The survival of the shoebill stork in southern Sudan is threatened by habitat degradation and requires international recognition and conservation attention.

Distribution and conservation of the shoebill (Balaeniceps rex) in the southern Sudan

Tampa's Lowry Park Zoo successfully hatched a rare African Shoebill Stork chick, marking the first successful breeding in North America for this species, which is listed as vulnerable by the IUCN.

COVER STORY: The Shoebill Stork

The Shoebill stork and certain herons have a novel primary bile acid, suggesting they are closely related.

A novel primary bile acid in the Shoebill stork and herons and its phylogenetic significance.

Aerial counts in Zambia suggest a minimum population of 232 Shoebills, 275 Saddlebilled Storks, and 1718 Wattled Cranes in Bangweulu Swamps and 3282 in Kafue Flats.

AERIAL CENSUSES OF SHOEBILLS, SADDLEBILLED STORKS AND WATTLED CRANES AT THE BANGWEULU SWAMPS AND KAFUE FLATS, ZAMBIA

This study presents physiologic data and medications for shoebills in European zoos, aiming to improve their captive management and contribute to their successful breeding in captivity.

Veterinary care of shoebills (Balaeniceps rex) in European zoos with special emphasis on the Zurich Zoo

The Shoebill forages for fish in shallow water using floating vegetation platforms, a technique called "collapsing" that is similar to herons and storks.

ASPECTS OF THE FORAGING BEHAVIOUR OF THE SHOEBILL

The Pelecaniformes (minus tropicbirds) and Ciconiiformes (storks, herons, and ibises) form a natural group within a seabird water-carnivore clade, with pelicans being the closest relatives of the shoebill

Beyond phylogeny: pelecaniform and ciconiiform birds, and long-term niche stability.

The Oligocene avifauna of Egypt, mainly aquatic species, provides insights into the climatic and biotic conditions that influenced early hominoid evolution.

Paleoenvironment of the Earliest Hominoids: New Evidence from the Oligocene Avifauna of Egypt

Pythocholic acid and 16-hydroxycholic acid were successfully synthesized from cholic acid, showing high cholesterol solubilization and low critical micellar concentrations.

First chemical synthesis, aggregation behavior and cholesterol solubilization properties of pythocholic acid and 16α-hydroxycholic acid

Conservation courtship and reproduction feeding behaviour American wood stork - mycteria americana milky stork - mycteria cinerea yellowbilled stork - mycteria ibis painted stork - mycteria leucocephala African openbill stork - anastomus oscitans Asian openbill stork - anastomus lamelligerus black stork - ciconia nigra adbim's stork - ciconia abdimii woolynecked stork - ciconia episcopus storm's stork - ciconia stormi maguari stork - ciconia maguari white stork - ciconia ciconia oriental white stork - ciconia boyciana blacknecked stork - ephippiorhynchus asiaticus saddlebill stork - ephipporhynchus sengalensis jabiru stork - jabiru myceteria lesser adjutant stork - leptopilos javanicus greater adjutant stork - leptoptilos dubius marabou stork leptoptilos crumeniferus shoebill - balaeniceps rex American white ibis - eudocimus ruber barefaced ibis - phimosus infuscatus glossy ibis - plegadis falcinellus whitefaced ibis - plegadis chihi puna ibis - plegadis ridgwayi sharptailed ibis - cercibis oxycerca plumbeous ibis - harpiprion caerulscens buffnecked ibis - theristicus caudatus green ibis - mesembrinibis cayennensis hadada ibis - bostrychia hagedash wattled ibis - bostrychia carunculata oliv ibis - bostrychia olivacea spotbreasted ibis - bostrychia reae madagascar crested this - loghotihis cristata sacred this - threskiornis aethiopicus oriental white ibis - threskionis melanoaphaius Australian white ibis - threskiornis molucca strawnecked ibis - threskiornis spinicollis waldrapp ibis - geronticus eremita bald ibis - geronticus calvus black ibis - pseudibis papillosa giant ibis - thaumatibis gigantea oriential crested ibis - nipponia nippon Eurasian spoonbill - platalea leucorodia royal spoonbill - platalea regia blackfaced spoonbill - platalea minor African spoonbill - platalea alba yellowbilled spoonbill - platalea flavipes roseate spoonbill - platalea ajaja. Appendices of weights, measurements and breeding seasons.

Storks, Ibises, and Spoonbills of the World

The Ciconiiformes order is likely an artificial assemblage of various long-legged, long-necked, altricial waterbirds with little in common.

Multiple origins of the Ciconiiformes

Human interference significantly hinders the nesting success of the openbill stork at the Raiganj Wildlife Sanctuary, leading to birds nesting in undisturbed areas and changing their preferred tree species and nesting height.

The effect of human interference on the nesting of the openbill stork Anastomus oscitans at the raiganj wildlife sanctuary, India

The whalebill and storks form a monophyletic assemblage, with the whalebill sharing evolutionary affinity with storks through the morphology of the stapes.

The whalebill is a stork

The stork family (Ciconiidae) includes 17-19 species, mainly in the Old World Tropics, with three distinct subtribes: wood stork/openbill, typical stork, and giant stork.

An Overview of the Storks of the World

African storks have widespread distribution from East to Southern Africa, but their populations in West Africa have declined or been extirpated, necessitating better field coverage and protection.

Assessments of range-wide distribution of six African storks and their relationships with protected areas

Openbill storks are highly susceptible to highly pathogenic avian influenza virus subtype H5N1 and experience high morbidity and mortality when infected.

Susceptibility of openbill storks (Anastomius oscitans) to highly pathogenic avian influenza virus subtype H5N1.

Asian openbill storks (AOS) colonize their nests in Nandankanan Wildlife Sanctuary, Odisha, primarily during the monsoon season, with some nesting in other areas during the winter months.

Colonial nesting of Asian openbill storks (Anastomus oscitans) in Nandankanan Wildlife Sanctuary, Odisha

Asian openbill storks prefer nesting in tree species Acacia nilotica and Prosopis juliflora, which provide proper concealment for predation prevention, making their conservation crucial for their successful nesting process.

Nest-Plant Correlation and Predator Preclusion in Asian Openbill Storks ( Anastomus ascitans ):A Case Study from Nawabgunj Bird Sanctuary, India

Asian openbill storks in Kole Wetlands primarily feed on molluscs, mainly snail Pila globosa and freshwater mussel Unio, without crushing shells or feeding on fishes.

Asian Openbill Stork (Anastomus oscitans), Not a “Nutcracker”: A Study from Kole Wetlands of Thrissur, Kerala

Openbill Storks successfully breed in Zimbabwe's Gonarezhou National Park, benefiting from excessive rains and abundant snails for food.

OPENBILL STORKS BREEDING IN THE SOUTHEASTERN LOWVELD OF ZIMBABWE RHODESIA

These studies suggest that the shoebill stork is threatened by habitat degradation, requires conservation efforts, has been successfully bred in captivity, and shares certain biological traits with herons and storks.