Are you a birder? Then these 9 East African destinations are must-visits!

When thinking about East Africa's birds, picture shoebills, kori bustards, African fish eagles, pink-backed pelicans, saddle-billed storks, grey crowned cranes, secretary birds, grey-breasted spurfowls, Fox's weavers, cisticolas, yellow-collared lovebirds ... there's just an utterly incredible range of heavenly feathered friends to try to find!

Kori bustards are easy spots throughout East Africa

But does East Africa really stack up, as we're claiming?

Well, in terms of global rankings for number of bird species, you have:

The grey-breasted spurfowl (or francolin) is found only in Tanzania

Right, so where should you visit within each country to have the most exciting birding experiences?

Here are the top nine parks, reserves or regions within these four bird-rich countries that you as a birder should try to visit ...

Murchison Falls National Park in western Uganda has a wide range of ecosystems that allows it to play host to an astonishing 450 bird species. It's also a truly beautiful corner of the world, and so makes it onto our list of The 8 most beautiful national parks in Uganda.

The shoebill stork (or whale head) has become synonymous with Uganda

Some of the standout birds to look for in Murchison Falls National Park are:

Grey crowned cranes are a sublime sight every time with their yellow-gold 'pom-pom'

We list more birds you can see in the park in 10 compelling reasons to visit Murchison Falls National Park. Or for a full list of bird species take a look at Avibase.

Visit Murchison Falls National Park between late May and September if you also want to go on safari while there, as this is when you'll enjoy the driest and mildest weather. That said, migratory birds are present from November to April.

A Fox's weaver, a Ugandan endemic, perched on an acacia branch

The main thing people think of when they hear Bwindi Impenetrable National Park mentioned is mountain gorilla trekking. That's the cash cow for this important wildlife conservation site. But birders are also in for a treat when they visit this beautiful mountain rainforest in southwest Uganda!

Bwindi Forest is often shrouded in mist

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park hosts 350 bird species, of which 14 haven't been recorded anywhere else in the country. It's one of the very best sites for montane birdwatching anywhere in Africa!

An African blue flycatcher on a branch in Bwindi Forest

Here are some of the standout birds to look for in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest:

The north-south road through Bwindi, known as The Neck, is a great one for birders to travel. But there are also many fantastic hiking routes to take you deeper into the jungle.

A great blue turaco in Bwindi Forest

The best time of year to visit Bwindi National Park in general is December to February or June to September, as it's drier at this time. But in terms of birding, you want to visit in May or June for nesting season and abundant sightings, or between October and April for migratory birds.

A black bee-eater

Finally, if you're in Uganda and have more time on your hands, other notable destinations offering incredible birding opportunities are:

Cinnamon-chested bee-eaters can be found throughout East Africa

Nyungwe Forest National Park is located in southern Rwanda in the Albertine Rift (the western branch of the East African Rift, also known as the Great Rift Valley).

An Ayres's hawk-eagle seen flying over Nyungwe Forest National Park

Nyungwe Forest is an amazing place to visit for various reasons, including that it has 248 species of orchids and 13 species of primates (including chimpanzees). But more importantly to our purposes here, it's one of the very best East African destinations for birders, hosting an incredible 29 Albertine Rift endemics.

The 70 metre-high canopy walkway in Nyungwe is perfect for birdwatching

Some of the Albertine Valley endemic bird species to look for in Nyungwe Forest are:

There are also over 200 species of trees to enjoy in the park

Of especial note to visitors in the park are:

A Ruwenzori batis (an endemic) spotted in Nyungwe Forest National Park

Most of the park's bird species are residents, so you can visit throughout the year and have a great birding adventure. July to September is the dry season, and many birds nest at this time. Migratory birds can be spotted between November and April.

A strange weaver spotted in Nyungwe Forest

Akagera National Park in eastern Rwanda is well-known as a traditional safari destination as it has a fantastic big game population, including all of the Big Five. The land consists of savannah, hills, woodlands, lakes and wetland.

An African fish eagle spotted in Akagera National Park

A papyrus gonolek in the Akagera Wetland

Given all of the game that thrives in Akagera National Park, you can look forward to seeing many raptors when you visit (there are 44 raptor species). There are also plenty of waterbirds, as the park has many lakes and a wetland. A great way to see many of the species is to go on a boat cruise on Lake Ihema, the park's biggest lake.

The white-headed vulture is critically endangered

Some of the notable birds to look for when visiting Akagera National Park are:

A great spotted woodpecker sighted in Akagera

If you have more time in Rwanda, some other incredible birding destinations are:

The white-eyed slaty flycatcher lives in the highlands of East Africa

Lake Nakuru National Park is just heaven for waterbird sightings. A particular drawcard is the millions of flamingoes that can stain the waterline pink. The backdrop to the lake is also sublime, as it's located on the floor of the Great Rift Valley.

A stretch of pink is created along the shoreline of Nakuru by its flamingoes

Lesser flamingoes turn pink because of the algae they eat

Some of the other standout birds to look for in Lake Nakuru National Park are:

A marabou stork and black-headed ibis on Lake Nakuru

Note that many millions of lesser and greater flamingoes flock to the various alkaline Great Rift Valley lakes in Kenya and Tanzania, so you could replace a Lake Nakuru visit with one of them and have an equally awesome adventure. We're talking here of Lakes Naivasha, Bogoria and Baringo in Kenya and Lakes Natron and Manyara in Tanzania.

Lesser flamingos on Lake Bogoria

Arabuko Sokoke Forest can be found just inland from the central eastern coastline of Kenya. This important coastal forest (the largest in East Africa) protects four endangered mammals as well as six threatened bird species. Overall, 600 bird species have been spotted here, and there's a high level of endemism.

A pair of Sokoke scops owls spotted in Arabuko Sokoke Forest

Here are some of the standout birds to look for in Arabuko Sokoke Forest:

African paradise flycatcher and ashy flycatcher in Arabuko Sokoke Forest

Birders should visit Kenya between November and April as this is when migrant birds come to the Rift Valley and coastline. If you want to combine your birding holiday with a safari or beach holiday, you might like to read Best time to visit Kenya for safaris, beach holidays and diving.

Clarke's weaver is endemic to Kenya

Avid birders should also consider visiting these parks and reserves while in Kenya:

A blue-necked (or Somali) ostrich in north Kenya

A grey heron hitching a ride on a hippo in Selous!

Selous Game Reserve in central Tanzania is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the second largest wildlife sanctuary in Africa, the undisputed jewel in the crown of Tanzania's Southern Safari Circuit, and an utterly gorgeous spot on the globe. And on top of all this, more than 450 bird species have been recorded here!

A Pel's fishing owl

The Rufigi River is the soul of Selous, and it has created or sustains a wide range of beautiful habitats that attracts all sorts of birds. We're talking riverine forest, a network of lagoons, islets, swamps, groundwater forest, woodlands, and more.

A brown-hooded kingfisher in Selous

Some of the standout bird species to look for in Selous Game Reserve are:

You can go on guided bush walks or safari drives to look for wildlife and birds.

A white-fronted bee-eater in Selous

For migratory birds and nesting residents, visit Selous National Park between November and April.

Tarangire National Park forms part of Tanzania's famous Northern Safari Circuit. This savannah park is famous for its big game (especially its large elephant herds), enormous baobab trees, and massive red termite mounds. It also has over 550 bird species!

Elephants shelter from the heat under a baobab tree in Tarangire

Lilac-breasted rollers abound within Tarangire

Visitors to the park will enjoy game-spotting along with their birdspotting, as you must stay in your 4x4 while in the park given there are lions and other predators about. That said, you can get out and enjoy a stretch and some birdspotting at the picnic spot above the river.

An endemic ashy starling on a termite mound

Some of the many standout bird species to try find while in Tarangire are:

Red and yellow barbets can often be spotted on the park's termite mounds

The best months in Tarangire National Park for birding are October to May, as this is when winter migrants are present in the park. But go earlier rather than later, as the park's swampland can become impassable from late March.

A Von der Decken's hornbill spotted in Tarangire

If you'd like to know more about this fantastic game reserve, please read The incredible wildlife of Tarangire National Park.

Ngorongoro Crater, arguably the world's eighth natural wonder, is home to over 550 bird species! That's a truly staggering number given this one crater (or, more accurately, caldera) is just 264 km².

For comparison, Tarangire National Park (which has the same number of bird species as Ngorongoro Crater) is 2,850 km² – that's 10 times the size of Ngorongoro Crater. 😱

Two common ostriches in Ngorongoro Crater

You cannot walk inside Ngorongoro Crater, although you can do hikes in the tangled rainforest that covers its rim. To drop down into the crater bowl, you must go with a tour guide in a safari vehicle.

There are various habitats to explore once down there, including lakes, wetland and woodland. Sightings of many large birds and waterbirds are a guarantee!

Two dark-capped bulbuls spotted in the crater

Some of the exciting bird species (both easy and hard to spot) to look for in Ngorongoro Crater are:

Ngorongoro Crater is utterly chockfull of wildlife

A hamerkop found in the crater

If you’re keen to see the migrant bird species that visit the crater, then plan your trip between September and April.

Finally, if you'd like to know more about the crater and its mind-boggling array of wildlife, as well as other bird species that can be found here, please read 12 great facts about Tanzania's Ngorongoro Crater.

A black kite seen in Ngorongoro Crater

A Zanzibar red bishop

So, are you as excited as ever to go birdspotting in East Africa? If not, there's no way you're actually a birder!