However, what we do know demonstrates some amazing biological concepts! Shoe-shaped Bill It is surprising then that we know relatively little about them compared to other species. They were first described in writing that dates back as far as ancient Egypt. Humans have known about shoebill storks for a really long time. Interesting Insights from the Shoebill Stork! Fledging occurs at 95 days, and by 125 days, the chicks are independent. After they reach a month in age, the parents will start to leave prey items in the nest for the young birds to swallow. When they are born, the parents take turns feeding the chicks mashed up food. However, the large bill that these birds are known for doesn’t begin to show until they are a month old. Shoebill chicks are covered in a thick, silvery-grey down and already have a wide gape. Both parents will turn the eggs frequently using their feet or their bills. The female will lay two to three eggs, and these incubate for 30 days. They are monogamous birds that share parental responsibilities. Shoebill storks reach sexual maturity at three to four years. They have enormous wings that can span up to eight ft, which they use for soaring. Their piercing eyes are yellow or a white/grey mix. These birds have a dark grey, blue-grey, or slate-colored plumage with a white belly. This prehistoric-looking bird is also believed to be related to the now-extinct dinosaurs! This giant bird has a large body, huge wings, and a bill that looks like a shoe. The shoebill stork ( Balaeniceps rex) is a large, broad bird that is endemic to the swamps and wetlands of Central and East Africa. Shoebill can survive more than 35 years in the wild.Females 11 lbs (4.9 kg), Males 12lbs (5.6 kg) Shoebill becomes sexually mature at age of three to four years. Only three nests can be found per one square kilometer. Unlike storks, pelicans, and herons, shoebill does not nest in colonies. They are dependent on the food provided by parents even when they start hunting on their own, at age of three and a half months. Young birds are brown at birth, and they are not able to stand on their feet until the age of two and a half months. They will hatch after 30 days-long incubation. Mating season is usually associated with onset of dry season, to prevent flooding of the nests. Young birds can produce hiccup-like sound when they are hungry. Adult birds usually produce sounds by clapping the bills during nesting season. Shoebill is "quiet" most of the time, but it can produce sound that is used for communication. Shoebill is solitary animal that gathers only for mating and taking care of the young. Before swallowing, shoebill with cut the prey in half with its sharp bill. When shoebill detects the prey, it uses incredible speed, accuracy and power to catch it. Shoebill eats different types of fish, amphibians, lizards, snakes, rats and even baby crocodiles. Because of that, it is often called "statue-like" bird. It is an ambush predator, which can stay silent for very long period of time while waiting for the prey to appear. It ends with a nail-like hook, which is used for killing of the prey. It is large and shaped like a shoe, which is the reason why the bird is named "shoebill".īeak is 9 inches long and 4 inches wide. The most prominent feature on the shoebill's body is its beak. Shoebill has strong neck, long legs and broad wings. It can be almost 5 feet tall, 4 feet long, reaching 1.5 pounds in weight.īody of shoebill is covered with bluish-grey plumage. Number of shoebill is decreased due to habitat loss, destruction of nests, increased hunting and because of the pet trade. Shoebill is listed as vulnerable species, with no more than 8000 birds left in the wild. Shoebill prefers life in tropical dense marshes, swamps and wetlands. This beautiful bird can be found only in eastern parts of Africa, all the way from Sudan to Zambia. Shoebill is also known as Whale-head or Shoe-billed Stork.
The reason lays in the fact that shoebill has features that are characteristic for genetically unrelated types of birds such as storks, pelicans, hamerkop and herons. Shoebill is a type of bird that cannot be easily classified.