Mabamba Swamp is a bird water’s dream destination in Uganda, the swamp covering an area of 165 square kilometers is a Ramsar Wetland of International Importance located in central region of Uganda on the edge of largest fresh water lake in Africa – Lake Victoria.
Mabamba Swamp derives its name from emamba – a local name for a species of lungfish, the swamp consists of papyrus beds, small channels and lagoons which are home to over 300 bird species including the most sought-after bird on a Uganda birding safari – the pre-historic shoe bill.
On a Uganda Safari, Mabamba swamp is a great place to visit at the beginning or end of your safari and it is a perfect spot for short Uganda tour.
Shoebills in Mabamba Swamp
Mabamba Swamp is the most accessible and reliable place in whole world to see the rare and pre-historic shoebill bird (Balaeniceps rex) in its natural habitat.
This massive pre-historic – looking bird is classified as vulnerable and is a bucket list sighting for any bird lover, with its huge, yellow, human-like eyes, the enormous shoe-shaped bill and 5 feet height. This big bird looks like something from the dinosaur era.
The shoebill uses its large bill to catch their favorites prey – the Lungfish, also they eat other fish species such as tilapia and catchfish, birds, frogs, terrapins, water snakes, monitor lizards, rodents, baby crocodiles and even small mammals. These birds are masters of patience, the will stand in water and large patches of grass for hours motionless as statues.
The shoebills are aware that if they wait long enough for the right moment, they will find their next meal. And at the right moment, they will strike forward, all 5 feet of it with its huge bill wide open, engulfing its target along the water, mud, vegetation and probably any other fish.
When there is nothing but lungfish left, the shoebill will give it quick decapitation with help of the sharp edges of their bill and swallow away. It is impossible not to be impressed by these giants.
Shoebill Conservation Status
The shoebill stork has been classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, they are possibly less than 5,000 birds left on the planet. The birds are threatened by hunters, the destruction of their environments by humans, climate change, pollution of river systems and cultural taboos that lead to them being captured by tribes.
Mabamba Swamp Fishermen & Shoebills
Uganda’s Mabamba Swamp is rich with lungfish called mamba in native language, the shoebill’s favorite food is also one of the most sought after by the local fishermen thus creating competition.
The fishermen had long held a superstition that seeing a shoebill which is locally known as Boolwe resulted in a poor catch that day. But this is not farfetched because the shoebill feeds on lungfish. And where the shoebill is the fish will go into hiding.
For the fishermen, it was a bad omen to see a shoebill when on set out to fish in the wetland. They hunted the shoebills and killed them. This led to a decline in their numbers and almost rendered birds extinct in Mabamba Swamp.
When Mabamba Swamp was designated a Ramsar Site in 2006, the shoebills got some protection. However, birding tours on the wetland brought about the enlightenment to the fishermen and local community. The fishermen earn a living by renting out their boats to bird watchers, even some fishermen have been trained in birding and guiding. Now the fishermen protect the shoes so that when they set out to fish and see a shoebill, they do not kill it. They will gladly inform the visitors where to see them.
Mabamba Shoebill Birding Tours & Boat Trips
Shoebill bird watching in Mabamba Bay Swamp is done from a motorized wooden canoe or boat, there are plent of boats available with local riders eagerly waiting to take you to see the shoebill. The morning time is the best time to see the Shoebill in Mabamba Swamp.
This is the time when the shoebills stork lungfish by standing still for long even hours without movement until an unlucky fish crosses its path. Later in the day when it gets hot the shoebill rest which it does by spreading out its wings and squatting among the grass. And thus may be hard to find and also may be seen flying high in the sky to cool.
5 Days Uganda Birding Tour Shoebills, Green Breasted Pitta & Chimpanzee
1 Day Mabamba Swamp Birding Tour – Shoebill Storks & Boat ride
7 Days Uganda Birding Tour – Shoebills, Chimps, Gorillas and Wildlife
While on a boat ride searching for the iconic shoebills in Mabamba Swamp, lookout for other beautiful bird species such as Yellow-throated Greenbul, Yellow-rumped Tinkerbird, Yellow-billed Tinkerbird, Yellow-billed Ducks, Yellow-backed Weaver, Yellow warble, Yellow Wagtail, Yellow-Billed Stork, Yellow-billed duck, Yello-billed Kite, Woodland Kingfisher, Wood Sandpiper, Winding Cistocola, White-winged Warbler, White-winged Black Terns, White-throated Bee-eater, White-shouldered Tit, White-faced Whistling-duck, White-browed Cuckoo, Birding in Mabamba SwampWhite-browed Coucal, Whiskered Terns, Whinchat, Weyn’s Weaver, Weaver birds, Water Thicknee, Violet-backed Sterling, Village Weaver, Veilots’ Black Weaver, the Blue Swallow, Tawny-flanked Prinia, Tawny Eagle, Tambourine Dove, Swamp Flycatcher, Stripped Kingfisher, Squacco heron, Spur-winged, Spur-winged Lapwing, Spur-winged Geese, Speckled Mousebird, Slender-billed Weaver, Slender-billed Gull, Shining Blue Kingfisher, Sand Martin, Sand Martin, Saddle-billed Stork, Ruppell’s Long-tailed Sterling, Rufous-napped Lark, Rufous-bellied Herons, Ross’ Turaco, Red-shouldered Cuckoo Shrike, Red-headed Love-bird, Red-eyed Dove, Red-chested Cuckoo, Red-billed Fire-finch, Pygmy Geese, Purple Bird watching in Mabamba SwampHeron, Pint-tailed Whyda, Pink-backed Pelican, Pied Wagtail, Pied Kingfishers, Papyrus yellow warbler, Papyrus Gonolek, Papyrus Canary, Pallid Harrier, Orange Weaver, Olivaceous Warbler, Nothern Brown-throated Weather, Mosque Swallow, Marsh Harrier, Malachite Kingfisher, Long-toed Lapwings, Long-tailed Cormorant, Long-Crested Eagle, Long tod lapwig blover, Little Stilt, Little Egret, Little bee-eater, Levaillant’s Cuckoo, Lesser Jacana, Intermediate Egret, Harmerkop, Hadada Ibis, Gull-billed Terns, Grosbeak Weaver, Grey-rumped, Grey-Headed Sparrow, Grey-headed Kingfisher, Grey-headed Gulls, Grey-crowned Crane, Grey Woodpecker, Grey Wagtail, Grey Parrot, Grey Heron, Green Cuckoo, Great White Pelican, Great White Egret, Great Cormorant, Great Blue Turaco, Grassland Pipit, Goliath Herons, Glossy Ibis, Fulvous Whistling-duck, Fork-tailed Drongo, Fork-tailed Drongo, Fly catcher, Flappet Lark, Feral Pigeon, Fan-tailed Widowbird, Eurasian Hobby, Bird watching in Mabamba swamp and wetlandEastern Grey Plantain Eater, Double Toothed Barbet, Crowned Hornbill, Comrants, Common Waxbill, Common Stonechat, Common Sqacco Heron, Common Sandpiper, Common Moorhens, Common Greenshank, Common Bulbul, Cattle Egret, Carruther’s Cisticola, Brown Snake-Eagle, Brown Parrot, Blue-headed Cuckoo, Blue-headed Coucal, Blue-cheeked Bee-eater, Blue Swallow, Blue headed coucal, Blue Breasted Bee-eater, Black-winged Stilt, Black-headed Weavers, Black-headed Heron, Black-faced Rufous Warbler, Black-crowned Waxbill, Black-crowned Night Heron, Black- headed weavers, Black Headed Gonolek, Black Headed Gonolek, Black Egret, Black Crake, Banded Martin, Ashy Flycatcher, Ashy Flycatcher, Angola Swallows, Afrikan Jakana, African water rail, Pallid Harrier, African Water Rail, African Pygmy Goose, African Purple Swamp-hen, African Pigmy Goose, African Pied Wagtail, African Marsh Harrier, African Jacana, African Hoopoe, African Green Pigeon, African Fish Eagle, African Firefinch and African common Moorhen among others.
Birding at Mabamba Landing Site
The landing site and parking area at Mabamba Swamp will offer you some of incredible birding, the shrubs, thickets and tall trees host a number of Uganda bird species and you can spend some time scanning the habitats before taking on the water channels of the Mabamba wetland.
The superb bird is a common sighting here and is often seen in short trees and shrubs picking insects on tree branches, you can also see the aggressive Red-Chested Sunbird – Lake Victoria biome endemic.
Other bird species you will see include Yellow-breasted Apalis, Weyn’s Weaver, Village Weaver, Vieillot’s Black Weaver, Grey-capped Warbler, Yellow-throated Greenenbull, Splendid Starling, Brown-throated Wattle-eye, Lesser Striped Swallow and Swamp Flycatcher among others.
Birding in Nkima Forest
The Nkima Forest is a small patch of forest located on a hill overlooking Mabamba Swamp, the forest is about 2 kilometers from Mabamba landing site and is just 20 minutes’ walk from the swamp.
The forest is home to several primate species including red-tailed monkeys and vervet monkeys from which the forest is named after.
Also, the forest is home to many species of butterflies, insects as well as mammals such as squirrels, mongoose and bush babies.
Notable birds in Nkima Forest include Great blue turaco, African grey parrot, snowy-headed robin chat, hornbills, bee-eaters, western nicator, red-capped Robinchat, Tambourine Dove, Scally Francolin among others.
How To Get to Mabamba Wetland
By Car
There are two routes you can use to get to the Mabamba Swamy by vehicle, one starts from Entebbe and the other from Kampala City. From Entebbe, you can drive up to Kisubi area and from there you branch to the road leading to Nakawuka. Then leave the Nakawuka and go to Kasanje before proceeding to Mabamba Bay Swamp.
If you are arriving from Kampala City, you can use the old Entebbe Road. You can use the Old Entebbe road up to Kisubi, then branch to the road leading to Nakawuka. Once you reach Kasanje, you would have reached very close to the swamp.
By Boat
Using the boat is the most convenient bust more expensive way to get to Mabamba Swamp, the journey to Mabamba takes around 40 minutes by boat. You can hire a speed boat at waterfront beach or the Entebbe Sailing club.
A boat trip is more exciting and scenic allowing you to check out the islands and beautiful beaches in Entebbe. Once you reach the wetland, you will have to switch to the local canoes owned by the local fishermen in order to navigate through the reeds and papyrus.
Accommodation Near Mabamba Swamp
Near the Mabamba Swamp, there are several accommodation facilities including
- The Boma Hotel in Entebbe
- Nkima Forest Lodge
- Hotel No.5