The Ugandan checklist will be increasing by two after ratification by the East African Rarities Committee (EARC). This will take the number of species recorded in Uganda to an impressive 1059 (This total includes 27 species which have been square-bracketed in the Uganda Bird Atlas as un-proven) There are over 2250 species recorded on the African continent (Birds of Africa Vol.VII) and the total list of Uganda represents nearly half (47%) of all species recorded on the continent. This makes Uganda one of the richest countries in Africa in terms of species per unit area. The diversity is a result of the location of Uganda on the confluence of major vegetation zones at the heart of the continent and good climatic conditions.

Uganda, the jewel of Africa is indeed a microcosm of the continent with our only absentee being the sea and associated sea-birds. As Uganda has the same number of bird species as the whole of Europe, for its size (Carswell et al 2005) it can be seen as a splendid destination for bird watching.

Vermiculated Fishing-Owl
Found and identified by Harriet Kemigisha, a member of the Uganda Bird Guides Association and William E Glanz whom she was guiding. They were in Kibale Forest on 12th July 2011 at 8.15am when they noticed a fairly large, rufous Owl being mobbed by many small passerines. It was perched about 12 meters above the ground and was about 25 meters distant. They separated it from the similar resident Pel’s Fishing Owl, which they were both familiar with, on its smaller size, heavier streaked crown and flanks, yellow bill with only the tip dark and in flight when it showed a bolder barred underwing. This species is endemic to West African forests but as those forests spread across central Africa its occurrence in Uganda is not too surprising.

Grey Pratincole
Our most recent addition was identified by Jonnie Kamugisha when he was leading a party of birdwatchers on the Kasinga Channel in QENP on the afternoon of 10th November 2011. Jonnie is the secretary of the Uganda Bird Guides Association and has been birding for many years, he was astonished to find this most distinctive of wading birds and estimated there to be between three and five present. They were sat on a sand bank on the south side of the channel opposite the boat jetty. Both he and one of his guests Gary Baxley managed to take confirmatory photographs which show all the features. This is the second record for East Africa with the first being found in Burundi in 1991 when a single bird was seen in Rusizu National Park.