During the past two years that I have been in Kampala many changes have occurred, mostly detrimental to the city’s birdlife. Since arriving, I have been involved in doing monthly bird counts in Muyenga and Namuwongo. These sites are part of Kampala’s urban sprawl and are increasingly replacing green areas to concrete. During these counts I have recorded over 210 species but quite a few will never be seen in Kampala again as their breeding habitats are engulfed by building works. The spread of this concrete jungle is covering most of the open space, with trees and scrub being uprooted and construction taken place. A particularly annoying aspect is that the majority of these developments remain half finished or empty. Every count that I take has to have a new deviation due to someone erecting a wall, fence or other obstruction and retrospective planning (or no planning!) appears to be the norm. Kampala is an expanding city and its growing populace has to live somewhere but the properties that are being developed are for a certain percentage and that the majority will not be able to afford them when and if they are completed.  Kampala is still a rich environment for wildlife but the increasing spread of unfinished buildings is going to be the death knell for quite a few species.

The following list gives an idea of the frequency of recording with a species like Black Kite being seen every month and receiving the figure 24. Attempts to cover the same recording areas and spend a similar amount of time each month to achieve uniformity have been made.  It can be seen that some species such as Golden-breasted Bunting which was recorded during my first month before its breeding habitat was leveled for building, has not been seen again.  

Roger Q Skeen