The Mabamba Bay Swamp and Wetland
Mabamba Swamp and Wetland is one of the places you go to and realize just how blessed Uganda is by nature. Though a relatively small country, Uganda is one of the best countries for bird watching in the world. The sheer variety and density of bird species is truly amazing. The Mabamba bay Swamp is just one of the many important birding areas in Uganda. Mabamba (meaning lungfish swamp in the Luganda dialect) swamp is located in a convenient place close to Kampala city and Entebbe town allowing birders to spot many of Uganda’s famous birds without having to go to the remoter parks.
Mabamba Bay Wetland is one of the vast swamps found in Lake Victoria. It is located close to Entebbe town (40km) and Kampala city in a small village in Kasanje. The main economic activities among the communities living close to the wetland are hunting, fishing and and mining. The Mabamba Swamp is more renowned for its amazing bird collection (Over 260 species recorded). It is one of the top tourist attractions in Entebbe town. In 2006, the swamp was chosen as a Ramsar Site and wetland of international importance because of the rare and attractive bird species like the Papyrus Yellow Warbler, Shoebill Stork (Balaeniceps rex), Blue Swallow (Hirundo atrocaerulea) and Sitatunga (swamp antelope) among others. The Ramsar Convention on wetlands is an intergovernmental treaty that champions the conservation, wise use and safeguarding of wetlands and their treasures. The treaty came into force in 1971 in the city of Ramsar (Iran).
Because of this international recognition (among others), the Mabamba Swamp has become an Important Bird Area (IBA) helping attract alot of birders to Uganda. It is one of the best places for birding safaris in Uganda. Because of its location close to the Entebbe international airport, it is an ideal starting point for those interested in a long safari in Uganda. The key attraction is the Shoebill Stork. Along with the Murchison Falls National Park, the Mabamba Swamp is the best place to spot the Shoebill Stork. In Mabamba and Murchison Falls National Park, Shoebill Storks can be sighted throughout the day. Mabamba wetland is not all about Shoebill Storks, it is a sanctuary to four threatened species including the Papyrus Gonolek, Blue Swallow, Pallid Harrier and White-Winged Warbler. Other species found in the swamp include the 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, White-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 Heron, 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, Eastern 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.
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About the Shoebill Stork and Birding Tours in Mabamba Swamp
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