The Shoebill, the Bird That Looks Like a Dinosaur
In the swamps of Uganda stands a grey bird as tall as a child, with a huge beak like a clog, and a stare that's been compared to a dinosaur's.
What was reported
The shoebill is a large bird of the papyrus swamps of East Africa, standing up to about 1.5 metres tall. Its enormous, shoe-shaped bill can catch lungfish and even young crocodiles. It can stand completely still for hours, staring, and then lunge.
It makes a loud, machine-gun-like clattering by snapping its bill. Some people have suggested that sightings of shoebills might lie behind stories of flying reptiles, such as the kongamato.
Explanations offered
The shoebill is a real bird, related to pelicans, and it's rare and vulnerable to habitat loss. Its prehistoric look is a reminder that birds are the living descendants of dinosaurs. Visitors take boats into Mabamba Swamp to see it.
- When
- Known for centuries
- Where
- Mabamba Swamp, Uganda
- Witnesses
- Fishermen and birdwatchers
- Status
- Explained
Famous cases are real, widely reported events. Each file sets out what witnesses said and the explanations that have been offered, without taking a side.
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