Shoebill | 台北市立動物園資訊網

Theshoebill(Balaenicepsrex)alsoknownaswhalehead,whale-headedstork,orshoe-billed...aflyingadultbirdwasheardutteringhoarsecroaks,apparentlyasasignofaggressionatanearbymaraboustork(Leptoptiloscrumeniferus).

Species of bird

The shoebill (Balaeniceps rex), also known as the whalebill, whale-headed stork, and shoe-billed stork, is a large long-legged wading bird. It derives its name from its enormous shoe-shaped bill. It has a somewhat stork-like overall form and has previously been classified with the storks in the order Ciconiiformes based on this morphology. However, genetic evidence places it with pelicans and herons in the Pelecaniformes. The adult is mainly grey while the juveniles are more brown. It lives in tropical East Africa in large swamps from South Sudan to Zambia.

The shoebill may have been known to Ancient Egyptians[3] but was not classified until the 19th century, after skins and eventually live specimens were brought to Europe. John Gould very briefly described it in 1850 from the skin of a specimen coll...