Shoebill
Image: <a href="//commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Fiorellino" title="User:Fiorellino">Olaf Oliviero Riemer</a> (CC BY-SA 3.0)
NameShoebill
Common NameShoebill
Scientific NameBalaeniceps rex
FamilyBalaenicipitidae
Wingspan (cm)245
Length (cm)125
Weight (g)5500
Plumage DetailsAdult Shoebills have slate-grey plumage, often appearing shaggy, with a slight greenish sheen on the back. They possess a shaggy crest on the back of the head. The massive, pale yellowish bill is mottled with dark grey or black and features a sharp, nail-like hook at the tip.
Vocalization / CallShoebills are generally silent but engage in loud bill-clattering, especially during nesting and greeting rituals. They can also produce mooing, hooting, and hiccup-like sounds, and chicks make a high-pitched begging call.
Primary Dietpiscivore
Primary Habitatsfreshwater swamps, marshes, floodplains, papyrus beds
Conservation Statusvulnerable
Geographic RangeFound in East-central Africa, primarily in large freshwater swamps and marshes from South Sudan and Ethiopia south through Uganda, Rwanda, and eastern Democratic Republic of Congo to Zambia and Malawi.
Identifying Featuresmassive shoe-shaped bill, slate-grey plumage, large size, shaggy crest, blue-grey eyes
Description
The Shoebill is a large, stork-like bird characterized by its enormous, shoe-shaped bill. It is a solitary and patient hunter, often standing motionless for long periods in shallow waters, waiting to ambush its prey.
