About
The Shoebill is one of the most extraordinary and prehistoric-looking birds alive today. Standing up to 150 cm tall with an enormous shoe-shaped bill measuring up to 24 cm long, it looks like a living dinosaur. This solitary, statuesque bird can stand motionless for hours while hunting, then strikes with explosive force. With an estimated population of just 3,300–5,300 individuals, it is one of Africa's most sought-after species.
Conservation Status
Vulnerable
Physical Characteristics
Wingspan
230–260 cm
Length
110–150 cm
Weight
4–7 kg
Ecology
Habitat
Tropical freshwater swamps, marshes with papyrus and reeds
Diet
Lungfish, catfish, water snakes, frogs, young crocodiles
Distribution
East-Central Africa — South Sudan, Uganda, DR Congo, Zambia, Tanzania