Albertine rift valley endemic birds in Rwanda and where to go birding

The Albertine Eco-region

The Albertine region comprises of a chain of mountains that were formed through the upliftment and volcanic activity. It stretches across through the western half of Rwanda, and covers five other countries. The Albertine is regarded as the center of the Afromontane habitat and is a belt of exceptional faunal and floral endemism including over 40 bird species, 34 mammals, 117 butterflies, 34 amphibians, and 16 reptiles.

The Mountain Gorilla is by far the most popular of the Albertine rift valley endemics.

Rwanda has at least 27 birds known as the Albertine Rift Endemics which are the main reason for most twitchers going birding in Rwanda

Birds of the Albertine Rift Valley found in Rwanda – Rwanda’s Albertine rift endemic birds – and the places birdwatchers can find them:

		Abundance	IUCN	Volcanoes NP	Northern Lakes	Gishwati Forest	Mukura Forest	Nyungwe Forest	Cyamudongo Forest	Busaga Forest	Rugezi Swamp
Handsome Francolin	Pternistis nobilis	C	LC	X		X	X	X
Ruwenzori Turaco	Gallirex johnstoni	C	LC		X		X	X	X
Congo Bay Owl	Phodilus prigoginei	?	EN					?
Albertine Owlet	Glaucidium albertinum	VUC	VU					X
Ruwenzori Nightjar	Caprimulgus ruwenzorii	C	LC	X		X	X	X
Dwarf Honeyguide	Indicator pumilio	VUC	NT			X		X
Ruwenzori Batis	Batis diops	C	LC	X		X	X	X	X	X
Willard’s Sooty Boubou	Laniarius willardi	?	?					?
Stripe-breasted Tit	Melaniparus fasciiventer	FC	LC	X		X	X	X	X
Grauer’s Warbler	Graueria vittata	FC	LC					X
Neumann’s Warbler	Hemitesia neumanni	C	LC			X		X
Red-faced Woodland Warbler	Seicercus laetus	C	LC	X		X	X	X
Grauer’s Swamp Warbler	Bradypterus graueri	C	EN	X				X			X
Ruwenzori Apalis	Oreolais ruwenzorii	C	LC	X		X	X	X	X	X
Mountain Masked Apalis	Apalis personata	C	LC	X		X	X	X	X	X
Kungwe Apalis	Apalis argentea	C	?					X	X
Red-collared Babbler	Kupeornis rufocinctus	FC	NT					X
Kivu Ground Thrush	Geokichla tanganjicae	UC	?	X		X	X	X	X
Yellow-eyed Black Flycatcher	Melaenornis ardesiacus	C	LC					X
Archer’s Ground Robin	Dessonornis archeri	C	LC	X		X	X	X
Red-throated Alethe	Pseudalethe poliophrys	C	LC			X	X	X	X
Blue-headed Sunbird	Cyanomitra alinae	C	LC	X		X	X	X
Purple-breasted Sunbird	Nectarinia purpureiventris	C	LC			X	X	X
Ruwenzori Double-collared Sunbird	Cinnyris stuhlmanni	C	LC	X		X	X	X
Regal Sunbird	Cinnyris regius	C	LC	X		X	X	X
Rockefeller’s Sunbird	Cinnyris rockefelleri	VUC	VU					X
Strange Weaver	Ploceus alienus	C	LC	X		X	X	X
Dusky Crimsonwing	Cryptospiza jacksoni	C	LC	X		X	X	X
Shelley’s Crimsonwing	Cryptospiza shelleyi	UC	VU	X		X	X	X		X