The family Balaenicipitidae, within the order Pelecaniformes, consists of a single extant species, the shoebill (Balaeniceps rex). Native to the freshwater swamps and wetlands of central tropical Africa, the shoebill is a large wading bird best known for its massive, shoe-shaped bill, which it uses to catch fish, amphibians, and other aquatic prey with remarkable precision. Standing up to 1.5 meters tall, it has a stork-like appearance but is more closely related to pelicans and herons. Balaenicipitidae represents a unique evolutionary lineage, and the shoebill is considered both rare and vulnerable due to habitat loss and disturbance, making it an iconic and conservation-dependent species.