Shoebill: The human-sized African bird that eats baby crocodiles and kills its siblings
Shoebills grow up to 5 feet tall and are fierce ambush predators, stalking swamps and swallowing their prey whole with their massive bills.
Name: Shoebill (Balaeniceps rex)Where it lives: Marshes and swamps in East AfricaWhat it eats: Fish and reptiles
Why it's awesome: This menacing and prehistoric-looking bird can grow up to 5 feet (1.5 meters) tall
and is equipped with a sharp-edged, 1-foot-long (0.3 meter) bill — the third-largest bird beak in the world
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.
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.
This behavior was captured in a clip from the BBC David Attenborough series "Africa,"
showing the older chick biting at its younger sibling. When the mother returns to the nest, it offers no care to the smaller offspring.