Shoebill

Balaeniceps rex

VUVulnerable

Range: swamps of South Sudan and southwestern Ethiopia to southern Democratic Republic of the Congo and northern Zambia; irregular non-breeding visitor in Central African Republic

Full species profile Live sightings map on eBird

Reliable places

Mabamba Swamp, Uganda
Bangweulu Swamps, Zambia

Destination guides that feature it

Uganda Mabamba Swamp A papyrus swamp near Entebbe where Shoebills are searched for by canoe.

JJanuary: Best
FFebruary: Best
MMarch: Good
AApril: Good
MMay: Good
JJune: Best
JJuly: Best
AAugust: Best
SSeptember: Good
OOctober: Good
NNovember: Good
DDecember: Best

Countries to plan around

Angola
Burundi
Central African Republic
DR Congo
Equatorial Guinea
Ethiopia
Rwanda
South Sudan
Tanzania
Uganda
Zambia

Countries where the species is endemic or among the most frequently recorded birds. Check eBird for recent local sightings before you travel.