By Gurpreet Singh | September 22, 2025
With its massive shoe-shaped beak and piercing eyes, the shoebill looks more prehistoric than modern.
Image: Canva
Shoebills inhabit swamps and wetlands of central and eastern Africa, especially Uganda, Zambia, and South Sudan.
Image: Canva
Standing up to 1.5 metres tall, shoebills are among the largest stork-like birds in the world.
Image: Canva
Their heavy beak, reptilian stare, and still posture give them a dinosaur-like aura that fascinates bird lovers.
Image: Canva
With its massive shoe-shaped beak and piercing eyes, the shoebill looks more prehistoric than modern.
Image: Canva
Listed as vulnerable, fewer than 5,000 shoebills remain due to habitat loss and illegal capture for trade.
Image: Canva
Shoebills are extremely shy, difficult to spot in the wild, and prefer solitary lives in dense wetlands.
Image: Canva
Birdwatchers travel worldwide to glimpse this living relic, making it a prized safari sighting in Uganda’s swamps.
Image: Canva
In some African regions, the shoebill is revered as a sacred or mystical bird of great power.
Image: Canva
Shoebills stand motionless for hours, waiting patiently to ambush lungfish, catfish, or even baby crocodiles.
Image: Canva