Alligators are one of the species of animals that belong to the crocodile family. It is named amongst the most endangered species of birds that can be found in very few places in Africa. 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. A shoebill is a stork-like bird that is found mainly in swampy regions. Fierce in the wild, the dauntless shoebill has been known to fight Nile crocodiles (one of the largest crocodiles out there) 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. ![]() 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. 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. The shoebill is so badass that it eats crocodiles.A 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. Yep, it is true that this African bird hunts crocodiles, along with other animals like snakes and monitor lizards. When attacking prey, an animal lunges at it with its sharp beak, piercing it with its sharp beak, or cutting off parts of it with its sharp bill. Prey is attacked by a shoebill stork’s sharp beak and bill. Not only that, shoebills make a noise that sounds like a machine gun on auto fire. Crocodiles, on the other hand, are carnivores and will eat just about anything, including other crocodiles. They also look like some kind of prehistoric leftover, with a jagged shoe-shaped bill that seems to come from fiction. This is probably the most bizarre bird in the world. ![]() To learn more about the shoebill, here are 17 amazing facts. Interested in learning about another not-so-pretty bird?Ĭheck out these interesting facts about the marabou stork. Shoebill Stork Size (They’re Enormous)īefore questioning the crocodile diet you need to understand just how big these birds are. Shoebills measure over a meter in height, and most mature specimens reach 1.3 meters. ![]() Measure from the bill to the beak and that’s also a good 1.3 meters. Males hit the scales at a solid 5-6 kg, with the biggest individuals coming in at over 7 kg (15 lb).įemales are only slightly smaller, and really, a bird that big is always going to be unpredictable. Swans are scary enough, and they don’t have a razor-like beak. With a wingspan of over 2 ½ meters, the shoebill can fly effortlessly across the African skies, although it doesn’t tend to fly very far. Shoebill Eating Crocodile? Yes, It’s True Shoebill stork eating crocodile? While hard to believe, it is true. The remarkable thing is that crocodiles aren’t even the largest of their prey. The Shoebill (Balaeniceps rex) known as the Whale-headed stork or Shoe-billed stork, is a prehistoric-looking long-legged wading bird species native to Central and East Africa. A baby Nile crocodile isn’t even a challenge for these hunting birds. Shoebills have also been known to hunt and kill red lechwe, a semi-aquatic antelope that lives in the swamps of Botswana and Zambia.įully-grown red lechwe weigh over 100 kg. They will use the water to stay clear of predators. Their beaks are wide and spacious, allowing them to easily scoop up smaller crocodiles. These birds have sharp bills that are as sturdy as a wooden clog. However, it's not uncommon for them to scoop up meat-eating reptiles too, including monitor lizards and baby crocodiles. Baby red lechwe only weigh a few kilograms, and they may end up wading straight into a shoebill trap.ĭo note that these shoebill versus red lechwe reports are unconfirmed. Shoebill storks most commonly eat large fish, such as lungfish and eels. But even just to suggest such a thing is an indication of how successful these birds can be. Wondering what do shoebills eat? While they are known as the bird that eats crocodiles, there is much more to the shoebill stork diet. That’s not to say that large antelope and crocodiles are part of their everyday diet. Shoebills do have strong stomachs and can wolf down just about any animal.
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