HIDDEN SECRETS TO KNOW ABOUT SHOE BILL STORK

There are many wonders in the world, but few animals inspire as much amazement and interest as the shoebill (Balaeniceps rex). The shoebill is a living artifact, shrouded in mystery and rich in evolutionary interest. It towers like a statue with its prehistoric stance, penetrating gaze, and distinctive shoe-shaped bill.

Often frequently referred to as the dinosaur bird because of its stern temperament and primordial appearance. This secretive species has long captured the interest of wildlife enthusiasts, researchers, and birdwatchers alike

Yet beyond its striking exterior lies a world of hidden secrets and surprising behaviors that even seasoned ornithologists are still uncovering. From its silent hunting techniques to its complex nesting rituals and unsettling vocalizations, the shoebill’s life in the swamps of central tropical Africa is anything but ordinary.

In this article we are going to discover all the necessary hidden secrets about the unique and most sought after bird species by all birding lovers which is the shoebill stork.

What is a shoebill?

A shoebill is a large, prehistoric-looking bird usually found in the swamps and wetlands of central tropical Africa countries like Uganda, South Sudan, and Zambia.

The shoebill, as its name suggests, is an unusual bird because of its foot-long, Dutch clog-like bill. It is five inches wide, tan with brown splotches, and has a sharp hook at the end with sharp edges. The shoebill’s unique bill enables it to capture huge prey, such as snakes, eels, tilapia, and lungfish. It even nibbles on Nile monitor lizards and newborn crocodiles.

NATURAL HABITAT

The shoebill tends to inhabit freshwater swamps, wetlands and marshlands. These wetlands are mainly composed of thick papyrus, water lilies, and also floating vegetation. The Shoebill is endemic to the East and Central African, countries such as Uganda, DRC, Kenya, Botswana, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Zambia and South Sudan

In Uganda, you can see these rare birds in the Mabamba swamp, Lake Mburo National Park, Zziwa Rhino Sanctuary, and at times Murchison falls national park.

FOOD AND DIET

The primary food sources for the carnivorous Shoebill are fish and water objects. Although shoebills prefer to eat fish that has no bones such as lungfish, they can sometimes eat newborn crocodiles while their parents are not around, as well as water snakes, frogs, turtles, and other creatures.

The moment an opportunity arises; they quickly lunge at the newborn crocodile. Once the prey is caught, it is quite difficult to avoid their fate due to the strong and sharp beak.

It has a reputation as a patient predator but a very   strong hunter. In order to stake out its food, the shoebill would wait for its prey, particularly in the shallow sections of wetlands or any floating plants. When the time is right, it attacks quickly and lethal, potentially killing its victim in a single motion.
One essential tool for eating is the beak. In addition to killing the prey, it is used to cut off the heads of the prey to make eating easier.

REPRODUCTION

Shoebills reach maturity at three to four years old, and breeding pairs are monogamous. These birds are very solitary in nature, though, and even mating pairs will feed at opposite sides of their territory.

Breeding pairs build nests in water or on floating vegetation, and can be up to eight feet wide.  Females lay an average of two eggs at the end of the rainy season. Shoe bills generally tend to lay 2 to 3 eggs and they normally share the process of hatching these eggs which takes a period of 2 to 3 months.

As co-parents, both birds tend to the eggs and young. This includes incubating and turning eggs, and cooling them with water they bring to the nest in their large bills. Hatching occurs in about a month.  Chicks have bluish gray down covering their bodies. and a lighter colored bill. Only one chick typically survives to fledge.

After the hatching period one shoebill tends to kill the other because the mother shoebills generally feed only one until the other dies. To feed its young one’s shoebills goes and feeds and then returns and it feeds the young one. At the age of 8 months now this young shoebill is in position to begin feeding on its own.

SOCIAL HABITS

The shoebill is a solitary, silent animal in terms of social interactions. however, during the mating, constructing the nest, and incubating the eggs 2 partners they tend to come together. In the wild, the shoebill stork can survive for almost 35 years and at the age of three or four, a shoebill stork starts having sex.

The shoebill mating season, which is closer to the dry season than the wet one. The dry season is very ideal for ensuring safety for the nest and eggs. The female lays one to three eggs, which she then incubates for around 30 days until they hatch.

The child cannot stand and walk on their own until two months later, implying that they must rely only on the mother’s food supply until they are three months old. The chicks usually make hiccup-like noises to let the mother know they are hungry and feeds them.

It is well known that the females are fiercely competitive. In the shoebill’s nest, it truly is the case that the fittest for survival. Until the weakest chick is forced out, they battle it out.

Particularly when the mother is absent, the larger chicks frequently tease the smaller ones, which frequently leads the defeated bird to leave the family. These young shoebills are prone to sibling rivalry.

AN EXCELLENT HUNTER

The Shoebill Stork hunts both during the day and at night with great tact. Before hitting prey, it will carefully consider its next action. In order to appear innocuous before surprising their prey, Shoebill Storks often remain stationary and unmoving on floating vegetation for extended periods of time.

The Shoebill Stork ambushes its prey by using pools of water with low oxygen levels. It stands motionless around these pools, waiting for the almost drowning fish to surface for oxygen before striking unexpectedly. Additionally, the Shoebill Stork exploits the disturbance that big animals like hippos create.

Hippopotamuses make paths across a swamp and scatter fish that are concealed in the mud. A Shoebill Stork postures itself and prepares to attack the disturbed fish when it detects the presence of hippos. Before consuming its meal with its razor-sharp beak, the Shoebill Stork frequently decapitates it.

Movement facts about shoebills

The shoebills normally use their broad wings while moving from one location to another. These wings can extend up to 2.5 meters which enables them to fly as well as walk on two legs.  The broad wings enable the shoebills to maintain balance in the air, as they frequently move their heads backwards during flight in order to stay in the air for extended periods of time.  The shoebills mainly use their broad wings to enhance their movement.

DIET OF THE SHOEBILLS

These shoebills mainly feed on water mammals for example the lung fish, cat fish, tilapia, baby crocodiles, Nile monitors, turtles and many more. The shoebills using use the freeze and seize while catching their prey. In shallow water, they remain still for extended periods of time while they wait for their prey to come. They mainly use their big, strong beak, which grasp and slick prey and even decapitate it, strikes swiftly as they are seen.

WHERE TO SEE SHOEBILLS IN UGANDA?

Wondering where to see the shoebills with in the pearl of Africa, there are some places that offer opportunities to view these amazing species.  Despite the fact that the shoebills are very rare, Uganda is known as a perfect spot for spotting these shoebills.

Mabamba Swamp

One of the most popular and premier destinations for viewing the shoebill storks in Uganda is known as the Mabamba swamp. Situated approximately 12 km west of Entebbe City on Lake Victoria’s northern shore, this expansive wetland covers over 2,424 hectares with many papyri vegetation, the swamp acts as a home to thousands of the shoe bill storks. However, the swamp still harbours many bird species making it a perfect sport for many birding enthusiasts.

Murchison Falls national park.

Uganda’s biggest national park still stands out as one of the prominent places for viewing the shoebills with in the pearl of Africa. Shoe bills in Murchison can be seen near the Alberta delta. The dry season (January to March and June to September) is the ideal time to visit the Albert Delta especially those interested for shoebill sightings. The best method to spot these uncommon birds is to go on a boat safari throughout the Nile Delta excursions in the early morning or late afternoon.

Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary: The shoebills can still be seen with in ziwa rhino sanctuary a home to many restored homes of both the black and white rhinos.  The sanctuary is situated very close to the route that drives you to Murchison Falls national park. Adding to that Ziwa is famously known for rhino tracking at the same time still a birders haven harbouring even the rare shoebill that can easily be seen very early in the morning.

Other related transfer from Entebbe