Big Bill lives in Jurong Bird Park in Singapore. He is a bird with a great deal of dignity, despite, or perhaps because of, his massive beak. Humiliatingly, Bill is sometimes called a "whalehead", but not by his friends. Bill is a shoebill; there are 5,000-8,000 left in his habitat of tropical east Africa and he is classified as Vulnerable. However, he can eat a baby crocodile, although it seems unlikely that he ever gets the chance in the civilised confines of Jurong Bird Park. Shoebills are magnificent in flight, appearing almost prehistoric, but it is not clear whether Bill ever gets to fly.
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7 comments:
He can't be your shoebill - he's too small ;-)
He's quite a big bird, and noble with it. I can't really understand why he would be called a shoebill; his beak doesn't look much like a shoe to me. Wikipedia says that "the Arabs referred to the bird as abu markub, which means one with a shoe, a reference to the bird's distinctive bill".
This bird contains the hope of yesterday and the sorrow of tomorrow. And he can eat a (small) crocodile. Sign me up to the fanclub, Big Bill. I am fairly certain I love this bird.
I love Bill too. There's something about him.
He is a very loveable bird. And I think it's the sorrow of yesterday and the hope of tomorrow. There are some good videos on this website. I will hear nothing about Bill being an ugly bird. I think he's beautiful.
When I look at this bird I sense he has experienced a far wider range of emotions than me. His rage unbounded. His kindness unparalled. A bird at peace with both. This bird knows sorrow.
Bill Everlasting.
Bill would melt even the hardest of hearts. Except those few oafs who label him "ugly". But they don't have hearts.
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