March 9, 2026Updated March 10, 2026, 10:11 a.m. ET
Excursions to Uganda in search of prehistoric-looking shoebills can involve hours of trudging in swamps in the hope of a once-in-a-lifetime sighting.
Goncalo Garcia can attest to this, having recently concluded a trip to Mabamba Swamp with the Uganda Shoebill guide service.
The top image was captured by Garcia toward the end of a trip in which Innocent Muhumuza and a fellow guide worked tirelessly to locate a shoebill.
“It was probably Innocent’s most difficult search for a shoebill,” Garcia told FTW Outdoors. “Innocent and his colleague pushed the boat by hand for 2 hours and 30 minutes.”
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When they finally spotted a shoebill, branches obscured Garcia’s view until the shoebill decided to relocate. “Finally, it took off and we were able to take this photo,” Garcia said. “It was an incredible moment that I will always remember.”
Uganda is a premier destination for shoebill encounters, but the giant “dinosaur birds” are listed as vulnerable with a shrinking population, so sightings are sporadic.
When a shoebill is spotted, the bird is typically standing motionless, waiting to strike and incapacitate prey with its large, razor-sharp bill. (Shoebills can remain motionless for hours.)
When shoebills are observed in flight, it’s usually from a distance.
Garcia’s image is reminiscent of footage captured by Muhumuza during a Mabamba Swamp tour last November. It shows a shoebill on a tour boat and the angle of photography made the bird appear much larger than its actual size (about 4 feet tall).
Muhumuza assured that the footage was genuine. It went viral and helped boost Uganda tourism and the legend of East Africa’s remarkable shoebills.