While nature never ceases to surprise us with its infinite variations, the shoebill stork (Balaeniceps rex) is a creature whose looks are wilder than most. This African bird’s enormous size (it stands up to 5 feet tall) and huge shoe-shaped bill have led it to be described as the “most terrifying bird in the world” by the Audubon Society.
Other names for the strange-looking creature include the “whalehead” and the “whaleheaded stork,” giving an idea of just how odd this prehistoric-looking bird is.
