Operation Shoebill: Uganda’s Big Birding Day 24-hour race
Nov 22, 14
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Shoebill, Mabamba Swamp. PHOTO Nick Sausen

Operation Shoebill: first-hand experience of Uganda’s Big Birding Day annual 24 hour bird race at Mabamba Bay

So why precisely have I got up well before dawn – on a Saturday – to drive for three hours in a cramped minibus to sit in an old boat?

Shoebill Stork in flight. PHOTO Ronan Donovan and Wild Frontiers Uganda www.wildfrontiers.co.ug
Reason enough to get up very early indeed on a Saturday – what a bird: the Shoebill. Big Birding Day Uganda. PHOTO Ronan Donovan and Wild Frontiers Uganda www.wildfrontiers.co.ug

It’s that time of year again: Uganda’s annual Big Birding Day, a 24-hour contest in which birders compete to see who can rack up the score for the highest number of bird species. The early bird catches the worm… or so they say. (This silly early bird didn’t even remember to catch breakfast, and now I’m sitting hungry in the middle of a huge swamp, miles from anywhere … oh damn you and your insatiable Muzungu appetite for cappuccino…)

On the shores of Lake Victoria about 50 km west of Kampala lie the vast swamps of Mabamba, one of Uganda’s few remaining swamps that are protected by the local communities.

Classified as an Important Bird Area, Mabamba Bay is home to Uganda’s most famous bird: the iconic Shoebill.

Mabamba Bay Swamp boat. Uganda’s Big Birding Day
Operation Shoebill: first-hand experience of Uganda’s Big Birding Day 24 hour race at Mabamba Bay. PHOTO Charlotte Beauvoisin

Would our Big Birding Day team get lucky and see a Shoebill at Mabamba Bay?

A couple of rickety-looking boats greet us on the edge of Mabamba Swamp. With giggles of excitement, the team’s boats head off into the Papyrus.

Pair of Grey Crowned Cranes. Big Birding Day. PHOTO Kaj Ostergaard
Pair of Grey Crowned Cranes. Uganda’s Big Birding Day 24 hour race

A pair of Grey Crowned Cranes (referred to locally in Uganda as Crested Cranes) fly overhead. It’s like a statement:  you have officially landed in Uganda’s wetlands. The fabulous Crested Crane adorns Uganda’s national coat of arms and makes its home in the wetlands (or what is left of them).

Our boats are surrounded by vibrant green, dotted with shimmering, purple water lilies, the cool morning mist rising from the crystal-clear waters.

A vibrant blue and orange Malachite Kingfisher poses delicately on a Papyrus stem as our boat pushes through the vegetation.

I spot a Northern Brown-throated Weaver (pale brown with an orange beak) at the base of some reeds. (I can’t say I know exactly what it is, but I’m the first to spot it! You don’t need to be an expert to take part in Big Birding Day; just quickly point out the moving blocks of colour to your more knowledgeable teammates).

The narrow waterways cutting through the swamp allow one, maximum two, narrow boats to pass. Travelling in a low-lying boat means you are at eye-level with so many of the birds at the water’s edge. It’s magic.

Purple Waterlillies. Big Birding Day. PHOTO Kaj Ostergaard
Purple Waterlillies contrast beautifully with the abundant lush greenery of the swamp. Uganda’s Big Birding Day. PHOTO Kaj Ostergaard

The narrow labyrinth of channels opens out into a wide freshwater lagoon.

We spot a Yellow-billed Duck in flight, a Squacco Heron amongst the reeds, and several Long-toed Lapwings, just a number of the iconic wetland birds you can see at Mabamba.

As our Shoebill comes into sight, everyone in the boat stands up (precariously tipping the boat to one side of course!)

Shoebill Stork, Mabamba Swamp. Big Birding Day. PHOTO Nick Sausen
Shoebill Stork, Mabamba Swamp. Big Birding Day. PHOTO Nick Sausen

The dark grey, funny-looking character stands an impressive five feet tall and stares back at us. A cross between a Stork and a Pelican, this prehistoric-looking bird dines on a menu of lungfish and frogs. Oh yum! (Mabamba is one of many places in Uganda you can see the Shoebill, but arguably the most accessible since it’s a short hop from Entebbe or Kampala. The excellent, mid-range Nkima Forest Lodge is just a few minutes from Mabamba Bay).

A pair of magnificent Blue-breasted Bee-eaters entertain us, while the Shoebill looks on, seriously, just ten or so metres from our boat. The Shoebill moves his head from side to side as our Mabamba guide educates us about this fascinating bird. There are just two or three pairs of Shoebills breeding in Mabamba, all under the watchful eye of the local community.

We look in vain for the Lesser Jacana, to the disappointment of our guide, who has a mental checklist of the birds he has hoped to record for Big Birding Day. Mabamba birds we do spot include Pink-backed Pelican, Saddle-billed Stork, African Fish Eagle, Purple Swamphen, Giant Kingfisher, Swamp Flycatcher and Weynn’s Weaver.

Pied Kingfisher Mabamba Swamp. Big Birding Day.
Pied Kingfisher poses on Papyrus, Mabamba Swamp. Big Birding Day

There is no protection from the sun when you are out on the open water. Cue: return to land, for a soda and a chapatti from the local snack stall. Refreshed, and with the Big Birding Day clock ticking, the competitive streak kicks in and the Big Birding Day team marches uphill towards some tall trees. En route we add a Fan-tailed Widowbird to our list.

Leaving Mabamba is a series of smaller Papyrus Swamps where we see locally occurring ‘endemic species’ such as the striking Papyrus Gonolek, White-winged Warbler and Carruther’s Cisticcola.

Uganda – ‘the birding mecca’ of Africa

Our tiny country is home to over 1000 bird species, almost 50% of Africa’s bird species. In addition to the 1000+ resident species, millions of birds migrate across Ugandan skies en route to summer alternately in South Africa and Europe.

Every year families, conservationists and the tourism industry come together to celebrate Uganda’s Big Birding Day, a series of fun conservation events celebrating birds. Young or old, an amateur or a professional ‘twitcher,’ Big Birding Day has something for everyone.

With a score of 114 species identified by the end of Big Birding Day 2013, our Mabamba team ranked a decent 9th out of 73 teams participating nationwide.

Big Birding Day
Be part of something BIG – Big Birding Day Uganda: a 24 hour birding contest across the country

How can you take part in Big Birding Day?

Expert bird guides from NatureUganda, Uganda Wildlife Authority staff and Uganda Bird Guides Club lead participants in the main event, a 24-hour bird watching contest. Big Birding Day includes free guided nature walks at dozens of sites across Uganda. Uganda Wildlife Authority provide free entry to the country’s National Parks, Wildlife and Forest Reserves on Big Birding Day (provided you register in advance).

Uganda’s Big Birding Day takes place every November. Registration is through Nature Uganda email bbd@natureuganda.org Twitter @NatureUganda and Facebook www.facebook.com/NatureUganda.

I can’t be on the winning Big Birding Day team every year – or can I? 😉

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7 thoughts on “Operation Shoebill: Uganda’s Big Birding Day 24-hour race”

  1. Mkenya says:

    Thats an event to attend coz its very adventurous plus you experience nature at it best with birds.

    1. the muzungu says:

      I wish you could celebrate Big Birding Day in Kenya too!
      Nature Uganda started as a branch of Nature Kenya (East Africa Wildlife Society). I was in Nairobi recently and attended a Nature Kenya talk all about vultures. These incredible birds are a critical part of the ecosystem and are severely under threat worldwide.

  2. matata m. says:

    Very Nice article about Uganda’s birds especially the Shoe Bill Thanks for promoting Uganda.
    I also love this country of mine and try to promote it in various ways while inspiring the Youth.
    If you wish you can check my website at hallbrain.blogspot.com

    1. the muzungu says:

      Thanks Matata! Webale 🙂

  3. paul says:

    hey
    Do you still organize these birding photography contests.
    What other photography activities do you organize
    regards
    paul

    1. the muzungu says:

      Hi Paul
      Big Birding Day is an annual event that takes place across the country, usually in November. It is organised by NatureUganda. You can read more about Big Birding Day here.
      It is designed to promote birdwatching and to record the number of bird species. Photography isn’t really one of the Big Birding Day activities (although of course you are welcome to take photos while taking part).
      If you love photography, I highly recommend a visit to Sunbird Hill on the edge of Kibale Forest. At the Birders’ Lounge at Sunbird Hill you can watch and photo birds from the comfort of an armchair! Sunbird Hill is 40 acres of forest edge
      The area around the Birders’ Lounge has been planted to encourage a wide diversity of birds and butterflies. Chimps, Black and White Colobus Monkeys, Red-tailed Monkeys, Olive Baboons, Uganda Mangabeys and even elephants can be heard (and sometimes seen) here.

  4. the muzungu says:

    Do you love the Shoebill?
    Then check out this website dedicated to them https://shoebillbird.org/shoebill/

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