Titus Kakembo
20 April 2002
Uganda is braced to compete globally as a bird watching destination from the USA, France, UK and Spain.
" A group of birders spending 21 days touring Kidepo and Queen Elizabeth national parks spend $15,000 on professional guides, park entry fees, car hire, local charter flights, boat hire refreshment and accommodation" said the president UBGC (Uganda Bird Guides Club) Johnny Kamugisha in an interview recently.
Birders spend millions of dollars in search for new species and rare ones the world over.
And the rare species available in Uganda comprise the endangered Shoebill, Standard winged Nightjar, the great Blue Turaco, the Green Broadbill and Albertine Rift Bird.
The birding destinations comprise areas situated 50-100km from Kampala City.
There are distant places in the National parks of Murchison Falls National Park, Kidepo national Park and Queen Elizabeth National Park, whose bird populations are very large.
Also closer to the city are Mamba, Lutembe and Mabira forest, a variety of birds can be sighted.
The Bell Breweries managing director Patrick Cardwell says, to render Uganda a competitive destination better than Kenya and Tanzania members of UBGC are being taken to South Africa for training.
"A team of bird guides is available to take guest around and call out the shy birds from the thickets. They could take interested birders to parrots or shoebills in their natural habitat" says Cardwell.
The UBGC are destined to UK in August for a bird fare and exhibition. This is an opportunity for the tourism players to market Uganda as a destination.
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