{"id":14469,"date":"2026-09-02T09:52:06","date_gmt":"2026-09-02T09:52:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/?post_type=lesson&#038;p=14469"},"modified":"2026-09-11T06:29:51","modified_gmt":"2026-09-11T06:29:51","slug":"shoebills","status":"publish","type":"lesson","link":"https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/lesson\/shoebills\/","title":{"rendered":"Shoebills"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns alignwide is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-caeeb75f wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:25%\"><div class=\"class-box class-image\">\r\n\t<ul class=\"data-list\">\r\n\t\t<li>\r\n\t\t\t<a class=\"\" title=\"Journey into the Wild\" href=\"https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/journeys\/journey-into-the-wild\/\" rel=\"noopener\">\r\n\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"class-logo medium\" src=\"https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/Journey_into_the_Wild-Tall.png\" alt=\"Journey into the Wild\" title=\"Journey into the Wild\" \/>\r\n\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t<\/a>\r\n\t\t<\/li>\r\n\t<\/ul>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n<!--<div class=\"class-box\">\r\n\t<h2 class=\"class-title\">Shoebills<\/h2>\r\n<\/div>-->\r\n\r\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading class-header\">Key Information<\/h4>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"class-box\">\r\n\t<h3 class=\"class-title\">Shoebills<\/h3>\r\n\t<figure class=\"wp-block-table info-table\">\r\n\t\t<div class=\"table-wrapper\">\r\n\t\t\t<table class=\"class-table\">\r\n\t\t\t\t<tbody>\r\n\t\r\n\t\t\t\t<tr>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<td class=\"class-table-title\">Species<\/td>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<td>1 species<\/td>\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/tr>\r\n\t\r\n\t\t\t\t<tr>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<td class=\"class-table-title\">Diet<\/td>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<td>Carnivore<\/td>\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/tr>\r\n\t\r\n\t\t\t\t<tr>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<td class=\"class-table-title\">Length<\/td>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<td>39 to 55 inches<\/td>\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/tr>\r\n\t\r\n\t\t\t\t<tr>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<td class=\"class-table-title\">Height<\/td>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<td>43 to 55 inches<\/td>\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/tr>\r\n\t\r\n\t\t\t\t<tr>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<td class=\"class-table-title\">Weigth<\/td>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<td>8.8 to 15.4 lb<\/td>\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/tr>\r\n\t\r\n\t\t\t\t<tr>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<td class=\"class-table-title\">Wingspan<\/td>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<td>7 ft 7 inches to 8 ft 6 inches<\/td>\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/tr>\r\n\t\r\n\t\t\t\t<tr>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<td class=\"class-table-title\">Conservation Status<\/td>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<td>Vulnerable<\/td>\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/tr>\r\n\t\r\n\t\t\t\t<tr>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<td class=\"class-table-title\">Classification<\/td>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<td>Aves &gt; Pelecaniformes &gt; Balaenicipitidae<\/td>\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/tr>\r\n\t\r\n\t\t\t\t<tr>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<td class=\"class-table-title\">Habitat<\/td>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<td>Freshwater Swamps<\/td>\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/tr>\r\n\t\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/tbody>\r\n\t\t\t<\/table>\r\n\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t<\/figure>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading class-header\">Learning Point<\/h4>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"class-box\">\r\n\t<ol>\n<li data-list=\"bullet\"><strong>Shoebiils<\/strong> are striking, <strong>prehistoric-looking birds<\/strong> native to the <strong>tropical swamps of East Africa<\/strong>, famous for its <strong>massive, shoe-shaped bill <\/strong>with a sharp<strong> hook<\/strong> used to <strong>catch prey<\/strong>. Standing up to <strong>five feet tall<\/strong>, these solitary predators are known for their <strong>statue-like patience<\/strong>, often <strong>standing completely still for long periods<\/strong> before launching a <strong>sudden, violent strike<\/strong> to <strong>capture fish, frogs, and even baby crocodiles<\/strong>. Although they <strong>look like storks<\/strong>, DNA studies show they are actually <strong>more like pelicans<\/strong>. Currently listed as <strong>vulnerable <\/strong>due to <strong>habitat loss<\/strong>, these fascinating birds are <strong>true apex predators<\/strong> of the <strong>wetlands<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading class-header\">Project<\/h4>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"class-box\">\r\n\t<ol>\n<li data-list=\"bullet\">Draw a picture of a shoebill patiently hunting.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:50%\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-gutena-tabs gutena-tabs-block gutena-tabs-block-77de37-56 class-container class-tab\"><ul class=\"gutena-tabs-tab tab-flex\"><li class=\"gutena-tab-title active\" data-tab=\"1\"><div class=\"gutena-tab-title-content icon-top\"><div class=\"gutena-tab-title-text\"><div>Overview<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/li><li class=\"gutena-tab-title inactive\" data-tab=\"2\"><div class=\"gutena-tab-title-content icon-top\"><div class=\"gutena-tab-title-text\"><div>X-Ray<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/li><\/ul><div class=\"gutena-tabs-content is-layout-flow wp-block-gutena-tabs-is-layout-flow\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-gutena-tab gutena-tab-block gutena-tab-block-543fc0-6f active class-box class-image\" data-tab=\"1\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Shoebill-scaled.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"680\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Shoebill-680x1024.jpg\" alt=\"Shoebill\" class=\"wp-image-14528\" srcset=\"https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Shoebill-680x1024.jpg 680w, https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Shoebill-199x300.jpg 199w, https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Shoebill-768x1156.jpg 768w, https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Shoebill-1020x1536.jpg 1020w, https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Shoebill-1360x2048.jpg 1360w, https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Shoebill-scaled.jpg 1700w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 680px) 100vw, 680px\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">By <a rel=\"nofollow\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/82432080@N00\">Bob Owen<\/a> &#8211; originally posted to <a href=\"\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/Flickr\" class=\"mw-redirect\" title=\"Flickr\">Flickr<\/a> as <a rel=\"nofollow\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/82432080@N00\/4398128154\">Shoebill<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/2.0\" title=\"Creative Commons Attribution 2.0\">CC BY 2.0<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/w\/index.php?curid=9606216\">Link<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-gutena-tab gutena-tab-block gutena-tab-block-05a1ad-fd inactive class-box class-image\" data-tab=\"2\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Shoebill_Skeleton.jpeg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"653\" src=\"https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Shoebill_Skeleton-1024x653.jpeg\" alt=\"Skeleton of Shoebill\" class=\"wp-image-14529\" srcset=\"https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Shoebill_Skeleton-1024x653.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Shoebill_Skeleton-300x191.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Shoebill_Skeleton-768x490.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Shoebill_Skeleton-1536x979.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Shoebill_Skeleton.jpeg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">By Huub Veldhuijzen van Zanten\/Naturalis Biodiversity Center, <a href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-sa\/3.0\" title=\"Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0\">CC BY-SA 3.0<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/w\/index.php?curid=45550474\">Link<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:25%\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading class-header\">Location<\/h4>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"class-box\">\r\n\t<div id='gallery-1' class='gallery galleryid-14469 gallery-columns-1 gallery-size-full'><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1080\" height=\"1080\" src=\"https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Shoebills_Locations.png\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"Locations of Shoebills\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-14527\" srcset=\"https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Shoebills_Locations.png 1080w, https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Shoebills_Locations-300x300.png 300w, https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Shoebills_Locations-1024x1024.png 1024w, https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Shoebills_Locations-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Shoebills_Locations-768x768.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1080px) 100vw, 1080px\" \/>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-14527'>\n\t\t\t\tBy <a href=\"\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/File:BlankMap-Africa2.svg\" title=\"File:BlankMap-Africa2.svg\">BlankMap-Africa2.svg<\/a>: <a href=\"\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/User:NuclearVacuum\" title=\"User:NuclearVacuum\">NuclearVacuum<\/a>derivative work: <a href=\"\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/User:Totodu74\" title=\"User:Totodu74\">Totodu74<\/a> (<a href=\"\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/User_talk:Totodu74\" title=\"User talk:Totodu74\"><span class=\"signature-talk\">talk<\/span><\/a>) &#8211; <a href=\"\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/File:BlankMap-Africa2.svg\" title=\"File:BlankMap-Africa2.svg\">BlankMap-Africa2.svg<\/a>, Public Domain, <a href=\"https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/w\/index.php?curid=9377959\">Link<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\r\n\r\n\t<figure class=\"wp-block-table info-table\">\r\n\t\t<div class=\"table-wrapper\">\r\n\t\t\t<table class=\"class-table\">\r\n\t\t\t\t<tbody>\r\n\t\r\n\t\t\t\t<tr>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<td class=\"class-table-title\">Places<\/td>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<td>East Africa<\/td>\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/tr>\r\n\t\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/tbody>\r\n\t\t\t<\/table>\r\n\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t<\/figure>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading class-header\">Fun Facts<\/h4>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"class-box\">\r\n\t<ol>\n<li data-list=\"bullet\">Their name comes from their massive, bulbous bill that grows up to nine inches long and looks just like a giant wooden Dutch clog!<\/li>\n<li data-list=\"bullet\">Shoebills are famous for standing completely motionless for hours at a time like statues while waiting for fish to swim by.<\/li>\n<li data-list=\"bullet\">On super hot days, parent shoebills use their giant bills like buckets to scoop up water and pour it over their eggs and chicks to cool them down.<\/li>\n<li data-list=\"bullet\">While they are usually very quiet, adults snap their huge bills together to make a loud, rapid-fire clattering sound that sounds just like a machine gun.<\/li>\n<li data-list=\"bullet\">When baby shoebills want attention or food from their parents, they make a squeaking sound that sounds exactly like human hiccups!<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\r\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns alignwide is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-caeeb75f wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\"><h4 class=\"wp-block-heading class-header\">Past Lessons<\/h4>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"class-box\">\r\n\t<figure class=\"wp-block-table info-table\">\r\n\t\t<div class=\"table-wrapper\">\r\n\t\t\t<table class=\"class-list\">\r\n\t\t\t\t<tbody>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<tr>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<td class=\"icon\">216<\/td>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<td class=\"class-table-title\">September 2, 2026<\/td>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<td>(North America)<\/td>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/tr>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<tr class=\"hide-this-row\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<td colspan=\"3\">No Past Lessons<\/td>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/tr>\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/tbody>\r\n\t\t\t<\/table>\r\n\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t<\/figure>\r\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\r\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading class-header\">Upcoming Lessons<\/h4>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"class-box\">\r\n\t<figure class=\"wp-block-table info-table\">\r\n\t\t<div class=\"table-wrapper\">\r\n\t\t\t<table class=\"class-list\">\r\n\t\t\t\t<tbody>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<tr class=\"hide-this-row\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<td colspan=\"3\">No Upcoming Lessons<\/td>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/tr>\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/tbody>\r\n\t\t\t<\/table>\r\n\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t<\/figure>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":0,"template":"","class_list":["post-14469","lesson","type-lesson","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/lesson\/14469","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/lesson"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/lesson"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14469"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}