A wild Shoebill, Balaeniceps rex, photographed in Mabamba Swamp in Uganda, East Africa.
Shoebills are the most sought-after birds for many birders. It was my #1 wish bird for many years. So I was very happy to be able to visit the Mabamba Swamp, which is southwest of Kampala, effectively on the shore of Lake Victoria.
Mabamba swamp is a RAMSAR protected wetland wildlife site. It is named after the lungfish, locally called emamba, which is a favourite food of the Shoebill. It is probably the most accessible reliable place to see Shoebills, which can only be accessed via wooden canoes organised by locals. This way, the local people benefit from the birds and are more inclined to protect them.
Shoebills were formerly thought to be related to Storks, and indeed are sometimes referred to as Shoebill Stork, but recent DNA studies have put them in a clade with Pelicans and Hamerkop. They get their name from their supersized beak, which they use to collect water which they then dribble over their eggs and chicks back at the nest, to keep them cool. Shoebills are globally threatened, both because of habitat destruction and because of hunting.
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My Shoebill photo is available to purchase as a Royalty-free stock photo from iStock and also from GettyImages.
The photo of a Shoebill is also available for sale as various types of wall art, and as home and personal accessories, from my gallery at Pixels.com.
