Kidepo Valley National Park has a bird checklist of more than 470 species, which is the second-highest of any protected area in Uganda. What’s more, it includes 60 species that haven’t been recorded in any of the country’s other national parks. This includes ostrich and East Africa’s only naturally occurring populations of rose-ringed parakeet and Clapperton’s francolin. Kidepo is especially good for raptors, with 56 species on record, ranging in size from pygmy falcon to secretary bird. Migratory birds are present from November to April.
Birding Specials Treats for Avid Birders
(NE) near-endemic = lives in Uganda and neighboring countries- Abyssinian roller
- Abyssinian scimitarbill
- Black-breasted barbet
- Chestnut weaver
- Clapperton’s francolin
- Common ostrich
- D’Arnaud’s barbet
- Dark chanting goshawk
- Fox kestrel
- Golden pipit
- Greater kestrel
- Jackson’s hornbill
- Karamoja apalis (NE)
- Kori bustard
- Northern carmine bee-eater
- Purple grenadier
- Pygmy falcon
- Red-and-yellow barbet
- Red-throated bee-eater
- Rose-ringed parakeet
- Rufous chatterer
- Secretary bird
- White-bellied go-away-bird
Best Time for Bird Watching
The birdlife in Kidepo is good year-round, but March and April are best for local specials and the many migrants. December to February has the least rain, while the wettest months are April to August. That said, rain shouldn’t be too much of an obstacle to birding in this semi-arid part of the country. Migratory birds are in the valleys from November to April. For wildlife viewing, the Dry season (September to March) is best.