It’s also most often silent, making little to any noise. It’s also quite calm, often allowing humans to approach very close. Individuals also lead a largely solitary life, except during breeding season. The low levels of oxygen in the water force the fish to surface more often. Its primary diet consists of various fish, with lungfish seeminly its favorite. Like its numerous relatives, the Shoebill feeds as a carnivore. The reason for that, though, lies in the nature of its diet. It mainly prefers areas where the water’s poorly oxygenated. Due to those preferences, virtually all specimens appear in either areas of freshwater swamps or wetlands. In all regions it appears in, though, it displays strong preferences for its type of habitat. The majority of its population, however, lives in the West Nile sub-region. From there, that zone extends through Congo, Rwanda, Uganda, and parts of Zambia and Tanzania. More precisely, the fascinating bird lives in a range that begins in southern Sudan. It only resides in the central tropical parts of that remarkable region. Even there, though, its range remains limited. That’s because it evolved as native to a small portion of the continent of Africa. The continent it appears on, however, likely comes as no surprise. Evidence indicates it once had a greater range, though. That’s due to the fact that it only appears to live in a small portion of one continent. Unfortunately for those who appreciate the amazing creatures of Nature, the Shoebill has a somewhat limited range of habitation. Public Domain Image Shoebill Distribution, Habitat, and Ecology It’s not only quite thick, but averages 7.4 – 9.4 in (18.8 – 24 cm) in length. That’s the greatly oversized bill, said by some to resemble a shoe. The most distinguishable remaining physical characteristic of the Shoebill, however, is the source of its common name. The plumage tends to be mainly a blue-gray shade, with darker patches. Otherwise, the genders appear virtually indistiguishable. Females, though, rarely exceed 11 lb (4.9 kg). More precisely, males of the species typically reach a weight of roughly 12 lb (5.6 kg). Specifically, males tend to be slightly larger than females of the species. In its case, however, this trait manifests itself in terms of bulk since both genders reach the same general size. The bird also displays a moderate degree of the physiological trait of sexual dimorphism. It also boasts a very impressive wingspan. Most, though, remains somewhat smaller than that. From tail to break, this measurement reaches as much as 55 in (140 cm). It’s also quite long, to the amazement of many. Excceptional specimens reach 60 in (152 cm). That’s due to the fact that mature adults stand an average of 43 – 55 in (110 – 140 cm) in height. That’s because it’s a tall bird, to put it mildly. Its great physical size, though, easily ranks as one of these distinguishing traits. That fact alone sets the creature apart from the great majority of birds throughout the world. In point of fact, several physical qualities distinguish this distinctive animal. Unlike many species, the intriguing Shoebill garners attention due to more than one physical attribute. The fabulous avian also doubtless faces the same concern as most other species today, that of of climate change.ĬC License: Shoebill Physical Description Though it enjoys a protected status, illegal hunting continues to pose a danger. Other dangers also threaten the amazing Shoebill, though.Presently, habitat destruction’s considered its greatest threat. That status is reflected on the organization’s Red List of Threatened Species. Due to these numbers, along with other factors, the IUCN presently lists the remarkable bird as Vulnerable.Current estimates by researchers place its total population at somewhere between 5,000 – 8,000 adult individuals. That appears to hold true throughout the entirety of its range. Sadly, however, this marvel of Nature appears to be dwindling in numbers.This scientifically noteworthy event further occurred in the year 1850. The renowned British ornithologist, John Gould made the first known official recognition of it as a separate and distinct species, though. Local populations long knew of it of course.Regardless of the term used to refer to it, however, it’s a fascinating product of evolution. That’s the comparatively simple term of Balaeniceps rex. Professionals, such as reaserchers, meanwhile, typically refer to the animal by its formal scientific name. These include the whalehead, whale-headed stork, and shoe-billed stork. It also has alternate names by which it’s known, though.
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