Jan 24, 2025, 09:41 PM IST

6 fascinating facts about shoebills: Giant human-sized birds that can kill siblings for food 

Meemansa Shekhawat

Here are five mind-blowing facts about shoebills, the prehistoric-looking giant that can kill its own siblings for food. 

1. Shoebills are found in East Africa’s Uganda, Sudan, the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, Zambia, Kenya, Ethiopia, Botswana and Tanzania.

2. One of its unique diet choices is to eat baby crocodiles, showcasing an exceptional and specialised behaviour.

3. The shoebill is characterised by its giant, shoe-shaped beak that helps with catching preys.

4. Shoebills can grow up to five feet tall and their intense eyes give them a fierce look.

5. Shoebills produce sounds similar to those of of machine gunfire.

6. Due to sibling rivalry, only one shoebill survives till adulthood. Usually, it’s the elder one which has outcompeted its siblings for food or even killed them.

This information is not DNA's opinion but obtained from media reports