Exploring Nature: Ugly Bird, Beautiful Bird

Not all birds are beautiful.

A few are downright ugly, and one of the ugliest I’ve ever seen is the shoebill stork. I saw this bird in Africa and was impressed by its prehistoric appearance — huge, brown-stained beak and hulking, five-foot tall body on thin black legs. It reminded me a bit of the wood stork, but with a double dose of ugliness.

The shoebill’s beady eyes don’t help its overall appearance, and its communication skills consist of hisses and a gurgly barking sound.