#UGANDA ONCE AGAIN CELEBRATES NATIONAL BIRDING WEEKEND
(Posted 13th November 2017)
The annual weekend of birdwatching has come to an end which saw hundreds of individuals and groups swarm out across Uganda’s national parks, game reserves, forests and wetlands to try and establish another record of birds sighted.
Uganda is one of the world’s leading bird watching destinations with some statistics speaking of over 1.060 species, resident and migratory, found within the country’s borders.
#NatureUganda has since the inception of the event in 2009 been the lead promoter of the annual bird watching mania, which eventually graduated from a day event into a weekend long hunt for bird sightings.
In 2009 only 386 bird species were recorded, largely attributed to the lack of enough participants, but over the years has this activity gained traction and momentum and is now one of the most anticipated conservation events in the country.
Last year did 311 participants cover 28 bird watching sites and came home with an amazing list of 768 species of birds identified. Uganda’s leading national parks were the setting for seeing the most, such as Queen Elizabeth National Park with 372 species, Mt. Elgon National Park with 285, Murchison Falls NP with 233, Kidepo Valley NP with 221 and Bwindi Impenetrable Forest NP with 200.
Much of the country this year suffered heavy rains over the weekend but this did not douse the spirits of the birdwatchers who went into the field well prepared and outfitted.
Details of the birds sighted will be revealed in a closing function set for the 18th of November at the Uganda Museum when participants will be recognized and the leading teams with the most sightings honoured.
For more information about Destination Uganda click on www.visituganda.com but also check out www.ugandawildlife.org and www.natureuganda.org
