Birding Checklist in Semuliki National Park.
Semuliki National Park Birding Checklist: Situated in the western arm of the Rift Valley, along the Ugandan border with the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Semuliki National Park is a veritable birding paradise. The park, which was created in 1993, includes 219 square kilometers of the only lowland tropical rainforest in East Africa.
In addition, Semuliki is home to a wide variety of bird and butterfly species, making it one of Africa’s most diverse regions in terms of floral and faunal species. The Uganda Wildlife Authority, or “UWA,” is in charge of overseeing Semuliki National Park.
The park is situated between 670 and 760 meters above sea level on a flat to undulating landform. Additionally, it receives 1,250 mm of rainfall on average, with the highest amounts occurring between March and May and between September and December.
With just minor daily fluctuations, the park’s temperature ranges from 18 to 30 degrees Celsius.
In addition to the birdlife, Semuliki National Park boasts two hot springs that serve as its main draws. One of these, Mumbuga Spring, is a geyser-like feature that forms a 0.5-meter-high fountain. It draws a lot of shorebirds and offers salt licks for a variety of animals.
More than 400 bird species can be found in the park, including the Western Bronzo-napped Pigeon, the Piping Hornbill, the White-bellied Kingfisher, the Long-tailed Hawk, the Spot-breasted Ibis, the Lyre-tailed Honey Guide, and the Nkulengu Rail.
Hippopotamus, mona monkeys, water chevrotains, African civets, African buffalo, leopards, bush babies, Sitatunga, White-bellied duikers, Beecroft’s Anomalure, African elephants, and Pygmy scaly-tailed flying squirrels are among the more than 60 mammal species that call Semuliki National Park home. In addition, there are eight species of monkeys in the park, including nocturnal ones like Pottos and Galagos, and over 460 kinds of butterflies. Semuliki National Park Birding Checklist.
The Long-tailed Hawk, Congo Serpent Eagle, Lyre-tailed Honeyguide, Nkulengu rail, and Black-wattled Hornbill are just a few of the many primarily Central African species found in Semuliki National Park that are unique to East Africa.Unverified reports of the internationally endangered Lesser Kestrel exist.
Despite not being suitable for the Sudan-Guinea Savanna biome, the region is home to six biome species, including the Red-throated Bee-eater, Piapiac, and Purple Glossy-starling, which are found far south of their range. Four species of birds from the Lake Victoria Basin biome and sixteen species of birds from the Guinea Congo Forests biome are frequently seen in wildlife nature reserves.
The Ituri woodlands are the finest places to see other bird species in Semuliki National Park, such as the Spotted Greenbul, White-throated Blue Swallow, Blue Swallow, and Swamp Palm Bulbul.Common Stonechat, Capped Wheatear, Red-eyed Puffback, Snowy-headed Robin-Chat, Blue-shouldered Robin-Chat, Northern Bearded Scrib-Robin,Little Grey Greenbul, Toro Olive Greenbul, Mountain Greenbul, Abyssinian Ground-Thrush, Grey Ground-Thrush, Western Nicator,The Red-thighed sparrowhawk, Grant’s Bluebill, Goshawk, Purple-throated Cuckoo-shrike, and Petite’s Cuckoo-shrikeBlue-headed Coucal, Afep pigeon, White-bellied Kingfisher, Shining-blue kingfisher, Gabon woodpecker, Cassin Spine tail, Bate’s Nightjar, Swamp Nightjar,Among them are the hairy-breasted, yellow-billed, double-toothed, and black-billed barbets.
Semuliki National Park’s Northern Bearded Scrib-Robin Birding Checklist
At least 235 species of moths have been classified here, and the park is home to over 46 species of forest swallowtail and charaxe butterflies, which make up “75% of Uganda’s total.” Additionally, 305 tree species have been identified, and roughly 125 bird species are Albertine.
You can visit the “Batwa people,” who lived near the Ntandi a few years ago, and other people in the park, such as Bwamba, Bakonzo, Babwitsi, Batooro, and Babutoku, while you’re in Semuliki National Park.
Accessibility: Visitors can reach Semuliki National Park by driving five to six hours from Kampala to the Fort gate via Mubende. Alternately, you can use the Kampala-Fort gateway through Masaka, Mbarara, and Kasese; however, the trip takes seven to eight hours by car.
