The Shoebill (Balaeniceps rex) is a very large stork-like bird. It derives its name from its massive shoe-shaped bill. The adult bird is 115 to 150 centimeters tall, their beaks have an average length of 30 centimeters. It lives in tropical east Africa in large swamps from Sudan to Zambia.
Shoebills feed in muddy waters, preying on fish, frogs, reptiles such as baby crocodiles, and small mammals. The population is estimated at between 5,000 and 8,000 individuals, the majority of which live in swamps in Sudan, Uganda, eastern Zaire, and Zambia. BirdLife International have classified it as Vulnerable with the main threats being habitat destruction, disturbance and hunting.