Shoebills Sound Like Machine Guns
The Shoebill: A Living Dinosaur
This section introduces the shoebill, a prehistoric bird that is known for its bone-chilling stare. It provides information on the bird's habitat and evolution.
Introduction to the Shoebill
- The shoebill is a bizarre bird that has gained meme fame because of its death stare.
- The shoebill is common in the Nile's watershed areas and primarily inhabits Southern Uganda and Sudan.
- Scientists refer to shoebills as "living dinosaurs" because they evolved from carnivorous dinosaurs called theropods.
Unique Features of the Shoebill
- The shoebill's most striking feature is its large, distinctive beak that measures up to 30 cm (12 in) long and 12.7 cm (5 in) wide.
- Shoebills are ambush predators that stand completely still in water for hours waiting for prey to approach. They plunge bill-first into the water when a snack finally swims by.
- On an expedition to Africa in 1840, German explorers were told about an unusual bird as big as a camel but with a bill like a pelican's. They were the first Europeans to hear of the shoebill.
Size and Behavior of Shoebills
- Shoebills grow up to 1.5 m (5 ft) tall with a wingspan of up to 2.4 m (8 ft), but only weigh around 6.8 kg (15 lbs).
- Shoebills engage in bill-clattering, which they use as a greeting and during nesting.
- Shoebills use gular fluttering to dissipate heat and urohidrosis, or pooping on their legs, to regulate body temperature.
Threats to the Shoebill
- Humans are predators rather than prey to the shoebill, a vulnerable species that is becoming rare due to poaching, livestock farming, and oil drilling.
- Some private collectors reportedly pay over $10,000 USD to add a live shoebill to their menagerie.
- Shoebills invert the pouches beneath their beaks over their necks and chests when they yawn.