They go by many names. The name shoebill comes from the shape of their bill, which looks a bit like a Dutch clog shoe. But taxonomists who described it also thought the bill shape resembled the head of a baleen whale, and named the species Balaeniceps rexâwhich means âwhale-head king.â Other informal names for these birds are the boat bill, the bog bird, and the swamp king.
Have you ever seen a bill quite like the one of a shoebill? The bird is aptly named after this signature feature and its resemblance to a Dutch clog. At a foot long, their bill is the third longest of all living birds. Its sharp edges and hook at the tip allows the bird to grab, grip, and kill live prey.
Theyâre bigger than they seem. It comes as a surprise to many that the shoebill can be up to five feet tall. The bird is only inches shorter than an average person; if you stood next to one, it could almost look you in the eye. Couple that with an enormous wingspan of almost eight feet, and no wonder shoebills have an intimidating reputation. They arenât very heavy, though, only weighing up to 16 pounds, and they can and do fly. But they only flap those big wings about 150 times per minute, one of the slowest rates of any bird.
They have a kill bill. With that enormous structure on their face, which can be nine inches long and four inches wide, shoebills might seem a little goofy. But donât be fooled. That bill is a powerful tool, used to scoop up huge fish, stab them with the pointed hook on the end, and decapitate them with razor-sharp edges before swallowing.
Shoebills are mostly sedentary and can remain still as a statue for hours. Their patience pays off when itâs time to feed, allowing them to ambush unsuspecting prey who likely had no idea the motionless bird was lurking in the area. Once prey is in its sights, the bird will quickly strike, with 60% of attempts resulting in a kill. Their sharp, large beak allows the shoebill to hunt larger prey than is typical for wading birds. They primarily eat fish, showing a preference for lungfish, but will also prey on frogs, water snakes, and young crocodiles.
Their prey never sees them coming. Shoebills are masters of patience. They stand still and silent in or next to water, waiting for the right moment. Then they suddenly lunge forward, spreading their wings and plunging down bill-first into the water to ambush a fish. This lunge is called âa collapse,â and it is unexpectedly swift, taking only seconds, and performed with great accuracy and power. In fact, the collapse can be so violent that the birdâs beak and thick skull act as shock absorbers to protect it against injury.