Where to see the shoebill in Uganda
Shoebill birding in Uganda is among the commonly done activities by top birders in the world who want an up-close personal experience with the evasive shoebill stork.
The shoebill is a scarce and fascinating bird that is best spotted in Uganda for genuine encounters in its natural environment of swamps and marshes.
In Uganda, birders are able to spot the shoebill in various locations with ecological community of swamps and wetlands. These include protected swamps, national parks, and several of Uganda’s lakes and rivers.
The Shoebill stork is a backward-looking bird that makes your heart race whenever you get to see it: The shoebill is as a matter-of-fact, Uganda’s supreme bird, a mythical bird species. It is interesting how the shoebill, with its huge size of the head weighs up to 6 kg, is still able to float on weak vegetation with ease while stalking for fish.
The shoebill stork got its name after its bill that looks like a shoe which grows up to 24 cm in length and 20 cm in width and has a razor-sharped, meandered hook at the end. Located in the marshlands of East Africa, the shoebill is categorised as endangered bird species and is on the to-do list for numerous passionate birders.
Apart from the Shoebill, Uganda is place of residence to over bird species. That is around 50% of Africa’s bird species and 11% of the world’s bird species. This makes Uganda a main destination for birders and the paradigm of birding safaris in Africa.
This report will point out the four leading spots for shoebill birding can be done in Uganda. This is very supportive for birders who are interested in seeing the shoebill along with other wildlife in Uganda’s national parks.
Best Shoebill sightings in Uganda
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Mabamba Swamp
Mabamba swamp is situated on the shores of Lake Victoria and is widely known for its outstanding shoebill birding encounters. In Africa, Mabamba is the best place for spotting this It is the best place in the whole of Africa to spot this ancient-looking bird.
The best time to see the shoebill is in the morning when the birds rise to hunt for their prey in the marshy waters. Taking a brief boat ride to the swamp is perfect since it permits you to spot numerous more birds that also reside in this wetland.
Since Mabamba is situated in the vicinity of Kampala and Entebbe, the shoebill search is always an add on to the longer safaris as an excursion at the start or the end of the trip.
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Murchison Falls National Park
In Murchison falls national park, the best place to see the shoebill is along the banks of the Nile. The shoebill is best seen in the dry season between December and March as well as June to September.
Very early morning and late evening launch cruises to the delta provide ideal great opportunities for spotting as many birds as possible along the Nile banks. Birders will also be able to see many elephants, buffaloes, hippos, Nile crocodiles among others.
Murchison Falls is also located close to Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, which is also an ideal spot for shoebill birding alongside a walking safari with rhinos.
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Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary
The shoebill is among the most attractive and prominent birds to be sighted in Uganda. Ziwa is among the only locations where you are almost always 100% sure of seeing them. Our record number of sightings was 11 shoebills in one trip! We are very lucky to own these tremendous ancient -looking birds inhabiting within our swamplands here at Ziwa. Be sure that our rangers are knowledgeable about the exact spots with the best chance of seeing them.
This escapade is one for the early birds. Clients will leave the hotel as early as 6:00am for the shoebill trek. The canoe ride to the wetland at this time offers you the finest golden opportunity of seeing the shoebill. The canoe ride is not only the best way of seeing the shoebill but also a fantastic way of seeing the charming Ugandan sunrise over the Lugogo Swamp.
Water birds are abundant here, so this is mandatory for all nature lovers who are interested in birding. Since the activity starts as early as 6:00am, you must have an overnight stay at Ziwa. This is because the gates to the ranch do not open until 07:30.
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Nabajuzi wetland
Besides Mabamba bay wetland, Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary and Murchison falls national park that are well known for the shoebill, this bird species is also sighted at Nabajuzi swamp in Masaka. Nabajjuzi wetland can be accessed throughout the year but during the rainy season, the place tends to be flooded and the birds could be rare hence the best time to go for shoebill searching is during the dry season.
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