Overview
The shoebill (Balaeniceps rex), 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.
Summary from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Diet: Lungfish, catfish and other large fish.
How to identify it
- Huge grey stork-like bird with an enormous shoe-shaped bill
- Stands motionless for long periods in papyrus swamp
- Pale yellowish eye
Voice
Mostly silent; claps its bill loudly at the nest.
Where to see it
- Mabamba Swamp, Uganda
- Bangweulu Swamps, Zambia
Destination guides featuring this bird
Range and habitat
Swamps of South Sudan and southwestern Ethiopia to southern Democratic Republic of the Congo and northern Zambia; irregular non-breeding visitor in Central African Republic.
Range description: AviList Global Avian Checklist.
Sources and further reading
- Wikipedia: Shoebill
- eBird: sightings, maps and photos
- xeno-canto: sound recordings
- Birds of the World: full species account (subscription)
- BirdLife DataZone: status and threats
- IUCN Red List (threat status)
- AviList global checklist (taxonomy)
Last updated September 29, 2026.
