They fight each other off until the weakest chick is pushed out. It is the real survival for the fittest in the shoebill’s nest. The chicks are known for being insanely competitive. When hungry the chicks make hiccup-like sounds to notify the mother that they need food. The young one is not able to stand and move on its own until two months later, so it solely depends on the mother’s food provision until three months later when they can do this on their own with the supervision of the parents. The female lays between 1 to 3 eggs and incubates then for about 30 days until they hatch. The shoebill mating season is closer to the dry period than the wet period when it is safer for the nest and eggs. A shoebill stork becomes sexually active at 3 to 4 years of age. The shoebill stork can live for more than 35 years in the wild. Partners only come together for mating, building the nesting area and incubating the eggs. Socially, the shoebill is a solitary and quiet animal. It is used to catch and kill the prey, as well as to chop off the heads of the prey for ease while swallowing. The beak is a fundamental instrument in eating. At the right moment, it strikes promptly and deadly possibly killing its prey in one swift move. The shoebill will wait out its prey especially in the shallow ends of wetlands or any floating vegetation to stake out its meal. It is known for being a fierce hunter and a patient predator. With the sharp and hard beak, once the prey is captured, it is very rare to escape their fate. They lunge at the baby crocodile swiftly when an opportunity presents itself. Shoebills prefer to feed on lungfish but supplement this other assortment like water snakes, frogs, turtles, and occasionally baby crocodiles when the young one’s parents are not around. The Shoebill is a carnivorous bird that mainly feeds on fish and aquatic features. This means they are more closely related to the pelicans, anhingas and gannets than to the storks. These are a family of medium to large-sized water birds. That is how massive a shoebill really is.Īlthough it is called a shoebill stork, it is a member of the taxonomic order of Pelecaniformes. This means that when a shoebill spreads its wings, it has a bigger wingspan than Shaquille O’Neal (Wingspan of 7.5 feet). The shoebill wings can spread up to 2.5 meters (8 feet) and can flap about 150 times per minute. Therefore shoebill hunt is so rewarding is worth taking on while birding Uganda.The legs are long, slender and black in colour, with large feet. In all those destinations you may visit in search of the shoebill stork you have chances of seeing other rare species like the papyrus Gonolek for the case of mabamba bay. Other spots where the bird is known to thrive include the southern end of Lake Edward in the wildlife safari tour destination of Queen Elizabeth National Park, Rugogo swamp in Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, Lake Mburo National Park, and Semuliki National Park, close to Lake Albert.īesides the shoebill stork, Uganda is home to tentatively 1,100 bird species that constitutes 50% of the Africa’s bird species and 11% of the world’s bird species count, making it a great destination for birders and the epitome of birding tours in Africa. Travellers on a tight schedule can take a 7-hour Mabamba birding excursion into the swamp with the possibility of spotting this legendary bird species. Doing a morning and evening boat cruise to the delta offers greater opportunity to see this highly sought bird.īesides Murchison Falls National Park, Mabamba swamp is another hot spot and quite close to Kampala, Uganda’s capital. Most common destinations include Murchison Falls National Park closely along the bank of Nile River, especially around the delta spot. There are a number of leading bird spots in Uganda where shoebill storks can be sighted. Even though they can weigh up to 6kg, they can stand quite easily on floating vegetation while hunting for fish. Best Shoebill Spots in Uganda: The shoebill stork is a magnificent, prehistoric-looking bird, and in Uganda this ancient species thrives, making birding safaris in Uganda a sought-after desire for every bird enthusiast.Īlso referred to as a “King whale-head” because of its enormous head size, the shoebill stork is named after its shoe-like bill which can grow up to 24cm in length and 20cm in width.
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