The shoebill (Balaeniceps rex) is a long-legged wading bird, belonging to the order of Pelecaniformes (hence the long legs). Shoebills practice urohydrosis, effectively defecating on their legs to lower their body temperature. To each their own.
Sadly, there are only 5000 estimated specimens alive today. They are mostly threatened by anthropogenic destruction of their marshland habitat and black-market trading, where the rare bird is sold for multiple thousands of dollars.
#nature #biology #extinction #zoology #birds #ecology #shoebill #ornithology