The bird that is a stork with a large beak is called the Marabou Stork. The Marabou Stork has a few distinctive features that make it easy to identify. First and foremost is its large, heavy bill that allows it to eat quite sizable prey. The bill itself can reach up to 25 inches (64 cm) in length. The Marabou Stork also has a featherless head and neck, giving it an unusual scraggly appearance. When fully grown, the Marabou Stork stands an impressive 60 inches (152 cm) tall with a wingspan around 11 feet (3.4 m). Lastly, the Marabou Stork has black and white plumage on its body and black flight feathers on its wings. With its massive size, bare head, large bill, and bold black and white coloration, the Marabou Stork is unmistakable.
Scientific Classification
The Marabou Stork, with the scientific name Leptoptilos crumenifer, belongs to the Ciconiidae family of storks. This family contains other large wading birds like the White Stork, Wood Stork, Maguari Stork, and Jabiru. The Marabou Stork’s genus name Leptoptilos comes from Greek meaning “thin feathered.” This refers to the lanky plumes on the back of its neck. Its species name crumenifer means “money bearer” in Latin. This unusual name may come from the large throat pouch that hangs from the Marabou Stork’s neck, which could be seen as a purse or wallet.
The Marabou Stork’s closest relatives are other large African storks like the Saddle-billed Stork, Yellow-billed Stork, and Woolly-necked Stork. However, genetic analysis has shown that the Marabou Stork is actually most closely related to the Adjutant Storks of Asia. Despite living on separate continents, the Marabou Stork and Adjutant Storks share a common ancestor from around 35 million years ago.
Range and Habitat
The Marabou Stork is native to Africa south of the Sahara Desert. Its range stretches across sub-Saharan Africa in a band from Senegal and Gambia east to Ethiopia and Somalia and south to South Africa. It is found in both wet and dry ecosystems including savannas, grasslands, swamps, and human settlements. Large populations occur near wetlands, cities, and agricultural areas where food is abundant.
In recent decades, the Marabou Stork has expanded its range. It has moved into new areas across Central and Southern Africa. The reduction of lion populations, which prey on Marabou Storks, may have contributed to their population growth. Deforestation has also created new habitat as the birds prefer open areas. Additionally, they have adapted well to living in urban environments. Their populations in cities have grown as the storks feed on garbage and prey on animals around human settlements.
Physical Description
The most noticeable part of the Marabou Stork is its large, heavy bill that is up to 25 inches long. The bill is thick at the base and tapers to a narrow point for spearing food. A gap, called the gonys, runs along the center of the upper mandible. The Marabou has a featherless black head and neck with some pink areas. It has a distinctive diamond-shaped throat pouch that hangs from its neck. On its body, the Marabou has mostly white plumage with some black on the wings, tail, and thighs. Its legs are long and pinkish.
The sexes are similar in appearance but the male is larger than the female. Adult Marabou Storks stand around 60 inches tall and weigh 20 pounds or more. Their wingspans are enormous, measuring up to 11 feet across. This makes the Marabou one of the largest flying birds in the world along with condors, bustards, and other large storks.
Juvenile Marabou Storks have a grayish head and neck. Their plumage is more dingy brown than stark white. The massive bill and air sac are underdeveloped at this stage. Young Marabous gradually gain adult plumage and features as they mature over 3-4 years.
Diet and Hunting
The Marabou Stork is a carnivorous scavenger that will eat almost anything it can swallow. Its diet consists mainly of carrion, including dead fish, birds, mammals, reptiles, and amphibians. They frequently feed on animal carcasses and waste around villages and watering holes. Marabou Storks also hunt live prey like rodents, rabbits, lizards, eggs, chicks, locusts, and other invertebrates. Groups sometimes cooperate to take down larger animals like flamingos, pelicans, and young antelope.
Marabou Storks locate food by sight and by following vultures, which find carcasses first. At carcasses, Marabous scrap with each other and other scavengers for access to meat with their large bills. They gorge on carrion and can expand their throat pouch to store up to 2 pounds of meat. Marabous hunting live prey walk slowly and strike quickly with their bills.
Unique Adaptations
Several of the Marabou Stork’s special features allow it to thrive as a scavenger across Africa:
- Large bill for tearing into carcasses and swallowing large food items whole
- Naked head and neck prevent mess while plunging head into carcasses
- Throat pouch to store extra food
- Wide wingspan and soaring ability to scan large areas for food
- Powerful legs to walk long distances in search of carrion
- High tolerance for bacteria that allows it to eat rotten, diseased meat
Reproduction
Marabou Storks breed during the dry season from July-September in Southern Africa and in November in East Africa. They nest in small colonies, usually with 10-100 pairs nesting in trees near water. Pairs build a large platform nest of sticks 3-6 feet wide. The female lays 2-3 eggs over about a week. Incubation lasts 30-35 days. Both parents incubate and provide some parental care.
Chicks hatch with gray down. Parents feed them by regurgitating food into the nest. Chicks leave the nest at 2-3 months but continue to beg for food. Young storks start flying at about 4 months. They reach sexual maturity between 3-5 years old. Marabou Storks can live up to 25 years in the wild.
Population and Conservation
The Marabou Stork has an extremely large range across Africa. Its global population has not been quantified but is estimated at several million birds. Populations appear to be increasing as the species continues expanding its range into new habitats. The IUCN Red List categorizes the Marabou Stork as Least Concern.
In some places, Marabous are even considered pests. They scavenge in garbage dumps and their droppings can spread disease in cities. Large Marabou populations may compete with vultures at carcasses. However, Marabou Storks face persecution and poisoning in some areas due to these problems. Overall though, the adaptable Marabou continues to thrive across Africa.
Fun Facts
- The Marabou Stork is the national bird of Uganda, appearing on the country’s coat of arms and stamps.
- It has the largest wingspan of any stork, measuring up to 11 feet across.
- Like vultures, Marabou Storks have bare heads to avoid getting messy while eating.
- Its throat pouch can expand to store up to 2 pounds of meat.
- A group of Marabou Storks is called a “undertakers.”
- It makes a bill clattering sound to communicate with other Marabous.
- Marabou Storks sunbathe by stretching out their impressive wings.
Conclusion
With its imposing size, massive bill, and sinister appearance, the Marabou Stork certainly makes a striking impression. Yet this unusual bird fills an important niche as a scavenger across sub-Saharan Africa. Noisy, messy, and not overly picky about its food, the Marabou Stork is perfectly adapted to cleaning up carrion and waste. Though not beautiful in the conventional sense, the Marabou’s highly specialized adaptations allow it to thrive in both natural and human dominated environments.
