![]() Shoebills are hunted as food in some places, and in others, they're hunted because they’re considered a bad omen. Agricultural burning and pollution from the oil industry and tanneries also affect their habitats. The International Union for the Conservation of Nature estimates that there are only between 3,300 and 5,300 adult shoebills left in the world, and the population is going down.Īs land is cleared for pasture, habitat loss is a major threat, and sometimes cattle will trample on nests. ![]() Only one chick typically survives to fledge. Chicks have bluish-gray down covering their bodies and a lighter colored bill. Their namesake shoebill is large, and very closely resembles a shoe While these birds are called shoebill storks, they are actually members of the taxonomic order Pelecaniformes. They are sometimes called whaleheads, again, for their odd bill. This includes incubating and turning eggs, and cooling them with water they bring to the nest in their large bills. Shoebill Stork By Animals Network Team Shoebills are large birds with uniquely shaped beaks. Females lay an average of two eggs at the end of the rainy season.Īs co-parents, both birds tend to the eggs and young. Breeding pairs build nests on water or on floating vegetation, and can be up to eight feet wide. These birds are very solitary in nature, though, and even mating pairs will feed at opposite sides of their territory. Online, shoebills are often discussed for their bizarre appearance and behavior. Shoebills reach maturity at three to four years old, and breeding pairs are monogamous. Shoebill Storks ( Balaeniceps rex) are a species of bird known for their tall height (up to 5 feet) and wide-set bills. Chicks sometimes make hiccup-like sounds when they’re hungry. They keep cool with a technique called gular fluttering-vibrating the throat muscles to dissipate heat. Though they’re mainly silent, shoebills sometimes engage in bill-clattering, a sound made as a greeting and during nesting. They do share traits with storks and herons, like the long necks and legs characteristic of wading birds, though their closest relatives are the pelicans. Shoebills are in a family all their own, though they were once classified as storks. The birds practice a hunting technique called “collapsing,” which involves lunging or falling forward on their prey. Shoebills can stay motionless for hours, so when a hapless lungfish comes up for air, it might not notice this lethal prehistoric-looking bird looming until it’s too late. They also have long, thin legs with large feet that are ideal for walking on the vegetation in the freshwater marshes and swamps they inhabit in East Africa, from Ethiopia and South Sudan to Zambia. Reaching up to five feet tall with an eight-foot wingspan, shoebills have yellow eyes, gray feathers, white bellies, and a small feathered crest on the back of their heads. It even snacks on baby crocodiles and Nile monitor lizards.Īt first glance, shoebills don’t seem like they could be ambush predators. Its specialized bill allows the shoebill to grab large prey, including lungfish, tilapia, eels, and snakes. Tan with brown splotches, it's five inches wide and has sharp edges and a sharp hook on the end. What makes the aptly named shoebill so unique is its foot-long bill that resembles a Dutch clog. The shoebill stork is a unique bird that is definitely worth learning more about.Current Population Trend: Decreasing What is a shoebill?ĭepending on your perspective, a shoebill either has the same goofy charm as the long-lost dodo or it looks like it might go on the attack any moment. It is a shy bird, but it is also a fierce hunter. It is a top predator in its ecosystem and it has no natural predators. The shoebill stork is a fascinating bird. The main populations are found in southern Sudan. The shoebill stork has been known to kill and eat human beings, but this is rare. Shoebill or whale-headed storks are endemic to Africa and inhabit the east-central part of the continent. It will then regurgitate the bones and other indigestible parts. The shoebill stork will swallow a baby crocodile whole. The shoebill stork eats fish, amphibians, reptiles, and even small mammals. It uses its long bill to probe the mud for food. The shoebill stork is found in swampy areas of Africa. The shoebill stork has a long neck and legs, and its bill is about 25 cm (10 inches) long. It is mostly gray, with a white belly and black wingtips. The shoebill stork is a very large bird, with a wingspan of up to 2.5 meters (8 feet). The shoebill stork is a carnivore and it will eat just about anything it can catch, including baby crocodiles. It gets its name from its large bill, which is shaped like a shoe. The shoebill stork is a large wading bird that is found in Africa. ![]() The shoebill stork can swallow baby crocodiles whole.
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