To date, the parent birds are extremely attentive and sharing in the brooding responsibilities. This egg was accidentally crushed by the new parents however the female laid a second egg on November 11 which successfully incubated. The parent birds established a nest site earlier in the year, and the female laid an egg, a first in North America, on October 3. In 2009, the Zoo turned its North Lake into a giant free-flight aviary featuring dozens of greater African flamingos, great white pelicans, shoebill storks, yellow-billed storks, white-breasted cormorants and a group of ring-tailed lemurs on an island.
![cute shoebill stork cute shoebill stork](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/15/96/b0/1596b0408519da495daad706c2e1fc4b.jpg)
The Zoo manages two pair of shoebills in two aviaries within the Ituri Forest exhibit area. They are known to nest on the ground near water where they forage in shallow, aquatic environments. Shoebills share behaviors and physiological features of herons, and have common characteristics with pelicans. Though considered a stork, the shoebill's history is unclear, and no relatives are known. Common names for shoebills include shoe-billed stork, whale-headed stork or bog bird. A broad wingspan and long, strong legs give this rare bird a stork-like appearance. Known as one of the great bird species of Africa, shoebills are tall (3.5 to 4 feet), darkly colored birds (blue-grey) with unusually large bills up to 12 inches long and 5 inches wide that resemble the shape of a wooden shoe. “Successful hatching of a shoebill here shows what a zoo can do, both as an enjoyable place to visit and as a conservation organization that helps to protect the variety of life on Earth.” “This is a momentous way to start the New Year,” said Craig Pugh, deputy director, acting CEO, of Tampa’s Lowry Park Zoo noting that The United Nations has declared 2010 the International Year of Biodiversity. This is a great accomplishment that is helping the conservation of this unique species.” “The shoebill population is uncommon in the wild, and rarely seen in zoos. “The successful reproduction of shoebill storks is a remarkable achievement for Tampa’s Lowry Park Zoo,” remarked ornithologist Kevin Bell, chairman of the board of directors for the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA).
![cute shoebill stork cute shoebill stork](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/c9/c4/ed/c9c4ed8a68e2f5b4c503823795adfe63.jpg)
The population of wild shoebills is thought to number 8,000-10,000 with the species listed as vulnerable, but is difficult to estimate given the animals’ native habitat of dense marshes and swamps of East-Central Africa.
![cute shoebill stork cute shoebill stork](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/d4/1e/f4/d41ef4c050d390e832b382a781d6dca6.jpg)
The species’ numbers in captivity are few, with only 12 adult shoebills in North American wildlife institutions, four of which are housed at Tampa’s Lowry Park Zoo.