the IUCN criteria underlining the four categories of any threat, plus the respect of conservation.
Tony with the local birding guide of Mpanga forest
Crowned Hornbill
The two among the finest birders in Uganda embark on the habitats varying into air, canopy, midstrata, forest floor, clearings, cultivated gardens and the transitional habitats since water, marshes, papyrus and the trading centers are the avian contours that bridge Lake Victoria to this tropical forest transitions and mosaics. The report is focusing on yielding how easy or common localized, elusive and uncommon species in this little spatial and temporal range, which species would be more seen in visiting these areas.
Mpanga forest gazetted in 1953 a research area for plants among others with the primary area boosting impressive large trees like the maesopsis eminii, canarium and several ficus for the avian frugivore magnet with some used to make the royal drums from the early days in Buganda Kingdom, with trails lit by colorful butterflies like the African citrus papillio demodocus, blue banded monarch papilio phorcas, numerous charaxes numenes floating as they patrol for any moist wet points to exploit any fermented sources. For the first time visitors seeking for a birding tour in Uganda at the first end of the dry season Feb – March, its common to grip on to the birds bellow listed in the taxa order easily ticked of by mid morning and late afternoon.
Lead coloured fly-catcher
A flock of Weynes weavers
Birds seen during the day
The mega ticks while birding in the Mpanga Forest environs being the Great sparrow hawk, Magpie Mannikin, Weyns weaver and Blue breasted kingfisher.
1. Lizard buzzard Kaupifalco monogrammicus
2. Shikra Accipter badius
3. Great sparrow hawk Accipter melanoleucus
4. African Harrier Hawk Polyboroides typus
5. Long crested eagle Lophaetus occipitalis
6. African green-pigeon Treron calva
7. Tambourine dove Turtur tympanistria
8. Red-eyed dove Streptopelia semitorquarta
9. Crowned Hornbill Tokus albotermintatus
10. Black-and-white casqued Hornbill Bycanistes subcyrindricus
11. Great blue turaco Corythaeola cristata
12. Ross’s turaco, Mosephaga rossae
13. Eastern grey plantain-eater Crinifer zonurus
14. Black-and-white cuckoo Oxylophus jacobinus
15. Red chested cuckoo Cuculus clamosus
16. Klaas’s cuckoo Chrysococcyx klaas
17. African emerald cuckoo Chrysococcyx cupreus
18. African palm swift Cypsiurus parvus
19. White throated bee eater, Merops albicollis
20. Hairy breasted barbet Tricholaema hirsuta
21. Angola swallow Hirundo rustica
22. African pied wagtail Motacilla aguimp
23. Western Nicator Nicator chloris
24. Black-eyed Bulbul Pycnonotus barbatus
25. Red-capped robin chat Cossypha natalensis
26. Green Hylia Hylia prasima
27. Tawny-flanked Prinia Prinia subflava
28. Lead – Coloured Flycatcher Myioparus plumberus
29. Grey – throated flycatcher Myioparus griseigular.
30. Black-and-white shrike-Flycatcher Bias musicus
31. Chestnut wattle – eye Dyaphorophyia castanea
32. Red bellied flycatcher Terpsiphone rufiventer
33. Yellow white eye Zosterops senegalensis
34. Green headed sunbird Cynomitra verticalis
35. Olive sunbird Cynomitra olivacea
36. Green throated sunbird Chalcomitra rubescens
37. Green sunbird Anthreptes rectirostris
38. Collared Sunbird Hedydipna collaris
39. Splendid starling Lamprotornis splendidus
40. Western Black-headed Oriole Oriolus brachyrhynchus
41. Grey headed sparrow Passer griseus
42. Grosbeak weaver Amblyospiza albifrons
43. Weyns weaver, Ploceus weynsi
44. Red- headed Malimbe Malimbus rubricollis
45. Red billed firefinch Lagonosticta senegala
46. Bronze Mannikin Lonchura cucullata
47. Black-and-white Mannikin Lonchura bicolor
48. Magpie Mannikin, Lonchura fringiloides
Great sparrow hawk
Magpie mannikin nesting on a bottle brush tree
