UGANDA BIRDING SAFARI GUIDE
The African Fin Foot
If you are Planning a Uganda Birding Safari. Then plan to enjoy the African Fin foot.
In this section of the Uganda Birding Safari Guide we share with you information about African Fin foot birds that can help you enjoy your Bird watching tour to Africa.
You will find information about:
- where to find the African Fin Foot in Uganda
- How to Identify them and
- Some interesting facts about these Uganda Birds
where to find the African Fin Foot (Podica senegalensis)
The African Fin foot is a reclusive red-billed water bird that is widespread in quiet lakes and rivers with overhanging vegetation.
The African Fin foot swims low, moving its head back and forth and if it knows there are people watching it, it may partially submerge and slip quietly in to dense cover.
This Uganda Bird ranks high on many African birdwatchers wish list, this is because of its secretive nature or its beauty?.
If you are among those wishing to see the African Fin foot, you can regularly see it from boat trips on Lake Mburo, and also on the crater lake at Jacana lodge, Queen Elizabeth National Park.
Characteristics of the African fin foot
Superficially the African fin foot looks like the cormorants and the darters.
It is around 65-67 cm in height.
The African fin foot is large brownish-black water bird with a bright red bill and legs.
You with find the adult male bird with a blacker and brighter bill than its female counterpart with an obvious thin white strip from the eye down the side of the neck.
The adult female bird has a duller brown head, a whitish eye- ring and throat.
The immature birds are like the females but less spotted.
In their habitats
They are very secretive birds so it may be difficult to see them in pairs.
They feed on the overhanging vegetation on the river banks and small insects.
Since they are secretive they are rarely heard but at times you may hear their series of sharp cracks.
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