Bird Watching In Kigali City
Despite it being the cleanest capital city and main entry point to Rwanda one of the renowned mountain gorilla destinations in Africa, Kigali is remarkably one of the best bird-watching areas that you should consider a must to visit while on safari in Africa.
It features several birding sites most of which include the wetlands, woodlands, forest, open grassland. Each of these sites comprises of unique and beautiful bird species which make about 200 bird species which this city a birding paradise. The notable birding sites for you to visit while on birding safari in Kigali include;
- The Nyarutarama Lake
This is strategically situated next to Kigali golf course and comprises of several paths which provide the best spot for you to look out for a variety of aquatic bird species. The most significant bird-life for you to sight out Red-billed Teal, African Spoonbill, Spur-winged Geese, Little Grebe, Common Moorhen, Hadada Ibis, Black Crake, Black Egret, Cater Egret, Yellow-billed Duck, Squacco Heron, White-faced Whistling Duck, Hottentot Teal and Black-headed Heron.
The vegetation along the Lakeshores inhabits birds like Black Kite, African hobby, swamp flycatcher, winding Cisticola, tawny flanked Prinia, paradise flycatcher, white-browed coucal, grey capped warbler, pygmy kingfisher, African Fish Eagle. In the eastern side of the Lake, there are acacia woodlands which inhabit most of the raptors like the mountain buzzards and tint birdlife like martin, swallows, sunbirds which make up part of 26 sun-birds in Rwanda and swifts.
- Nyabarongo wetlands
The Nyabarongo wetlands which cover an area of about 142.62 square kilometres equally rewards birders with amazing birdlife as it consists of several marshes and swamps. And while you are on safari in Rwanda, the key bird species for you to spot out in these wetlands are Black-headed Heron, Great Swamp Warbler, White-winged Warbler, Long-toed Lapwing, Yellow Wagtail, Common Snipe, African Marsh Harrier, African Jacana, Papyrus Gonolek, Spur-winged Geese, Great White Egret, Cattle Egret, Little Egret, Squacco Heron, African Openbill, Yellow-billed Stork, Grey Heron, Black-headed Gonolek, Goliath Heron and others.
Nyarutarama Lake Dump located close to Kigali and can be reached by taking a taxi or even a motorbike. This spectacular Lake features bird species like African hobbies, Boart hawk, yellow-billed duck and others. Other bird species for you to sight while on birding safari in Kigali include red-billed fire finch, brimstone canary, pin tailed whydah, pied crow, cinnamon chested bee-eater, cape dove, Ross’s Turaco, cardinal woodpecker, hamerkop, green-winged ptyilia, white-browed robin chat, northern fiscal, African harrier hawk, bronze sunbird, dark capped bulbul, tropical boubou, African pied wagtail and speckled mousebird.
If you are bird lover, the birding sites around Kigali can be reached within few minutes for instance Nyabarongo wetlands which are 15 minutes’ drive away from Kigali. For the most rewarding birding adventure in Kigali, you will need a binocular and camera and you can contact our receptionist and we shall help organize for you a birding trip in Kigali plus gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park Rwanda.
