Marabou Stork
Image: <bdi><a href="https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q54800218" class="extiw" title="d:Q54800218"><span title="Scottish wildlife photographer">Charles J. Sharp</span></a></bdi> (CC BY-SA 4.0)
NameMarabou Stork
Common NameMarabou Stork
Scientific NameLeptoptilos crumenifer
FamilyCiconiidae
Wingspan (cm)260
Length (cm)135
Weight (g)6700
Plumage DetailsThe plumage is dark slate-grey to black on the upperparts and undertail coverts, contrasting with white underparts. The head and neck are largely featherless, displaying pinkish-red to blackish skin with sparse, wispy hair-like feathers, and a distinctive white ruff at the base of the neck.
Vocalization / CallGenerally silent, but can produce guttural croaks, grunts, and bill-clattering, particularly during breeding displays at the nest.
Primary Dietcarnivore
Primary Habitatssavanna, grassland, wetland, marsh, lake shore, riverbank, human settlements, refuse dumps
Conservation Statusleast-concern
Geographic RangeFound widely across sub-Saharan Africa, from Senegal and Gambia in the west to Eritrea and Somalia in the east, and south to South Africa.
Identifying FeaturesVery large size, Bare, pinkish-red to blackish head and neck, Massive, wedge-shaped bill, Prominent gular sac (neck pouch), White ruff at the base of the neck, Dark grey/black upperparts and white underparts
Description
The Marabou Stork is a very large wading bird with a distinctive bare head and neck, a massive wedge-shaped bill, and a prominent gular sac. It is primarily a scavenger, often seen near carrion or refuse dumps, but also an opportunistic predator.
