About this site
At a glance
This article walks through 5 topics, in this order.
Contents
Shoebill Fans is an unofficial fan site
Shoebill Fans (shoebill.fans) is an unofficial fan site made by people who love shoebills, to help others love shoebills even more. It has no connection to any zoo, research institution or conservation group.
It is written in seven languages: Japanese, English, Chinese (simplified and traditional), Spanish, Hindi and Portuguese. We want to share the shoebills you can meet in Japan with shoebill fans all over the world.
Who is Kou, our guide?
Kou is the shoebill character who shows you around this site. In the articles, Kou sums up tips and warnings in speech bubbles.
Kou: Knows everything. Sometimes writes things that are wrong. Sorry in advance.
KouHi, I'm Kou. If you're in a hurry, just read my speech bubbles.
About our sources
Figures such as the shoebill's body size and habitat are based on the Red List of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), BirdLife International, and information published by research institutions and zoos in various countries. Where sources give different numbers, we give a range.
The names of shoebills at Japanese zoos and event information are based on each facility's official website, official social media and news reports. Birds move and events change, so always check the facility's official information before you go.
Photo credits
This site uses only photos from Wikimedia Commons that are free to use (CC0, public domain, CC BY, CC BY-SA). We do not use official zoo photos.
| Photo | Author | License | |
|---|---|---|---|
_-_Weltvogelpark_Walsrode_2010.jpg/1280px-Schuhschnabel_(Frontal)_-_Weltvogelpark_Walsrode_2010.jpg) | A shoebill seen from the front (Weltvogelpark Walsrode, Germany) | Olaf Oliviero Riemer | CC BY-SA 3.0 |
 | A shoebill staring straight at the camera | Jameswasswa | CC BY-SA 4.0 |
 | A shoebill standing on the grass, full body | Quartl | CC BY-SA 3.0 |
 | A shoebill taking off with wings spread wide (Lake Albert, Uganda) | Johannes Bahrdt | CC BY-SA 4.0 |
 | A wild shoebill in the marsh (Mabamba Wetland, Uganda) | Sjoerdug | CC BY-SA 4.0 |
 | A shoebill in a wide wetland (Uganda) | Lestari | CC BY-SA 3.0 |
 | A shoebill holding a large fish in its bill | Jakub Bartler | CC BY-SA 4.0 |
_gaehnend)_-_Weltvogelpark_Walsrode_2010.jpg/1280px-Schuhschnabel_(Balaeniceps_rex)_gaehnend)_-_Weltvogelpark_Walsrode_2010.jpg) | A shoebill opening its bill wide (yawning) | Olaf Oliviero Riemer | CC BY-SA 3.0 |
 | A wild shoebill parent with its chick (Mabamba Wetland, Uganda) | Ludu57 | CC BY 4.0 |
 | Two shoebills (zoo in Entebbe, Uganda) | BMKME | CC0 |
 | A shoebill in profile, showing the shape of its bill (Lake Albert, Uganda) | Johannes Bahrdt | CC BY-SA 4.0 |
_-_Weltvogelpark_Walsrode_2010.jpg/1280px-Schuhschnabel_(Koerperpflege)_-_Weltvogelpark_Walsrode_2010.jpg) | A shoebill preening, seen from the side | Olaf Oliviero Riemer | CC BY-SA 3.0 |
_-_Weltvogelpark_Walsrode_2010.jpg/1280px-Schuhschnabel_(Hinterkopf)_-_Weltvogelpark_Walsrode_2010.jpg) | A shoebill from behind, with the crest on the back of its head | Olaf Oliviero Riemer | CC BY-SA 3.0 |
 | A shoebill walking by the water at a zoo (Prague Zoo, Czech Republic) | Хомелка | CC BY-SA 3.0 |
 | A shoebill spreading both wings wide | Quartl | CC BY-SA 3.0 |
 | A shoebill's head from the side, with the crest on the back of its head raised | chacha8080 | Pixabay Content License |
 | A shoebill walking slowly on its long legs through tall grass | Lolame | Pixabay Content License |
 | A shoebill standing still in front of the grass, bill pointed down | Wiemann | Pixabay Content License |
 | A shoebill against green leaves, showing its thick, clog-shaped bill | PetrCZ | Pixabay Content License |
 | A close-up of a shoebill's eye, with the seam of its bill visible | Carla_Manneh | Pixabay Content License |
 | A shoebill's face and huge bill, seen almost head-on | Carla_Manneh | Pixabay Content License |
 | A shoebill standing in front of a glass-walled enclosure | justGoron | Pixabay Content License |
 | A zoo shoebill standing in front of a bamboo fence | mrlins | Pixabay Content License |
 | A shoebill with a shaggy crest and a glaring eye | PetrCZ | Pixabay Content License |
 | A shoebill standing in front of a bamboo thicket | bernswaelz | Pixabay Content License |
 | A shoebill lowering its head and looking down at the camera | bernswaelz | Pixabay Content License |
 | A shoebill with its wings slightly open, showing layers of grey feathers | PetrCZ | Pixabay Content License |
 | A shoebill with its head showing above the grass | Lolame | Pixabay Content License |
 | A shoebill sitting and resting among bamboo leaves | MAKY_OREL | Pixabay Content License |
 | A shoebill standing in an enclosure with a lawn and tall grass | JuliusH | Pixabay Content License |
 | A shoebill standing in the sun, with the layers of its wing feathers visible | Brockenhexe | Pixabay Content License |
 | The upper body of a shoebill standing in the grass | veverkolog | Pixabay Content License |
 | A shoebill turned to the side, showing its crest and back feathers | Brockenhexe | Pixabay Content License |
 | A shoebill in front of ferns | glennhappe | Pixabay Content License |
 | A shoebill standing in water, with water dripping from its bill | anglers | Pixabay Content License |
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