They are in Ancient Egyptian art and the Arabs knew them as Abu-Markhub which translates as “father of slipper.” Their shoe shaped nose has been recognized by many civilizations throughout the years. They are not a stork and have their own family. The shoebill is also known as the whale-headed stork. Humans affect the population of shoebills through oil and gas drilling in their habitat, hunting, building dams that affect their waterways, introducing other species which compete with them, polluting water sources and they also get caught in the cross fire of civil unrest. In flight they have their neck tucked back against the body.Ĭrocodiles and humans are the main predators of adult shoebills.

Much of their time is spent wading though they are capable fliers. As their feces are almost entirely liquid this will cool the blood running through the legs and this then cools the rest of their body.

On a rare occasion when fish are in high numbers in an area and food is scarce they may gather together.Īs a means of cooling themselves the shoebill stork may defecate on their legs. Pairs maintain a territory and often feed at the opposite ends of this. The shoebill is primarily solitary spending most of their time apart even though they form monogamous pairs. While three eggs may be laid, in most occasions only one chick reaches maturity as they will out compete and potentially kill their siblings.įledging occurs at 95 days and they will become independent by 125 days. As they grow the parents will place prey items in the nest for them to pretend hunt. Once they hatch the shoebills begin to feed on regurgitated food which is dropped in to the nest by the parents. Their bill comes in handy during the incubation process as it can get warm and they will collect water in the beak which is then poured over the egg.Īt hatching they are covered with silvery-grey down. These are white when laid but will stain brown throughout incubation which is undertaken by both parents for the 30 day period. Typically they lay 2 eggs though 3 is possible. They will clatter their bill, do a version of their food collapse and even jump on to the back of others to ward them off. Pairs work to defend this against other shoebills. They will form their nest on a large and flat mound of wet plant matter among the papyrus and other reeds. Breeding is variable across their range but typically occurs at the start of the dry season so chicks will fledge as the rains begin. Courtship is not well documented but is believed to include head bobbing and bill clapping. Shoebills are monogamous and mate with the same partner each year. Once it is secure they swing the bill from side to side till they dislodge items such as vegetation and are left with just the prey. Once it does they lunge forward and place the fish in their bill. To catch food they will stand still and wait for prey to swim by. These birds can go up to four days without a meal. These are supplemented with prey ranging from small snakes, rodents, frogs, turtles and birds up to monitor lizards and crocodiles. Most of their diet is fish such as lungfish and tilapia. The eye is coloured yellow or whitish-grey. These legs end with large toes that help walk through their marshy habitat.īoth genders display similar colouration. They stand atop long legs which are bare of feathers and coloured black. On top of the head is a short crest of feathers which is always held erect.

Their feathers are a uniform grey or bluish grey across the head, body, wings and head. The most noticeable feature of the shoebill is the clog-shaped bill which is pointed and hooked at the end.

Shoebill storm