{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Taxon",
  "slug": "shoebill",
  "name": "Shoebill",
  "scientificName": "Balaeniceps rex",
  "category": "Bird",
  "summary": "The shoebill (Balaeniceps rex) is a towering East African wetland bird named for its massive, shoe-shaped bill used to seize lungfish and other large aquatic prey. It stands about 1.2 m tall, weighs around 5.5 kg, and nests in papyrus swamps of South Sudan, Uganda, and Zambia. IUCN lists it Vulnerable because swamp drainage and disturbance shrink suitable habitat.",
  "conservationStatus": "Vulnerable",
  "taxonomy": {
    "kingdom": "Animalia",
    "phylum": "Chordata",
    "class": "Aves",
    "order": "Pelecaniformes",
    "family": "Balaenicipitidae",
    "genus": "Balaeniceps"
  },
  "stats": {
    "weightKg": 5.5,
    "lengthM": 1.2,
    "topSpeedKmh": 40,
    "lifespanYears": 35
  },
  "facts": [
    {
      "label": "Scientific name",
      "value": "Balaeniceps rex"
    },
    {
      "label": "Diet",
      "value": "Fish (especially lungfish)"
    },
    {
      "label": "Habitat",
      "value": "Papyrus swamps and seasonally flooded wetlands"
    },
    {
      "label": "Lifespan",
      "value": "Around 35 years in the wild (varies by population and captivity)."
    },
    {
      "label": "Weight",
      "value": "About 5.5 kg typical adult mass (sex and region vary)."
    },
    {
      "label": "Top speed",
      "value": "Up to roughly 40 km/h when moving at speed."
    },
    {
      "label": "Conservation status",
      "value": "Vulnerable (IUCN)"
    }
  ],
  "range": {
    "nativeRange": "Freshwater swamps of East-Central Africa, especially South Sudan, Uganda, and Zambia.",
    "continents": [
      "Africa"
    ]
  },
  "sources": [],
  "lastReviewed": "2026-07-16",
  "canonicalUrl": "https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/shoebill/",
  "license": {
    "name": "CC BY-NC 4.0",
    "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/",
    "attribution": "Global Animal Guide — https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/shoebill/",
    "note": "Free to reuse for non-commercial purposes with attribution and a link back to the canonical page."
  }
}