Tony and our visiting birders from India explored Semuliki NP last week. On basically every birding trip we run a stop to Semuliki NP is an interesting part as it is one of the most important IBA spots in Uganda. Birding in Semuliki NP offers the chance to see birds otherwise just seen in the forests of Congo.
Here our birding team went for a walk looking for Akun eagles owl, Blue billed malimbe, western bronze napped pigeon, Maxwell`s black weaver, Congo serpent eagle, red-billed dwarf hornbill, African Dwarf kingfisher, the rare Capuchin babbler, red -thighed and long-tailed hawk among others. For Tony and our Indian visitors the highlight of the birding in Semuliki was the rare Yellow-throated Cuckoo, Chrysococcyx flavigularis, bagged on Kirumia trail.
Semuliki National Park
Semuliki National Park is a top stop on birding tours in Uganda. It is located in western Uganda bordering the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Semuliki is East Africa’s only lowland tropical rainforest, classified as moist and semi-deciduous. It boasts 336 tree species, 374 butterfly species, 63 mammals, and 9 primate species. Primates include chimpanzees, blue monkeys, vervet monkeys, and olive baboons. Nocturnal primates like pottos and galagos are also found here.
Besides birding possible activities here include a community visit to the Batwa people and a visit to the Sempaya hot springs.
