shoebill

[shoo-bil]

noun

1. a large, African, storklike bird, Balaeniceps rex, having a broad, flattened bill shaped somewhat like a shoe.

shoebill

/ ˈʃuːˌbɪl /

noun

1. a large wading bird, Balaeniceps rex, of tropical E African swamps, having a dark plumage, a large head, and a large broad bill: family Balaenicipitidae, order Ciconiiformes

Word History and Origins

Origin of shoebill¹

First recorded in 1870–75; shoe + bill ²

Word History and Origins

Origin of shoebill¹

C19: so named because of the shape of its bill

Example Sentences

The Uganda Wildlife Education Center — known to locals as, simply, the zoo — was my mini-safari: behold zebras, hyenas, white rhinos, shoebill storks and three charming chimpanzees.

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From the elephant mother watching her malnourished calf die, to the dinosaur-like shoebill bird seemingly deliberately starving a weak younger chick – these were unforgettable shots.

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The shoebill chicks were approximately three weeks old at the time of filming, with one chick a few days older than the other.

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The shoebill is listed as "Vulnerable" on the International Union for Conservation of Nature's global list of threatened plants and animals.

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The team's aim was to shed light on the species by documenting intimate behaviour of shoebill parents and young at the nest.

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