Shoebill sketch 2

A sketchy study from one of the two shoebills (Balaeniceps rex) in the Zoo of Zurich from early 2013. These big birds are awesome to sketch, since they tend to stand still and mover very slowly most of the time. Still their great "grumpy stare" and the shape of the beak are hard to catch on paper. It's really sad they will be returned to the Zoo of Belgium where they came from in order to breed but considering that it's necessary for breeding programs, since those birds are endangered in their habitat in Africa, I guess it's for the better for the whole species. Until that, I'll make sure to draw them a few more times

Art done by Silvana Dettmann aka Dragunalb aka me.