Shoebills are silent most of the time but engage in “bill-clattering” around the nest or when greeting another bird. So, anything cool about the bill other than that it’s gigantic, looks like footwear, and can decapitate crocodiles? Sure: It makes awesome machine-gun noises. Arabs reportedly called the bird Abu-Markhub, or “father of a slipper” (just can’t get away from that shoe imagery). They appear in the artwork of the ancient Egyptians. Shoebills have been a beloved species for a long time. Sound terrifying? Yeah, it is. But it’s also impossible not to be impressed by these giants. When there’s nothing but lungfish or crocodile left, the Shoebill will give it a quick decapitation with the sharp edges of the bill (because of course it does) and swallow away. Clamping down on its prey, the bird will start to swing its massive head back and forth, tipping out whatever stuff it doesn’t want to eat. Then the bird will pounce forward, all five feet of it, with its massive bill wide open, engulfing its target along with water, mud, vegetation, and probably any other hapless fish minding their own business. The Shoebill will stand there, motionless as a statue, and wait for some poor lungfish or baby crocodile to swim by. This bird eats crocodiles!Īnd they hunt like total bosses of the swamp. They eat big fish like lungfish, eels, and catfish, and also crazy stuff like Nile monitor lizards, snakes, and baby crocodiles. Shoebills, which live in the swamps of eastern tropical Africa, are after smaller prey. Though I don’t think I’d go anywhere near one, humans don’t have to worry. Or “Death Pelican.” Or “Literally the Most Frightening Bird On Earth.” Of all the possible names, how on earth is it called the Shoebill? “Monsterface” would be better. They may even decorate the bodies of their prey with ribbons and shiny objects.The Shoebill: Or, the Most Terrifying Bird in the World The more dead bodies a male has on his turf, the more likely he is to get a female. However, shrikes also do this because female shrikes are attracted to all those dead bodies. So the shrike uses said spikes to hold food still for eating and storage. Bird watchers may find small lizards and rodents stuck on barbed wire fences or trees while searching for any of the 30 species of shrike.īut why does the shrike do this? For one thing, the bird has sensitive feet, so it cannot hold its prey and sit on a branch at the same time. Occasionally it even does this while the victim is still alive. After death, the bird takes the body, finds a thorny tree or even barbed wire, and impales its prey onto the spike. The shrike, upon killing its prey, traditionally uses its curved beak to strike a death blow. But even then the victim's torture is not at an end. ![]() ![]() However, what you are really seeing is a vicious and sadistic little bird. If you were to see a shrike while out and about, you might think they look pretty cute. Photo: Ranger56112 / flickr / CC-BY-NC 2.0 Vote up the facts about birds that are disturbing or just plain terrifying: it's no wonder Hitchcock picked birds as the creep-inducing creature for his horror film. ![]() So, whether you're looking for facts about birds that are scary, or just downright terrifying species of birds, you've come to the right place. If you're one of those folks who hates birds, your fear may actually be somewhat justified.īut that's not to say that these facts are things that will make you hate birds some of their characteristics are actually quite cool. There are adaptations that keep birds alive in inhospitable environments as well as behavioral quirks that make birds quite humorous. The shoebill, for example, decapitates its prey, and the cassowary is an actual threat to humans. There are birds that kill people, birds that drink blood, and even birds that projectile vomit stomach acid when threatened. There are some horrific birds that are just frightening by nature, and there are some scary bird characteristics that apply to multiple species. If you've ever seen Hitchcock's classic film The Birds, you know that birds can be absolutely terrifying.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |