{"id":180133,"date":"2025-12-12T11:41:06","date_gmt":"2025-12-12T11:41:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/180133\/"},"modified":"2025-12-12T11:41:06","modified_gmt":"2025-12-12T11:41:06","slug":"dinosaur-like-shoebill-bird-stalks-devours-snake-in-uganda-swamp","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/180133\/","title":{"rendered":"Dinosaur-like shoebill bird stalks, devours snake in Uganda swamp"},"content":{"rendered":"

Last month we featured footage of an enormous, dinosaur-like shoebill\u00a0that had landed on a tour boat<\/a> in Uganda and was photographed in a way that made the striking bird appear even larger.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe were all shocked to see such a moment,\u201d Innocent the Guide, of Mabamba Trips<\/a>, told FTW Outdoors<\/a>. \u201cIt\u2019s rare, once in a lifetime.\u201d<\/p>\n

While the footage showcased the shoebill\u2019s size and prehistoric-looking appearance \u2013 they can stand 5 feet and boast 8-foot wingspans \u2013 it did not reveal the shoebill\u2019s cunning predatory technique.<\/p>\n

ALSO: Webcam footage reveals mysterious objects in sky over California<\/a><\/p>\n

More recently, I discovered the accompanying footage, which shows a Mabamba Swamp shoebill stalking, striking and gobbling a snake as though it were a mere worm. The footage was shared in September by Wild Uganda, with Mabamba Trips as a collaborator.<\/p>\n

The description:\u00a0\u201cThe shoebill doesn\u2019t chase its prey \u2014 it waits like a statue. With deadly patience, it locks eyes on fish, baby crocodiles, or even snakes! Then in a flash it strikes with its massive beak \u2014 sometimes decapitating prey instantly.”<\/p>\n

Shoebills are listed as “vulnerable” throughout their range in tropical central-eastern Africa, with threats that include habitat loss, illegal pet trade, and general disturbance.<\/p>\n

The overall population is fewer than 8,000, so places such as Mabamba Swamp attract birders from around the world.<\/p>\n