Shoebill: a bird whose chicks hate each other (6 photos)

This huge and unusual bird lives in swampy areas in Africa. Today you will learn some interesting facts about her.





These are very large birds with a wingspan of 2.3 meters. A relative of the pelican, but much less good-natured. They lay no more than 3 eggs at a time.

As soon as the chicks hatch, after waiting for the parents to fly off in search of food, the first chick begins to create mayhem. He is the strongest among them, since he was born a little earlier.



The chick will push other eggs and chicks away from the nest and peck at its brothers and sisters.

But even if they miraculously survive, the parents, as it turns out, did not intend to raise more than one offspring. The remaining eggs are a reserve in case the first one does not survive.





Having had a hearty lunch themselves and with a supply of food, the parents return to the nest. They assess the situation and give preference to the stronger chick, and simply kill the rest.

One day I found a small, helpless shoebill chick in my backyard that had accidentally fallen out of its nest in a tree. I carefully returned it to its nest. The next day I saw that he had been pushed out of the nest again. Engineer Kevin Lam

And he’s so cute in the photo, you wouldn’t think he’s a fratricide!



In general, shoebills are quite calm birds, which is generally typical for large animals. They barely even make any sounds. In the nest, only beak knocking is heard (apparently on the tops of their brothers’ heads). And sometimes they make sounds reminiscent of the mooing of a cow.

The bird lives in Africa, mainly in the central regions. But the ancient Egyptians knew them well too.



Shoebills often stand suspended like statues - absolutely motionless. The habit of saving energy.

They are quite friendly towards humans. You can even sometimes go feed them in the wild. Shoebill will willingly try the offered delicacy and will not hit you. You are not a competitor to him, unlike your brothers.