Category: Activities & Programs

Introduction:

The Avian Conservation Uganda (ACUS), in collaboration with the Uganda Wildlife Education Center (UWEC), rescued a White-browed Coucal (Centropus superciliosus) in the Mbuya-Nakawa Division, Kampala from a family of one Ilka whose son William saved the bird from being eaten by the cat . This report highlights the rescue operation, the bird’s condition, and the broader context of urban bird conservation.

Rescue Operation:

On 22/05/2025,  ACUS received a distress call regarding a dispresses White-browed Coucal. A team from ACUS-Avain conservation Uganda society and UWEC-Uganda wildlife education center , led by Godfrey Elasmus and an experienced animal handler, responded promptly. The bird was safely captured and transported to the UWEC facility for treatment.

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Each year on the second Saturday of May, World Migratory Bird Day (WMBD) unites people across the world in recognizing the incredible journeys of migratory birds and the shared responsibility we have in ensuring their survival. Under the 2025 theme “Shared Spaces: Creating Bird-Friendly Cities and Communities,” we at the Avian Conservation Uganda (ACUS) proudly joined the global community to raise awareness and take action to protect these vital species and their habitats.

Migratory birds connect ecosystems, cultures, and communities. Yet, rapid urbanization and poor land-use planning continue to degrade the habitats they rely on, especially in fragile areas like Uganda’s wetlands and urban peripheries. This year’s theme is a timely reminder that our cities and communities must become safer spaces not just for people, but for birds too.

To mark WMBD 2025, ACUS ran a targeted campaign focused on Lutembe Bay, one of Uganda’s most critical stopover sites for migratory water-birds, particularly species that travel along the Eastern Afro-Palearctic flyway. Our efforts included a series of interconnected awareness, advocacy, and field-based actions:

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Date: 11th – 14th March 2025
Location: Kiyanga, Ruhinda North, Mitooma District
Conducted by: Avian Conservation Uganda (ACUS)

Introduction

As part of our mission to conserve Uganda’s rich avian diversity and foster harmonious coexistence between people and nature, Avian Conservation Uganda (ACUS) carried out a community conservation awareness campaign and bird diversity survey in the villages surrounding Maramagambo Forest, within Mitooma District, Queen Elizabeth National Park landscape.

This activity, held from 11th to 14th March 2025, was designed to:

• Document bird species diversity in this ecologically important area.
• Address human-wildlife interactions, specifically human-bird conflicts.
• Strengthen community awareness and participation in sustainable conservation practices.

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As part of our ongoing commitment to conserving Uganda’s threatened bird species and their
habitats, the Avian Conservation Uganda (ACUS) spent the weekend of 8th March,
2025 in Ekyizimbi Swamp, located in Rwekyishwaga village, Kiruhura District. This
important wetland, though lesser known, holds significant ecological value, serving as a habitat
for a variety of wetland bird species, including the iconic and vulnerable Shoebill Stork
(Balaeniceps rex).

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1. Introduction
On January 26, 2025, the Avian Conservation Uganda (ACUS), in collaboration with
Sheraton Hotel Kampala and the Ismaili Community of Uganda, organized a Nature Walk and
Grey Crowned Crane Awareness Event at the Sheraton Hotel Kampala Gardens. The event
aimed to promote urban green space conservation, enhance awareness about Uganda’s national
bird, encourage sustainable environmental practices and break ground for the Ismaili
Community’s Nature Club.
2. Objectives
The key objectives of the event were:

• To engage participants in identifying bird and plant species within the Sheraton
  Gardens.
•  To raise awareness about the Grey Crowned Crane conservation and its ecological significance.
• To visit and understand the waste management site and organic garden at Sheraton Hotel.
• To foster creativity and conservation awareness through a painting activity centered on the Crested Crane.
• To support the launch of the Ismaili Community’s Nature Club and encourage
  environmental stewardship.

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For centuries, people living in Uganda have had interaction with birds for their economic use, aesthetic value, cultural development and ecological contribution. This human interaction of the various cultures in Uganda with birds inspires art, music, fashion, attitude and is expressed in folklore, legends, folksongs, customs and practices. Additionally, traditional knowledge of birds as environmental indicators has aided in hunting, farming, cultural ceremonies and other occasions and activities. Unfortunately, due to a cultural shift, the traditional system of this knowledge transfer has been disrupted and Uganda as well as the world is on the verge of losing this knowledge. This program is aimed at recording this knowledge for conservation purposes.

The Avian Conservation Uganda (ACUS) is working to conserve indigenous knowledge about birds in Uganda. We do this through a variety of programs, including:

1. Birding excursions: We lead birding excursions to remote areas of Uganda, where we teach participants about the birds they see and the indigenous knowledge about birds that is held by local communities.
2. Workshops: We hold workshops on indigenous knowledge about birds, where we bring together experts from different fields to share their knowledge and experiences.
3. Publications: This program aims to publish books, create content and articles on indigenous knowledge about birds, to make this knowledge available to a wider audience.

We believe that conserving indigenous knowledge about birds is essential for the conservation of birds in Uganda. This knowledge is a valuable resource that can help us to understand and protect birds. We are committed to working with local communities to ensure that this knowledge is passed down to future generations.
Here are some examples of indigenous knowledge about birds in Uganda:

1. Birds are used for food: Many Ugandan bird species are eaten, including doves, pigeons, and weavers. Birds are also used in traditional medicine, and their feathers are used for decoration.
2. Birds are used for pest control: Some birds, such as the Cattle Egret, are known for their ability to control pests. This knowledge is being used to develop new ways to control pests without using harmful chemicals.
3. Birds are used for cultural purposes: Birds are often featured in art, music, and folklore. They are also used in traditional ceremonies and rituals.
4. Birds as environmental indicators: Many cultures in Uganda use birds to study environmental trends and features. For instance; some cultures follow Honeyguides to find honey in forests, some cultures make use of waterfowl to find water sources while other cultures use birds to predict weather patterns.

Indigenous knowledge is a valuable resource that can help us to understand and protect birds. Avian conservation Uganda society is committed to working with local communities to ensure that this knowledge is passed down to future generations.

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Loss of habitat continues to be the single most prevalent threat to bird life. The habitat and ecosystem restoration program is a key component of the Avian Conservation Uganda’s
work to protect and restore bird populations.

The program focuses on restoring degraded habitats and creating new habitats that are beneficial to birds.

One of the main goals of the habitat and ecosystem restoration program is to reduce the impact of human activities on bird populations. This is done by working to restore degraded and modified habitats, such as farmlands, wetlands and forests, and creating new habitats, such as bird sanctuaries and nature preserves. The program also works to educate the public about the importance of protecting bird habitats and ecosystems.

The habitat and ecosystem restoration program is been implemented at Bethany Land Institute in Bombo, Kaynela Farms Ltd in Kayunga and aims to build more strategic partnerships with land owners to restore degraded habitats and creating new habitats that are beneficial to birds.

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This program mainly targeting young people involves building bird clubs in schools and communities surrounding Important Bird Areas, protected areas and other biodiversity hotspots.
These bird clubs act as recruitment centers for bird-friendly people who come together to aid in
monitoring bird species, populations, behavior and habitat in their communities and play a
crucial role in attracting people in their communities to engage in birding excursions, encourage
other members to learn more about birds and their invaluable contribution to a sustainable
environment and generally disseminate information about the importance of birds to the
economy, social development and ecological uses.

The program involves planning, implementing and/or participating in seminars, talk shows,
discussions, lectures, conferences, webinars, fellowships and other events to raise awareness
on the necessity of bird conservation, the understanding and appreciation of birds and their role
to society and the environment.

The project implements training of leaders and members of bird clubs in basic bird identification techniques, using bird identification tools, data collection and
management will enhance the capacity of the clubs to carry out these monitoring excursions.

Data collection and management will be critical in pursuing a data-driven approach to
conservation efforts. ACUS shall also seek to provide support of necessary equipment including
binoculars, telescopes and where necessary phones to aid in data collection efforts using digital
tools such as eBird. Birds are an important part of our ecosystem. They provide food, shelter,
and pollination for other animals, and they help to control pests. However, bird populations are
declining worldwide due to habitat loss, climate change, and pollution. We can help to protect
birds by building bird-friendly communities through public education.
Here are some ways to build a bird-friendly community through public education:

1. Teach people about the importance of birds. Many people don’t realize the importance of birds to our ecosystem. We can educate them about the role birds play in pollination, pest control, and seed dispersal. We can also teach them about the threats facing birds, such as habitat loss and climate change.
2. Encourage people to create bird-friendly habitats. We can encourage people to create bird-friendly habitats in their own backyards and communities. This can be done by planting native plants, providing water sources, and bird-friendly farming.

By building bird-friendly communities through public education, we can help to create a world
where birds can thrive. This program aims to use public education to build bird-friendly
communities:

1. Schools: Schools can teach students about the importance of birds and how to create bird-friendly habitats. They can also organize birdwatching trips and other activities that help to raise awareness of bird conservation.
2. Community organizations: Community organizations can hold public events to educate people about birds and their conservation. They can also provide information about how to create bird-friendly habitats.
3. Government agencies: Government agencies can develop and implement policies that protect birds and their habitats. They can also provide funding for bird conservation projects.

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