Mabamba Swamp

A Shoo-in for Shoebill

In birding circles, Uganda is known as the best place in the world to see the shoebill, a massive slate-grey swamp-dweller notable for its hefty clog-shaped hook-tipped beak. And Mabamba Swamp, if not unequivocally the best place in Uganda for shoebill, certainly ranks as the most convenient and affordable first port of call for anybody who wants to see this iconic bird.

One reason Mabamba Swamp is such a good place to look for shoebill is its convenient location. The swamp is situated on Lake Victoria about an hour’s drive west of Entebbe International Airport, the most popular entry point to Uganda. Another reason Mabamba is so popular with shoebill seekers is the relative ease of spotting these often elusive birds here. The swamp is protected as a community sanctuary, and boat trips are conducted by locals, so the project has strong local support – shoebills are no longer persecuted at Mabamba and fishers are keen to help tourists and their guides locate the birds. A final bonus is that there’s plenty of accommodation within easy striking distance, whether you stay in Entebbe, the nearby capital Kampala, or – better still – at one of several pleasant lodges that have opened closer to Mabamba in recent years.

Shoebills are definitely the main attraction at Mabamba Swamp, and the odds of a sighting are excellent. Based on my experience and local anecdotes, they probably stand at 80% to 90% on a morning trip, but are slightly lower in the afternoon. There are plenty of other alluring birds around too. Species I’ve seen on pretty much every visit include African pygmy goose, purple swamphen, purple heron, African fish eagle, osprey, palm-nut vulture, African jacana, long-toed lapwing, blue-headed coucal and blue-cheeked bee-eater. And although there's not much other large wildlife, the localized swamp-dwelling sitatunga antelope is occasionally spotted.