Bird Checklist for Nyungwe Forest National Park

Nyungwe Forest Bird Checklist and Birding Guide: Rwanda’s Premier Birding Safari Destination.

Bird Checklist for Nyungwe Forest National Park: Nyungwe Forest National Park is one of the most extraordinary birding safari destinations in East Africa, an ancient, mist-covered Afro-montane rainforest in southwestern Rwanda that rewards dedicated birdwatchers with a depth and diversity of avifauna that few forests anywhere on the continent can match. While the park is celebrated on the broader Rwanda safari circuit for its chimpanzee trekking and Nyungwe canopy walkway experiences, serious Rwanda birding safari visitors know that Nyungwe’s 310-plus recorded species, including a remarkable concentration of Albertine Rift endemics, Palearctic migratory visitors, and Guinea-Congo biome specialists, make it one of Africa’s genuinely essential birding destinations. This complete bird checklist covers every species recorded in Nyungwe National Park across all habitat zones and seasons.

Why Nyungwe Is Rwanda’s Finest Birding Safari Destination

The combination of altitude range, ancient forest integrity, and geographical position within the Albertine Rift biodiversity hotspot gives Nyungwe an avifauna of exceptional richness and rarity. A significant proportion of the park’s bird species are Albertine Rift endemics, species found nowhere outside this narrow highland corridor spanning Rwanda, Uganda, eastern DRC, and northwestern Tanzania, making Nyungwe an irreplaceable destination for East African birding safari visitors targeting these restricted-range specialities. Palearctic migratory species from Europe arrive seasonally; Guinea-Congo biome species reach their eastern range limit within the forest; and montane specialists inhabit the park’s upper altitude zones in communities that reward patient and expert observation throughout the year.

Primary birding trails in Nyungwe National Park include the Bigugu Trail, Karambi Trail, Kamiranzonvu Trail, Gisakura Trail, Isumo Waterfall Trail, and Congo Nile Divide Trail, each accessing different habitat zones and supporting distinct bird communities. Early morning and late afternoon sessions consistently deliver the highest species counts and most active bird behaviour across all trail systems.

Complete Nyungwe Forest Bird Checklist

Ducks — Anatidae African Black Duck (Anas sparsa)

Pheasants, Grouse and Allies — Phasianidae Handsome Spurfowl (Pternistis nobilis)

Pigeons and Doves — Columbidae Speckled Pigeon, Rameron Pigeon, Lemon Dove, Dusky Turtle-Dove, Red-eyed Dove, Ring-necked Dove, Laughing Dove, Tambourine Dove, African Green-Pigeon

Turacos — Musophagidae: Great Blue Turaco, Rwenzori Turaco, Ross’s Turaco, Black-billed Turaco

Cuckoos — Cuculidae: Red-chested Cuckoo, Black Cuckoo, Common Cuckoo, Blue-headed Coucal, Blue Malkoha, Klaas’s Cuckoo, African Emerald Cuckoo, Dideric Cuckoo, Barred Long-tailed Cuckoo

Nightjars — Caprimulgidae Montane Nightjar

Swifts — Apodidae: Scarce Swift, African Swift, Little Swift, Horus Swift, White-rumped Swift

Flufftails — Sarothruridae Red-chested Flufftail

Cranes — Gruidae Grey-crowned Crane

Grebes — Podicipedidae: Little Grebe

Storks — Ciconiidae Marabou Stork, Yellow-billed Stork

Ibises and Spoonbills — Threskiornithidae: Glossy Ibis, African Sacred Ibis, Hadada Ibis, African Spoonbill

Herons, Egrets and Bitterns — Ardeidae: Squacco Heron, Great Egret, Purple Heron, Black-headed Heron

Hamerkop — Scopidae Hamerkop

Shoebill — Balaenicipitidae Shoebill (Balaeniceps rex)

Pelicans — Pelecanidae Pink-backed Pelican

Hawks, Eagles and Kites — Accipitridae: Black-winged Kite, African Harrier-Hawk, Palm-nut Vulture, European Honey-buzzard, Hooded Vulture, Crowned Eagle, Long-crested Eagle, Wahlberg’s Eagle, Cassin’s Hawk-Eagle, African Goshawk, Little Sparrowhawk, Rufous-breasted Sparrowhawk, Black Goshawk, Black Kite, Common Buzzard, Mountain Buzzard, Augur Buzzard

Barn Owls — Tytonidae African Grass-Owl

Owls — Strigidae: Verreaux’s Eagle-Owl, Red-chested Owlet, Albertine Owlet (Albertine Rift endemic), African Wood-Owl

Mousebirds — Coliidae Speckled Mousebird

Trogons — Trogonidae: Narina Trogon, Bar-tailed Trogon

Woodhoopoes and Scimitarbills — Phoeniculidae: Green Woodhoopoe, White-headed Woodhoopoe, Forest Scimitarbill

Hornbills — Bucerotidae: Crowned Hornbill, Black-and-white-casqued Hornbill

Bee-eaters — Meropidae: Little Bee-eater, Cinnamon-chested Bee-eater, European Bee-eater

Kingfishers — Alcedinidae: Malachite Kingfisher, Grey-headed Kingfisher, Woodland Kingfisher, Giant Kingfisher, Pied Kingfisher

Rollers — Coraciidae Broad-billed Roller

African Barbets — Lybiidae Grey-throated Barbet, Western Tinkerbird, Yellow-rumped Tinkerbird

Honeyguides — Indicatoridae Dwarf Honeyguide, Least Honeyguide, Greater Honeyguide

Woodpeckers — Picidae: Red-throated Wryneck, Elliot’s Woodpecker, Cardinal Woodpecker, Olive Woodpecker, Fine-banded Woodpecker

Falcons — Falconidae Eurasian Kestrel, Grey Kestrel, Red-necked Falcon, African Hobby, Lanner Falcon

African Broadbills — Calyptomenidae African Broadbill

Cuckooshrikes — Campephagidae: Grey Cuckooshrike, Black Cuckooshrike, Petit’s Cuckooshrike

Old World Orioles — Oriolidae: African Golden Oriole, African Black-headed Oriole, Black-tailed Oriole

Wattle-eyes and Batises — Platysteiridae Brown-throated Wattle-eye, Yellow-bellied Wattle-eye, Rwenzori Batis (Albertine Rift endemic), Chinspot Batis

Bushshrikes — Malaconotidae: Northern Puffback, Pink-footed Puffback, Black-crowned Tchagra, Luehder’s Bushshrike, Tropical Boubou, Willard’s Sooty Boubou, Albertine Boubou, Doherty’s Bushshrike, Sulphur-breasted Bushshrike, Many-coloured Bushshrike, Lagden’s Bushshrike

Drongos — Dicruridae Velvet-mantled Drongo

Monarch Flycatchers — Monarchidae African Paradise-Flycatcher

Shrikes — Laniidae: Lesser Grey Shrike, Grey-backed Fiscal, Mackinnon’s Shrike, Northern Fiscal

Crows — Corvidae: Pied Crow, White-necked Raven

Hyliotas — Hyliotidae Violet-backed Hyliota

Fairy Flycatchers — Stenostiridae White-tailed Blue Flycatcher, White-bellied Crested Flycatcher, White-tailed Crested Flycatcher

Tits and Titmice — Paridae: Dusky Tit, Stripe-breasted Tit (Albertine Rift endemic)

African Warblers — Macrosphenidae White-browed Crombec, Red-faced Crombec, Grauer’s Warbler (Albertine Rift endemic)

Cisticolas and Allies — Cisticolidae: White-chinned Prinia, Rwenzori Apalis, Green-backed Camaroptera, Black-throated Apalis, Black-faced Apalis, Kungwe Apalis, Chestnut-throated Apalis, Grey Apalis, Tawny-flanked Prinia, Banded Prinia, Black-faced Rufous-Warbler, Grey-capped Warbler, Red-faced Cisticola, Singing Cisticola, Chubb’s Cisticola, Siffling Cisticola, Wing-snapping Cisticola

Reed Warblers — Acrocephalidae Mountain Yellow-Warbler, Icterine Warbler, Lesser Swamp Warbler

Grassbirds and Allies — Locustellidae Evergreen-forest Warbler, Cinnamon Bracken-Warbler, Grauer’s Swamp Warbler (Albertine Rift endemic), Highland Rush Warbler

Swallows — Hirundinidae: White-headed Sawwing, Black Sawwing, Plain Martin, Southern Crag-Martin, Barn Swallow, Angola Swallow, Western House-Martin, African Red-rumped Swallow, Lesser Striped Swallow, Mosque Swallow

Bulbuls — Pycnonotidae: Slender-billed Greenbul, Pale-throated Greenbul, Shelley’s Greenbul, Kikuyu Mountain Greenbul, Yellow-whiskered Greenbul, Plain Greenbul, Yellow-streaked Greenbul, Cabanis’s Greenbul, Common Bulbul

Leaf Warblers — Phylloscopidae: Willow Warbler, Brown Woodland-Warbler, Red-faced Woodland-Warbler (Albertine Rift endemic)

Bush Warblers — Cettiidae Neumann’s Warbler

Sylviid Warblers — Sylviidae Eurasian Blackcap, Rwenzori Hill Babbler

White-eyes — Zosteropidae Green White-eye

Ground Babblers — Pellorneidae Mountain Illadopsis

Laughingthrushes — Leiothrichidae Red-collared Mountain-Babbler, Arrow-marked Babbler, Black-lored Babbler

Starlings — Sturnidae: Violet-backed Starling, Slender-billed Starling, Waller’s Starling, Sharpe’s Starling, Stuhlmann’s Starling

Thrushes — Turdidae: White-tailed Ant-Thrush, Abyssinian Ground-Thrush, Abyssinian Thrush, African Thrush

Old World Flycatchers — Muscicapidae: African Dusky Flycatcher, Spotted Flycatcher, Pale Flycatcher, Ashy Flycatcher, Yellow-eyed Black Flycatcher, Southern Black Flycatcher, White-eyed Slaty Flycatcher, White-bellied Robin-Chat, Archer’s Robin-Chat (Albertine Rift endemic), Cape Robin-Chat, White-browed Robin-Chat, Red-capped Robin-Chat, Snowy-crowned Robin-Chat, White-starred Robin, Red-throated Alethe, Equatorial Akalat, Miombo Rock-Thrush, African Stonechat, Sooty Chat, Arnot’s Chat, and Familiar Chat.

Sunbirds — Nectariniidae: Collared Sunbird, Green-headed Sunbird, Blue-throated Brown Sunbird, Blue-headed Sunbird, Olive Sunbird, Scarlet-chested Sunbird, Purple-breasted Sunbird, Bronze Sunbird, Malachite Sunbird, Olive-bellied Sunbird, Stuhlmann’s Sunbird, Northern Double-collared Sunbird, Regal Sunbird (Albertine Rift endemic), Rockefeller’s Sunbird (Albertine Rift endemic), Red-chested Sunbird, Purple-banded Sunbird, Variable Sunbird

Weavers — Ploceidae Red-headed Weaver, Baglafecht Weaver, Black-billed Weaver, Strange Weaver, Holub’s Golden-Weaver, Village Weaver, Black-headed Weaver, Dark-backed Weaver, Brown-capped Weaver, Southern Red Bishop, Grosbeak Weaver

Waxbills — Estrildidae: Bronze Mannikin, Black-and-white Mannikin, White-collared Oliveback, Yellow-bellied Waxbill, Dusky Crimsonwing (Albertine Rift endemic), Abyssinian Crimsonwing, Red-faced Crimsonwing, Grey-headed Nigrita, White-breasted Nigrita, Black-crowned Waxbill, Kandt’s Waxbill, Fawn-breasted Waxbill, Common Waxbill, Crimson-rumped Waxbill, Red-cheeked Cordonbleu, Red-headed Bluebill, Dusky Twinspot, Red-billed Firefinch, African Firefinch

Indigobirds — Viduidae Pin-tailed Whydah

Old World Sparrows — Passeridae: House Sparrow, Northern Grey-headed Sparrow

Wagtails and Pipits — Motacillidae: Cape Wagtail, Mountain Wagtail, Grey Wagtail, African Pied Wagtail, African Pipit, Tree Pipit

Finches — Fringillidae Oriole Finch, Yellow-fronted Canary, Western Citril, Streaky Seedeater, Thick-billed Seedeater, Yellow-crowned Canary

Thrush-Tanager — Rhodinocichlidae Grey-chested Babbler

Planning Your Nyungwe Birding Safari

The dry seasons of June through September and mid-December through mid-February provide the most comfortable and productive conditions for Rwanda birding safaris in Nyungwe: firm trails, clear forest light, and peak bird activity across all habitat zones. Early morning departures before 7 am from the Uwinka or Gisakura trailheads consistently deliver the highest species counts. A specialist Rwanda birding safari guide with deep knowledge of Nyungwe’s species distribution, trail-specific target birds, and seasonal movement patterns transforms the checklist experience into something considerably more rewarding than independent trail walking. For Rwanda safari visitors combining Nyungwe birding with Volcanoes National Park gorilla trekking and Akagera National Park waterbird viewing, Rwanda delivers one of East Africa’s most complete and varied birding safari circuits within a remarkably compact and accessible country.