[kellyhound]

The shoebill (Balaeniceps rex), also known as the whale-headed stork, and shoe-billed stork, is a large long-legged wading bird. It derives its name from its enormous shoe-shaped bill.

It has a somewhat stork-like overall form and has previously been classified with the storks in the order Ciconiiformes based on this morphology.

However, genetic evidence places it with pelicans and herons in the Pelecaniformes. The adult is mainly grey while the juveniles are more brown.

It lives in tropical East Africa in large swamps from South Sudan to Zambia.

The shoebill is normally silent, but they perform bill-clattering displays at the nest. When engaging in these displays, adult birds have also been noted to utter a cow-like moo as well as high-pitched whines.

Both nestlings and adults engage in bill-clattering during the nesting season as a means of communication.

When young are begging for food, they call out with a sound uncannily like human hiccups.

In one case, a flying adult bird was heard uttering hoarse croaks, apparently as a sign of aggression

[houseoftechno]

That's a huge bill for a wading bird.

[rohmell]

It would feel right at home in Chicago.

[Mr.NoCredit]

The thing is a dinosaur.

[DarkSighted]

Nice, helpful acoustics in there too.

[William May]

The Secret Service should keep a couple of those in their office. You know, comedy relief!!

[wildaxboxer]

[IvorySmith]

Damn u craine, shut up!