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An illustration based on the real animal.
A little discovery to share.
A shoebill can stay still like a statue for hours.
THE REAL WORLD
The real Shoebill
- Scientific name
- Balaeniceps rex
- Japanese name
- ハシビロコウ
- Group
- Birds
- Class
- Aves
- Order
- Pelecaniformes
- Family
- Balaenicipitidae
- Genus
- Balaeniceps
Where the name “Shoebill” comes from
Its English name refers to its bill resembling a wooden shoe.
BirdLife InternationalDespite its stork-like appearance, it is more closely related to pelicans.
How the Shoebill lives
When it spots prey, it quickly stretches its head and neck forward into the water. It shakes its head from side to side to remove vegetation caught along with its prey. During breeding, pairs build a nest on floating vegetation.
University of Michigan Animal Diversity WebBirdLife InternationalBasic data
- Size
- up to 152 cm
- Weight
- females 4.9 kg, males 5.6 kg
- Lifespan
- up to 35 years
- Diet
- Fish, frogs, water snakes and young crocodiles
- Range
- Africa from South Sudan to Zambia
Where the Shoebill has been recorded
Records: GBIF.org (CC0 and CC BY 4.0 records, retrieved 2026-11-07). Map: Natural EarthSee the records on GBIF
Watch wild animals from a distance. Do not touch or feed them, and take care of the places where they live.
Names around the world
- 日本語
- ハシビロコウ
- 简体中文
- 鲸头鹳
- 繁體中文
- 鯨頭鸛
- 한국어
- 슈빌
- Español
- Picozapato
- Français
- Bec-en-sabot du Nil
- Deutsch
- Schuhschnabel
- Português (Brasil)
- Cegonha-bico-de-sapato
- Italiano
- Becco a scarpa
- हिन्दी
- शोबिल
- العربية
- أبو مركوب
- Bahasa Indonesia
- Bangau paruh-sepatu
- Tiếng Việt
- Cò mỏ giày
- Русский
- Китоглав
- Türkçe
- Pabuç gagalı
- اردو
- شوبل پرندہ
Names come from Wikidata and iNaturalist records. Where a language has no recorded name, we use the scientific name.
Sources and how we check
- BirdLife International — ShoebillsChecked: 2026-11-03
- University of Michigan Animal Diversity Web — Balaeniceps rexChecked: 2026-11-03
We check each fact against its source. The illustrations simplify how the real animal looks.
The classification (class, order, family, genus) follows Wikidata records, checked against GBIF. Classifications can change as research goes on.
The basic data are the values given in each source. They vary with how the animal is measured, whether it is male or female, and whether it lives in the wild or in captivity.
This page was translated from the original Japanese with the help of AI.
Report a mistakeWhen you meet the Shoebill, look for this
- Look at the curved hook at the tip of its bill.
Animals do different things from day to day, so you may not always see this.
University of Michigan Animal Diversity WebEXHIBIT INFORMATION
Places that keep or show the Shoebill
Zoos, aquariums and other places whose official websites say they keep or show this animal.
Kanto
- Nasu Animal Kingdom
- Chiba Zoological Park公式発表で2026-04-08から2028年春ごろまで展示休止（湿原ゾーン整備、2026-03-23告知）
- Ueno Zoological Gardens繁殖のため4羽中2羽を非公開施設へ移動予定（移動日は延期・公式2026-10-23更新）。移動後も2羽は展示継続
Chubu
Kinki
Chugoku and Shikoku
Displays can change with the animals’ health and the seasons. Check each facility’s official website before you go.
RELATIVES
Others in Pelecaniformes
MORE TO MEET
