Black Section Separator

Shoebill: The human-sized African bird that eats baby crocodiles and kills its siblings

Black Section Separator

Shoebills grow up to 5 feet tall and are fierce ambush predators, stalking swamps and swallowing their prey whole with their massive bills.

Black Section Separator

Name: Shoebill (Balaeniceps rex) Where it lives: Marshes and swamps in East Africa What it eats: Fish and reptiles

Black Section Separator

Why it's awesome: This menacing and prehistoric-looking bird can grow up to 5 feet (1.5 meters) tall 

Black Section Separator

and is equipped with a sharp-edged, 1-foot-long (0.3 meter) bill — the third-largest bird beak in the world

Black Section Separator

Its giant bill and long, skinny legs make it a formidable ambush predator —standing completely still before lunging forward to grab unsuspecting prey and swallow it whole.

Black Section Separator

A 2015 study published in the Journal of African Ornithology found that catfish were its most common prey, making up around 71% of its meals. 

Black Section Separator

This behavior was captured in a clip from the BBC David Attenborough series "Africa," 

Black Section Separator

showing the older chick biting at its younger sibling. When the mother returns to the nest, it offers no care to the smaller offspring.

Black Section Separator

10 Animales Que Encontrarás En La Selva Peruana