The shoebill is a member of the Balaeniciptidae family. It is also called the shoe-billed stork, the whale-headed stork, and the whalebill.

It is a bird that’s hard to miss due to its prehistoric looks. It has a blue-grey plumage with thin legs and a long, impressive beak. The shoebill is a native of East Africa.

Only pelicans and storks have beaks longer than the shoebill, giving it the third longest amongst extant birds.

The length gets around 9 inches. This bird is even named after the bill.

Shoebills use their beaks to pick up fish which they swallow whole. Younger creatures start with a short bill which grows as they get older.