Where to see the shoebill stork birds in Uganda There are however several factors affecting the population growth of the shoebill stork such as fishermen who hunt and kill them with a belief that they bring bad omen, habitat destruction where by the swamp are being converted to agricultural land and cattle grazing areas, pollution, climate changes among others. The population of shoebill storks in Uganda is marked endangered with an estimate of less than 1000 shoebill storks remaining. The shoebill storks feed in muddy waters and they hunt with vision in that when they spot the prey they quickly strike or sometimes they slowly wait to ambush. Shoebill storks are found in swamps or lakes and they feed on prey such as frogs, water snakes, baby crocodiles, turtles, rodents, monitor lizards, turtles, snails, small waterfowls, tilapia fish, lung fish, cat fish among others. The young shoebill stork develops feathers for flying after about 105 days but can fly well after 112 days. The incubation period takes about 30 days and both parents are involved in guarding the nest and feeding the young ones. Both the female and male shoebills engage in the activity of nest building and the female usually lays about one to three eggs that weight 164g. During the mating season which is between April and June the male and female shoebill storks build nests of about 1-1.7 meters wide out of aquatic vegetation on floating platforms. The shoebill stork is known to be solitary and has a lifespan of about 35 to 50 years or even more. They shoebills are slow and their flying distance ranges between 100-500 meters, this is due to their flapping rate which is about 150 flaps per minute and their nature. The shoebill stork bird is described as statue like bird because it’s usually seen standing and staying still in one place for a long period of time. The length of the shoebill stork tail ranges from 100-140cm and their wingspans of about 230-260cm. The shoebill storks have a height range of about 110cm-140cm while standing tall on its legs and a long foot that goes up to 18cm which enables them to stand on aquatic vegetation. A mature female shoebill stork weighs about 4.9 kilograms while a male shoebill weight about 5.6 kilograms. The shoebill stork derives its name from its mouth which is in a shoe-like shape with a sharp bent beak. The shoe bill stork is has medium blue grey feathers with a tail which has the same color as the wings and when flying its legs extend straight back far past the tail and the neck draws back. The shoebill stork which is also known as Balaeniceps rex/ Whale head is one of the most sought after bird in Africa. Uganda is a home of more than 1050 bird species and it’s one of the best destinations in Africa where you can spot the rare and elusive shoebill stork. Shoebill stork bird in Uganda Uganda is known for its rich biodiversity which is comprised of variety of bird species including the elusive shoebill stork, different mammal species such as the big five mammals which are elephants, buffaloes, rhinos, lions and leopards, other animals like giraffes, zebras, Uganda kobs, warthogs, hippos, cheetahs, hyenas, primates like the endangered mountain gorillas, chimpanzees, golden monkeys among others. Shoebill Stork Bird in Uganda Shoebill Stork Bird in Uganda
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