What to Know About the African Finfoot in Uganda?

The African Finfoot in Uganda is one of the African birds in Uganda seen during Uganda birding Tours. The African fin foot is a water bird in the family Heliornithidae. The species lives in the rivers and lakes of Uganda mostly Lake Mburo, in Lake Mburo national park.

How Does the Africa Finfoot in Uganda Look Like?

An African finfoot is a sunken expert with a long neck, shrill bill, bright red legs and lobed feet. The lower plumage is mostly pale while the upper plumage is darker.

The males are darker than the females. It has a stripe that stretches from the upper bill, above the eye up to the upper sides of the neck.

The tail is black and it has many smaller white stripes all over the upper dark plumage It superficially resembles South America’s torrent duck.

How Does the Africa Finfoot in Uganda Feed?

It feeds mostly insects, fish and other invertebrates. It frequently forages under the swinging foliage along the shores of lakes and rivers, grasping game from the vegetation and water surface.

How Does the Africa Finfoot in Uganda Nest?

Both adults build a nest, made in a mess of twigs and reeds, usually in shrubs or short trees above the water.

How Does the Africa Finfoot in Uganda Reproduce?

The female lays mostly two eggs between August and April and incubates them alone for at least 3 weeks. Brooding of chicks is done by both parents, before they leave the nest a few days after hatching.