Shoebill chick is filmed attacking its younger
sibling
Aggressive bullying between bizarre-looking
shoebill chicks has been filmed for the first time.
The encounter was captured at Bangweulu wetlands
near Kasanka, in northern Zambia, Africa.
Wildlife filmmakers were surprised to witness an
older chick attacking its younger sibling while their mother was foraging away
from the nest.
The birds are rare subjects for study because
their swamp breeding grounds are very difficult to access.
The BBC/Discovery team's aim was to shed light
on the species by documenting intimate behaviour of shoebill parents and young
at the nest.
Siblicide, the phenomenon of offspring killing
their siblings, is common among many larger birds.
"This behaviour had previously been
recorded in shoebills (Balaeniceps rex) but we hadn't planned on seeing
it," explained director Alex Lanchester, who describes the shoebill as
"prehistoric-looking".
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