This is one of the most interesting and spectacular sites for bird watching in Uganda. The wetland consists of more than 260 bird species and there is a record that a birder can spot 157 bird species within a single day thus being one of the best destinations in Africa for the bird watching activity.

Besides Murchison Falls National Park, Mabamba bay wetland is the only place and site in Africa or even in the world where the elusive Shoebills can be spotted at any one time of the day, approximately 38% of the global population of the Blue Swallow and the globally-threatened Papyrus Yellow Warbler and many other birds of global conservation concern.

Mabamba bay wetland also harbors rare plant species like Scadoxus species and still the wetland has become one of the strong holds for the migrant Blue Swallow with over 100 of them recorded every year.