Is This A Modern Day Dinosaur?

The first time I saw a picture of a Shoebill Stork I thought it was a statue of an imaginary dinosaur with feathers, I had no idea these things were real. Up until recently we thought all dinosaurs had a hide-like exterior covered with fur or hair, now we know that a small portion of the known species of dinosaurs had feathers.

The origin of birdlike dinosaurs dates back millions of years. Humans have examined dinosaur fossils for centuries, however, it wasn’t until the 1990s that we proved, without a doubt, that some dinosaurs had feathers. This discovery led us to the belief that modern birds are descendants of the giant dinosaurs that roamed Earth over 65 million years ago.

I enjoy the idea of birds as little dinosaurs, I think about it every time I watch a bird walking or hopping on the ground. If you’ve ever watched a bird devour a worm, or a hawk tear open the flesh of a live animal, it’s a vicious, violent attack, reminiscent of what we would imagine a dinosaur kill would have looked like.

Many birds are meat-eating killing machines, just like Dinosaurs.

According to an old University of California Museum of Paleontology article published in Dinobuzz, if you were to “Ask your average paleontologist, who is familiar with the phylogeny of vertebrates, and they will probably tell you that yes, birds (avians) are dinosaurs”.

The article goes on to say… “In fact, the evidence is overwhelmingly in favor of birds being the descendants of a maniraptoran dinosaur, probably something similar (but not identical) to a small dromaeosaur.

We now know for sure that birds are descendants of Dinosaurs, and in my opinion, for what it’s worth, the Shoebill Stork is the most Dinosaur-like bird of our time. They just have that prehistoric look to them, and they seem to prefer walking to flying. Shoebill Storks are very large and can be very loud.

The Shoebill Stork (Balaeniceps rex) is a prehistoric-looking bird, native to the wetlands of central Africa. Shoebills stand between 4 to 5 feet (1.2 to 1.5 meters) tall, and their wingspan can reach up to 8 feet (2.5 meters). Their feathers are predominantly bluish-gray, and they have long legs that are perfectly adapted for wading through shallow water.

Despite their size, Shoebills are known for their stealth and extreme patience. They often stand motionless for long periods, waiting to ambush prey with a swift, deadly strike. Though generally quiet birds, a Shoebills call is a unique ‘bill-clattering’ sound that reminds me of a hammering-machine in a factory, or a rapid-fire automatic weapon.

Unfortunately, the Shoebill Stork population is decreasing in size due to poachers and a rapidly shrinking habitat.

According to Wikipedia, “The current population is estimated at between 5,000 and 8,000 individuals, the majority of which live in swamps in South Sudan, Uganda, Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Zambia. BirdLife International has classified it as ‘vulnerable’, with the main threats being habitat destruction, disturbance, and hunting.”

It’s time for Zoos in the United States to step up and help this unique species before they become extinct. Surprisingly, as far as I can tell, there are only 3 locations in the United States that have Shoebill Storks on display.

• The San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance (website)
• The Dallas World Aquarium (website)
• ZooTampa at Lowry Park (website)

Three locations seems like an awfully low number for such a unique animal, an animal that interacts with humans in such a positive, and sometimes very humorous, way. What better animal could we find to represent the evolutionary path of birds, and their connection to dinosaurs?

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On Reflection:

It’s unlikely that I’ll ever see a Shoebill Stork in person. The three current locations are too far for a day long trip, and I don’t see one showing up at my local zoo in the near future. However, there are plenty of videos to watch on YouTube, here’s a good one.

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Thanks for reading my article.

Info Sources: In addition to my personal experience, most ‘researched’ information was gathered from the websites noted below and various Google searches.

• To learn more about the Shoebill Stork visit it’s Wikipedia page here
• Visit The San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance (website) to learn more about Shoebill Storks and other wildlife preservation efforts
• Visit the Dallas World Aquarium (website) and plan your visit
• View a Shoebill Stork at the ZooTampa at Lowry Park (website)
• *Public Domain WikiMedia image used with permission via Creative Commons License BY-SA 3.0 Deed and/or BY-SA 4.0 Deed