Head first, gape open, and wings spread, it smashes through the vegetation in the hopes of coming up with a fish. Like a geological fault accumulating kinetic energy, this blue monolith will bolt downwards when triggered loose by the rippling of an incoming fish. Shoebills use their bills to strike their prey, known as a “collapse”, and its the antitheses of its patient stalking technique. Granted, shoebills don’t fly very far or very often, but flying is no mean feat considering they can grow up to 1.5m tall and weigh up to 7kg!Ģ. Shoebills eat fish that look almost as prehistoric as they do! Although shoebills have been known to gulp down other birds, baby crocodiles, frogs, terrapins, water snakes and even small mammals, the lungfish is their staple diet.ģ. Their distinguishing feature is the enormous shoe-shaped bill, measuring an incredible 20-24 centimetres in length and 10-12 centimetres in width, with a razor-sharp, curved hook at the end. They may be big, but they can fly if they want to. Here are seven reasons to love this big bird:ġ. Despite his prehistoric appearance and the craziness that is his proportions, the shoebill stork is actually quite endearing if you bother to dig a little deeper. He has massive feet, an enormous beak and is very, very tall for a bird. His dimensions too are something of an eye-opener. In profile, one can see the array of dishevelled tufts of feathers that shoot out at all angles from his crown. From almost any other angle though, he’s a total hoot. The King Whale-Head (the English translation of Balaeniceps rex) appears from the front like an old university professor, big-nosed, peering over his spectacles. Found in the marshes of East Africa, the shoebill is classified as vulnerable and is a bucket-list sighting for any avid birder. The shoebill ( Balaeniceps rex ) looks like it belongs in the prehistoric age. A number of things are threatening the species including its increased popularity in the pet trade, hunting, and the usual habitat loss and nest destruction.© Usha Harish – Photographer of the Year 2018 entrant Its status comes from the fact that less than 8,000 in population have been counted. The Shoebill Stork is listed as a vulnerable species. To maintain the balance of its oddly proportioned body, the Shoebill Stork will spread its wings behind for stability when going for the kill. This is because it forces the wildlife and fish living in the water to come up for air and easily fall prey to the Shoebill. You can observe the bird on top of floating vegetation in waters that are poorly oxygenated (swampy, immobile water). The Shoebill Stork uses its large bill to probe the mud around him in search of these food sources. This big stork feeds off frogs, small crocodiles, and fish, mainly Lungfish. During nesting the bird will clap its break together, and its young can make sounds like 'hiccups' to alert the mature storks they are hungry. As previously mentioned, the Stork is quiet most of the time but does make noises to communicate with each other. The young birds will not take their first steps for the first two and a half months! They are born brown and by maturity will be bluish-grey. Usually, only one or two eggs, rarely three, are hatched per brood and they are helpless for some time after being incubated for 30 days. Their nests are made of grasses and their eggs are large and chalky. The Shoebill Storks nest in the ground, in a high and dry place. Shoebills are largely solitary birds that only commune to mate and raise their young afterward. It can remain silent in place for a long period of time while waiting for prey to enter its sight. It hunts at night and is known to be extremely quiet for its size. The Shoebill Stork has long broad wings and is a great flier when it needs to be, but the bird is partially nocturnal which makes it usually a little sluggish in nature.
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