Shoebill

Balaeniceps rex

Prehistoric in appearance, the Shoebill stands over four feet tall with blue-gray plumage and an enormous shoe-shaped bill that looks like something from the age of dinosaurs. Found exclusively in the papyrus swamps of central and east Africa, it can stand motionless for hours before lunging at lungfish and other prey. It is famous for its unsettling habit of staring directly at observers.