June 20, 2024, 9:43 am | Read time: 4 minutes
Very few people know this huge bird from Africa. It owes its name to its particularly striking beak. Its beak is extremely large and long and resembles a shoe. PETBOOK introduces the extraordinary shoebill, a bird that can even catch crocodiles with its large beak.
Compared to its large beak, the shoebill, a bird species from Africa, is not particularly large. The Abu Markub, as it is called by locals in Sudan, reaches just about four feet in height. The beak of the shoebill, however, can reach quite different dimensions. One specimen was measured to be about 9.6 inches long. This corresponds to a women’s shoe size 7.5 in the US, and, in addition to the special wooden shoe-like shape of the beak, explains where the shoebill got its name. The name Abu Markub means “father of the shoe” in English.
The shoebill in action
A beak like that of the shoebill is unique in the bird world. The upper part of the beak is shaped similarly to the pelican and has a hook at the tip. This makes it easier for the swamp dweller to hold on to prey after it has been grabbed and eaten. The lower part of the beak is rather inconspicuous in comparison, but still contributes no less to the total beak depth of around 12 centimeters. Overall, the beak is a greenish to brownish color. The sounds that the large bird makes with its beak are similar to those of a machine gun firing rapidly.
The shoebill lives in the swampy and tropical areas of Africa, mainly in Sudan. However, these striking birds can also be seen in Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia. The papyrus swamps along the White Nile are a particularly popular location for the shoebill. Here they usually stand alone or in pairs in the shallow water – sometimes for hours and completely motionless. They wait in this way until a prey animal swims past. These are preferably lungfish, but amphibians or even small crocodiles are also on the shoebill’s menu. In a flash, the bird’s huge beak darts into the water. With the hook at the front of the tip of its beak, the shoebill is also able to hold onto defending animals. These are then dismembered with its sharp-edged beak before the bird maneuvers the prey directly into its stomach with a skillful throw through a wide-open beak.
Lifestyle of the shoebill
The shoebill can fly, and quite well too. It can soar up to about 1640 feet high. However, its flying skills are rarely put to use. For most of the day, it sits seemingly motionless on the shore. However, it is not idle here. It observes its surroundings very closely, especially the water, so as not to miss any potential prey. But its movements are more deliberate than hectic. It walks slowly through reeds and papyrus. This is because adult crocodiles and hippos can be dangerous to the bird, so they attract less attention with their barely perceptible movements. Humans also pose a threat to the shoebill, however, this is more due to the destruction of the sensitive ecosystem that the bird needs to survive.
Mating season and reproduction of the shoebill
The shoebill builds its nests in the midst of riverbank vegetation. The bird also builds nests on islands in rivers or ponds, which are usually incubated with two to three bluish eggs. The area around these nests is usually densely overgrown with vegetation, so it is not easily visible to predators. The hatched chicks are only able to stand after 14 weeks; at four months, they become independent and go hunting on their own. Until then, the parent birds take it in turns to look after the chicks.
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Endangerment of the Abu Markub
The population of the shoebill is estimated at around 6,500 individuals, with numbers continuing to decline. The main reason for this is the destruction of its habitat. Areas close to water in the shoebill’s range are particularly popular with farmers for arable farming. However, this often leads to the destruction of the protective riverbank vegetation and deprives the birds of nesting opportunities.