![]() They are somewhat reluctant to fly, but can be seen soaring on thermals over their territory. They have powerful wings which allow them to take off almost vertically. Even breeding pairs will feedĪt opposite ends of their territory. Shoebills tend to be solitary, silent birds. Partially nocturnal, it tends to be sluggish but is also a strong flyer and soarer. Wings are occasionally held aloft during hunting to assist in balance while the bird walks across unstable matted vegetation. A reinforced beak and skull act as a shock absorber during these violent thrusts. The bird flaps forward and plunges its enormous bill down simultaneously. The “collapse” is unexpectedly swift, generally lasting less than a second and is performed with immense power. Males are slightly larger than females and have longer bills.īehavior: Shoebills feed mainly by ambush, standing motionless for long periods of time before “collapsing” on the prey in a manner unique for a large fish-eating bird. Size: The Shoebill stork stands 3.5 – 5 feet (1.07 – 1.5 m) tall weigh an average of 12.3 pounds (5.6 kg) have an average wingspan of 7.7 feet (2.33 m). The legs are skinny and long, like the legs of most wading birds feet are unwebbed. Males and females have similar coloration with small crest or white tufts sticking out from the back of the head. It has yellow eyes and extremely long toes. The head is large in proportion to the body, and the many-colored bill is wide and thick, The hooked bill is 8 – 12 inches (20 – 25 cm) long, 4 – 5 inches (10 – 13 cm) wide and has cutting edges. ![]() ![]() Description: Being entirely gray the Shoebill is easily recognized, even without its most distinguishable feature which gives it its name – a bill that resembles a hook-tipped Dutch clog. ![]()
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