There are several wetlands that are host incredible bird species. Here are some of the important wetlands where one can go birding during your birding safari in Uganda let it be a birding trip or any adventurous tour!
Listings of Wetlands where to Go Birding
- Lutembe Bay Wetlands
- Mabamba Wetlands
- Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary
Mabamba Bay Wetland System
Mabamba wetland is both a Ramsar and Important Bird Area (IBAs) located 36 km south west of Kampala on the shores of Lake Victoria in Wakiso district with an extensive marsh stretching through a narrow and long bay fringed with papyrus where one can easily find the globally threatened bird species—the Shoebill. The wetland system hosts approximately 38% of the global population of the Blue Swallow, as well as the globally threatened Papyrus Yellow Warbler, lesser Jacana, Afep pigeon, blue breasted Bee eater, Gull billed tern, white winged black tern and whiskered tern. The site supports a lucrative fisheries activity and is a source of fish for home consumption and commercial use, as well as of raw material for local crafts, building materials, water for domestic and livestock use, and non wood products.
Murchison Falls – Albert Delta Wetland System
This area was made a Ramsar site in 2006 to protect important water birds including the rare Shoebill, Pelicans, Darters and various heron species. The place stretches from the top of Murchison Falls, where the River Nile flows through a rock cleft some 6m wide, to the delta at its confluence with Lake Albert. The convergence between Lake Albert and the delta forms a shallow area that is important for water birds. The delta is an important spawning and breeding ground for Lake Albert fisheries, containing indigenous fish species; the rest of the site is dominated by rolling savannas and tall grass with increasingly thick bush, woodlands and forest patches in the higher and wetter areas to the south and east. It forms a feeding and watering refuge for wildlife in the Murchison falls National Park during dry seasons that was gazetted in 1952 as Kabalega national park and changed its name in 1970s.
Nabajjuzi Wetland System
Nabajjuzi is a long narrow stretch of swamp system strategically located in Masaka, Sembabule and Mpigi districts. This Ramsar site is at an altitude of 1200-1300m above sea level with globally threatened species, afro tropical highland, Guinea-Congo forest and Lake Victoria basin biome species. Nabajjuzi is dominated by Cyperus papyrus with patches of Miscanthus violaceus in most parts providing a favorable ground for globally threatened bird species and the endangered Sitatunga antelope. The Shoebill and other two papyrus endemic species including the Papyrus Gonolek and the Papyrus Yellow Warbler have been recorded here. The wetland is the source of water supply for nearby townships and provides fish, clay, papyrus, medicine and game meat (Sitatunga). However, the local community with the help of Nature Uganda has initiated eco-tourism activities in the wetland.
Sango Bay, Musambwa Island–Kagera Wetland System (SAMUKA)
SAMUKA wetland system is an important bird area in Uganda gazetted as Ramsar site (wetlands of International importance). The wetland system covers a total area of 55,110 hectares consisting of a big tract of swamp forest, papyrus swamps, herbaceous swamps interspersed with palms and seasonally flooded grasslands, sandy, rocky and forest shores stretching from Uganda up-to the Tanzania border. The system supports huge congregations of water birds, hosting an average of 16.5% of the population of Grey headed Gulls (Larus cirrocephalus), and hosts globally endangered mammals such as Elephant, Black and White Colobus Monkey and a subspecies of the Blue Monkey. Other bird species not to be missed while on a visit to this area include Shoebill and the migratory White-winged Black Tern.