Random Terrifying Facts About Shoebill (10 items)

• 

  (#11) They Remained Undetected Until The 1850s

  Ancient Arabs and Egyptians had a reverence for the shoebill that made its way into the art of both cultures. Beyond those initial sightings, however, the bird remained uncatalogued by many Western societies until midway through the 19th century. 

  This speaks to the bird’s natural ability to avoid contact with humankind. A species of stork that had a natural range of more than 2 million square kilometers managed to avoid thousands of ornithologists combing the area for new species.
• 

  (#4) They’re So Patient You Won’t Even Realize They’re Alive Until It’s Too Late

  Shoebill storks are masters of patience. They’ll sit in the water for hours on end, sometimes submerged up to their waists, as the creepy crawlies swim around them, poor things unaware of the grim fate that peers down at them from above.

  Then, suddenly, the shoebill will lunge forward, driving its razor-sharp bill into the silt, totally engulfing its victim (along with a bunch of dirt, water, and kelp). The shoebill clamps down, lifts its giant head, and starts swinging its bill back and forth, sifting out the stuff it doesn’t want to actually eat before dining.
• 

  (#12) One Shoebill Absolutely Demands Respect

  Just in case you had any doubts about the kind of respect that the shoebill demands from the people and animals around it, check out this Ugandan shoebill named Sushi. Sushi is available for petting at the Uganda Wildlife Education Centre in Entebbe, but he won’t let anyone just walk right up to him. Sushi demands that anyone aiming to stroke his feathers bow before they approach him.

  Says amateur photographer Mark Dudley, “Shoebill ttorks are very large and can cause a lot of damage if they wanted to, so it’s important to observe ‘his’ rules.”
• 

  (#3) Shoebills Eat The Stuff Of Your Nightmares

  Just take a few, brief moments to think about all the slippery, slimy, scary terrors of the natural world swimming and squirming through the darkest corners of your mind. You’re picturing crocodiles and eels and lungfish (even if you didn’t know they existed, you definitely are). Too bad those are the kinds of critters that the shoebill absolutely loves to munch down on. 

  That’s right, the shoebill will happily go to town on a freaking crocodile if the thing happens to cross its path.
• 

  (#7) When It Does Make Noise, It Sounds Like A Machine Gun

  When it’s time for the shoebill to get down with a member of the opposite sex, they track a potential mate to a specific spot and then make a resounding clapping noise with their bill, simultaneously attracting a mate and scaring the sh*t out of any small creatures in the vicinity.

  Once the kids get popped out, the parents only stick around long enough to make sure that one of their brood has the basics covered. At that point, Mom and Dad leave the chick to its own devices, taking off to parts unknown.
• 

  (#9) They Hide In Vegetation That’s Taller Than You

  Shoebills are notoriously picky about where they live, nesting only in extremely large, dense swampland. Essentially what that means is that these guys build their homes in an area you can only reach with a machete.

  Just imagine tromping through underbrush that reaches above your head only to accidentally stumble upon the nest or mating ground of one of these bad boys. It would not go well.

New Random Displays    Display All By Ranking