For anybody interested in African bird watching, Uganda is the ultimate destination. The country's small size might mislead you into dismissing it as a bird-watching destination, and yet more than 1000 different bird species can be seen there.
Statistically, this is around 50% of all bird species in Africa. As a birder, this means you will check off the most birds in Uganda. Whether you are new to birding or a seasoned birder, this is exciting.
This article is intended to give you a glance at all the birds in Uganda. Going into any form of detail would require a dedicated book. The birds are grouped and shown in tables and lists for simpler formatting, and we hope this makes it easy to read through.
Bird Species Found In Uganda
Ostriches
Ostriches are flightless birds native to Africa, and the largest living species of bird. They are distinctive in appearance, with long necks and legs and the ability to run at high speeds.
- Common ostrich
Ducks, Geese, And Waterfowl
Anatidae includes the ducks and most duck-like waterfowl, such as geese and swans. These birds are adapted to an aquatic existence with webbed feet, flattened bills, and feathers that are excellent at shedding water due to an oily coating.
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Guineafowl
Guineafowl are a group of African, seed-eating, ground-nesting birds that resemble partridges, but with featherless heads and spangled grey plumage.
- Helmeted guineafowl
- Crested guineafowl
New World Quail
Despite their family's common name, these two species are native to Africa.
- Stone partridge
- Nahan's francolin
Pheasants, Grouse, And Allies
The Phasianidae are a family of terrestrial birds which consists of quails, snowcocks, francolins, spurfowls, tragopans, monals, pheasants, peafowls, and jungle fowls. In general, they are plump (although they vary in size) and have broad, relatively short wings.
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Flamingos
Flamingos are gregarious wading birds, usually 3 to 5 feet (0.9 to 1.5 m) tall, found in both the Western and Eastern Hemispheres. Flamingos filter-feed on shellfish and algae. Their oddly shaped beaks are specially adapted to separate mud and silt from the food they consume and, uniquely, are used upside-down.
- Greater Flamingo
- Lesser flamingo
Grebes
Grebes are small to medium-large freshwater diving birds. They have lobed toes and are excellent swimmers and divers. However, they have their feet placed far back on the body, making them quite ungainly on land.
- Little grebe
- Great crested grebe
- Eared grebe
Pigeons And Doves
Pigeons and doves are stout-bodied birds with short necks and short slender bills with a fleshy cere.
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Sandgrouse
Sandgrouse have small, pigeon-like heads and necks, but sturdy compact bodies. They have long pointed wings and sometimes tails and a fast direct flight. Flocks fly to watering holes at dawn and dusk. Their legs are feathered down to the toes.
- Lichtenstein's sandgrouse
- Four-banded sandgrouse
Bustards
Bustards are large terrestrial birds mainly associated with dry open country and steppes in the Old World. They are omnivorous and nest on the ground. They walk steadily on strong legs and big toes, pecking for food as they go. They have long broad wings with "fingered" wingtips and striking patterns in flight. Many have interesting mating displays.
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Turacos
The turacos, plantain-eaters, and go-away birds make up the bird family Musophagidae. They are medium-sized arboreal birds. The turacos and plantain-eaters are brightly coloured, usually blue, green, or purple. The go-away birds are mostly grey and white.
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Cuckoos
The family Cuculidae includes cuckoos, roadrunners, and anis. These birds are of variable size with slender bodies, long tails, and strong legs. The Old World cuckoos are brood parasites.
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Nightjars And Allies
Nightjars are medium-sized nocturnal birds that usually nest on the ground. They have long wings, short legs, and very short bills. Most have small feet, of little use for walking, and long pointed wings.
Their soft plumage is camouflaged to resemble bark or leaves.
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Swifts
Swifts are small birds which spend the majority of their lives flying. These birds have very short legs and never settle voluntarily on the ground, perching instead only on vertical surfaces. Many swifts have long swept-back wings which resemble a crescent or boomerang.
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Flufftails
The flufftails are a small family of ground-dwelling birds found only in Madagascar and sub-Saharan Africa.
- White-spotted flufftail
- Buff-spotted flufftail
- Red-chested flufftail
Rails, Gallinules, And Coots
Rallidae is a large family of small to medium-sized birds which include the rails, crakes, coots, and gallinules. Typically they inhabit dense vegetation in damp environments near lakes, swamps, or rivers.
In general, they are shy and secretive birds, making them difficult to observe. Most species have strong legs and long toes which are well adapted to soft uneven surfaces. They tend to have short, rounded wings and to be weak fliers.
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Finfoots
Heliornithidae is a small family of tropical birds with webbed lobes on their feet similar to those of grebes and coots.
- African finfoot
Cranes
Cranes are large, long-legged and long-necked birds. Unlike the similar-looking but unrelated herons, cranes fly with necks outstretched, not pulled back. Most have elaborate and noisy courting displays or "dances".
- Gray crowned-crane
- Black crowned-crane
Thick-Knees
The thick-knees are a group of waders found worldwide within the tropical zone, with some species also breeding in temperate Europe and Australia.
They are medium to large waders with strong black or yellow-black bills, large yellow eyes, and cryptic plumage. Despite being classed as waders, most species have a preference for arid or semi-arid habitats.
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Egyptian Plover
The Egyptian plover is found across equatorial Africa and along the Nile River.
- Egyptian plover
Stilts And Avocets
Recurvirostridae is a family of large wading birds which includes avocets and stilts. The avocets have long legs and long up-curved bills. The stilts have extremely long legs and long, thin, straight bills.
- Black-winged stilt
- Pied Avocet
Oystercatchers
The oystercatchers are large and noisy plover-like birds with strong bills used for smashing or prising open molluscs.
- Eurasian oystercatcher
Plovers And Lapwings
The family Charadriidae includes plovers, dotterels, and lapwings. They are small to medium-sized birds with compact bodies, short thick necks, and long, usually pointed, wings. They are found in the open country worldwide, mostly in habitats near water.
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Painted-Snipes
Painted snipes are short-legged, long-billed birds similar in shape to the true snipes, but more brightly coloured.
- Greater painted-snipe
Jacanas
The jacanas are a group of waders found throughout the tropics. They are identifiable by their huge feet and claws which enable them to walk on floating vegetation in the shallow lakes that are their preferred habitat.
- Lesser jacana
- African jacana
Sandpipers And Allies
Scolopacidae is a large diverse family of small to medium-sized shorebirds including sandpipers, curlews, godwits, shanks, tattlers, woodcocks, snipes, dowitchers, and phalaropes. The majority of these species eat small invertebrates picked out of the mud or soil.
Variation in length of legs and bills enables multiple species to feed in the same habitat, particularly on the coast, without direct competition for food.
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Buttonquails
The buttonquails are small, drab, running birds which resemble the true quails. The female is the brighter of the sexes and initiates courtship. The male incubates the eggs and tends the young.
- Small buttonquail
- Black-rumped buttonquail
- Quail-plover
Pratincoles And Coursers
Glareolidae is a family of wading birds comprising the pratincoles, which have short legs, long pointed wings, and long forked tails, and the coursers, which have long legs, short wings, and long, pointed bills that curve downwards.
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Gulls, Terns, And Skimmers
Laridae is a family of medium to large seabirds, gulls, terns, and skimmers. Gulls are typically grey or white, often with black markings on the head or wings. They have stout, longish bills and webbed feet.
Terns are a group of generally medium to large seabirds typically with grey or white plumage, often with black markings on the head. Most terns hunt fish by diving but some pick insects off the surface of fresh water. Terns are generally long-lived birds, with several species known to live more than 30 years.
Skimmers are a small family of tropical tern-like birds. They have an elongated lower mandible which they use to feed by flying low over the water surface and skimming the water for small fish.
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Shearwaters And Petrels
The procellariids are the main group of medium-sized "true petrels", characterised by united nostrils with medium septum and a long outer functional primary.
- Southern giant-petrel
Storks
Storks are large, long-legged, long-necked, wading birds with long, stout bills. Storks are mute, but bill-clattering is an important mode of communication at the nest.
Their nests can be large and may be reused for many years. Many species are migratory.
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Related article: Interesting things to know about the marabou stork (picture above)
Anhingas
Anhingas or darters are often called "snake birds" because of their long thin neck, which gives a snake-like appearance when they swim with their bodies submerged. The males have black and dark-brown plumage, an erectile crest on the nape and a larger bill than the females.
The females have much paler plumage, especially on the neck and underparts. The darters have completely webbed feet and their legs are short and set far back on the body.
Their plumage is somewhat permeable, like that of cormorants, and they spread their wings to dry after diving.
- African darter
Cormorants And Shags
Phalacrocoracidae is a family of medium to large coastal, fish-eating seabirds that includes cormorants and shags. Plumage colouration varies, with the majority having mainly dark plumage, some species being black-and-white, and a few being colourful.
- Long-tailed cormorant
- Great cormorant
Pelicans
Pelicans are large water birds with a distinctive pouch under their beak. They have webbed feet with four toes.
- Great white pelican
- Pink-backed pelican
Shoebill
The shoebill is a large bird related to the storks. It derives its name from its massive shoe-shaped bill.
- Shoebill
Related article: Interesting facts about the shoe bill
Hamerkop
The hamerkop is a medium-sized bird with a long shaggy crest. The shape of its head with a curved bill and crest at the back is reminiscent of a hammer, hence its name. Its plumage is drab-brown all over.
- Hamerkop
Herons, Egrets, And Bitterns
The family Ardeidae contains the bitterns, herons, and egrets. Herons and egrets are medium to large wading birds with long necks and legs. Bitterns tend to be shorter-necked and more wary. Members of Ardeidae fly with their necks retracted, unlike other long-necked birds such as storks, ibises, and spoonbills.
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Ibises And Spoonbills
Threskiornithidae is a family of large terrestrial and wading birds which includes the ibises and spoonbills. They have long, broad wings with 11 primary and about 20 secondary feathers. They are strong fliers and despite their size and weight, very capable soarers.
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Secretarybird
The secretarybird is a bird of prey, but is easily distinguished from other raptors by its long crane-like legs.
- Secretarybird
Osprey
The family Pandionidae contains only one species, the osprey. The osprey is a medium-large raptor which is a specialist fish-eater with a worldwide distribution.
- Osprey
Hawks, Eagles, And Kites
Accipitridae is a family of birds of prey which includes hawks, eagles, kites, harriers, and Old World vultures. These birds have powerful hooked beaks for tearing flesh from their prey, strong legs, powerful talons, and keen eyesight.
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Barn-Owls
Barn owls are medium to large owls with large heads and characteristic heart-shaped faces. They have long strong legs with powerful talons.
- African grass-owl
- Barn owl
Owls
The typical owls are small to large solitary nocturnal birds of prey. They have large forward-facing eyes and ears, a hawk-like beak, and a conspicuous circle of feathers around each eye called a facial disk.
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Mousebirds
The mousebirds are slender greyish or brown birds with soft, hairlike body feathers and very long thin tails. They are arboreal and scurry through the leaves like rodents in search of berries, fruit, and buds.
They are acrobatic and can feed upside down. All species have strong claws and reversible outer toes. They also have crests and stubby bills.
- Speckled mousebird
- Blue-naped mousebird
Trogons
The family Trogonidae includes trogons and quetzals. Found in tropical woodlands worldwide, they feed on insects and fruit, and their broad bills and weak legs reflect their diet and arboreal habits.
Although their flight is fast, they are reluctant to fly any distance. Trogons have soft, often colourful, feathers with distinctive male and female plumage.
- Narina trogon, Apaloderma narina
- Bar-tailed trogon
Hoopoes
Hoopoes have black, white, and orangey-pink colouring with a large erectile crest on their head.
- Eurasian hoopoe
Woodhoopoes And Scimitarbills
The woodhoopoes are related to the hoopoes, ground hornbills, and hornbills. They most resemble the hoopoes with their long curved bills, used to probe for insects, and short rounded wings. However, they differ in that they have metallic plumage, often blue, green, or purple, and lack an erectile crest.
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Ground-Hornbills
The ground-hornbills are terrestrial birds which feed almost entirely on insects, other birds, snakes, and amphibians.
- Abyssinian ground-hornbill
- Southern ground-hornbill
Hornbills
Hornbills are a group of birds whose bill is shaped like a cow's horn, but without a twist, sometimes with a casque on the upper mandible. Frequently, the bill is brightly coloured.
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Kingfishers
Kingfishers are medium-sized birds with large heads, long, pointed bills, short legs, and stubby tails.
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Bee-Eaters
The bee-eaters are a group of near-passerine birds. Most species are found in Africa but others occur in southern Europe, Madagascar, Australia, and New Guinea.
They are characterised by richly coloured plumage, slender bodies, and usually elongated central tail feathers. All are colourful and have long downturned bills and pointed wings, which give them a swallow-like appearance when seen from afar.
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Rollers
Rollers resemble crows in size and build, but are more closely related to kingfishers and bee-eaters. They share the colourful appearance of those groups with blues and browns predominating. The two inner front toes are connected, but the outer toe is not.
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African Barbets
The barbets are plump birds, with short necks and large heads. They get their name from the bristles which fringe their heavy bills. Most species are brightly coloured.
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Honeyguides
Honeyguides are among the few birds that feed on wax. They are named for the greater honeyguide which leads traditional honey-hunters to bees' nests and after the hunters have harvested the honey, feeds on the remaining contents of the hive.
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Woodpeckers
Woodpeckers are small to medium-sized birds with chisel-like beaks, short legs, stiff tails, and long tongues used for capturing insects. Some species have feet with two toes pointing forward and two backward, while several species have only three toes. Many woodpeckers have the habit of tapping noisily on tree trunks with their beaks.
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Falcons And Caracaras
Falconidae is a family of diurnal birds of prey. They differ from hawks, eagles, and kites in that they kill with their beaks instead of their talons.
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Old World Parrots
Characteristic features of parrots include a strong curved bill, an upright stance, strong legs, and clawed zygodactyl feet. Many parrots are vividly coloured, and some are multi-coloured. In size, they range from 8 cm (3.1 in) to 1 m (3.3 ft) in length.
Old World parrots are found from Africa east across the south and southeast Asia and Oceania to Australia and New Zealand.
- Rose-ringed parakeet
- Black-collared lovebird
- Red-headed lovebird
African And New World Parrots
Characteristic features of parrots include a strong curved bill, an upright stance, strong legs, and clawed zygodactyl feet. Many parrots are vividly coloured, and some are multi-coloured. In size, they range from 8 cm (3.1 in) to 1 m (3.3 ft) in length. Most of the more than 150 species in this family are found in the New World.
- Gray parrot
- Brown-necked parrot
- Meyer's parrot
African And Green Broadbills
The broadbills are small, brightly coloured birds which feed on fruit and also take insects in flycatcher fashion, snapping their broad bills. Their habitat is canopies of wet forests.
- African broadbill
- Rufous-sided broadbill
Asian And Grauer's Broadbills
Only one member of this small family is found in Africa, and its range is limited to Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. It feeds mostly on fruits.
- Grauer's broadbill
Pittas
Pittas are medium-sized by passerine standards and are stocky, with fairly long, strong legs, short tails, and stout bills. Many are brightly coloured. They spend the majority of their time on wet forest floors, eating snails, insects, and similar invertebrates.
- African pitta
- Green-breasted pitta
Cuckoo shrikes
The cuckoo shrikes are small to medium-sized passerine birds. They are predominantly greyish with white and black, although some species are brightly coloured.
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Old World Orioles
The Old World orioles are colourful passerine birds. They are not related to the New World orioles.
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Wattle-Eyes And Batises
The wattle-eyes, or puffback flycatchers, are small stout passerine birds of the African tropics. They get their name from the brightly coloured fleshy eye decorations found in most species in this group.
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Vangas, Helmetshrikes, And Allies
The helmetshrikes are similar in build to the shrikes, but tend to be colourful species with distinctive crests or other head ornaments, from which they get their name.
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Bushshrikes And Allies
Bushshrikes are similar in habits to shrikes, hunting insects and other small prey from a perch on a bush. Although similar in build to the shrikes, these tend to be either colourful species or largely black; some species are quite secretive.
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Drongos
The drongos are mostly black or dark grey, sometimes with metallic tints. They have long forked tails, and some Asian species have elaborate tail decorations.
They have short legs and sit very upright when perched, like a shrike. They flycatch or take prey from the ground.
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Monarch Flycatchers
The monarch flycatchers are small to medium-sized insectivorous passerines which hunt by flycatching.
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Shrikes
Shrikes are passerine birds known for their habit of catching other birds and small animals and impaling the uneaten portions of their bodies on thorns. A shrike's beak is hooked, like that of a typical bird of prey.
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Crows, Jays, And Magpies
The family Corvidae includes crows, ravens, jays, choughs, magpies, treepies, nutcrackers, and ground jays. Corvids are above average in size among the Passeriformes, and some of the larger species show high levels of intelligence.
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Hyliotas
The members of this small family, all of genus Hyliota, are birds of the forest canopy. They tend to feed in mixed-species flocks.
- Yellow-bellied hyliota
- Southern hyliota
Fairy Flycatchers
Most of the species of this small family are found in Africa, though a few inhabit tropical Asia. They are not closely related to other birds called "flycatchers".
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Tits, Chickadees, And Titmice
The Paridae are mainly small stocky woodland species with short stout bills. Some have crests. They are adaptable birds, with a mixed diet including seeds and insects.
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Penduline-Tits
The penduline-tits are a group of small passerine birds related to the true tits. They are insectivores.
- Mouse-colored penduline-tit
- Yellow penduline-tit
- African penduline-tit
Larks
Larks are small terrestrial birds with often extravagant songs and display flights. Most larks are fairly dull in appearance. Their food is insects and seeds.
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Nicators
The nicators are shrike-like, with hooked bills. They are endemic to sub-Saharan Africa.
- Western nicator
- Yellow-throated nicator
African Warblers
African warblers are small to medium-sized insectivores which are found in a wide variety of habitats south of the Sahara.
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Cisticolas And Allies
The Cisticolidae are warblers found mainly in warmer southern regions of the Old World. They are generally very small birds of drab brown or grey appearance found in open country such as grassland or scrub.
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Reed Warblers And Allies
The members of this family are usually rather large for "warblers". Most are rather plain olivaceous brown above with much yellow to beige below. They are usually found in open woodland, reedbeds, or tall grass.
The family occurs mostly in southern to western Eurasia and its surroundings, but it also ranges far into the Pacific, with some species in Africa.
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Grassbirds And Allies
Locustellidae is a family of small insectivorous songbirds found mainly in Eurasia, Africa, and the Australian region. They are smallish birds with tails that are usually long and pointed, and tend to be drab brownish or buffy all over.
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Swallows
The family Hirundinidae is adapted to aerial feeding. They have a slender streamlined body, long pointed wings, and a short bill with a wide gape.
The feet are adapted to perching rather than walking, and the front toes are partially joined at the base.
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Bulbuls
Bulbuls are medium-sized songbirds. Some are colourful with yellow, red, or orange vents, cheeks, throats or supercilia, but most are drab, with uniform olive-brown to black plumage. Some species have distinct crests.
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Leaf Warblers
Leaf warblers are a family of small insectivorous birds found mostly in Eurasia and ranging into Wallacea and Africa. The species are of various sizes, often green-plumaged above and yellow below, or more subdued with greyish-green to greyish-brown colours.
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Bush Warblers And Allies
The members of this family are found throughout Africa, Asia, and Polynesia. Their taxonomy is in flux, and some authorities place genus Erythrocerus in another family.
- Chestnut-capped flycatcher
- Neumann's warbler
Sylviid Warblers, Parrotbills, And Allies
The family Sylviidae is a group of small insectivorous passerine birds. They mainly occur as breeding species, as the common name implies, in Europe, Asia and, to a lesser extent, Africa. Most are of generally undistinguished appearance, but many have distinctive songs.
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White-Eyes, Yuhinas, And Allies
The white-eyes are small and mostly undistinguished, their plumage above being generally some dull colour like greenish-olive, but some species have a white or bright yellow throat, breast, or lower parts, and several have buff flanks. As their name suggests, many species have a white ring around each eye.
- Green white-eye
- Northern yellow white-eye
- Southern yellow white-eye
Ground Babblers And Allies
These small to medium-sized songbirds have soft fluffy plumage but are otherwise rather diverse. Members of the genus Illadopsis are found in forests, but some other genera are birds of scrublands.
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Laughingthrushes And Allies
The members of this family are diverse in size and colouration, though those of genus Turdoides tend to be brown or greyish. The family is found in Africa, India, and Southeast Asia.
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Treecreepers
Treecreepers are small woodland birds, brown above and white below. They have thin pointed down-curved bills, which they use to extricate insects from bark.
They have stiff tail feathers, like woodpeckers, which they use to support themselves on vertical trees.
- African spotted creeper
Oxpeckers
As both the English and scientific names of these birds imply, they feed on ectoparasites, primarily ticks, found on large mammals.
- Red-billed oxpecker
- Yellow-billed oxpecker
Starlings
Starlings are small to medium-sized passerine birds. Their flight is strong and direct and they are very gregarious. Their preferred habitat is fairly open country. They eat insects and fruit. The plumage is typically dark with a metallic sheen.
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Thrushes And Allies
The thrushes are a group of passerine birds that occur mainly in the Old World. They are plump, soft-plumaged, small to medium-sized insectivores or sometimes omnivores, often feeding on the ground. Many have attractive songs.
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Old World Flycatchers
Old World flycatchers are a large group of small passerine birds native to the Old World. They are mainly small arboreal insectivores. The appearance of these birds is highly varied, but they mostly have weak songs and harsh calls.
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Dapple-Throat And Allies
This species and two others, all of different genera, were formerly placed in the family Promeropidae, the sugarbirds, but were accorded their own family in 2017.
- Gray-chested babbler
Sunbirds And Spiderhunters
The sunbirds and spiderhunters are very small passerine birds which feed largely on nectar, although they will also take insects, especially when feeding young. Flight is fast and direct on their short wings. Most species can take nectar by hovering like a hummingbird, but usually perch to feed.
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Weavers And Allies
The weavers are small passerine birds related to the finches. They are seed-eating birds with rounded conical bills. The males of many species are brightly coloured, usually in red or yellow and black. Some species show colour variation only in the breeding season.
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Waxbills And Allies
The estrildid finches are small passerine birds of the Old World tropics and Australasia. They are gregarious and often colonial seed eaters with short thick but pointed bills.
They are all similar in structure and habits, but have wide variation in plumage colours and patterns.
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Indigobirds
The indigobirds are finch-like species which usually have black or indigo predominating in their plumage. All are brood parasites which lay their eggs in the nests of estrildid finches.
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Old World Sparrows
Sparrows are small passerine birds. In general, sparrows tend to be small, plump, brown or grey birds with short tails and short powerful beaks. Sparrows are seed eaters, but they also consume small insects.
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Wagtails And Pipits
Motacillidae is a family of small passerine birds with medium to long tails. They include wagtails, longclaws, and pipits. They are slender ground-feeding insectivores of open country.
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Finches, euphonias, And Allies
Finches are seed-eating passerine birds, that are small to moderately large and have a strong beak, usually conical and in some species very large. All have twelve tail feathers and nine primaries. These birds have a bouncing flight with alternating bouts of flapping and gliding on closed wings, and most sing well.
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Old World Buntings
The emberizids are a large family of passerine birds. They are seed-eating birds with distinctively shaped bills. Many emberizid species have distinctive head patterns.
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Final Thoughts
Uganda's savannahs, forests, mountains, swamps and lakes create a combination of various ecosystems that make a good home for birds. Whether you are in Uganda for a short gorilla-tracking adventure or a longer safari with many attractions in mind, you will get to see so many birds. Whether you are in the middle of the city or out in the middle of nowhere - birds.
As crucial parts of the ecosystem, birds offer a different perspective on how to look at the world and the environment around them.
