The Elusive Shoebill in Uganda: A Guide to One of Nature’s Rarest Bird Sightings. The Shoebill, also known as Balaeniceps rex, is an oddly unique bird with an instantly recognizable extra-large bill, which looks as if it came from a bygone era. It has captured the imagination of bird lovers the world over. It is one of those rare species that people get to see once in their lifetime in marshy selected areas of East and Central Africa. This great bird...