Bird Uganda Safaris

BIRD UGANDA TEAM:

Our professional guides are among the top field ornithologists in East Africa, knowledgeable at finding and identifying birds and their microhabitats, and dedicated to making sure that every participant sees them. In addition, our guides are affectionate, fun loving people who genuinely enjoy making the tour a pleasant experience for each participant.

Herbert Byaruhanga.

Herbert is the Managing Director of Bird Uganda Safaris Ltd. He holds a degree in Tourism Management from Makerere University Kampala, and is rated amongst the top Bird Guides in Africa. Since 1995, after founding Uganda Safari Guides Association, Herbert has been instrumental in fostering quality ecotourism in Uganda. He is enthusiastically engaged in multiple tourism development initiatives in Uganda, and holds several responsibilities, such as:

• Director Bunyaruguru Community Tourism Initiative (BUCOTI)
• Founder and General Secretary of the Uganda Bird Guides Club (UBGC)
• Trainer of Bird guides, accredited by Birdlife International's South African partner
• Chairman of Uganda Safari Guides Association ( USAGA)
• Executive Committee Member of Uganda Wildlife Society
• Founding Chairman of Federation of East African Tourist Guides Association ( FEATOGA)

Moreen Uwimbabazi.
Moreen specializes in our birding excursions around Kampala and Entebbe and is one of the facilitators of the Young Birders Club. She holds a BSc in Forestry from Makerere University Kampala, currently doing a MSc in Forestry at the same university. The tropical ecology and conservation course she attended under Tropical Biology Association widened her Knowledge in activities including mistnetting and identification and handling of birds. During her undegraduate study, she carried out a research project in Budongo Forest Reserve entitled "effect of logging intensity of avian frugivore assemblage on Celtis gomphophylla."

Moreen's field experience was broadened during her volunteer work for an Earthwatch project - South Africa's Hidden Species in Monks Cowl and Injasuthi sites in Drakensberg, KwaZulu- Natal, South Africa. In order to learn more about birds, she joined Nature Uganda - a membership organization in Uganda and a BirdLife International partner. Recently, she trained with Bird Uganda Safaris to improve her skills and knowledge about birds in different habitats.

Raymond Katebaka.
Raymond is a Biologist with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Biology (Zoology-Botany) from Makerere University Kampala. He also holds a Post Graduate Diploma in Scientific Communication & Publishing from the University of Arhus Denmark. Raymond has undoubtedly gained tremendous experience in field biology in East and West Africa, especially in birds, through research and training.

He is known for his exceptional command of forest bird calls and bird behaviors, and his knowledge of bird habitats is beyond comparison. Raymond has worked with British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) as a research assistant in the "Conserving biodiversity in the modernising farmed landscapes of Uganda - focus on birds" project.

He is currently teaching (part-time) research methodology at Makerere University in the faculty of Veterinary medicine, faculty of science. Department of zoology, and he has been a long-time volunteer for Nature Uganda in bird monitoring surveys.

Raymond heads the biodiversity research at Pro-biodiversity Conservationists of Uganda (PROBICOU), with research focusing largely on conservation issues associated with birds of forest, farmland, woodland, wetlands and urban habitats as well as the development and production of publishing materials about avifauna.

Raymond guides most of our birders who are interested in birding Kampala, Entebbe and Jinja.

Vincent Odama.
Based in Budongo Forest, Vincent has gained his birding experience over many years through leading groups of scientific researchers in the Forest. He is passionate about nature and can ably assist our full-time guides with his local knowledge of key species, nest sites and micro-habitats. Vincent is one of our many guides who is also proficient in butterflies, plants, animals, and people.

Emmanuel Gongo.
Emmy is a native of Kigezi highlands of Western Uganda close to The Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park. He grew up with an exceptional enthusiasm for birds, which was encouraged by his school's efforts in helping children discover the wonderful array of birds found in their local habitat. Later, Emmy attended training organized by Nature Uganda - a BirdLife International partner, Uganda Bird Guides Club and BirdLife South Africa. He offers visitors a chance to spot possibly all of the 23 Albertine Rift endemics found along the western breach of Africa's Great Rift Valley.

Emmy has been accredited by Uganda Safari Guides Association as a National Level Bird guide with over six years field experience specialising in Albertine Rift endemics. He has also extended his birding knowledge to all the national parks in Uganda.