The largest living birds, adult males may be 2.75 meters (. Nonetheless, more recent studies seem to group it among "aepyornithid-like" taxa. Ostriches are flightless birds found only in open country in Africa. eocaenus resembled the secretarybird (Sagittarius serpentarius) and the shoebill (Balaeniceps rex), two rather singular African endemics. Moreover, the prehistoric bird had several peculiar traits not at all found in ratites, but present in certain neognaths: its toes were widely divergent and could flex through a wide range of positions, while strong tendons gave the bird a firm grip. They actually combine a number of traits not found in any known ratite lineage, and in particularly not in the ostriches and elephant birds (the only ratites biogeographically close to Eremopezus). These flightless birds, driven to extinction by humans and their domesticated companions. The shoebill’s sturdy, reinforced bill is crucial, given the bird’s hunting technique. Like pelicans and storks, shoebills also partake in gular fluttering to release excess heat. Careful study of the remains suggests that their apparent similarity to ratites is misleading. A Shoebill Stork (Balaeniceps rex), aka 'Whalehead&. Staying cool entails urohidrosis, meaning urinating on its legs, and the inevitable evaporation has a chilling effect on the bird. Adult shoe-billed storks typically weigh between 8.8 and 15.4 lbs. Their wingspan can be anywhere from 90.6 to 102.4 inches. Shoebill storks may not be the tallest, heaviest, or widest-winged birds, but just look at that death stare.On top of having a nutcracker for a face, the 5-foot-tall shoebill leads a fearsome. The rocks its fossils occur in were deposited in the Priabonian, with the oldest dating back to about 36 million years ago (Ma) and the youngest not less than about 33 Ma. The shoebill storks height ranges between 43.5 and 55.1 inches. It has a somewhat stork-like overall form and has previously been classified with the storks in the order Ciconiiformes based on this morphology. It derives its name from its enormous shoe-shaped bill. The huge and presumably flightless Eremopezus eocaenus, was found in Upper Eocene Jebel Qatrani Formation near Faiyum in Egypt. The shoebill, also known as the whalebill, whale-headed stork, and shoe-billed stork is a large long-legged wading bird. Eremopezus is a prehistoric bird genus, possibly a palaeognath.
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