Avian Conservation Uganda Society

21/05/2026

The Little Bee-Eater (Merops pusillus) is a dazzling, hyperactive African bird recognized as the smallest of the continent's bee-eaters. Highly tame and acrobatic, it is frequently spotted darting from low perches to sn**ch flying insects in the wild savannas and riverbanks of Sub-Saharan Africa.

General description
Size
Length: 15 to 17 cm making it the smallest African bee-eater.
Weight: 11 to 19 grams.

Shape: A sleek, slender bird with a fine, slightly down-curved black bill.

Tail: Short and square-ended, lacking the elongated central tail streamers seen in many larger bee-eater species.

Plumages
Upperparts: Vibrant grass-green, providing excellent camouflage.

Throat: Bright, canary-yellow.
Underparts: Rich orange-buff, fading to a lighter, buffish-ochre color on the belly.
Wings: Green and brown, revealing striking orange under wings when in flight.

Sexes : Males and females are virtually identical. Juveniles have slightly duller colors, less contrasting throat markings, and paler overall plumage.

Diet
Primary Food: Feeds almost entirely on aerial insects, with a strong preference for bees, wasps, and hornets.

Habitat
Range: Widespread and common throughout Sub-Saharan Africa.
Thrives in open grassy savannas, lightly wooded woodlands, clearings, and wetland edges. They are rarely found far from water.
Nesting: Unlike many colonial bee-eaters, they are generally solitary nesters.

https://acugs.org

https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VbCU7SABA1ezUFPDL13e

21/05/2026

Join the Mission to Protect Uganda Birds Through Technology!

Avian conservation Uganda is looking for passionate ICT volunteers to support conservation through digital innovation.

If you are skilled in content creation, website management, system administration, media management, this is your chance to make an impact while growing your experience.

Send your CV and cover letter to: [email protected]

Together, let’s conserve birds and inspire future generations.

20/05/2026

The Palm-nut Vulture (Gypohierax angolensis) is a unique, medium-sized African raptor that breaks typical vulture rules by having a feathered head and eating primarily plant matter. Unlike other scavengers, it is largely frugivorous and spends much of its time perched in palm trees

Size
It is the smallest of the Old World vultures:

Plumages
Adults: Feature a striking, high-contrast black-and-white plumage. The body, head, and neck are entirely white, while the flight feathers, wings, and tail are black (with the tail usually tipped in white). Both sexes are nearly identical in appearance, with females being only slightly larger.

Juveniles: Take up to 3–5 years to mature into adult plumage. Young birds have predominantly brown plumage, mottled with lighter feathers, and their facial skin is yellowish rather than deep red.

Diet
Unlike other vultures that rely heavily on carrion, the Palm-nut Vulture's diet consists of fleshy husks of the oil palm and raffia palm, omnivores, they will consume crabs, fish, mollusks, locusts, small mammals, amphibians, and small reptiles.

Habitat
This bird is endemic to sub-Saharan Africa, with a range stretching from The Gambia across to Kenya and down to South Africa.

https://acugs.org

https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VbCU7SABA1ezUFPDL13e

20/05/2026

Are you Ready💃💃

Join The Africa Conservation Program (ACP) “Run 4 Indigenous TREES”

📍 *Pickup spots* to collect your gear:
- Modern Supermarket (Buhoma&Kihihi branches) – Muhangi Abel *+256782 567036*.
- Africa Conservation Program‑Bwindi Batwa Culture & Rocks & Cave Association-Buhoma Office – *+256 788 134993/+256 743 108136.* (Brian/Ezera)
- Kampala – Patience *0789978531*.

💸 *Pay‑up options*: deposit via MTN Merchant Code *377544* (Ezera- Finance Officer).
- *Bank transfer*: Centenary Rural Development Bank, account *3205281838 (Africa Conservation Program).
- *Airtel Mobile money*: send to 0745446830 (Ezera Finance- officer).
For more contact
*+256 788 134993/+256 743 108136*

19/05/2026

The Variable Sunbird (Cinnyris venustus) is a small, highly adaptable passerine bird native to sub-Saharan Africa. Famous for its dazzling sexual dimorphism and distinct feeding habits, it plays a vital role as an ecosystem pollinator.

General Description
Size: Tiny, measuring just 10 cm in length.

Males: Feature a brilliant, glossy green head, throat, and nape. They have a distinct maroon breast band and a belly that varies in color (usually deep yellow, but occasionally orange or white depending on the (subspecies). The specific color fluctuations give the bird its "variable" name.
Females & Eclipse Males: Subdued in appearance with plain olive-brown upperparts, dull yellow underparts, and a pale line above the eye.

Adaptations: They boast slender, long, down-curved bills and brush-tipped, tubular tongues used to efficiently extract nectar.

Habitat Range: Widely distributed across equatorial and sub-Saharan Africa.Environments: Extremely versatile, thriving in open woodlands, savannas, moist savannas, thorn scrubs, forest edges, and mangroves.

Human Proximity: Often found in cultivated areas, parks, and urban gardens where flowering plants are abundant.

FeedNectar: Primarily a nectarivore, feeding on the nectar of a wide variety of flowers like aloes, hibiscus, and acacia. While they can hover like hummingbirds, they typically prefer to perch while feeding to conserve energy. Insects & Spiders: Supplement their diet with protein-rich insects and small spiders. This is particularly essential during the breeding season to feed growing chicks.

https://acugs.org

https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VbCU7SABA1ezUFPDL13e

Avian Conservation Uganda (ACUG) is a non-profit organization dedicated to the research, conservation, and protection of Uganda’s birdlife and their natural habitats. We work to safeguard endangered species, restore ecosystems, and promote sustainable coexistence between birds and communities.

18/05/2026

The steppe eagle (Aquila nipalensis) is a large, migratory bird of prey known for its dark brown plumage, broad wings designed for soaring, and a distinct fleshy gape that extends behind the eye. Highly adapted to open grasslands and semi-deserts, they breed in Eurasia and primarily winter in Africa.

Key Physical Characteristics

Size: They measure 60 to 81 cm in length, boast a massive wingspan of 165 to 214 cm, and weigh between 2.0 and 4.9 kg, with females being larger than males.

Plumage: Adults are generally uniformly dark brown with a distinct reddish-brown (rufous) patch on the nape of the neck.

Juveniles are paler and feature a prominent whitish band running under their wings.

Identification: They are often distinguished from similar eagles by oval nostrils, heavily feathered legs, and a gape-line that stretches far below the eye.

Diet & Hunting
Prey: They primarily feed on small to medium-sized mammals (like ground squirrels and hares) and insects, though they readily eat fresh carrion.

Technique: They hunt by soaring low to the ground or scanning the plains from a low perch, dropping directly onto their target.

Habitat & Migration
• Breeding & Wintering: They breed across the vast steppes and grasslands of Southern Europe, Russia, and Central Asia. In the winter, they undertake massive migrations to the savannas and open landscapes of Africa and the Middle East,

https://acugs.org

https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VbCU7SABA1ezUFPDL13e

Avian Conservation Uganda (ACUG) is a non-profit organization dedicated to the research, conservation, and protection of Uganda’s birdlife and their natural habitats. We work to safeguard endangered species, restore ecosystems, and promote sustainable coexistence between birds and communities.

12/05/2026

The Dideric Cuckoo (Chrysococcyx caprius) is a small, highly iridescent, and noisy African cuckoo, often known for its distinctive and persistent mating call. It is a brood parasite, mainly targeting weaver birds.
Appearance and Identification
• Size: Small and slender, roughly
• Male: Striking glossy bronze-green upperparts with white spotting on the wings and tail. It has a white breast with barred green flanks and a bright red eye/eye-ring.
• Female: Similar but duller, with more copper colouring, buff-washed throats, and sometimes stronger barring on the chest.
• Juvenile: Distinctive, often heavily barred or rufous - coloured with a conspicuous coral-red bill.
• Distinguishing Feature: A white streak (supercilium) above the eye and a white patch in front of the eye are key identification marks.
Habitat and Behaviour
• Habitat: Commonly found in open woodland, savanna, riverine bush, and suburban gardens across sub-Saharan Africa.
• Call: A very loud, high-pitched, and persistent "deee-deee-deee-deee-dederik".
• Breeding (Brood Parasitism): It lays a single egg in the nest of another bird, most frequently weavers (like the Village Weaver) and bishops, which then raise the cuckoo chick.
• Diet: Primarily eats insects, particularly hairy caterpillars, which it finds in trees.
• Migration: It is a migratory bird that follows the rainy seasons.
Range
• The Dideric Cuckoo is a common breeding resident throughout most of sub-Saharan Africa and parts of the southern Arabian Peninsula.

https://acugs.org

https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VbCU7SABA1ezUFPDL13e

12/05/2026

Last week ,a team from Avian Conservation Uganda met with Adalbert Aine Omucunguzi, Regional Director at the International Crane Foundation.

We held focused discussions on collaboration to strengthen efforts to conserve the endangered Grey Crowned Crane in Uganda.

The meeting highlighted clear priorities:
1.Joint field research and monitoring of crane populations
2.Community engagement to reduce habitat loss and disturbance
3.Knowledge sharing and technical support between teams
4.Coordinated conservation strategies with measurable impact
5.strong partnerships drive effective conservation. When organizations align goals, share expertise, and coordinate action, they increase impact on the ground.

Both teams committed to building a practical, results-driven partnership that supports long term protection of crane habitats and populations.

We appreciate the leadership and openness from ICF and look forward to the next phase of collaboration.

https://acugs.org
https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VbCU7SABA1ezUFPDL

11/05/2026

The Grasshopper Buzzard (Butastur rufipennis) is a small, slim, migratory raptor native to the sub-Saharan African savanna, known for its specialized diet behavior during the dry season.

General description

Size and Shape, Length : 30–44 cm (12–17 in)
Shape: A small, slim, and fairly long-tailed buzzard with a relatively small head and long, slender legs. *Flight* : Often described as kite-like or harrier-like.
Plumage Adult: Grey-brown upperparts and a reddish brown face and chest. The underparts and thighs are unstreaked rufous, while the breast has narrow, dark streaks. A white throat with three black streaks on each side is a key feature.
In Flight : Displays distinctive bright rufous patches on the tops of the wings (primaries and greater coverts) with black-tipped primary feathers, and mostly white underwing coverts.
Juvenile: Brighter rufous head and nape with dark shaft streaks; as they age, the crown becomes the same color as the back.Bare Parts: Yellow eyes, cere, and legs.

Habitats : Arid thorn savanna, grassland, woodland edges, and sometimes sub-desert scrub.
Range: Found in a narrow zone north of the equator (Sahel region) during breeding, and moves to eastern and western Africa during the dry season (October–March).
Diet Specialization : Primarily insectivorous, specializing in grasshoppers, mantis, and termites, particularly outside the breeding season.

https://acugs.org

https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VbCU7SABA1ezUFPDL13e

09/05/2026

Today, Avian conservation uganda proudly joined the world in celebrating the World migratory bird day /Global bird day under the theme “Every Bird Counts.”

Our main excursion was held at Lutembe bay, where birders, nature lovers, and conservation enthusiasts came together to appreciate the beauty of migratory birds and wetlands. A total of 51 bird species were recorded, including rare migratory species unique to this important wetland ecosystem.

The celebration also spread across different parts of Uganda through our birding clubs and teams in Mghahinga,mburo national park, Rwenzori Mountain ,semuliki ,kibale en bigodi,ruhijja etc and many other birding sites.

We thank everyone who participated, supported, and celebrated with us. Together, we continue raising awareness for bird conservation and protecting the habitats that migratory and other birds depend on.

life for generations.

https://acugs.org

https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VbCU7SABA1ezUFPDL13e