Bird watching safari in Akagera National Park : Birding in Akagera national park is one of the most interesting activities that are done in the park whereby tourists gets an opportunity to see different bird species of their interest Since it houses a number of different bird species. Akagera national park is famously known for housing all the Big 5 fascinating animals such as Buffaloes, Lions, and Elephant. Rhinos and Leopards which has attracted or boasted number of tourists in the country.

Besides the Big 5 fascinating animals, there are a number of attractions and activates  that can be done by a tourist while on Rwanda wildlife safaris to Akagera National Park such as amazing game drives, sport fishing, boat trips/ cruise, cultural encounters around Akagera national park, nature walks among others that have attracted tourists to visit Akagera national park. Bird watching has greatly contributes to the great number of tourists that come to the park.

The park is also a home to amzing and interesting water sources such as Lake Kivu and Lake Shakani, Akagera River where you can see a number of amphibians and the reptile’s species such as chameleon, Nile crocodiles, and monitor lizards among others. Though the park is a home to different animals species and a number of different amazing actives, bird watching on the park is the most worthwhile activity that many tourists in the park can participate on to ensure that they have remarkable safari experiences since the park is a home of over 524 species of birds.

Akagera National Park is the only savannah national park in Rwanda and it is well known for its undulating hills, lakes, wetlands, and woods which is a home to about 524 bird species of which 100 of the recorded bird species in Akagera National Park cannot be found anywhere in Rwanda’s national parks or even in Rwanda as country. While visiting Akagera national park, you should get ready to have amazing birding adventure safari of your entire lifetime because you will not only see the different bird species but also amazed with a number of exceptional views and attractions.

During birding safari in the park, you will have a great opportunity to spot some of the African big 5 animals. The park is an excellent birding destination site with a variety of habitants, you will be amazed with different bird species such as Northern Brown-throated Weaver, Papyrus Gonolek, White-Winged Swamp Warbler, Carruthers’ Cisticola, White-collared Oliveback, Bare face-Go-Away bird, and African fish Eagle, Black-headed Gonolek, Fork-tailed Drano and Grey-crowned Cranes Shouldered robin-chat, Grasshopper buzzard, Dimorphic egret are among the other range-restricted species and highlights. Another desired species that may be seen in the area on a regular basis is the Shoebill stork.

For tourists interested to carry out biding in Akagera national park, this article presents to you a guide that will help you know what is expected during your birding safari in the park for a trilling time while on Rwanda birding safaris in Akagera national park.

List of essentials for birding safari adventurers

Bird checklist will allow you to recognize the different bird species in the park and also help you to identify the number given to bird’s species within the park.

Hiking boots that will enable you to walk easily

Binoculars in order to see a number of bird species while in the park which can help you see birds from a distance.

Insect repellent since there are a number of insects such as tsetse flies and mosquitoes that can spread number of diseases to tourists

Hat to protect yourself from the burning sunshine in the park

Camera which will help you take memorable pictures of the bird species that you get to see in the park

Best time to go birding

Birding in Akagera national park can be any time of the year because you can see vast number of different bird species irrespective to the weather. You should note that Rwanda is described by two dry seasons that’s to say the long and short season, every season in Akagera national park rewards the birder with distinct bird species. The long month/season starts in June, July August, September and the short seasons starts in December, January and February and you will have a great opportunity to see many wetland birds like the Francolins, nightjars, owls, African king fisher’s. the wet season especially around October is the perfect time for you to see out Lapwings and several grassland Avifaunal species like the songbirds, blue Turaco, Ross’s Turaco, long-tailed cisticola, bubbling cisticola, Miombo wren warbler. Water birds can also be spotted during the boat trip in Akagera national park where you will spot the different species of birds like Herons, Stork, cormorants, darters, and migratory birds are usually seen in November to April during the combination of short rains and dry months.

Bird watching safari in Akagera National Park
Bird watching safari in Akagera National Park

Bird spotting grounds

Every point in the park is the perfect ground for bird watching since it is the absolutely the best place to spot different species of birds in Rwanda- Near the different swamps of the park, you will see a number of wetland birds like the endangered shoe bill stork, spoonbills, great crested grebe, papyrus Gonolek the halcyon among other bird species.

 Water birds can be seen during the boat cruise where you will see a number of different water birds like African kingfisher, yellow billed stork, pied crow, weavers, African sacred ibis, bee-eater, sea eagle, pipits, cattle egret stork, and long claw among other bird species.

In the savannah grassland of the park you will be amazed with a vast number of hens low’s sparrow, Bachman’s sparrow,  grasshopper sparrow, sedge wren, Mc Cown’s longspur, among other bird species these can be seen during the game drives around the park.

Besides birding safaris in Akagera National Park, you can participate in other activities in Akagera national park  such as attracting  Game drives, Game drives in Akagera national park is the most famous and attracting activities were visitors gets exposed to the wilderness  spot  these amazing  wildlife and also gets a chance to explore the Savannah plains in a comfortable  in vehicle  with a professional game ranger , the morning game drives you will see early risers like the herbivorous animals, for example, the zebras, topis, buffalos, zebras, bushbucks, giraffes among other animal species that can be seen grazing in the plains of the park. During the evening game drives, you will see a number of carnivores in the park like the leopards, hyenas, lions trying to catch Rey for dinner which is a fun experience.

You will also have an astonishing adventure within the park such as the cultural encounters around Akagera national park where you will have the opportunity to visit the Humure refugee village where you will be taught different activities such as local butter making, pottery, banana beer making among other astonishing activities.

You can also participate in the remarkable boat cruise in Akagera National Park where you will get the opportunity to see a number of attractions such as different water birds, the crocodiles’ sun basking, herbivores like the zebras, impalas quenching their thirst while in the park.

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