Balaeniceps rex
Living in tropical east Africa in large swamps
from Sudan to Zambia, the
Shoebill Stork is characterized by its massive
shoe-shaped bill. It is 3 to 5 feet tall, with an average wingspan of 7 to
8 feet across. Surprisingly, they weigh only 8.8 to 15 lb. Their beaks
have an average length of 12 inches, quite remarkable for a bird with
the ability of flight. I originally saw this bird on Animal Planet's Most
Extreme Ugliest Animals in 2006, in which it took the #1 spot. I found it
to be so alluring and interesting, instantly becoming my favorite species
of bird. It is absolutely beautiful to me, its bizarre appearance being
the focus for my Shoebill Stork drawing featured below.
No comments:
Post a Comment