Shoebill: Balaenicipitidae
Conservation Status
The shoebill is listed as Near Threatened, which means it could become endangered in the near future. The birds are so secretive that scientists have a hard time counting them, but there may be fewer than 15,000 shoebills left in the wild. Although laws protect the shoebill, it is still threatened by people who break the laws. Many local people are working to help the wildlife. By protecting the wild animals, including shoebills, tourists are encouraged to visit their area in order to see the animals. Tourists bring money by staying in hotels, eating at restaurants, buying souvenirs, and signing up for boat tours where they can see animals in the wild.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Books:
Brown, L. H., Emil K. Urban, and K. Newman. The Birds of Africa. Vol. 1, Ostrich to Falcons. London: Academic Press, 1982.
Capper, David R., Guy C. L. Dutson, and A. J. Stattersfield, eds. Threatened Birds of the World. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions; and Cambridge: BirdLife International, 2000.
del Hoyo, Josep, A. Elliott, and J. Sargatal, eds. Handbook of the Birds of the World. Vol. 1, Ostrich to Ducks. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions, 1992.
Hancock, James A., James A. Kushlan, and M. Philip Kahl. Storks, Ibises and Spoonbills of the World. London, San Diego, New York: Academic Press Limited, 1992.
Stuart, Chris and Tilde. Birds of Africa, From Seabirds to Seed-Eaters. Cambridge, MA: The MIT Press, 1999.
"Shoebill Stork." International Wildlife Encyclopedia, 3rd ed. Vol. 17. Tarrytown, NY: Marshall Cavendish Corporation, 2002.
Periodicals:
"Animals—Habits & Behavior: Shoebill Storks, Tube Worms, Tree Sloth, Colugo, and Sea Robin." Zoobooks (November 2002): 1–17.
Freligh, Stephen. "Father of the Shoe." International Wildlife (September-October 1985): 14–15.
Tenywa, Gerald. "The Unique Shoebill Under Threat." Africa News Service (May 4, 2001).
Web sites:
Steffen, Angie. "Balaeniceps rex (Shoebill)." Animal Diversity Web. http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Balaeniceps_rex.html (accessed on April 28, 2004).
"Shoebill (Balaenicipitidae)." MontereyBay.com. http://www.montereybay.com/creagrus/shoebill.html (accessed on April 28, 2004).
"23 Shoebill Balaenicipitidae." BirdTheme.org. http://www.birdtheme.org/cgi-bin/family.php?famnum=23 (accessed on April 28, 2004).
Additional topics
Animal Life ResourceBirdsShoebill: Balaenicipitidae - Physical Characteristics, Diet, Behavior And Reproduction, Shoebills And People, Conservation Status - GEOGRAPHIC RANGE, HABITAT