![]() “When there’s nothing but lungfish or crocodile left, the Shoebill will give it a quick decapitation with the sharp edges of the bill.” (Sam DCruz/Shutterstock)Īs if this weren’t all impressive enough, the shoebill’s massive size makes its countenance even more formidable. “Clamping down on its prey, the bird will start to swing its massive head back and forth, tipping out whatever stuff it doesn’t want to eat,” the Audubon society notes. Shoebill storks are famous for making themselves like “statues,” standing completely immobile for long periods of time with their feet submerged in the water, before finally striking with their powerful bill. Their hunting behavior is one of the species’s most notable traits, next to their giant bills. The birds need shallow, wet areas with vegetation that provide good habitat for their favorite prey: fish and small reptiles. ![]() The shoebill stork’s primary habitat is in the wetlands of central Africa, stretching from Sudan in the north all the way to Zambia in the south. In fact, along with large-sized fish, these swamp-hunting storks have been known to devour snakes, freshwater eels, Nile monitor lizards, and, most shockingly, even baby Nile crocodiles. In addition to their bizarre appearance, shoebill storks are no pushovers. Other names for the strange-looking creature include the “whalehead” and the “whaleheaded stork,” giving an idea of just how odd this prehistoric-looking bird is. This African bird’s enormous size (it stands up to 5 feet tall) and huge shoe-shaped bill have led it to be described as the “most terrifying bird in the world” by the Audubon Society. While nature never ceases to surprise us with its infinite variations, the shoebill stork (Balaeniceps rex) is a creature whose looks are wilder than most.
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