The whale stork injured many Arab travelers in the Middle Ages, so it was regarded as a raptor.įemal: 9-11 pounds (4-4.9kg) Male: 12-15.5 pounds (5.6-7 kg) Egyptian pharaohs marveled at this large bird in history books. Among extant flying birds, the whale-headed stork has a prominent body. This bird is so unique that it is difficult for scientists to classify it, so they have created a genus Cetacean specifically for it. They are sometimes referred to as 'Whalehead' for obvious reasons. This unusual-looking bird also has a huge mouth, 10 cm wide and 23 cm long, just about the size of a shoe, so it got a name: shoebill stork, which also has an interesting Latin name: Balaeniceps rex. This article introduces some basics about the shoebill stork. People are always drawn to this large bird with a large, Dutch wooden shoe-shaped beak at zoos. The main reasons for the decline include habitat destruction, human disturbance, and hunting.Įven without its most distinguishable feature, the shoebill stork is grey and easily recognizable. BirdLife International lists its conservation status as a Vulnerable Bird. The number of shoebill storks is estimated to be between 5,000 and 8,000, most living in Sudan. The shoebill storks prey on fish in the muddy water, build their nest on the ground, and lays two eggs at a time. Shoebill storks mainly live in the huge swamps of the Sudanese Republic of Sudan and Zambia in tropical eastern Africa.

It is the only species in the genus of the stork, and its name comes from its powerful beak. The shoebill stork (scientific name: Balaeniceps rex) is a large bird closely related to the stork family.

Shoebill stork weight