Shelley’s Crimsonwing bird in Uganda : Uganda is one of the best birding destinations in Africa with a total of about 1066 bird species registered. The number represents over 50% of Africa’s total bird list and 10% of the World’s avian total, making birding in Uganda a birders’ heaven. The concentration of bird species in such a tiny country can be attributed to Uganda’s location at a transitional point between the east African savannah, the West African rainforest, and the north’s semi-desert, which creates green basin-like heaven for winged creatures.
The rainforests of western Uganda are the best bird habitat and have the most significant interest to birdwatchers, mainly if they are already reasonably familiar with typical East African birds. The most alluring forest in terms of localized species is probably Semliki, closely rivaled by Budongo, Kibale, and Bwindi Impenetrable Forest.
However, in practical terms, Kibale Forest is probably Uganda’s best single stop for forest birds because of the keen birding guides who take tourists into the forest and the nearby Magombe Swamp—located in Bigodi wetland just opposite Kibale National Park in Fort portal district. That said, just about any forest in Uganda will be rewarding; even the relatively tame botanical garden in Entebbe will throw up several interesting bird species.
For this reason, first-time Africa birding safari visitors might do better concentrating on locations other than forests. If you want to see a wide range of birds in Uganda, try these places: Entebbe, Lake Mburo national park, Queen Elizabeth national park, Murchison Falls national park and northern Uganda region.
Unfortunately, most forest birds are very secretive. It can be challenging to get even a glimpse of them in the dense undergrowth, let alone a clear enough look to make an identification. You would probably identify more bird species in a ten-minute walk in the suburbs of Entebbe than you would in an afternoon walking through the Semliki Forest. One of the rare interesting bird to spot is the Shelley’s Crimsonwing.
The Shelley’s Crimsonwing, scientifically known as Cryptospiza shelleyi is a beautiful small brightly colored and hard to pin down bird. Very few people have had the opportunity to see this bird especially within the Albertine Rift Valley montane forests where it is prevalent. This very rare species, which is grouped by the IUCN as Vulnerable and listed on the IUCN Red-List of Threatened Species, is present in Uganda and listed among the country’s top most sought after bird during a Uganda safari experience
Although records about this bird run to over one hundred years ago, very little is known about the breeding ecology, behavior or even diet of this bird. Despite the fact that there are no records ever showing that this bird once existed in large numbers. It is scientifically assumed that this species is speedily decreasing in numbers since the 1970’s maybe because of the current destruction of wildlife habitat. Today, it estimated that there could be between 2500 and 2000 birds only remaining in the entire world. These birds have been seen in western Uganda, Burundi, Rwanda and the eastern D.R Congo.
Physical Description
Shelley’s Crimsonwing is a brightly colored bird that lives at low levels. It’s about 13 centimeters (5.1 inches) long. These birds have bright red colored bills. The male has its face, crown and back bright red in color, with its wings and tail black in color, while its under-parts are olive-yellow with darker tones on its belly. On the other hand, the female has an olive head with a bit of red on its mantle and the rest of the body.
Shelley’s Crimsonwing Habitat
These birds live in closed canopy of moist forests, especially on the lower levels of verdant valleys close to water, and in the lower secondary growth around the forest edges, in forest clearings as well as in glades that are dominated by bamboo thickets and large herbs.
Where to see Shelley’s Crimsonwing Habitat
These birds can be seen in some areas within the Albertine Rift Mountains such as the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest and the Rwenzori Mountains in Uganda; Bururi Forest in Burundi; Mukura Forest, Gishwati forest and Nyungwe Forest in Rwanda; as well as in Itombwe Mountain, west of Lake Kivu and Kahuzi-Biéga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Conservation Efforts
The IUCN has suggested that researchers examine the decline in the Shelley’s crimsonwing overall population, so as to evaluate threats of the species’ extinction. The research will include surveying the magnitude of their habitat. Research is being done within the Bwindi Impenetrable national park of Uganda, Virunga National Park, Nyungwe Forest Reserve and Rwenzori Mountains National Park.
