Shoebill - Swamp resident having a big mouth
"Abu Markub - father of the shoe" the Shoebill was called by arab explorers several centuries ago. No surprise looking at its bill, which doesn't only look like a shoe but has got its dimensions too. It is up to 20 cm long and almost of the same width. Therefore the Shoebill has got the largest bill among all bird species. Although it is known to science since a long time and surely is among the most impressing and curious birds, there is not much knowledge about the Shoebill. It is still disputed how it should be classified. Probably the "grey giant", which reaches a height of 1,5 metres, is related to storks, but this theory hasn't been confirmed finally yet.
The way Shoebills lead their lives is almost completely unknown too. The large birds inhabit East African swamp regions, which are dominated by papyrus vegetation. These landscapes are not very easy of access and so there are just a few scientists, who have been able to observe Shoebills under natural conditions and study their behaviour and ecology. But it was found out at least that Shoebills are animals of a very restrained temper. They are standing in the shallow water almost motionless for hours, just moving the head or changing the leg, upon which they stand, from time to time. Shoebills become active when fish or frogs come into view. They are grabbed with a quick push and swallowed up. Not very easy with a bill of that size! Shoebills have to stretch their wings to the back when snapping at their prey in order to keep the balance. They lead a solitary life. Only during the breeding season Shoebills can be found in pairs. They build their nests, which are constructed as platforms consisting of swamp grass, on the ground. Normally two eggs are laid and incubated. When birds of prey are flying over the swamps, dozens of smaller birds, like herons and ibises, are gathering around the giant Shoebills, which serve as a "stronghold of security", since they are detering the birds of prey just because of their size.
This article was originally published at magazine.naturspot.de. Link to the original article
six comments:
my word
Thats an ugly … um.. whatever it is.
vinnie (Email) (URL) - 22 08 05 - 21:07
i dont beleive it!! they cant be the same height as me!! why have we only just heard about them? why arent there any videos to rove how big they are? funny buggers!! :):)
stacey (Email) - 28 12 06 - 12:33
I Think their misunderstood, I mean I’m pretty sure that they help the enviroment in some way… right?
nina - 25 02 07 - 00:17
I saw one of these birds in a Bird Sanctuary in Germany. It’s very striking to see; so large and stands so very still!
Fast Eddie (Email) - 31 10 07 - 22:17
They are the most awe inspiring bird you will ever have the inordinate luxury of finding, spotting, tracking and/or seeing in its natural habitat. Hiked, scrambled, clawed and slogged for 8 hours/16km thru boggy, unfriendly blade cutting grasses, mud, water, leeches wetland of Benguela Swamps, Zambia. Very shy birds, upon getting within say 4 to 8 metres they would clumsily fly up and plop down a little further along, always remaining out of good photograph reach.
Ros Lindley (Email) - 03 12 07 - 10:51
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3ewe - 27 04 09 - 17:04
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