Updated
African spoonbill Uganda feeds in the shallows of lakes and wetlands across the country, its flattened spatula-like bill sweeping side to side through the water in the distinctive feeding action that gives the bird its name. The African spoonbill is a white wading bird with a red face and legs and a long, flat, spoon-shaped bill. It feeds by sweeping its slightly open bill from side to side through shallow water, snapping it shut on small fish, crustaceans and insects. In Uganda it is seen on lake shores and wetlands, including the Kazinga Channel, Lake Mburo, Lutembe Bay and the Lake Victoria shore near Entebbe.
African Spoonbill Uganda: The Paddling Wader Facts
Habits
Spoonbills feed by touch rather than sight, which lets them hunt in muddy water. They often feed in small groups, walking steadily as they sweep. They nest in colonies in trees or reedbeds, often with herons, ibises and cormorants. In flight they stretch their necks out straight, unlike herons, which tuck their necks in.
Identifying it
Its white plumage, bare red face and grey-and-red spoon-shaped bill make it easy to identify up close. At a distance it can be mistaken for an egret, but the sweeping feeding action gives it away. Young birds have duller faces and darker bills.
Where to see it
Scan shallow lake edges and mudflats on boat trips and lakeside drives. The gorilla permit costs US$800, or US$600 in April, May and November. See our guides to Queen Elizabeth, Lake Mburo, the sacred ibis and Uganda’s wetlands.
Frequently asked questions
On the Kazinga Channel, Lake Mburo, Lutembe Bay and the Entebbe shore.
By sweeping its open bill from side to side in shallow water.
Small fish, crustaceans and aquatic insects.
It has a red face and a flat, spoon-shaped bill.
