Many ugly reasons facilitate this decline, but two are prevailing. Hence they have been listed on International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species. The number of Shoebill Storks left on our planet has shrunk to about 3,300-5,300. Unfortunately, the population of this remarkable bird is shrinking fast. Other than that, you may find sparse populations of the Shoebill stork in Botswana, Northern Cameroon, Malawi, and Western Ethiopia. The highest concentration of these birds is in South Sudan, Uganda, and the West Nile region. You can expect to find sizable packets of this bird in areas like Rwanda, Tanzania, Eastern Congo, and Northern Zambia. Shoebills have their populations majorly spread across the freshwater swamps situated in the tropics of central Africa. A powerful bird, isn’t it? Where Do Shoebill Storks Live? With just a few thrusts, the Shoebill can rapidly tear up a lungfish, swallowing it all up in just one gulp. Its beak boasts so much strength that the Shoebill can tear through a six-foot fish readily at a thrust. When the Shoebill senses that its prey is approaching it unsuspectingly, it collapses its pose, propelling itself vigorously at the prey.īang! The Shoebill strikes at it with the piercing edge of its upper beak. Such a shortage of oxygen forces its unfortunate prey to come closer to the water surface to source oxygen. The Shoebill can patiently wait around aquatic areas (sometimes more than two hours standing still) where the oxygen content is relatively low. It slowly moves through the water when searching for its meal. Its hunting skill is nothing less than spectacular. More interestingly, the Shoebill is brave enough to prey on baby crocodiles. The Shoebill is predominantly a fish eater and feast on other aquatic delicacies like catfish, frogs, lungfishes, turtles, and water snakes. When smaller animals come around that it perceives as prey, this bird is not the type to relent or show mercy. Shoebills have been reported to fight off creatures as fearful as Nile crocodiles. When the situation demands, this bird can get really aggressive, fending off exponentially bigger animals than it. Well, while a warming bird, we will admit the Shoebill is not the most cool-headed bird you can get. The Shoebill, when it maximum speed, can move as fast as 30mph. The Shoebill is a sturdy bird with an average weight of 8.8 to 15.4 lbs. Measured from the tail to its beak, the Shoebill can be as long as 55 inches. The Shoebill stork is one of the tallest birds in Africa. Let me tell you some cool stuff about this bird. This bird is predominantly found in swampy regions of Africa like Uganda, Eastern Zaire, Sudan, and Zambia.ĭo you know the Shoebill stork’s wings can get as long as 2.5 meters? What if I told you these birds poop on their legs to reduce their body temperature? Yes, there are so many more fascinating things about the Shoebill stork than its beak. As characteristic of aves, the shoebill stork is understood to have evolved from dinosaurs millions of years ago. The shoebill stork has prominent prehistoric features with a sturdy hollow beak, long legs, and an overall large head. But is the shoebill stork really a dinosaur? Put all its features together, the shoebill stork looks more like a dinosaur than a bird. A curious and almost frightening look, the shoebill stork is unapologetically furnished with a bill that can get as long as 12 inches. When naming beautiful birds, you are allowed to mention the remarkably charming likes of kingfisher, parrot, hummingbird, but not the shoebill stork.
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