# Shoebill (*Balaeniceps rex*)

> 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.

- **Category:** Bird
- **Conservation status (IUCN):** Vulnerable
- **Range:** Freshwater swamps of East-Central Africa, especially South Sudan, Uganda, and Zambia.
- **Canonical page:** https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/shoebill/
- **Last reviewed:** 2026-07-16

## Scientific classification

- **Kingdom:** Animalia
- **Phylum:** Chordata
- **Class:** Aves
- **Order:** Pelecaniformes
- **Family:** Balaenicipitidae
- **Genus:** Balaeniceps

## Facts at a glance

| Attribute | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Scientific name | Balaeniceps rex |
| Diet | Fish (especially lungfish) |
| Habitat | Papyrus swamps and seasonally flooded wetlands |
| Lifespan | Around 35 years in the wild (varies by population and captivity). |
| Weight | About 5.5 kg typical adult mass (sex and region vary). |
| Top speed | Up to roughly 40 km/h when moving at speed. |
| Conservation status | Vulnerable (IUCN) |

## The shoe-shaped bill

The bill can exceed 20 cm and ends in a sharp hook for gripping slippery fish. Shoebills hunt with statue-still patience, then strike in a sudden lunge. Broad wings and a slow wingbeat suit short flights over dense swamp vegetation.

## Lungfish and swamp ambush

Preferred prey includes African lungfish, catfish, frogs, and young crocodiles. Birds often stand motionless in shallow water or on floating vegetation until prey surfaces, then tip forward to clamp it.

## Papyrus strongholds

Core range covers freshwater swamps of East-Central Africa — especially South Sudan's Sudd, Uganda's Lake Victoria basin wetlands, and Zambian Bangweulu swamps. They need large, quiet tracts of papyrus and seasonal floodplain.

## Vulnerable swamp specialist

Drainage for agriculture, burning of papyrus, and nest disturbance keep the species Vulnerable. Low clutch size (often one chick fledged) means populations recover slowly even where habitat remains.

## Frequently asked questions

### Why is the shoebill's bill so large?

The deep, hooked bill lets it seize and crush large, slippery prey such as lungfish in dense swamp vegetation.

### Do shoebills eat baby crocodiles?

Yes — they occasionally take young crocodiles along with lungfish, catfish, and frogs.

### Are shoebills related to storks?

They look stork-like but sit in their own family, Balaenicipitidae, closer to pelicans in modern classifications.

### Where do shoebills live?

Freshwater papyrus swamps in East-Central Africa, notably South Sudan, Uganda, and Zambia.

### Why are shoebills Vulnerable?

Their specialised swamp habitat is being drained, burned, and disturbed, and they raise few chicks per year.

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Source: Global Animal Guide (https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/shoebill/). Licensed CC BY-NC 4.0 — free for non-commercial reuse with attribution.