Shoebill Stork for Sale

(Balaeniceps rex) The Shoebill Stork, A.K.A. The Whalehead, is an unusual-looking bird. At quick glance you can easily see its relation to the Stork, but up close, how closely related can they be? The Shoebill Stork is actually more closely related to the Heron and the Pelican. The Shoebill Stork is known for its large head and large, wide bill that resembles a shoe. Its neck is not thin to accommodate, and its legs are long and strong (like a Stork's), with large, non-webbed feet that can be as long as 18 centimeters alone. The bird itself can weigh as much as 6 kg. The Shoebill Stork is native to the African Swamps of The East African White Nile.

The Shoebill Stork has long broad wings and is a great flier when it needs to be, but the bird is partially nocturnal which makes it usually a little sluggish in nature. It hunts at night and is known to be extremely quiet for its size. Some call it the 'statue-like' bird. It can remain silent in place for a long period of time while waiting for prey to enter its sight.

Shoebill Stork Breeding

Shoebills are largely solitary birds that only commune to mate and raise their young afterward. The Shoebill Storks nest in the ground, in a high and dry place. Their nests are made of grasses and their eggs are large and chalky. Usually, only one or two eggs, rarely three, are hatched per brood and they are helpless for some time after being incubated for 30 days. The young birds will not take their first steps for the first two and a half months! They are born brown and by maturity will be bluish-grey. As previously mentioned, the Stork is quiet most of the time but does make noises to communicate with each other. During nesting the bird will clap its break together, and its young can make sounds like 'hiccups' to alert the mature storks they are hungry.

Shoebill Stork Diet

This big stork feeds off frogs, small crocodiles, and fish, mainly Lungfish. The Shoebill Stork uses its large bill to probe the mud around him in search of these food sources. You can observe the bird on top of floating vegetation in waters that are poorly oxygenated (swampy, immobile water). This is because it forces the wildlife and fish living in the water to come up for air and easily fall prey to the Shoebill. To maintain the balance of its oddly proportioned body, the Shoebill Stork will spread its wings behind for stability when going for the kill.

Shoebill Stork Rarity

The Shoebill Stork is listed as a vulnerable species. Its status comes from the fact that less than 8,000 in population have been counted. A number of things are threatening the species including its increased popularity in the pet trade, hunting, and the usual habitat loss and nest destruction. In the wild, the Shoebill Stork can live beyond 35 years!