Mabamba Bay Wetland is one of the places that tops thee bucket list for birders to Uganda, thanks to the numerous species of globally threatened bird species that call the site home. If your idea of a memorable Uganda safari also includes birding, then this Wetland shouldn’t miss on your hit list.
Size and Location of Mabamba Bay Wetland
Situated on the shores of Lake Victoria, Mabamba Bay Wetland is one of the largest Tropical wetlands in Uganda extending for about 2400 hectares through a small strip and long bay fringed by verdant papyrus in the direction of the main body of the Lake. The Wetland is specifically found within the border of Africa’s largest freshwater Lake within the north-western part of the Entebbe Peninsula.
The 2400 hectares of this wetland system are typical thick marshes of Papyrus, water lilies and other beautiful wetland vegetation that offer shelter to different birds and animals as you will discover and create perfect background for photography.
History of Mabamba Bay Wetland
Mabamba Bay Wetland received International recognition on 15th September 2006 when it was designated a “Ramsar-listed wetland of International Importance”, as Mabamba Bay Wetland System. It has continued to draw the attention of birders from within and beyond.
Highlights
This Ramsar site of International Importance is one of the country’s recognized 33 Important Bird Areas sheltering about 300 bird species that include 7 of the 12 Lake Victoria Biome species. There are also huge flocks of Palearctic migrants, sighted from November to March.
This beautiful Wetland is one of the few Sanctuaries for the globally-threatened shoebill storks (also known as Balaeniceps rex) with about 20 birds that call the Site home. There were more than 20 shoebill storks within Mabamba in the past until farmers started killing them with the belief that they brought bad luck thus their poor fish catch. Additionally, over 40% of the World’s Blue swallow population is found in Mabamba Bay Wetland.
Birding tours are the main drawing factor for visitors to Mabamba Bay Wetland. Common species of birds in Mabamba Bay Wetland and surrounding area are African Hoopoe, Great white pelicans, Grey woodpecker, Winding Cisticola, African Pygmy Goose, Great Cormorant, White-winged terns, Common Bulbul, white-winged warblers, common sandpiper, lesser jacana, Hammerkop, Malachite Kingfishers, Purple herons, yellow-billed ducks, Double-toothed barbets, Little egrets, Gull-billed terns, Blue breasted bee-eaters, Great cormorant, Pied Kingfisher, Pallid harrier, Marsh Harrier, yellow-rumped Tinkerbird, pink-backed pelicans, Swamp-faced whistling ducks, village weavers, Papyrus yellow warblers, Grey parrots, Ross Turaco, swamp flycatcher, Pied wagtail, Hadada ibis, Great blue Turaco, white-faced whistling duck, Pin-tailed Whydah, Black crakes, Squacco herons, Cattle egrets, Red-eyed doves, Glossy ibis, Eastern grey plantain-eater, African jacana, Orange weavers, Spur-winged lapwing, Long-tailed cormorant, Black-winged stilt, Goliath herons, Tambourine Dove, to mention but a few.
How do i get there ?
By Road
Undertake a one hour to one and a half hour road trip from Kampala City to Mabamba Bay Wetland via Kasanje Trading Center. However, some travellers combine water and road by beginning with a ferry crossing from Entebbe to Kasanje Landing Site, followed by a 20-minute drive to Mabamba Bay Wetland.
By Water
Embark on a 45-minute speed boat from Entebbe Peninsula to the main meeting point of Mabamba Bay Wetland.
By Flight