The Shoebill, Uganda’s most sought-after bird by both nature enthusiasts and birding visitors, makes Mabamba Bay Swamp a prime wetland birding destination. Mabamba Swamp, which spans 2424 hectares and is west of Entebbe on the northern bank of Lake Victoria, is covered in dense papyrus, water lily, and other wetland grass marshes.
An Important Bird Area (IBA) and Ramsar site is Mabamba Swamp.
More than 300 bird species, including some species that are internationally threatened, seven of Uganda’s twelve Lake Victoria biome-restricted species (including the renowned Papyrys Gonolek), and numerous wetland specialties are found in the wetland.
Every year from October through March, the marsh is also home to enormous flocks of Paleartic migrants. Mabamba Swamp is accessible by a Mabamba Swamp is accessible via several paths. The simplest way to go to Mabamba from Kampala or Entebbe is to drive through open fields and cultivations that will attract many garden birds, and then drive to Kasanje landing, which is 10 minutes from the Nakiwogo landing site in Entebbe. Using a motorized wooden boat to navigate a network of pathways slicing across the dense marshes, birdwatching in Mabamba Swamp is possible.
Mabamba Wetland birdwatching
Mabamba Wetland is well known for its Shoebill, Uganda’s most sought-after bird for birdwatchers. Among the fauna, that non-birdwatching tourists include is the Shoebill. There are not many locations in Uganda where one can find the uncommon bird, but Mabamba Swamp is the most dependable and easily accessible location with possibly the best odds of viewing the Shoebill in Africa.
Lungfish, or “mamba” in the local language, is abundant in Mabamba Swamp and a favored meal of Shoebills. But the local fisherman also consider lungfish to be among their most desirable catches, which puts the Shoebill in competition. The fishermen had a long-standing superstition that if they spotted a Shoebill, or “Boolwe” as they were called in the area, their day’s catch would be low.
However, this is not implausible because the Shoebill eats lungfish, and fish will follow it wherever it goes. into concealment. When a Shoebill was spotted by a fisherman heading out to fish in a wetland, it was interpreted negatively by them. They nearly drove the Shoebills out of the wetland by hunting and killing them, which caused a drop in population. The Shoebill received some protection in 2006 when the wetland was designated as a Ramsar site.
On the other hand, the fishermen and the community became more knowledgeable through bird watching on the marsh. The fishermen earn a lot of money by renting out their boats to birdwatchers; some of them have even received guiding and birding instruction. The fishermen now guard the Shoebill, making sure that they do not get too closely so as to disturb it when they go fishing and spot one. It and will be happy to let visitors know where to view it. The Mabamba Wetland is home to approximately twelve Shoebills.The Shoebill prefers to be seen in Mabamba Swamp early in the morning, around 7 a.m., when there is less activity on the wetland.However, at this time of day, the Shoebill is also hunting for lunch fish, which it catches by standing still for hours on end and watching the water for fish to cross. Then, it scoops the fish with its powerful, shoe-like bill, which instantly breaks it.
More birds of the Mabamba Swamp
African jacana Black Crake, Black Heron, Black-crowned, African Fish Eagle, Purple Swamphen, African Green Pigeon, African Jacana, African Marsh Harrier, African Pigmy Goose Blue Swallow, Blue-cheeked Bee-eater, Black-winged Stilt, Black-headed Heron, Black-crowned Waxbill, and Night Heron Common Moorhen, Common Sandpiper, Common Sqacco Heron, Glossy Ibis, Goliath Heron, Double Toothed Barbet, Great Cormorant, Great White Egret, Great White Pelican, Green Cuckoo, and Cattle Egret Gull-billed Tern, Grey-crowned Crane, Grey Heron Long-tailed Cormorant, Long-toed Lapwing, Little Egret, Harmerkop, Hadada Ibis, Little Stilt, Marsh Harrier, Malachite Kingfisher, Orange Weaver, Brown-throated Weather in the North, Papyrus Gonolek Pied Wagtail, Pied Kingfisher, Pin-tailed Whyda, Pink-backed Pelican, Shining Blue Kingfisher, Purple Heron, Red-eyed Dove, Red-headed Lovebird, Spur-winged Lapwing, Spur-winged Goose, Water Thicknee, Black Weaver of Veilots, Village Weaver, and Swamp Flycatcher White-throated Bee-eater, White-faced Whistling Duck, White-browed Cuckoo, Black-headed Weaver, Yellow-billed Duck, Wood Sandpiper, Woodland Kingfisher, Winding Cistocola, White-winged Tern, and Yellow-billed Kite.