Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is world-famous for mountain gorilla trekking, but we also spent time birding in this remarkable forest.
That said, birding here was challenging. The vegetation is extremely dense, with thick foliage and countless branches, making visibility poor and bird movement difficult to track.
A Rewarding Sight: Bar-tailed Trogon
Despite the challenging conditions, we were fortunate enough to see a Bar-tailed Trogon, which alone made the effort worthwhile.
We have observed many trogons in places such as Malaysia and the Philippines, but this species left a particularly strong impression. Its colors felt somehow subtle and refined, almost Japanese in tone, giving it a calm and elegant appearance that stood out among the trogons we have seen elsewhere.
It was a beautiful and memorable bird.
Looking Ahead: African Broadbill and Future Plans
Bwindi lies close to the border with the Democratic Republic of Congo, and it is also one of the places where the rare African Broadbill can be observed.
However, reaching the areas where this species occurs involves a round-trip trek of around five hours, with significant elevation changes. It is not an easy walk and requires strong legs and good stamina.
This is a park we would love to revisit while we are still physically fit, to fully enjoy both the trekking and the exceptional birdlife Bwindi has to offer.