Bird watching in Congo

DR Congo is one of the best destinations for bird watching because of its varied habitat and rich forests which house most of the central African species and Albertine rift endemics. The bird watching safaris we organize at Kagera safaris are to the eastern part of Congo with mainly Virunga national park and Kahuzi-biege national park. The birding trips will give you an experience of being in the forest and an opportunity to watch much more than birds with primates being on the list.

DR Congo is said to have over 1139 bird species that are mostly endemic to Congo which makes it one of the best birding destinations in Africa especially because of its biodiversity. The total number of bird species is not fully known as different sources give different numbers. Bird watching in Congo happens mainly in the forests, savannah areas, wetlands, rivers and lakes.

Some of the birds that you are likely to watch in Congo include; Uganda woodland-warbler, Pale-breasted illadopsis, Chapin’s mountain-babbler, Wattled sterling, African thrush, Spotted flycatcher, Black-throated malimbe, Pale-billed firefinch, Grey throated barbet, Yellow-billed barbet, Congo sunbird, Glossy-backed drongo, Rockefeller’s sunbird, Prigogines’s greenbull, African River martin, Cameroon Indigobird, Fuelleborn’s longclaw, Reichard’s seedeater, Golden-breasted bunting, Congo bay owl, Congo peafowl, Schalow’s turaco, yellow-billed turaco, Blue malkoha, Coppery-tailed coucal, Fiery-breasted bushshrike, , Bedford’s paradise-flycatcher, Northern fiscal, Cape crow, Violet-backed hyliota, Stripe-breasted tit, White-tailed lark, Red-capped crombec, Long-tailed nightjar, Brown-nightjar, chestnut-headed flufftail, Spotted thicknee, Pied Avocet, Brown-chested lapwing, Little stint, Wood sandpiper, Bronze-winged pratincole, Whiskered tern, Mountain Buzzard, Congo Serpent-Eagle, Blue-naped mousebird, Bare-cheeked trogon, Forest woodhoopoe,  Red-billed dwarf hornbill, white-bellied kingfisher, Rosy bee-eater, Racket-tailed Roller, Least honeyguide, Amur falcon, Rose-ringed parakeet, purple-throated cuckooshrike, Black-tailed oriole, Chinspot batis, Retz’s helmetshrike, Zitting cisticola, Marsh warbler, Square-tailed sawwing, Pale-olive greenbul etc.

Things to carry for Birdwatching safari

Long pants
Long sleeved shirt
Sun hat
Hiking/walking boots (preferably water proof and one you have worn before and are comfortable)
Long socks to tuck in trousers against red ants
Day pack with snacks and water