Bird Life
Bird life is very difficult to observe in the forest but on the fringes in open areas it is apparent there is substantial bird life. 325 species have been identified here.
Red-winged Francolin, Red-chested Flufftail, White-naped Pigeon, Green-brested Pitta, African Pitta, Joyful Greenbul, Grey-winged Robin, Abyssinian Ground Thrush, Grey-throated Flycatcher, White-bellied Crested Flycather, Masked and Black-capped Apalises, Uganda Woodland Warbler, Chestnut-winged Starling, Orange-tufted and Tiny Sunbirds, Grey-headed Olive-back.
Chimpanzee Tracking in Kibale Forest National Park
Whether you are the type that does not really like taking walks, the few hours we spent walking in Kibaale National Park were well spent. By the time we arrived at Primate Lodge in Kibaale District, it was already getting dark.
The manager of the lodge ushered us into the lobby, where each of us enjoyed a glass of banana milkshake. In this lobby are local drums, several other traditional music instruments, and all other beautifications that have brought onto this place a fine touch of African panache.
We later gathered around the fire in the compound and listened to each other’s stories. At Primate Lodge are a couple of cottages, but we slept in the tents, which were constructed a short distance apart.
In these tents, the only thing that separates you from nature is the tarpaulin (the tent fabric). While on my bed, I heard buzzes of butterflies and other small insects. The elephants also, somewhere in the forest, were laughing out loud.
In the morning, after our breakfast, we slopped to the National Park offices to start chimp tracking. The in-charge of the park briefed and cautioned us, and told us to tuck our trousers into our socks or else the safari ants would feast on our bodies.
We were cautioned also not to get close to these animals because they have a DNA closely related to that of humans so we could either contract diseases from them, or vice versa. The first group of six people made their entrance and we followed, though being three, we did not make a full group, as some of our teammates had not made it.
As soon as we entered, our tour guide, started whistling as a bird imitated him. We whistled as well, and the bird responded. This bird, known as the Red Capped Robin Chat, later flew away.
Kibaale changed from a Game Reserve to a National Park in 1993, and is home to over 13 species of Primates (1,400 chimpanzees), 335 species of birds, 250 butterfly species, and so far 351 identified species of trees. There are also 21 species of snakes, big ones by the way.
As we walked further, we heard another bird sing, and the guide told us it was saying; “Hello Georgie, Hullo Judie or Bonjour Fifie.” Her name is Emerald Cuclcoo.
When we reached a place where the trees had nests, Byaruhanga told us that we were about to see the chimpanzees. Then, all of a sudden he told us; “Stop,” and we saw something cross in the thicket.
We realised it was a chimpanzee, and at once several of them started shouting. We learnt that when a chimpanzee wants to alert the others, there is a tree on whose big trunk he stamps to signal the others. The guide told us that the chimpanzees were making this noise because they wanted us to go and see them. When we were leaving, they started making yet a different noise, which he said was their way of saying bye to us.
We were lucky, he told us, because not so many people come to the park and get to see as many chimpanzees as we did. Some of the chimps did not even run away from us - they stayed close and we took pictures of them. Then drama ensued as we saw a couple make love.
A chimpanzee makes love for only three seconds. Our guide told us that the longest it takes them making love is just five seconds - they don’t have time to waste! The gestation period of a chimp is eight months.
It was so interesting also to see two chimps grooming each other. However, while we thought that after this the chimp would throw away the ticks it had picked from the friend’s body, it instead ate them.
As we were still gazing at these two, we saw a chimp family, and the mother we were told is called Ebihimba (beans), the father Ebitooke, (bananas) while the baby chimps are called Ebinyobwa (groundnuts) and Ebilaya (Irish potatoes).
“We looked at some of their features and that is how we came up with those names, we even have another one called Katongana because he complains a lot,” said the guide.
In most cases, the female chimps move alone with their babies while the male chimps also take their own route. We were told that they live in groups and communities.
There are 10 communities in each group, and in each at least 100 members.However, in all these communities, there is only one group that has been tamed for tourism purposes - and this is the one with which we were interacting. It is called Kanyantale.
The park however is currently taming another group for tourism activities. You also get to see other species like the blue, red tailed, L’Hoesti, Grey Cheeked Mangabey, Vervet, Red, Black, and White collabus monkeys; plus Olive Baboons, which are quite common even on the roadsides.
As we were coming to the end of our nature walk, the guide told us he wanted to show us something interesting. He told us that the first time he got to see it, his friend, a guide, told him’ "Close your eyes, you are now on a Holy ground."
Anyway he showed us a tree called naked Adam and Eve. In the middle of this tree are very well shaped male and female sexual organs. He told us that every time tourists reach this point, they take about five minutes taking pictures of the tree. With this, we came to the end of the walk.
Related Pages
mgahinga National Park
Lake Mburo National Park in Uganda
Katonga Wildlife Reserve
Kibale forest National Park
Kidepo National Park
Mount Elgon Park
Murchison Falls National Park
Queen Elizabeth National Park
Semliki Game Reserve
Semliki National Park
Rwenzori Mountain National Park
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