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. 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. It has broad wings, with an average wingspan between 7.5 8.5 feet (2.2 2.6m).
Fact 4: A shoebill’s wingspan can be up to five times larger than its body. Many humans are not much taller than five feet, so shoebills are definitely large birds They can also weigh up to about 12 pounds, making them a formidable part of the animal kingdom. Over 7 inches (19 centimeters) long, and nearly as wide, it is also cavernous insideand a handy container for fish prey, as well as water to douse its eggs or chicks with, as needed. 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. The shoebill averages between 3.5 4.5 feet (1 1.4 meters) in height, and weighs between 9 15.5 pounds (4 7 kg). A fully-grown shoebill is around 4 feet long and 5 feet tall. But what really gives the shoebill a leg up is its big, bulbous bill, which serves many purposes. 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. 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. 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.
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