The shoebill is a tall bird, with a typical height range of 110 to 140 cm (43 to 55 in) and some specimens reaching as much as 152 cm (60 in). The shoebill's conspicuous bill is its most well-known feature All that is known of Eremopezus is that it was a very large, probably flightless bird with a flexible foot, allowing it to handle either vegetation or prey. It has been suggested that the enigmatic African fossil bird Eremopezus was a relative too, but the evidence for that is unconfirmed. So far, two fossilized relatives of the shoebill have been described: Goliathia from the early Oligocene of Egypt and Paludavis from the Early Miocene of the same country.
A 2008 DNA study reinforces their membership of the Pelecaniformes. In 2003, the shoebill was again suggested as closer to the pelicans (based on anatomical comparisons) or the herons (based on biochemical evidence). Microscopic analysis of eggshell structure by Konstantin Mikhailov in 1995 found that the eggshells of shoebills closely resembled those of other Pelecaniformes in having a covering of thick microglobular material over the crystalline shells.
Based on osteological evidence, the suggestion of a pelecaniform affinity was made in 1957 by Patricia Cottam. Traditionally considered as allied with the storks ( Ciconiiformes), it was retained there in the Sibley-Ahlquist taxonomy which lumped a massive number of unrelated taxa into their "Ciconiiformes". The genus name comes from the Latin words balaena "whale", and caput "head", abbreviated to -ceps in compound words. John Gould described it in 1850, giving it the name Balaeniceps rex. The shoebill was known to ancient Egyptians but was not classified until the 19th century, after skins and eventually live specimens were brought to Europe. The size of the platform is about 3.1 to 3.5 ft (1 to 1.7 m) and is often submerged in water at a depth of up to 9.8 ft (3 m).Molecular studies have found the hamerkop to be the closest relative of the shoebill. The shoebill lays 1-3 eggs on a nesting platform made of vegetation. The nests of the shoebill are far apart from each other there are in fact only three nests per square kilometer! The shoebill is by nature a solitary bird as opposed to the heron and the pelican, which are living in a colony setting. As for the young chicks, they will make their presence known when they are hungry, and through sounds that resemble hiccups. The only time the adult bird emits sounds is during the mating season by making bill-clattering sounds. So, if you are lucky enough to find the shoebill while on a bird-watching safari, you will be able to capture great close-up pictures! Some Fascinating Behaviorsįirst off, the shoebill is known to be a silent bird. Since the water is poorly oxygenated, the fish has to resurface to catch a gulp of air, and at that precise moment, the shoebill strikes with incredible speed and accuracy!īecause of the bird’s ability to stand motionless while it hunts, the shoebill has earned the nickname of a “statue-like” bird. Therefore, the King whale head usually stands over the floating vegetation or on the bank of swamps and waits for the fish. The shoebill prefers to hunt at night and uses the ambush technique to catch its prey. However, its diet is not limited to fishes and also comprises amphibians, snakes, lizards, rodents, and baby crocodiles! The diet of the shoebill includes many species of fish such as its favorite dish, the lungfish, but also other species like the tilapia and the catfish.
#SHOEBILL STORK FACTS LICENSE#
From Hjalmar Gislason Creative Commons License The FeetĪnother characteristic that stands out when you look at the shoebill is, its large feet! The middle toe has a length of 6.6 to 7.3 inches (16.8-18.5 cm) which helps with the shoebill’s balance, especially during hunting since it stands motionless for extended periods of time.
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