Are you looking for a great shoebill video?
Did you know there are lots of videos of these interesting birds out there?
Why would you want to watch a video of shoebills, anyway?
There are many reasons why Balaeniceps rex, more commonly known as the shoebill, turns up in videos online from time to time. Here are a few reasons why people just like you often search for videos like this:
- To see what shoebills look like in action
- To be entertained and educated at the same time
- To hear a shoebill
Of course, you may have your own reason for looking up these videos. Whatever may bring you here, check out these recommendations below.
Shoebill Video #1:
Introducing the Shoebill Storks
This shoebill stork video gives you a quick look at a shoebill walking around its enclosure at the Houston Zoo. You can also see this captive shoebill eating a meal and watching one of its handlers approach it with food, too. The whole video is set to gentle music, which helps improve the overall “scary” concept that surrounds these misunderstood birds. This particular video showcases a younger adult shoebill who is one of two living in this particular enclosure. This video comes from a well-known and trusted zoo, so the shoebill is being treated respectfully and cared for well, and it is both happy and healthy as well as provided with everything it needs.
Shoebill Video #2:
Shoebill storks make some strange noises
Tune into this video to see the Balaeniceps bird making its unique and very telltale sounds. The first part of the video does not involve any sound, but near the end, the bird stretches its neck up majestically and lets out its “machine gun” clattering noise. This noise is one of the main ways the shoebill communicates with others. Although they may make other noises at each other in the wild, this is the most commonly heard sound made by captive shoebills. Those who go looking for these birds in the wild may be startled by the gun-like noise.
Shoebill Video #3:
Shoebill Chick Reveals Darkside
This video comes from BBC and is part of a longer documentary. It begins with a showcase of the shoebill hunting for fish in its swamp, with a little humor as the female bird in question grabs a stick instead of a fish. The video then shows two young shoebill chicks, one of which is healthy and the other of which is not. The healthier chick is shown attacking the other one and preventing it from getting food or water. This is a harsh look at the reality of nature behind the shoebill and how its young are raised. This video may be upsetting to younger viewers.
Shoebill Video #4:
Shoebill Stork is the Real Life Hippogriff
If you want to see a shoebill stork next to human beings, take a look at this video. The video shows a man and a little girl being instructed as part of an exhibit to approach a shoebill. The shoebill bows a few times and then makes its distinctive chattering sound as the man and girl approach it. There is then a quick jumpcut to a shot of the bird from a distance with no humans in the frame. This is a short video that can give you an idea of how big these birds are next to an adult man as well as next to a child.
Shoebill Video #5:
Shoebill ATTACK/Giant Bird
This video shows a shoebill attack, although it is under unnatural and unpleasant circumstances. The shoebill is kept in a small enclosure with lemurs that approach it, and the bird shows clearly stressed and aggressive behavior because of this. When provoked by the lemurs, the shoebill spreads its wings and opens it beak, lunging toward them. This video should be viewed as educational regarding the body language of a shoebill, but it is not intended to represent the right kind of enclosure or treatment of these birds.
Shoebill Video #6:
Shoebill stork ATTACK
Like the previous video, this video should only be viewed for information about the bird’s body language and mannerisms, and it should not be taken as an indication of what to do around these creatures. In this video, humans are allowed to approach the shoebills in an enclosure and to touch them as much as they want to. They people in the video behave respectfully and the birds do not show signs of being stressed or afraid. However, this video warrants a “don’t try this at home” warning even so. Shoebills are gentle and are not naturally aggressive, but they should be left alone by humans as much as possible.
Shoebill Video #7:
Shoebill’s bowing
The shoebill stork bow is a unique behavior that these birds are known for. This video shows a bird that is part of a zoo exhibit enclosure demonstrating the shoebill bow. A human handler interacting with the shoebill bows at it several times, sometimes encouraging it to bow back in response. Sometimes, the bird chatters and makes its distinct gun-like noise in response to the handler instead, and at one point in the video, the bird playfully nips at her hair. When the handler leaves the frame, the shoebill showcases the behavior a little more willingly.
Shoebill Video #8:
Shoebill Eats Mice
To see a shoebill eating, take a look at this video. Here, a shoebill in an enclosure at a zoo is being fed mice as well as fish one at a time by a handler. This is a very calm and peaceful video showing proper zoo handling of the bird in question. The bird is very relaxed and is happy to eat the mice and fish right out of the handler’s hands. This video can provide a great look at how a shoebill eats as well as just what it is readily willing to eat when offered, too.
Shoebill Video #9:
Shoebill Stork vs Lungfish
This National Geographic video gives you a quick but very exciting look at a shoebill as it hunts in the wild for its favorite meal of lungfish. This video provides a different take on the feeding habits of the shoebill than many of the others on this list, since the bird is not a captive one but a naturally feeding wild bird instead. This is a short and sweet video that is great for kids to watch as well as adults. Although it shows the bird eating, it isn’t gruesome or gory in any way, and the video provides a few fun facts about shoebills at the same time.
Shoebill Video #10:
Shoebill-4 “Noh human noh fly”
It can be hard to catch a shoebill flying. These birds don’t really enjoy getting around by air very much, and they don’t fly unless they really need to for some reason. This slow-motion video gives you an in-depth look at how they move when they are about to take off into the air as well as how they fly. You can see many different angles of the shoebill’s wingspan as well as several types of body language. The video also shows a shoebill flying a short distance across an enclosure at a zoo exhibit. It is set to traditional Noh music from Japan.
Shoebill Video #11:
Shoebill flying
This is a very short little video that gives you a quick glance at a shoebill flying through several photos put together a sort of stop-motion way. The way the video is assembled may be too jerky and hard to watch for some viewers. However, it can provide a great look at the wingspan of the shoebill while it’s fully flying, and it can help you learn more about the bird’s anatomy and how it moves before, during, and after takeoff too. If you want to, you can always pause on a specific photo and take your time examining it more closely as well.
Shoebill Photos, Anyone?
But are these the only interesting or exciting stories there are about shoebills? Although it’s always fun to watch videos of these exciting birds in action, there are also some great pictures out there you might want to check out. Here’s a little bonus information about one of these pictures:
- Shoebill Throws Duck: This happened at the San Diego Zoo. Although no one is quite sure why the shoebill picked up the duck and then just threw it back down instead of eating it, many believe the duck was just in the shoebill’s way.
By watching videos and looking at pictures of shoebills, you can learn more about these misunderstood and vulnerable animals.
