Shoebill display observed in Uganda

Callan and Deirdre report: “Had an almost unbelievable Shoebill sighting today. We were on the side of a papyrus bed in Lake Victoria. We managed to edge very close to a single Shoebill in a wooden fisherman’s boat and had been quietly watching it for about half an hour, getting full frame shots and thinking how lucky we were. Then another bird came swooping in over our heads. Right in front of us, too close to get the whole bird in the frame, it began a display with its head lowered, wings out and calling a thudding monotonous call. The pair then interacted for a few minutes, before slowly moving away.

We’ve seen quite a few Shoebills before, but never two together, and we’ve always wondered how they call. Amazing.”

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