What seems abundantly clear when you see this four foot tall bird is that its relationship to non-avian dinosaurs is obvious. Using genetic and genomic data, it now seems that their closest relatives may be pelicans. Shoebills were commonly called shoebill storks since it was difficult to determine their closest avian relatives with all the unique and unusual features they possess. It was even more special to watch it snatch up a catfish and then take its time softening it before swallowing it in a large gulp. We were all delighted to find this individual out in the open and seemingly posing for our photos. Shoebills, which live in the swamps of eastern tropical Africa, are after smaller prey. Shoebill Bird: Where does the shoebill bird live. While not rare birds, they can be difficult to spot as they occur in relatively low densities among thick stands of papyrus in meandering waterways and marshes. Shoebills: Shoebill storks are very docile with humans Researchers studying these birds have been able to come within 6 feet of a shoebill stork on its nest. Fewer than 500 individuals are thought to still exist. Its overall goal is to increase the Shoebill’s population size and maintain its current range. The species was thought to be extinct in Thailand until a photo was taken on a camera trap. We had been on safari for about two weeks when my wife Amanda and I, along with our friends, boarded a small boat on the Victoria Nile in Uganda to specifically go looking for shoebills ( Balaeniceps rex). 10 March 2014 Released: a conservation plan for the Shoebill, king of the marshes Africa Species The International Single Species Action Plan (ISSAP) for the Conservation of the Shoebill Balaeniceps rex is now available. Birds ApA Connection to Dinosaurs - as seen by - George Amato
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