Located at the heart of the country, Rwanda’s capital city of Kigali is a vibrant, modern and a green destination spanning several ridges, valleys and lush hillsides elevated around 1300m to 1600m. Kigali’s central location makes it an excellent base and a starting point for unforgettable gorilla treks, holiday and wildlife experiences lying upcountry. Kigali is a birding friendly city boasting a moderate high-altitude climate, expansive green eco-parks, forested hillsides and wetlands that offer a rewarding birding experience and introduction to Rwanda bird diversity.
Birding Hotspots in Kigali and its Surroundings
Umusambi Village
The Umusambi Village set on the eastern edges of Kigali city, is a beautifully restored wetland that offers an excellent birding experience and an introduction to birds of Rwanda. Established as a sanctuary and a rehabilitation center for the endangered Grey-crowned Cranes, the 21-hectares of restored wetland of Umusambi Village currently hosts 250 Grey-crowned Cranes rescued from pet traders. Birding at Umusambi village wetlands follows excellent trails that explore micro habitats including patches of woodlands, wetland and agricultural farm edges where over 100 species of birds are recorded here.
Bird highlights at Umusambi Village include; Grey-crowned Crane, Western Citril, White-collared Oliveback, Grosbeak Weaver, Variable Sunbird, Variable Sunbird, Grey-capped Warbler, Green-headed Sunbird, Bronze Sunbird, Grey-headed Nigrita, Baglafetch Weaver, White-chinned Prinia, Black-headed Weaver, Fan-tailed Weaver, Black-headed Gonolek, Spot-flanked Barbet, Chubb’s Cisticola, Black-winged Bishop, Ross’s Turaco, Nubian Woodpecker, Snow-crowned Robin-Chat, Winding Cisticola, Long-crested Eagle, Malachite Kingfisher, Red-chested Sunbird, Tropical Boubou and more.
Lake Nyarutarama
Lying in the lush green valley between Kachiru and Nyarugenge suburbs of Kigali City, the artificial lake of Nyarutarama provides a perfect urban birding experience. Birding here follows a foot path exploring the open water margins and rank vegetation where Black Crake, Malachite, Swamp and African Pied Kingfishers, Pink-backed Pelican, Lesser Stripped Swallow, Knob-billed Duck, Spur-winged Goose, Winding Cisticola, African Jacana, Black-crowned and Common Waxbill occur.
The mature acacia woodland host Lizard Buzzard, African Grey Hornbill, Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird, Long-crested Eagle, Shikra, Orange-breasted Bushshrike, Cinnamon-breasted Bee-eater, Yellow-breasted Apalis, Grey-backed Fiscal, Red-eyed Dove, White-browed Coucal, Striped, Woodland and African Pygmy Kingfishers, Marico Sunbird, Blue-naped Mousebird, Grey-Tit Flycatcher, Fork-tailed Drongo, Brown Parrot, Nubian and African Grey Woodpeckers, Brown-throated Wattle-eye, African Paradise-Flycatcher and more.
Nyandungu Eco Park
Nyandungu Eco Park is a restored wetland covering an area of 121.7 hectares on the outskirts of Kigali City, turned into an eco-tourism park. The complex boasts a varied range of micro-habitats from wetlands, water ponds, woodlands and forest patches where a checklist of over 100-species occur. Bird highlights here include, Black Crake, Malachite Kingfisher, Red-faced Cisticola, Red-billed Firefinch, Bronze Mannkinn, Streaky Seedeater, Palm-nut vulture, Mackinnon’s Shrike, Yellow-billed Kite, Scarlet-chested Sunbird, Speckled Pigeon, African Thrush, Cape and African Pied Wagtails, Speckled Mousebird, Ruppel’s Starling, Little Weaver, Village weaver, Pied Crow and more
Birding the Bugesera Wetlands
Lying about 40km or an-hour drive from Kigali city, is a bird rich extensive Bugesera wetlands that offers a rewarding birding experience especially for the wetland restricted specialists. The wetland complex falls within the larger Nyabarongo wetlands recognized as an Important Bird Area (IBA) protecting a large diversity of birds and other fauna.
The birding hotspot of Bugesera wetlands not only host wetland specialists but a good selection of woodlands species that occur on wetland edges. Highlights include; White-winged swamp Warbler, Fan-tailed Widow, Winding Cisticola, Yellow-billed Stork, Striated and Squacco Heron, Yellow-fronted Canary, Brimstone Canary, Black-headed Weaver, Spur-winged Goose, Southern Red-Bishop, Yellow-billed Duck, White-faced Whistling Duck, Black-headed heron, Cape Wagtail, Red-headed Weaver, Holub’s Golden Weaver, Red-chested Sunbird, Black crake, African Jacana, Yellow-throated Greenbul, Green-winged Pytillia, Blue-spotted Wood dove, Augur Buzzard, Streaky seedeater and more.