Marabou Stork
Leptoptilos crumenifer
Least Concern
The Marabou Stork might not win any beauty contests! This bald-headed African giant is sometimes called the 'undertaker bird' because of its hunched posture and dark cloak-like wings.
Despite their ugly appearance, marabou storks are important cleaners that eat carrion and garbage. They have a wingspan of up to 10.5 feet - one of the largest of any land bird!
Size
Taller than most 10-year-olds - up to 5 feet!
Very Large (>60 cm)
Wingspan: 320 cm
Weight: 8000 g
Colors
black
white
pink
Habitat
grasslandwetlandurban
Diet
carrionfishsmall mammals
Fun Facts
- ✨They're called 'undertaker birds' because of their appearance!
- ✨They have one of the largest wingspans of any land bird.
- ✨They eat garbage and carrion - nature's clean-up crew!
- ✨Their legs are white because they poop on them to stay cool!
Conservation Status
Least Concern
Great news! This bird is doing well. There are lots of them in the wild, and they have safe places to live and find food.
Population trend: decreasing 📉