BirdGuides

www.birdguides.com World of Birds • 2023 19 ❯ in other birds and wildlife. Where? Thinly spread in East Africa with the bulk of the population in South Sudan, where travel is di cult. Bangweulu Swamp in Zambia or Mabamba Swamp in Uganda are both good bets. Emperor Penguin Why? A spectacular bird that inhabits the wildest and least accessible parts of the planet, yet conversely is one of the world’s most familiar and identifiable species, made famous through countless nature documentaries and even Hollywood movies. The adults are huge – a metre tall – and the downy young are unbelievably cute. The vast breeding colonies based in the remote icy expanses of Antarctica are among the most remarkable spectacles in the natural world, with the adults enduring sub-zero temperatures and tobogganing huge distances across the ice to find open water to feed. Where? Getting to a colony requires an Antarctic cruise, with trips to the Weddell Sea and Ross Sea departing from Ushuaia, Argentina, perhaps the best option. Alternatively Colonies of the slightly smaller King Penguin are a little more accessible in subantarctic waters in destinations such as the Falkland Islands and South Georgia. Shoebill Why? A stork like no other. Unmistakable, unique, large and rare – what more can you ask for? The bill looks like it should be too heavy for the bird to hold its head up, but this amazing tool enables it to dispatch prey such as fish, lizards and even small crocodiles! Seeing a Shoebill invariably involves a boat trip through wetland habitat rich Few species are more impressive than Steller’s Sea Eagle. A visit to the tropics of Africa could produce White-necked Rockfowl (left), while Antarctica is the only place for Emperor Penguin. JOSH JONES PETER DEDICOAT Shoebill ranks as one of the world’s most extraordinary-looking birds. KIT DAY PETE MORRIS (WWW.AGAMI.NL)