The shoebill (Balaeniceps rex) also known as whalehead, is a very large stork-like bird. It derives its name from its enormous shoe-shaped bill. It has a somewhat stork-like overall form and has previously been classified with the storks in the order Ciconiiformes based on this morphology. However, genetic evidence places it with the Pelecaniformes. It lives in tropical east Africa in large swamps from Sudan to Zambia. The shoebill is noted for its slow movements and tendency to stay still for long periods, resulting in descriptions of the species as “statue-like”.
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