They don't say much, in fact they're mute most of the time, but when they clatter their bills upon running into another shoebill, or if it's mating season, duck for cover: It sounds just like a machine gun. Subscribe to our channel for more conservation contentSushi lives at the Uganda Wildlife Education Centre in Entebbe and was rescued by their team after loc. Fierce in the wild, the dauntless shoebill has been known to fight Nile crocodiles to get to their delicious babies, and to fraternize with hippos whenever possible, as the sheer enormity of hippos forces yummy shoebill snacks to the water's surface. They do share traits with storks and herons, like. Stoic loners – there are only about 3,300 to 5,300 individuals left in the wild – the shoebill stays mainly in its own bailiwick, flying (a mere 150 flaps per minute) anywhere from 500 to 1,000 feet (152 to 305 meters) at a time, with most flights in the 65-foot (20-meter) range. Is a shoebill a stork Shoebills are in a family all their own, though they were once classified as storks. While the momma shoebill will lay two or three eggs, only one chick will survive, as the eldest offspring has a Darwinian dark side and, alas, kills its siblings. The shoebill (Balaeniceps rex) also known as whalehead, whale-headed stork, or shoebill stork, is a very large stork-like bird. The shoebill is an unusual-looking bird that grows up to 1.5m tall. A shoebill stork (Balaenicepts rex) is bizarre looking, shy and elusive and 54 inches /122 cm tall and has a bill that looks like like a shoe. Spotting one of these giant dinosaur-like birds on a safari tour is. Sometimes called a whale-headed stork, these birds actually aren't storks at all, but are more closely related to pelicans and herons. Shoebill storks are found in marshes, wetlands, and swampy areas in eastern Africa. The large African bird gets its name from its distinct beak, which looks like a shoe. Both partners participate in building their nest, which is a kind of floating barge that can be as large as 10 feet wide (3 meters) and 9 feet (almost 3 meters) deep. This amazing looking bird, is the Shoebill Stork, a dinosaur looking bird, with a death stare that will haunt you in your dreams. Looking like a mix between a dinosaur and a Jim Henson puppet, the shoebill stork (Balaeniceps rex) is a sight to behold.
![dinosaur shoebill stork dinosaur shoebill stork](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/cf/06/b6/cf06b6ce2c3a696f46b4c27c7663f24f.jpg)
![dinosaur shoebill stork dinosaur shoebill stork](https://pics.me.me/shoebill-storks-really-are-modern-day-dinosaurs-35223350.png)
![dinosaur shoebill stork dinosaur shoebill stork](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/4c/c1/89/4cc189c728d738bd29ecd60bcda86680.jpg)
Weighing anywhere from 12 to 15 pounds and standing up to 5 feet (1.5 meters) tall with a wingspan that can reach 8 feet (over 2 meters), this steely-eyed, aloof and gawky bird hangs out in reedy wetlands where it can nosh on its favorite foods, namely lungfish, tilapia, catfish, frogs, snakes, monitor lizards and baby crocodiles – all of which it can snatch and swallow whole or tear through and decapitate easily with its badass, hollow, pelican-like 7-inch (18-centimeter) beak.Ī monogamous bird that can live up to 35 years, the shoebill finds its mate at a young age and aggressively defends its partner against rivals.