Shoebill
Balaeniceps rex
- Vulnerable
- Card rarity: Rare
- Birds
The shoebill, also known as the whale-headed stork, whalebill, and shoe-billed stork, is a large long-legged wading bird. It is named for its enormous, shoe-shaped bill. It has a somewhat stork-like overall form and was previously classified as a stork in the order Ciconiiformes, but genetic evidence has now placed it along with pelicans, herons, and its closest relative, the hamerkop, all in the order Pelecaniformes. Adults are mainly grey, while juveniles are browner. It lives in tropical East Africa in large swamps from South Sudan down to Zambia.
Classification
- Class
- Aves
- Order
- Pelecaniformes
- Family
- Balaenicipitidae
- Genus
- Balaeniceps