The population appears to be increasing and is not severely fragmented. Kenya’s South Rift Valley & Shompole Conservancy, Sabi Sabi Wildlife Photography Workshop 2021, Ethiopia – Wildlife and Indigenous Culture, Mana Pools and Hwange Safari with Kanga Camp, Red Pandas and Rhino’s of India and Nepal. The stork uses the pouch to show dominance. They breed in colonies, starting during the dry season when food is more readily available as the pools shrink. The marabous will eat other birds too – particularly baby flamingos. While morbid, it’s a genius plan for catching dinner. It uses its strong bill to rip apart and eat the carcass. The marabous use this time to sun themselves with spread wings. When prey touches the bill it snaps shut and the bird swallows its catch. Marabous can help to avoid the spreading of pathogens. At hatching, the chicks are fed by both parents and fledge between 13 and 15 weeks of age. Marabou storks are monogamous and form strong pair bonds that last for life. According to the Oiseaux-birds resource, the total population size of this species was 200,000/500,000 individuals in 2006. African storks have stark white legs, which is not its natural complexion. While usually silent, the Marabou Stork will also emit a sound caused by beak clacking if …

This large African bird, nicknamed the “Undertaker Bird”, is not the most eye pleasing creature and is actually a garbage-eating, pooping-all-over-itself living nightmare kind of a bird.

However, unlike other storks, the marabou keeps its neck tucked and bent so that the shoulders support the weight of the beak. Increasingly, marabous have become dependent on human garbage and hundreds of these huge birds are seen around African dumps or waiting for a hand out in urban areas.

Their disgusting habits play an integral part in Africa’s ecosystem by aiding in reducing the spread of diseases. By simply seeking out carrion to devour, the stork prevents the spread of pathogens. After all the talk of scavenging carrion and excreting on itself, it’ll be hard to believe that the marabou feathers have a stake in fashion. By four-years the full plumage will have grown in and then the youngsters leave their parents to look for mates of their own. Before you write off the giant African stork, book a safari to see them in action. Conserving energy is of utmost importance, and they use their downtime to do just that. This is not just a gross habit, but a scientific process called urohidrosis practiced by many birds. When feeding on carrion, marabous may wait for the vultures to cast aside a piece, steal a piece of meat directly from the vulture or wait until the vultures are done. In fact, they don’t even have voice boxes. Even Marilyn Monroe dons marabou-trimmed heels in the romantic film The Seven Year Itch. They remain with their parents for about another 4 months and reach reproductive maturity at 4 years of age. The storks are vocal only during courtship or when they feel threatened. Intricate fly fishing flies created with marabou feathers are effective lures, imitating a range of insects. They prefer to inhabit open dry savannah, grasslands, swamps, riverbanks, lake shores, and receding pools where fish are concentrated. Thank you so much for taking the time to read this blog, I trust you learnt a little more about this odd looking bird and hopefully also changed your perspective around it. This pouch on their throat is not used for food storage but used during courtship. These birds are wide spread and can be found throughout Africa south of the Sahara. The 18-inch gular sac is a distinctive, and a rather unattractive feature of the marabou stork.

It is not used for food storage but is most noticeable during the breeding season. And when they’re not facing fires or scavenging food, the storks stand around all day. Learn how your comment data is processed. Marabou storks are frequent scavengers, and the naked head and long neck are adaptations to this livelihood; same as with the vultures with which these birds often feed.

These large birds are mostly solitary or in small groups but large groups can be seen near sources of food, while migrating or during the breeding season. A different mature Marabou Stork male is standing on a dead limb 20 feet above ground. This also allows weaker scavengers to make a meal out of the carcass. Marabous build a small nest in a tree made of sticks and line it with twigs and green leaves. The birds do this as a method to keep cool in the hot African climates. Like many birds the Marabou Stork also pants when it becomes hot to lower its body temperature.

Without the help of the stork, the bees would rarely happen upon carcasses suitable for this function. These large and powerful birds eat mainly carrion, scraps, and feces but will opportunistically eat almost any animal matter they can swallow. Marabou storks, as with most bird species, mate for life, which is adorable; but the methods these birds use to attract their mates are anything but adorable. The bald, scabby head of the stork is not due to the misfortune of God creating it with ‘leftover bird parts’. in Africa south of the Sahara.

However, might the pink coloration of his face suggest that breeding season is approaching. The sac connects to the left nostril and works to resonate a guttural croaking sound. After mating, 3 to 5 eggs incubate for about a 30 to 50 days and both the mother and father take care of the nest which is typically high up in trees. Your email address will not be published. These African storks are an eye-sore, with their scabby pink faces, featherless heads, and bulbous throat sac. The pouch is a disturbing 18 inches long and connects to the left nostril, allowing the bird to make a guttural, croaking noise to woo potential mates. They are not fussy about their habitats. IUCN: Least Concern And if they need to heat up, they spread their massive wings to absorb the sunny rays.

The dark plumage which contrasts with the white feathers on the underside of its body looks like a cloak draped over the marabou bird. They pant in order to lower body temperature. The African Marabou stork has a wing span of 2,6 metres (one of the longest wingspans in the world) and a height of 1,5 metres. Editorial Team at Africa Freak is a group of expert Africa writers and influencers. Please leave a comment below and share this with a few friends who’d enjoy the read. Due to its massive size, the marabou stork has a special physiological adaption which makes it possible to fly. The name marabou is thought to be derived from the Arabic word 'murābit' which means quiet or hermit-like.



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