Leptoptilos crumenifer
The Marabou Stork (Leptoptilos crumenifer) is an immense and unmistakable wading bird native to Sub-Saharan Africa, often earning it the moniker 'undertaker bird' due to its somber appearance and hunched posture. Standing an imposing 150 cm (59 in) tall with an estimated wingspan of 2.6 m (8.5 ft) and weighing up to 9 kg (20 lb), it is among the largest flying land birds in the world. Its distinctive field marks include a bare, pinkish head and neck, a massive, wedge-shaped bill, a large, inf...
Found across a wide range of Sub-Saharan African habitats, including savannas, grasslands, wetlands, and even urban environments, often near human settlements and refuse dumps, typically at low to moderate elevations.
Primarily a scavenger of carrion and offal, but also preys on fish, insects, eggs, young birds, reptiles, amphibians, and occasionally human waste, utilizing a variety of foraging methods from opportunistic snatching to scavenging.
Marabou Storks are primarily diurnal, spending their days soaring on thermals to survey the landscape for food or congregating at carrion sites and roosting communally in large trees or on cliffs at night. Their foraging strategy centers on scavenging carrion, but they are opportunistic predators...
The Marabou Stork is a widespread resident breeder throughout Sub-Saharan Africa, from Senegal in the west to Eritrea in the east, extending south through East Africa to northern South Africa. Its distribution is largely continuous, preferring areas with large ungulate populations or human settle...
Least Concern
- The Marabou Stork is often called the 'undertaker bird' due to its dark back, white belly, and hunched posture, resembling an old-fashioned undertaker's attire. - It has one of the largest wingspans of any living land bird, reaching up to 3.2 meters (10.5 feet), making it an incredible glider. ...