The 2010 festival introduced a structured 24-hour birding competition, beginning at midnight on 15 October. More than 40 teams participated across 38 sites nationwide, recording between 622 and 655 bird species, according to historical accounts of the event.
On October 15, 2010, Uganda launched the first fully integrated national Big Birding Day Festival, establishing a nationwide platform for birdwatching, avian conservation and tourism promotion.
Organised by NatureUganda in partnership with the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA), the Uganda Tourism Board (UTB), STAR-Uganda and the Uganda Bird Guides Club, the event brought together birdwatchers, conservationists and tourism stakeholders in a coordinated effort to document the country's rich birdlife.
The initiative built on earlier efforts by NatureUganda, which conducted a pilot in 2003 before organising a countrywide bird count in 2009. The 2009 exercise recorded 386 bird species, laying the groundwork for the expanded national event.
The 2010 festival introduced a structured 24-hour birding competition, beginning at midnight on 15 October. More than 40 teams participated across 38 sites nationwide, recording between 622 and 655 bird species, according to historical accounts of the event.
Beyond the competition, Big Birding Day established a citizen-science platform through which participants could contribute data on bird distribution and diversity across Uganda's varied ecosystems. The records provide valuable information for conservation efforts, including the monitoring of habitats and migratory patterns.
Uganda's diverse landscape, spanning wetlands, savannah grasslands, forests and mountain ecosystems, makes it an important destination for birdwatching. The country is home to more than 1,080 recorded bird species, including the iconic Shoebill and several species associated with the Albertine Rift.
The annual event also promotes domestic tourism by encouraging Ugandans to explore national parks, wetlands and other birding sites. Its wider programme has incorporated conservation discussions and a festival where participants share findings and recognise outstanding teams.
The 2010 launch marked a significant step in establishing Big Birding Day as a national conservation event, combining public participation, scientific data collection and tourism promotion around Uganda's birdlife.