The rare shoebill tracking in Uganda the bird paradise;these bird is found in few places in Uganda and Mabamba Swamp is the most accessible and reliable with the best chances of seeing the Shoebill in Uganda and arguably in Africa. Mabamba Swamp is rich with lungfish called “Mamba” in native language, which is the favorite food for the Shoebill Mirama hills safaris is welcoming to the bird paradise Uganda with 1072 recorded bird species.
But what really gives the shoebill a leg up is its big, bulbous bill, which serves many purposes. Over 7 inches (19 centimeters) long, and nearly as wide, it is also cavernous inside—and a handy container for fish prey, as well as water to douse its eggs or chicks with, as needed. Oh, and it’s a musical instrument!
In Africa, they are found in different destinations such as Uganda which is home to more than shoebills that are easily traced in different locations in Uganda during birding, boat cruise, and game drive.
Shoebills, which live in the swamps of eastern tropical Africa, are after smaller prey. But only slightly smaller. They eat big fish like lungfish, eels, and catfish, and also crazy stuff like Nile monitor lizards, snakes, and baby crocodiles.
Undoubtedly one of the world’s rarest birds, the Shelley’s Crimson wing can be found on most bird-bucket lists. They live in a thin strip of mountains and volcanoes – known as the Albertine Rift – that borders Uganda, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
In fact even those who not interested in birds watching, spotting of shoebill stork while on safari in Uganda makes a trip a memorable experience.
The shoebill is a rare bird whose history races back to the dinosaur times, shoebill has for a long time been mislabeled as a stork until recently when it was reclassified as a pelican. Shoebills lay their eggs similar to pelicans and also share most of the DNA similarities with the pelicans.
The shoebill usually comes in between 45 to 50 inches, although it may be slightly larger than this depending on the individual bird. Male shoebill birds usually weigh around 5kg and are a little bit heavier than the females’ shoebills, but not by much. All shoebill birds have massive shoe- like bill which the name shoebill come from and the feature grey plumage that is brown when they’re younger. They have a large wingspan meant for soaring and short neck compared to their height, unlike their stork pelican relatives. Although their body and wings are shaped somewhat like a condor, shoebills are not related to this type of bird.
Shoebills use their massive, powerful bill to kill and eat their prey, which is usually fish. They may also eat some rodents like lizards and even smaller birds, but this is not very common. Shoebills clatter their bills to communicate with one another, but may rarely make mooing sounds like a form of communication as well.
In the bird paradise Uganda there are several Shoebills tracking location that is:-
The first and the greatest is the Mabamba swamp on Lake Victoria, the second largest fresh water lake in the world after Lake Superior and is the biggest fresh water lake in Africa, and Mabamba swamp is home to the vulnerable shoebill stork. Mabamba swamp can be accessed from Entebbe by use of boat ride or even use of traditional motorized canoe, sometimes Mabamba can be reached by ferry crossing from Nakiwogo to Buwaya then you connect direct to swamp if you’re to continue to Lake Mburo national park. Although in Mabamba swamp shoebill tracking can be done both in the morning and afternoon, we have a preference for tracking in the morning when temperatures are cool. The best time to track the shoebill in Mabamba swamp is in the dry season from January- March.
Also the other place where shoebill is Murchison falls national park, these is done at the Delta area a spot where the Nile divides into lake Albert and the Albert Nile- which continues further north through Sudan into the Mediterranean sea. While the delta area is popular for shoebill tracking, it is also home to a variety of other beautiful birds in Uganda as well as Africa. Shoebill tracking in Murchison falls national park is best done on a boat cruise downstream. And the alternatively, one can opt to take the boat trip one way to track the shoebill, and later join a guide on a game drive through the savannah plains of the gigantic Murchison falls national park.
The another place to track shoebill is in lake Mburo national park, the park is located just near kampala in only 4 to 5 hours you will be at the gate of the park, lake Mburo national park is very interesting park to visit people seeking to see the rare shoebill stork, in this park there also many other birds like the fin foot and most of them a tracked on boat cruise.
You can also track the shoebill in Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth national park, the Ishasha sector not thought to be popular for tree climbing lions but also has more to offer. Travelers can go for shoebill tracking along the Marsh-filled Lake Edward shores. Besides tracking down the elusive shoebill stork, one can enjoy game viewing experiences as this part of the park is often skipped by many tour operators; we love to take our clients to authentic places parts of Queen Elizabeth national park.
In Lwera swamp en-route to the western part of uganda most especially when you connecting to Queen Elizabeth national park , Lake Mburo smallest savannah park , Bwindi impenetrable forest national park and Mgahinga Gorilla national park is good place to spot the rare shoebill stork, though the chances are slim but the sighting is getting very common these days. Your guide will often stop to speak to a few guides or local folks to find out it they have been any sightings.
The Toro- Semuliki Reserve is also Uganda bird sanctuary with well over 400 bird species including the shoebill stork, The park is located in southwestern uganda and can be accessed from fort portal town. The best time to visit the Toro- Semuliki reserve for bird watching is March, just after the relatively dry season from December to February and this is the breeding time for most of bird species.
There are more places where the shoebill tracking can take place like at Makanga swamp is also good for shoebill tracking and very good to spot these birds, Makanga swamp is less visited than Mabamba swamp this there makes Makanga the best place to visit for very intent birders who love to go to less crowded sites.