#Balaeniceps rex

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Shoebill Stork by ToddLahman Shoebill Stork (Balaeniceps rex)

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photo source

[haveyouseenthisanimal-irl]

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couldnt stop thinking about this post so here

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This is the bird whose just a guy I think

[sitting-on-me-bum]

Meet the Shoebill Stork, an Enormous Bird That Looks Like a Muppet

Looking like a mix between a dinosaur and a Jim Henson puppet, the shoebill stork (Balaeniceps rex) is a sight to behold. The large African bird gets its name from its distinct beak, which looks like a shoe. Sometimes called a whale-headed stork, these birds actually aren’t storks at all, but are more closely related to pelicans and herons. These solitary birds are not only fascinating for their prehistoric look but also for their behavior.

Photo: Nazzu/Depositphotos

[proton-wobbler]

Shoebill (Balaeniceps rex)

"Its creepy! And really neat. They make such unsettling sounds and remind me of a dinosaur" "The only reason I know they exist is because an old man in a RV park told me. Also they look bonkers."

Also known as: shoe-billed stork, whalebill, whale-headed stork.

These large wading birds are incredibly solitary, including during their breeding season. While most other herons and waders prefer to form rookeries, shoebill will pair off and continue to raise their chick in isolation from other birds. They can be quite shy and are sensitive to human disturbance while breeding, though once the season has ended these birds are more tolerant of human presence.

They fish in freshwater swamps of central Africa, with their distribution largely dependent on lungfish populations, as those are a preferred prey for the shoebill. Papyrus levels also seem to play a role in their distribution, though they seem to avoid areas where that is the only reed dominating the swamp.

Last fun fact: shoebill will collect water to help cool their eggs down during incubation! They often will fill their bill twice, swallowing the first mouthful, and then will fly back to their nest to pour the water onto their eggs. What an ingenious idea for keeping the kids cool!

Sources:

Image Source: eBird (Jean-Louis Carlo)

[electrosquash]

For @cathartesauraa because your tags made me smile but also for all my dear mutuals (mwah :*) and everyone else who likes birds <3

[raw-wild]

Shoebill | Steph Merle

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A Time To Laugh

The usually angry-looking Shoebill (Balaeniceps rex) smiling happily as it surveys the landscape from its lofty perch in the Bird Paradise. Photo credit: Jonathan Chua.

[2t2r]

Le bec-en-sabot du Nil ou le digne descendant du vélociraptor

Nouvel article publié sur https://www.2tout2rien.fr/le-bec-en-sabot-du-nil-ou-le-digne-descendant-du-velociraptor/

Le bec-en-sabot du Nil ou le digne descendant du vélociraptor

[calamondinblooms]

It’s a shoebill. Cool but creepy looking thing.

[ssluggart]

birds !!

[espato]

Day 5: Least favorite character ✅

Not for the design or anything else, but the villains in villains' stories are usually the worst

[sitting-on-me-bum]

Meet the Shoebill Stork, an Enormous Bird That Looks Like a Muppet

Looking like a mix between a dinosaur and a Jim Henson puppet, the shoebill stork (Balaeniceps rex) is a sight to behold. The large African bird gets its name from its distinct beak, which looks like a shoe. Sometimes called a whale-headed stork, these birds actually aren't storks at all, but are more closely related to pelicans and herons. These solitary birds are not only fascinating for their prehistoric look but also for their behavior.

Photo: Webitect/Depositphotos