Where to See Shoe Bill in Uganda.
A list of Top best places in Uganda to see the Shoebill stock/ Uganda is a home to more numbers of shoebill stock bird species.
Uganda presently makes the grade to host the hugest percentage of bird species globally with about 60% of bird species which can be found elsewhere in the world.
Beside the other enchanting safari considerations in the country, birding in Uganda secures a grade among the top most safaris. This is due to the many bird species that resides in the wild.
Among the most attracting part in the birding venture, watching the shoebill stock is additional catching birding adventure.
The shoebill stock (Balaeniceps rex), is giant silver gray bird with a massive head, thick neck, large yellowed eye, and distinct flat hooked bill which mainly names it a shoebill stock.
The adult has a relatively erect crest, pale grey eye, a mottled horn colored bill and grey legs. Whereas for the female are slightly smaller. They nest of flat mounted plants on floating reed islands. The shoebill stock feeds on fish, snakes, frogs, monitor lizards, turtles, and young crocodiles. The shoebill hunting mode is to stand in the water and stand erect wait with its bill pointing down.
The allegation on the shoebill stock by local fishermen makes its survival at risk. It’s alleged that it’s so hard to catch fish when the shoebill is standing aside due to its bad lack.
Where to find shoebill stock in Uganda?
For birder enthusiasts, there a number of spots where one can have a chance to watch the shoebill stock. These are rare species which can’t just be spotted anywhere around the country, but for birders longing to watch the species can watch them in the following discussed places.
Mabamba Swamp
Uganda’s most common spot for the shoebill stork watching experience. The Mabamba swamp a bigger swamp on Lake Victoria. Birders can easily access the swamp from Entebbe by either using motor boats or canoe rides. The shoebill lives alongside other many bird species, as the Mabamba swamp is among Uganda’s best birders spot. The best time can either be in the morning hours or even evening hours.
Makanaga Swamp Bay
Makanaga Swamp Bay lies on Lake Victoria which can be accessed from either Entebbe or Kampala and reaching the swamp have to use a canoe. It’s one the best spots in Uganda to watch the shoebill stork birds as well a number of bird species can be encountered while at the swamp.
The birding trip at Makanaga swamps rolls early morning with a canoe ride amidst the history narration in spotting of a number of bird species with a local guide onboard narrating the local stories of the swamp.
Murchison Falls National Park (Delta Point)
Murchison Falls National Park is the 2nd world popular national park in Uganda just after Queen Elizabeth National Park. It is also the most tourist visited park in the country. This is the country’s largest conservation area with great number of nature considerations and activities. At the meeting to the Victoria Nile and Lake Albert common the area is called the Delta point is a great concentration of wildlife among which are mammals and bird species and it’s still a point to find the rare shoebill stork in the park.
However, it’s not a gurantee to spot the bird whenever you’re at the park (delta point). Particularly the drier months of January to March have been the best times to watch the shoebill stork at Murchison falls. Though, park accommodates a countless number of bird species. These you can spot on a walk, game drive and on a boat cruise to the bottom of the falls.
Semuliki National Park
It’s the bird’s haven by Uganda wildlife Authority park branding, the park is mainly tentative to birding enthusiasts. There is a quite a bigger opening of finding a number of special bird species of which some are endemic to the central African forests. Semuliki National Park almost accommodates about 60% of the bird species in Uganda with an estimate population of 400 bird species calling this tiny park their nest.
Besides the hot springs, also shoebill stock is among the most tourist puller to the park. Chances of finding the bird are widely open, though still luck spell the situation. Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) has prepares a number of professional birding guides with skills of searching for the particular species. Therefore, when planning a shoebill hunt to Semuliki it’s highly recommended to hire out these guides.
Lugogo Swamp Nakasongola
The swamp lies along the Kampala – Gulu highway in Nakasongola district. You can reach it through the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary. The swamp is among the best places to spot the shoebill stork bird species. Along the canoe ride, you notice that the swamp has just enough bird species to watch. We estimate that it accommodates about 300 bird species a number that makes bird watching so much colorful.
The birding safari at the swamp happens in a canoe ride with a local guide, and the tour can last for about 4 hours. Birding safari here is a wondrous addition to your adventure safari to Murchison Falls National Park and Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary.
Queen Elizabeth National Park
Queen Elizabeth National Park is one of Africa’s best assets that rewards largely when it comes to bird watching. The Ishasha sector is a shoebill spotting point and chances of finding the bird are almost guaranteed. However, still luck dictates. The Ishasha sector is commonly famous for the world rare but here common tree climbing lions. Queen Elizabeth National park is the globally most popular national park in Uganda. On top of that, it accommodates the highest number of bird species in Uganda. Over 600 species can be countered at the park in the western of Uganda.
Lake Mburo National Park
While doing a boat cruise on Lake Mburo National park, expect some chances of potting a shoebill. By luck a guide will point for you to sight these endangered shoebill stork. Lake Mburo National Park is among the list of best birding destination to consider while on safari in Uganda.
Lwera Swamp
It’s one of the biggest swamps in Uganda. It lies in central Uganda in Mpigi district along Kampala Masaka road which leads to western Uganda. Not always, but concessionary shoebill stork can be sighted in the Swamps.
Uganda Wildlife Education Center
A guarantee that whenever opting to watch the shoebill stork, the chances are numberless. This is an artificial sanctuary where a number of wildlife species are kept for references. The zoo is along the shores of Lake Victoria and accommodates larger number of wild species. Some are not found in the Uganda’s wild. If opting for an easy counting of various bird species then, have a chance to find them at this artificial sanctuary. Shoebill stork are one the larger birds which can be seen when take a reach to the Uganda wildlife education center.