

Mabamba has become one of the strong holds for the migrant Blue Swallow with over 100 individuals recorded every year. Mabamba Swamp is a large tract of marshlands with various channels through it and it provides the perfect habitat for countless of water -birds away from the Shoebill Stork such as Swamp flycatcher, African purple swamp hen, African water rail, Pallid Harrier, Papyrus Gonolek, White-winged Warbler and the Blue Swallow Common moorhen, lesser jacana, African jacana, African pygym Goose, White-faced whistling duck, Squacco heron, Blue Breasted Bee-eater, Winding cisticola, Goliath Heron and many others. Mabamba swamp is a RAMSAR site, and a community project, with local people employed as boatmen and guides. Pack a nice lunch if you are going for the day, some bottled water along a pair of binoculars, hat, sun protection, insect repellant, light rain jacket, a backpack for all your items and long-sleeved shirt and trousers. The best time to visit is late morning hours or even afternoon after lunch. Mabamba wetland is a perfect place for one day outing from Entebbe area and places in and around Kampala, or add on to a safari that includes other destinations in Uganda. You will then access the swamp in local fishing boat / Canoe with a local guide Mabamba Swamp is an extensive marsh stretching through a long narrow bay, fringed with papyrus towards the western main body of Lake Victoria in Mpigi District. It takes about 1 hour to drive mainly on dirt roads from Entebbe to the home of the Shoe bill – Mabamba Swamp, and it’s about 50km (1 ½ hrs) west of Kampala. Multi-Day Safari Programs (5 & More Days)ĭiscover Africa with Lifetime Experience Safaris – When it comes to Safari Travel, we know you have a lot of choices.Kalinzu Forest Chimp Trekking, Guided Birding & Forest Walks.Budongo Forest – Chimp Trekking & Habituation.Bigodi Wetlands Sanctuary Walk near Kibale Park.Chimpanzee Tracking & Habituation Experience.Trekking in Kibale Forest National Park – Uganda.Best Time to Vist for a Gorilla Trekking Safari.Best Gorilla Trekking Safari Add-on Options within Uganda.Gorilla Habituation Experience & Our Secrete Advice.Over 21 Habituated Gorilla Families in Uganda's Bwindi.Why you Should Consider Gorilla Trekking in Uganda.Interesting Facts, History, Description, Behavior, Habitat, Diet & Predators.Travel Tips and Advice + Essentials that you need to Know Before Going.Money Information, Advice & Tips for Vistors.They don't say much, in fact they're mute most of the time, but when they clatter their bills upon running into another shoebill, or if it's mating season, duck for cover: It sounds just like a machine gun. Fierce in the wild, the dauntless shoebill has been known to fight Nile crocodiles to get to their delicious babies, and to fraternize with hippos whenever possible, as the sheer enormity of hippos forces yummy shoebill snacks to the water's surface. Stoic loners – there are only about 3,300 to 5,300 individuals left in the wild – the shoebill stays mainly in its own bailiwick, flying (a mere 150 flaps per minute) anywhere from 500 to 1,000 feet (152 to 305 meters) at a time, with most flights in the 65-foot (20-meter) range. While the momma shoebill will lay two or three eggs, only one chick will survive, as the eldest offspring has a Darwinian dark side and, alas, kills its siblings. Both partners participate in building their nest, which is a kind of floating barge that can be as large as 10 feet wide (3 meters) and 9 feet (almost 3 meters) deep. Weighing anywhere from 12 to 15 pounds and standing up to 5 feet (1.5 meters) tall with a wingspan that can reach 8 feet (over 2 meters), this steely-eyed, aloof and gawky bird hangs out in reedy wetlands where it can nosh on its favorite foods, namely lungfish, tilapia, catfish, frogs, snakes, monitor lizards and baby crocodiles – all of which it can snatch and swallow whole or tear through and decapitate easily with its badass, hollow, pelican-like 7-inch (18-centimeter) beak.Ī monogamous bird that can live up to 35 years, the shoebill finds its mate at a young age and aggressively defends its partner against rivals.
