Description
The Shoebill is a tall bird, with a typical height range of 110 to 140 cm (43 to 55 in) and some specimens reaching as much as 150 cm (59 in). Length from tail to beak can range from 100 to 140 cm (39 to 55 in) and wingspan is 230 to 260 cm (91 to 100 in). Weight has reportedly ranged from 4 to 7 kg (8.8 to 15 lb) in the Shoebill. A male will weigh on average around 5.6 kg (12 lb) and is larger than a typical female of 4.9 kg (11 lb). The signature feature of the species is its huge, bulbous bill, which is straw-colored with erratic grayish markings. The exposed culmen (or the measurement along the top of the upper mandible) is 18.8 to 24 cm (7.4 to 9.4 in). The sharp edges in the mandibles help the Shoebill to decapitate their prey and also to discard any vegetation after prey has been caught. As in the pelicans, the upper mandible is strongly keeled, ending in a sharp nail. The dark colored legs are fairly long, with a tarsus length of 21.7 to 25.5 cm (8.5 to 10.0 in). The Shoebill's feet are exceptionally large, with the middle toe reaching 16.8 to 18.5 cm (6.6 to 7.3 in) in length. The neck is relatively shorter and thicker than other long-legged wading birds such as herons and cranes. The wings are broad, with a wing chord length of 58.8 to 78 cm (23.1 to 31 in), and well-adapted to soaring. Its wings are held flat while soaring and, as in the pelicans and the storks of the genus Leptoptilos, the Shoebill flies with its neck retracted. Its flapping rate, at an estimated 150 flaps per minute, is the slowest of almost any bird, with the exception of the larger stork species. When flushed, Shoebills usually try to fly no more than 100 to 500 m (330 to 1,600 ft) from their prior location.
The plumage of adult birds is blue-grey with darker slaty-grey flight feathers. The breast presents some elongated feathers, which have dark shafts. The juvenile has a similar plumage color, but is a darker grey with a brown tinge. When they are first born, Shoebills have a more modestly-sized bill, which is initially silvery-grey in color. The bill becomes more noticeably large when the chicks are 23 days old and becomes well developed by 43 days.
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