Shoebill
The shoebill (Balaeniceps rex) is a tall wading bird of the papyrus swamps of central and eastern Africa, named for its enormous, clog-shaped bill. It is listed as Vulnerable, with perhaps a few thousand left.
The shoebill (Balaeniceps rex) is a tall wading bird of the papyrus swamps of central and eastern Africa, named for its enormous, clog-shaped bill. It is listed as Vulnerable, with perhaps a few thousand left.
🧬 Field Guide Specimen: Open Shoebill in the CRV Science Field Guide to log the specimen, see its place among the Reptilia lineages in the Cladogram Explorer, and test your recall in the Red List conservation game.
The Stillest Hunter
The shoebill stands motionless for long periods and then lunges forward to grab lungfish, catfish, eels and small reptiles, with the sharp-edged bill slicing through prey. It often hunts lungfish that surface to breathe. See Marbled Lungfish.
Reptilian Looks and Sounds
The bird's stare and size give it a dinosaurian look. It communicates by bill-clattering that resembles a machine gun and it can "moo" like a cow.
Slow Breeding in Threatened Swamps
Pairs raise just one chick in most years. Wetland drainage, disturbance, fires and capture for trade have reduced shoebills.
Shoebill at a Glance
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Scientific name | Balaeniceps rex |
| Kingdom | Animalia |
| Phylum | Chordata |
| Class | Aves |
| Order | Pelecaniformes |
| Family | Balaenicipitidae |
| Field Guide group | Reptilia: Aves (Birds) |
| Diagnostic feature (Field Guide) | Massive bulbous shoe-shaped bill ending in a sharp hook, grey plumage, motionless statue-like hunting posture. |
| IUCN Red List status | Vulnerable (VU), assessed 2018 |
| Habitat | Papyrus swamps of Africa |
See Also
- Marbled Lungfish — a favorite prey
- Hoatzin — another unusual wetland bird