Leptoptilos javanicus
The Lesser Adjutant (*Leptoptilos javanicus*) is a colossal wading bird, an imposing member of the stork family (Ciconiidae) and a close relative to the more widespread Marabou Stork and the critically endangered Greater Adjutant. Standing typically around 110-120 cm (43-47 inches) tall with a wingspan of 200-210 cm (79-83 inches) and weighing 4-5 kg (8.8-11 lbs), it presents a striking profile. Its plumage is largely dark, with glossy dark grey to black upperparts, wings, and tail, contrasti...
Primarily inhabiting tropical and subtropical wetlands, the Lesser Adjutant frequents freshwater and brackish marshes, floodplains, mangrove swamps, estuaries, and irrigated rice paddies, typically at low to moderate elevations.
Its diet is diverse and opportunistic, primarily consisting of fish, frogs, reptiles, large insects, crustaceans, and small mammals, supplemented by carrion and refuse. Foraging mainly occurs by wading and actively hunting, but also includes scavenging.
Lesser Adjutants are primarily diurnal, often seen soaring high on thermals during the warmer parts of the day or wading deliberately through shallow waters. They roost communally in large, tall trees, sometimes with other large waterbirds. Foraging involves slow, deliberate wading, often with th...
The Lesser Adjutant has a discontinuous breeding and resident range across South and Southeast Asia. Its population centers are found in India (primarily eastern and northeastern states), Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Malaysia (Malay Peninsula), and Ind...
Vulnerable
- Despite its name, the 'Lesser' Adjutant is still an impressively large bird, often standing over a meter tall. - Its bare head and neck are an adaptation for scavenging, preventing feathers from getting soiled while feeding on carrion. - Like vultures and other large storks, Lesser Adjutants ar...