Both parents protect the eggs and, when they hatch, feed the young. Then, females lay 1-3 eggs, with two being the most common. A monogamous mated pair builds their nest together and fiercely defends the territory around it from other shoebills. The floating nature of the nest, coupled with its location in thick vegetation, makes it extremely difficult for predators to reach. Rather than building them on solid ground, they build them on floating vegetation over relatively deep water. Shoebill storks build some of the strangest nests in the animal kingdom.

Shoebill Storks Usually have Two Chicks at a Time Both parents share the responsibility of nurturing their chicks. Once the chicks are born, they take three years to reach sexual maturity. Mating occurs either at the beginning of the dry season or at the onset of the wet season. Because they have such a long lifespan, shoebill storks take a long time to grow up. Wild shoebills are thought to live in excess of 25 years, while zoo-bred specimens have lived to be 35. One of the most incredible shoebill stork facts is that these birds live a long time. There are an estimated 3,500-5,000 shoebill storks living in the wild today. Their main threats are habitat loss and habitat fragmentation, as well as poaching and pollution.

This is because they have characteristics of storks, herons, and even pelicans. Despite their name, shoebill storks are no longer considered storks they’re actually in their own family of birds. Shoebill Storks Are in Danger of Going Extinct The shoebill stork is vulnerable to extinction due to habitat loss.Īlso known as the whale-headed stork, shoebills are currently listed as Vulnerable to extinction. Take Our Brand New A-Z-Animals Birds Quiz 1. 1,698 People Couldn’t Ace This Quiz Think You Can?

Are shoebill storks extinct