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SPECIES PROFILE
Shoebill (Balaeniceps rex)
Balaeniceps
IUCN STATUS
Vulnerable
CONSERVATION STATUS
Vulnerable
CLASS
Aves
GEOGRAPHICAL RANGE
Central and East African wetlands
DIET
Carnivorous
HABITAT
Freshwater papyrus swamps
🔬 Classification
PHYLUM
Chordata
CLASS
Aves
ORDER
Pelecaniformes
FAMILY
Balaenicipitidae
GENUS
Balaeniceps
📋 Description
SIZE
Up to 1.4 m tall; wingspan 2.6 m
COLORATION
Slate-grey with a huge shoe-shaped bill
ADAPTATIONS
Enormous bill grabs lungfish; stands frozen for long periods
🌿 Ecology
HABITAT
Freshwater papyrus swamps
DIET
Carnivorous
GEOGRAPHIC RANGE
Central and East African wetlands
REPRODUCTION
One chick raised per nest
DIET DETAILS
Lungfish, catfish and baby crocodiles
⚠️ Threats & Conservation
PRIMARY THREATS
Wetland loss, disturbance
💡 Interesting Facts
1
A prehistoric-looking swamp bird whose enormous bill can swallow a metre-long lungfish.
2
It can stand motionless for hours, earning a reputation as the 'statue bird'.
🔭 Sighting Guide
📍 BEST PLACES TO SIGHT
Mabamba Swamp
Murchison Falls NP
🗓️ BEST TIME TO SIGHT
January-March
🎯 SIGHTING TIPS
Glide by boat through papyrus swamps at dawn; the statue-still bird waits motionless for lungfish.
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