Best Places To See Shoebill in Uganda and Kenya

Best Places To See Shoebill in Uganda and Kenya

Best Places To See Shoebill in Uganda and Kenya. When it comes to birding in Uganda, shoebill storks are some of the interesting bird species majorities of birders come to look for in prime Birding Destination of Uganda. Uganda alone is home to about 1057 bird species making it an ideal birding destination and a preferred shoebill stork photographer’s location in Africa. Uganda counts 50% of Africa’s bird species and 11% of the world’s count of bird species. Therefore, this makes it the number one birding destination in East Africa, Africa, and worldwide.

Shoebill storks are among the unique and endangered species of birds in Africa. Each year, they attract photographers, bird lovers, filmmakers, and production companies across the world. Uganda boasts as a stronghold of shoebill storks in East Africa. Most of them thrive mostly in various habitats- lakes, rivers, and swamps. Other than shoebill storks, Uganda still hosts different kinds of storks. These include open-billed storks, saddle-billed storks, yellow-billed storks, and marabou storks.

Best Places to See Shoebills in Uganda

Mabamba Swamp

Mabamba is amazingly one of the best shoebill stork spots for photographing and filming Uganda prides itself on. The vast swamp lies on Lake Victoria and it is accessible from Entebbe on a canoe ride. With your birding equipment, shoebill storks are the highlight of your filming tour on Mabamba Swamp Wetland. A total of 320 bird species inhabit on Mabamba Wetland and they include 7 threatened species plus 12 Lake Victoria biome-restricted species of birds.

On filming safari on Mabamba Wetland, other birds to film besides shoebills include pied kingfishers, black-billed turacos, dusky long-tailed cuckoo, hairy-breasted barbets, black-headed herons, African open-billed storks, malachite kingfisher, grey parrot, papyrus gonoleks, swamp flycatchers, and more.

Uganda Wildlife Education Centre

Best Places To See Shoebill in Uganda and Kenya- UWEC. The Uganda Wildlife Education Center (UWEC) in Entebbe is home to a variety of wildlife and bird species that are endemic or about to get extinct including shoebill storks. This makes it an ideal spot for photographing, and filming the elusive shoebill storks in Uganda. From Entebbe Airport to UWEC is a 15-minute drive away. This makes it one of the most accessible shoebill photographing and filming locations. Additionally, filmmakers or companies can also film a variety of other wildlife. You undoubtedly ought to have included media accreditation among others.

Makanaga Swamp Bay

Best Places To See Shoebill in Uganda and Kenya- Makanaga Swamp Bay. Makanaga Swamp Bay is a newly discovered spot for elusive shoebill storks on Lake Victoria. This is Africa’s largest freshwater lake and is home to significant shoebill storks in Uganda. The swamp bay is reachable from Kampala/Entebbe on a canoe/boat ride. Alternatively, you can drive by the road along the Kampala Masaka highway from Entebbe or Kampala. You then branch from Kamengo in Mpingi. From here, it takes over 1 hour drive or 1½ according to the traffic jam. Upon reaching this swamp, you use the canoe boat to access the shoebill habitats. It offers amazing shoebill stork views plus a variety of other water species of birds worth filming and photographing. The shoebill tour to Makanaga Swamp begins early morning on a boat with an experienced guide.

Murchison Falls National Park

Best Places To See Shoebill in Uganda and Kenya- Murchison Falls National Park. The largest Uganda safari national park is home not only a big game. It is also home to a significant number of shoebill storks and over 450 species of birds with both water birds and savanna birds. The majority of the shoebills in Murchison Falls National Park live along the Albert Delta. Incredible sights are attainable from January, February to March.

Murchison Falls National Park is home to 450 bird species and choosing it as your preferred shoebill photographing and filming location is a great chance to also see a range of other bird species. The park protects other special birds such as Abyssinian ground hornbills and red-throated bee-eaters. It’s also home to the papyrus gonoleks, grey crowned cranes, giant kingfishers, northern red bishop, swamp flycatchers, squacco herons, goliath herons, secretary bird, African fish eagle, African pied kingfisher, malachite kingfisher.

Besides birds, the 3840sq.km National Park also shelters a variety of wildlife. This includes solitary cape buffaloes, African elephants, Nile crocodiles, leopards, lions, warthogs, the Rothschild giraffes, and hippos. It’s also home to primates like chimps, blue monkeys, baboons, red-tailed monkeys, colobus monkeys, and others.

Semuliki National Park

Semuliki National Park, in the far Western side of Uganda shelters about 442 bird species and is commonly known as true birders paradise including shoebill storks making it one of the outstanding shoebill birding destinations in the Pearl of Africa. On shoebill photographing and filming in Semuliki National Park, filmmakers or production companies stand a great chance to film several other birds such as piping hornbill, swamp palm bulbul, black dwarf hornbill, great black casqued wattled hornbill, Ross’s turacos, red-billed dwarf, and African piculet.

There are also several leaf love birds, white-throated blue swallow, bates’ nightjars, white-tailed robin chat, Sabine’s spine tail, piping hornbill, white-crested hornbills, blue-billed malimbe, red-thighed sparrow hawk, yellow-throated nicator and more.

Queen Elizabeth National Park

Queen Elizabeth National Park isn’t only popular for tree-climbing lions but also for elusive shoebill storks and other varied bird species that total up to 600. This makes Queen Elizabeth National Park Uganda’s second-largest park an ideal shoebill filming location. The other special birds the park shelters and can be filmed include swamp flycatchers, grey-headed kingfishers, white-winged terns, pied kingfishers, slender-tailed nightjars, African skimmers, black-headed gonoleks, Verreaux’s eagle owl to mention but a few.

Lake Mburo National Park

Situated in Western Uganda, Lake Mburo National Park is interestingly one of the best shoebill filming spots. The park houses a good number of bird species- 351 including shoebill storks plus other species of birds such as emerald spotted wood doves, trilling cisticola, red-necked spurfowl, cheeky bronze tailed starling, Nubian woodpeckers, and more. You can find shoebills on the swamps around Lake Mburo.

Best Places to See Shoebills in Kenya

Lake Baringo

Lake Baringo, in Kenya’s Great Rift Valley, is a paradise for birdwatchers and an excellent place to spot the iconic shoebill. Take a boat tour around the lake’s shores, where you can observe these fascinating birds stalking their prey in the shallow waters. The lake’s diverse ecosystem also attracts numerous other bird species, making it a birdwatcher’s haven.

When to visit Uganda for shoebill watching, photographing, and filming

Shoebill filming and photographing in Uganda and Kenya is open all year round. However, the traditional best months or times of the year are during the wet season. This is when several migratory bird species can also be spotted and it is the breeding period for most birds. The wet or rainy season runs from March to May and October to November. However, there is a high possibility to conduct a shoebill safari even during the dry season- from June to September, December to February.

Conclusion

As you embark on your journey to stalk the shoebill, remember to prioritize ethical birdwatching practices and respect the natural environment. The destinations mentioned in this blog post offer excellent opportunities to observe these magnificent birds in their natural habitats. Whether you choose Uganda or Kenya, each location promises a unique and unforgettable experience for avid birdwatchers eager to catch a glimpse of the elusive shoebill. So pack your binoculars, set off on an adventure, and immerse yourself in the captivating world of the shoebill. Start planning by contacting Safari Vacations and Travel Services. Happy birding!