He eats baby crocodiles for lunch: 7 facts about the fabulous Shoebill bird (8 photos + 1 video)

This bird is simply mesmerizing with its appearance!





At first glance, it seems that the photo of this bird is a figment of the artist’s imagination or even a neural network. But that's not true. The shoebill (Balaeniceps rex) is an extant bird with the height of a six-year-old child and the weight of a watermelon that lives in African swamps. These unusual creatures were discovered in 1849. Today shoebills are among the birds with the protected status of “vulnerable species”.

1. What does the shoebill look like and where does it live?

Shoebill is a large bird from the order of storks, living in the tropical swamps of East Africa. The height of an adult individual is about 1.2 m, the wingspan reaches 2.3 m. Despite its impressive growth, the shoebill weighs mainly up to 7 kg.



This is the wingspan of the Shoebill bird: you can drown in its embrace

2. Why was the shoebill called that?

Shoebill has a feature uncharacteristic for birds: its massive head is comparable in diameter to the size of its body. That is why the unusual bird was given such a name. The huge beak (about 23 cm long and 10 cm wide) allows the shoebill to hunt fish very deftly. These creatures mainly feed on frogs, fish, and small reptiles.





This shoebill had a party with a lemur

3. Why doesn’t the shoebill stork move?

Shoebill can lie motionless in ambush for a long time, looking for its dinner. This fact allows natural photographers to photograph the bird in all its glory. In the largest bird park in Europe, Walsrode (Germany), where the shoebill is also represented, it is written: “Er bewegt sich doch” (“He still moves”).



The shoebill's beak is simply huge!

4. What else does the shoebill eat?

In addition, the shoebill is capable of feasting on larger victims: baby crocodiles sometimes end up in the mouth of a fairy-tale bird.



Shoebills have to place their beak on their necks to relieve tension

Shoebill behavior on video



5. Is the royal shoebill alone?

These creatures lead a solitary lifestyle, and are found in pairs only during the mating season.



The Royal Shoebill Heron prefers to be alone like a king.

6. How the shoebill sees the world

Most birds have eyes on the sides of their heads. But the shoebill is special in this sense; it has a non-standard skull structure - the eyes are placed slightly forward. Thanks to this, the shoebill sees the world in three dimensions.



It's interesting to look at the world through the eyes of the shoebill bird

7. What is the population of the Shoebill bird?

Shoebill is a fairly rare bird: there are less than 10,000 individuals in the world.



And finally: here is a comic photo of a shoebill stork!