There are several habitats of birds raging from Grassy lands, swamps, wetlands, rivers, and forests. The Popular Bird Watching Destinations in Rwanda include; Nyungwe forest, Akagera national park in Rwanda, the only savannah park with vast biodiversity.
Rwanda is a small angelic country boarded by Uganda, Congo, and Burundi, it is commonly known as the land of a thousand hills because of its unwinding hills and mountainous nature. The country is placed along the Albertine rift valley region; it hosts over 700 bird species most of which are endemic to the country. Different locations to see birds in Rwanda include the Rugezi, Cyamudongo forests among other places. Below are the top places to go birding while in Rwanda
Volcanoes national park north of the country is a thick forest of bamboo and grasslands, these are habitats for birds, the park offers good birding over 180 species are present in the conservation area, it should be noted that most of the park birds can be seen in Nyungwe forest, special to the park is the swamp-dwelling Grauer, Rwenzori Turaco, Rwenzori batis, Bateleur, Blue-spotted woodland dove, cinnamon-chested bee-eater, Red-backed shrike, African long-eared owl, brown woodland warbler, dusky crimson wing, Handsome francolin, Rwenzori nightjar.
Nyungwe forest national park is among the best birding spots in Rwanda, the forest is dense but very rewarding to see birds, it has many chances of spotting new species which can’t be spotted ay where else, among the 215 types 29 of these are endemic to the park, Nyungwe forest is rich in biodiversity boasting marshy swampy areas, trees, flowering plants that harbor birds, it is the most accessible tropical rain forest in East Africa, the park is said to have survived the ice age period, the well-constructed trails of the forest make it easy to do birding, popular sites include theRed-collared mountain warbler, yellow-eyed black flycatcher, Kivu ground thrush, short-tailed warbler, mountain masked Apalis, grey crested Kaka mega, Grauer’s swamp warbler, Rwenzori Batis, Rwenzori Turaco.
Akagera national park birding is the most populated home of birds, over 500 birds live in the ecosystem both indigenous and Migratory species are in the national park, the swamps grassy lands and plains savannah, Lakes and Rivers act as homes to the birds Akagera is the second-best place to spot birds after Nyungwe forest national park the two conservation areas are a compliment of another, common birds found in the area include shoebill stock, great snipe, long-tailed cist cola, papyrus Gonolex, black-winged kestrel, African fish eagle, Rupells griffon vultures, African harrier hawk, African jacana, bateleurs, squacco heron, Amur falcon, crested barbet, grasshopper buzzard, papyrus Ginolex, northern brown-throated weaver, red-faced barbet among other several.
To enjoy a birding safari in Rwanda, it is important to carry the following Binoculars, identification species books, food and water along the way, insect repellants, Hiking boots, Cameras, long-sleeved shirt and trousers, voice recorders, and other necessary items of personal nature. Birding in Rwanda has been made easy by the improvement in trails and experienced professional guides, it can be done all year round however the most favorable time is from December to February, it is a migratory time many birds come from different parts of Rwanda. Birds are everywhere in Rwanda and can be seen even in the city center of Kigali, the outcasts of the town, and along small lakes and Rivers.
