Mabamba Swamp as Birding destination

This is a wetland and birding destination that is known for Shoebill stork due to the presence of lungfish. Mabamba Swamp is rich with lungfish called mamba in Luganda the native language. Which is the favorite food for the Shoebill stork. The best time to watch the shoebill stork is morning time when it is hunting. Hunting is done by standing in one place standstill for a long time.

What are the bird species at mabamba swamp?

Apart from Shoebill stork, Mabamba swamp hosts more than 300 other bird species and migratory birds that join in the months of September to March. These species of birds include: African Fish Eagle, Purple Swamphen, African Green Pigeon, African Jacana, African Marsh Harrier. African Pigmy Goose, Black Crake, Black Heron, Black-crowned Night Heron, Black-crowned Waxbill, Black-headed Heron, Black-winged Stilt, Blue Swallow. Blue-cheeked Bee-eater, Cattle Egret, Common Moorhen and Common Sandpiper.

Other species include: Common Sqacco Heron, Double Toothed Barbet, Glossy Ibis, Goliath Heron, Great Cormorant, Great White Egret, Great White Pelican, Green Cuckoo, Grey Heron, Grey-crowned Crane, Gull-billed Tern, Hadada Ibis, Harmerkop, Little Egret. Little Stilt, Long-tailed Cormorant, Long-toed Lapwing, Malachite Kingfisher, Marsh Harrier, Northern Brown-throated Weather, Orange Weaver, Papyrus Gonolek, Pied Kingfisher, Pied Wagtail, Pink-backed Pelican, Pin-tailed Whyda, Purple Heron, Red-eyed Dove, Red-headed Love-bird and Shining Blue Kingfisher.

Mabamba swamp is a perfect sport for Speckled Mousebird, Spur-winged Goose, Spur-winged Lapwing, Swamp Flycatcher. Veilots’ Black Weaver, Village Weaver, Water Thicknee, White-browed Cuckoo, White-faced Whistling Duck, White-throated Bee-eater, White-winged Tern, Winding Cistocola, Wood Sandpiper, Woodland Kingfisher, Yellow-billed Kite, Black-headed Weaver and Yellow-billed Duck among others.

How to access mabamba wetland? Mabamba swamp can be accessed by road or by boat.

By road, it is via Nakawuka-Kasanje and from Entebbe it is a one-hour road trip will take you to the village of Mabamba wetland. Upon arrival, you will need a local boatman. To take you in canoe to the point where you can sight the shoebill stork at a close range.
Travelling to Mabamba via Nakiwogo landing site by boat is another way across Lake Victoria. The scenic journey takes 40 min to cross and the magical moment with the magical bird will make you feel that it is indeed worth it.

Where to stay for Mabamba swamp trip?

There are many options of good and decent lodges near Mabamba swamp for shoebill stork trip. The best option Nkima forest lodge found just across mabamba swamp. There are other options like Protea hotel by Marriot in Entebbe, The Boma hotel Entebbe and other.
Being just near the airport, it is very easy to have birding just few hours to your flight. Therefore, there is a chance for every interested visitor to have bird watching experience in Mabamba swamp at any time of convenience.