The shoe-billed storks are one of the most sought-after bird species by most tourists on birding safaris in Uganda. The shoebill storks are part of the 1061 species of birds that make Uganda one of the best birding destinations in Africa. It is estimated that their number stands at 1000 birds in Uganda which makes them endangered.
The shoebill stork (whalehead) are scientifically known as “Balaeniceps rex and derive their name from their shoe-shaped bills. Like earlier mentioned, these birds are the most sought-after birds in the World but Uganda is one of the most perfect places to see them.
Shoebills are characterized by their large heads, long and larger colored bills relative to other bird species and interestingly, the tips of their bills are hook-shaped. Shoebills are 1.5 meters/150 centimeters tall while standing and exhibit characters of both storks and Herons. It is very surprising that they inhabit lakeshores and wetlands and walk over floating vegetation yet don’t have webbed feet and have large wings that enable them to capture their prey easily. These birds mainly feed on lung fish as well as puddle fish, frogs, aquatic snakes and sometimes young crocodiles.
Can you imagine that the Shoebill storks live solitary lives and maintain monogamous relationship during mating? This is one of the most intriguing facts about these elusive bird species. Surprisingly, they can live up to 50 years or more. These birds are somewhat nocturnal and slow in nature which allows them to discreetly catch their prey.
Shoebills breed seasonally, especially in the months of April to June. When this time comes, both males and female shoebills start bill chattering before finally mating and later putting up a nest built together from broken papyrus reeds, grass and other water vegetation. When the females lay eggs (at least two in number), parents (both male and female) take turns where the male shoebills incubate for at least one month. After incubation, silvery brown chicks are hatched and depend on their mother to take care of them until they are old enough to fend for themselves (such as learning skills of hunting from their parents) and when they reach four months, they are now left on their own so that they take care of themselves.
Even with their uniqueness, they are threatened by fishermen who have superstitions that they bring bad omen during fishing hence are always killed once sighted. Not only that, human activities resulting from population increase pose a huge threat to them due to habitat destruction. It is undeniable that wetland encroachment threatens their survival hence reducing their population.
These birds are found along the shores of Lake Kikorongo, Ishasha sector and Lake Edward within the Queen Elizabeth National Park, at Mabamba wetland Sanctuary along the shores of Lake Victoria, along the shores of the Nile River in the Murchison Falls National Park, along the shores of Lake Kyoga, within the Uganda Wildlife Education Center (UWEC, former Entebbe Zoo), within the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, Lake Mburo National Park, within Nabajjuzi wetland along Kampala-Masaka road and many others.
In conclusion, the shoebill storks are one of the most exceptional bird species that you will encounter while on a birding safari in Uganda because of their interesting behavior and physical characteristics. Do not forget to add the mentioned destinations on your bucket list so that you get a chance to encounter these elusive bird species on a safari.
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