![]() ![]() ![]() When the marshes don’t have as much water, there is less risk to newborn offspring. Shoebill mating season happens during the dry season. They tend to live by themselves, eat by themselves, and mate just a few times a year.Įven those that are mating will still hut and eat apart. Shoebills are fairly independent creatures. They’ve been known to eat fish (those tasty lungfish again!), frogs, water snakes, snails, turtles and even baby crocodiles. Shoebills have a pretty wide ranging diet. Still, they are endangered, with the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species sharing estimates of between 3,300 and 5,300 shoebills in the wild.įactors threatening these fascinating birds include loss of marshlands to human threats like farming, ranching, natural resource exploration (like oil and gas), fires, poaching, and more. No, fortunately shoebills are not extinct. Plus, the vigorous movement of a hippo also forces those delicious fish to the surface. So, why is that? It turns out that because hippos end up clearing pathways through swamps when they move, shoebills can more easily navigate and nab fish. One of the fun things about seeing shoebills in Uganda and throughout East Africa is that you also often see them with hippos. Those giant wings can be used to fly, balance for long periods of time, and even intimidate predators. This is probably due to their size, with wings that can expand over 7.5 feet long and a height of up to 4.5 feet. It turns out that the shoebill has one of the slowest flaps of any birds at 150 flaps per minute. ![]() They do have characteristics of other wading birds, like herons, and are close relatives of the pelican. Though once classified as storks, shoebills are now in their own family. The idea of a shoebill stork is a bit antiquated. Other fun names for the shoebill include boat-bill, bog-bird, lesser lechwe-eater, and abu markub, or “father of a slipper” in Arabic. The shoebill’s scientific name is balaeniceps rex, which means “whale-head king.” That is a reference to how its bill looks a little bit like a baleen whale. And one of the shoebill’s favorite snacks? The lungfish! Why are shoebills sometimes called whale-headed storks? In these habitats, fish tend to come up for air frequently because the water is so poorly oxygenated.Īs fish come up for air, they become an easy target for the shoebill. Many of these East African locations feature marshes and freshwater swamps. If you’re looking to come to East Africa to see them, a Uganda birding safari could be a great idea ! Why do shoebills live in East Africa? The shoebill can be found throughout central tropical Africa and East Africa, including southern Sudan and South Sudan, parts of eastern Congo, Rwanda, Uganda, Tanzania and Zambia. Known as the whale bill, whale-headed stork or shoe-billed stork, this giant bird is endemic to Africa.īecause we can’t get enough of these incredible birds, we are answering all of your shoebill questions today. Shoebills are one of the most fascinating birds in the world. Where To See Shoebill Storks + 19 Other Surprising Facts ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |