Bird Watching in Kigali | Rwanda Eco Company and Safaris

Kigali, the capital city of Rwanda, is ranked the greenest city in Africa which makes it a haven for birds. In recent years, environmental protection policies and laws have reshaped Kigali. Wetlands and other natural reserves no longer serve agriculture, farming and construction. Instead, they now support tourism and conservation. This has made Kigali a good place for bird watching. In addition, the cleanliness of Kigali, the security and easy accessibility of different places makes it a good birding choice.

We present various places as spots for bird watching in Kigali. If you are in Kigali and birding is among your hobbies, we are bringing here a list of birding spots. These include wetlands, forests, swamps, rivers/lakes and grasslands. You can take a simple trip to one spot. Alternatively, you can combine several spots in one or two days.

Umusambi Village

Umusambi Village is one of the bird watching spots in Kigali. It is a restored wetland of 21 hectares. The reserve now hosts grey crowned cranes. It also welcomes visitors who enjoy birding. You can walk the trails and learn about conservation. The grey crowned cranes are striking birds with strong colouring and clear visibility. These birds cannot fly due to captivity. Instead, they remain in one area, which makes them easy to observe.

Nyabarongo River

Nyabarongoriver and its extended swamp also offer bird watching opportunities in Kigali. You can access this river from several points. These include Mount Kigali, Nyabugogo suburb, and the road to the Southern Province. You can also reach it through Kicukiro District toward the Eastern Province. As a result, you can record many bird species including polican, common moorhen, african jacana. In addition, water birds appear frequently. These include Spur-winged Geese, Great White Egret, Cattle Egret, Little Egret, Squacco Heron, African Openbill, Yellow-billed Stork, Grey Heron, Black-headed Heron, Great Swamp Warbler, White-winged Warbler, Long-toed Lapwing, Yellow Wagtail, Common Snipe, African Marsh Harrier, African Jacana, Papyrus Gonolek, Black-headed Gonolek and Goliath Heron.

Nyarutarama Lake

Nyarutarama lake is located near the Kigali Golf Club. It also appears on Kigali tourism lists as a bird watching spot alongside Nyabarongo River. The lake is artificial. It sits within acacia woodland. You will find many bird species here. A nature walk is also available around the lake. Birds you can see here include Yellow-billed Duck, Squacco Heron, White-faced Whistling Duck, Hottentot Teal, Red-billed Teal, African Spoonbill, Spur-winged Geese, Little Grebe, Common Moorhen, Hadada Ibis, Black Crake, Black Egret, Cater Egret and Black-headed Heron.

Mount Kigali

Mount Kigali is the largest hill in the southern part of Kigali. A forest covers it. This forest supports many bird species and makes it a strong bird watching location. You can find African Paradise Flycatcher, White-eyed Slaty Flycatcher, Southern Black Flycatcher, Red-chested Cuckoo, Green-backed Camaroptera, Thick-billed Seedeater, Tropical Boubou, Northern Puffback, Common Bulbul, Bronze Mannikin and Yellow-fronted Canary.

If you plan to visit Kigali and you are interested in bird watching, you need a professional tour operator to design a suitable itinerary for your interests. Send a request to Rwanda Eco Company and we will handle every detail to make your tour memorable.

Also see: African Safaris for Seniors