**Rwandas location in the Albertine Rift and its dense
forests and mountains create a unique and remarkable
environment for the ecotourist to enjoy. Though small,
(about 250km east-west by 150km north-south), it has a bird
list of over 670 species and supports a higher number of
Albertine Rift endemics than any other country outside the
DR Congo.
The wetlands and lakes of Akagera National Park is home to
the elusive Shoebill stork, and is one of the easiest sites
in the region where it can be seen. In addition, Akagera
supports a mixture of acacia and papyrus species, including
red-faced barbet, Bennett`s woodpecker, papyrus gonolek,
white-headed, black and familiar chats, Carruther`s and
Tabora cisticolas, white-winged and broad-tailed warblers
and miombo wren-warblers. The existing lodge at Akagera is
being renovated, but there are plenty of camp sites to stay
at while exploring the park. It is a rewarding trip for
visiting birders, who will find a supporting cast of large
mammals, including hippo, elephant and giraffe.
In the southwest, just a few hours
drive from Akagera, Nyungwe Forest National Park is a
vast tract of virgin forest, one of the largest uncut
natural forest reserves remaining in Africa and home
to more than 300 species of birds, 27 of which are
regional endemics. Much of the forest is unexplored,
with access being extremely difficult, because of the
steep high hills and deep valleys. However, an
excellent winding tarmac road bisects the forest,
following the crest of the mountains. This road is one
of the few places in the world that allows the visitor
to look directly into and even down on the rainforest
canopy. Along this road you can find most of the
Albertine Rift endemics, including handsome francolin,
Rwenzori turaco, mountain sooty boubou, Rwenzori
batis, yellow-eyed black flycatcher, Archer`s
robin-chat, Rwenzori hill babbler, Grauer`s rush,
Neumann`s and Grauer`s warblers, masked mountain
apalis, stripe-breasted tit and Strange weaver, and a
full range of Rwenzori double-collared,
purple-throated, blue-headed and regal sunbirds. A
speciality is the red-collared mountain babbler, which
has its only easily accessible site here, as does
Kungwe apalis. Recent possible sightings of
Rockefeller`s sunbird show that much is left to be
discovered, and perhaps even such gems as the Congo
peacock (found only 70km distant in the DR Congo)
could exist in the remote dense forest!
There are also good forest tracks for birding based
around the ORTPN Guesthouse at Gisakura, and the ORTPN
Campsite at Uwinka, where some of the more skulking
species can be seen such as the red-throated alethe,
Archer`s robin-chat, Kivu ground thrush, collared apalis,
and Shelley`s and dusky crimsonwing. Other special birds
here include white-bellied robin-chat, Doherty`s and
Lagden`s bush-shrikes, white-tailed blue flycatcher,
great blue turaco, barred long-tailed cuckoo and
white-bellied crested flycatcher. At night, Rwenzori
nightjar is not uncommon, Albertine owlet may be found,
and there might be a possibility to see the Congo
bay-owl. Add to this the presence of 13 primates,
including chimpanzee, more than 100 different butterflies
and over 125 varieties of wild orchids and this should be
a site on any birders must-visit list.
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