![]() But that doesn’t stop Crowe and Walnut from going through the motions all summer long, five days a week, sometimes several times a day. Alas, a matchmaker in Memphis - the keeper of the white-naped crane studbook, whose job is to ensure a genetically diverse captive population - has decreed that they don’t need any more babies from Walnut, at least not this year. In past years, Crowe would have taken this opportunity to inject Walnut with a syringe of crane semen. Thirty seconds elapse - it feels much longer - before Walnut steps away from Crowe, fixes a few out-of-place feathers, and then stretches out her wings, asking for another go-round. Then he starts rubbing her thighs, rhythmically, almost pornographically. Kneeling behind the bird, Crowe rests a hand gently on her back. She returns his bows and then turns away from him and holds her wings loosely away from her body. I follow his suggestion, and, almost immediately, Walnut starts responding to Crowe’s overtures. It is important to work to preserve shoebill birds and their habitats so that shoebills can continue thriving in the years to come.“Try getting in the van,” Crowe calls to me. Shoebills are not particularly harmful to humans and there are no confirmed cases of death due to these birds attacking humans, pets, or livestock. They may look scary and have big, intimidating bills, but those bills are only a cause for concern for fish and some small animals. Understanding these beautiful shoebill birds is important, and education about these creatures will help in conservation efforts and in preventing the shoebill bird from becoming endangered. There’s a lot more to learn about shoebills, and this information has really only scratched the surface. Today, scientists continue to study fossils and information about shoebills to get a better idea of what they are and how to understand them. ![]() It wasn’t until over a hundred years later that shoebills were reclassified. Humans have known about shoebills as long ago as ancient Egypt when they are first referred to in written language. They did not receive a classification until the 1800s, however, when they become known to the West and specifically to Europe. Some scientists also feel that the shoebill is related to herons, and therefore it can also be known as a shoebill crane. ![]() The shoebill resembles a stork in its structure and shape, and this is why it is also sometimes referred to as the shoebill stork. The shoebill is very closely related to pelicans, which is why it is sometimes referred to as a shoebill pelican and is classified in the order Pelecaniformes. However, in the past, the shoebill was miscategorized as belonging to the Ciconiiformes order, which includes storks.
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