Overview
Standing tall with a bare head, enormous bill and cloak-like wings, the marabou stork is one of Africa’s most imposing birds. Its unusual appearance has earned it the nickname “undertaker bird”, but behind that severe silhouette is a highly adaptable and ecologically valuable scavenger.
Marabou storks feed readily on carcasses and discarded remains, helping remove decaying organic matter from the environment. They also hunt live prey, including fish, frogs, reptiles, insects, rodents and young birds. This flexibility allows them to thrive around savannahs, wetlands and increasingly around towns, slaughterhouses and landfill sites.
They often feed alongside vultures, but are not dependent on them. Their huge, sharp-edged bills allow them to tear flesh from carcasses, while their long legs and patient hunting style are equally useful around shallow water and grassland.
Behaviour & How to Identify
Look for an enormous stork with a bald pinkish head, a massive pale bill and dark grey or black upperparts contrasting with white underparts. A large inflatable throat pouch hangs from the neck, while a second, less obvious air sac may sit beneath the feathers at the back of the neck.
In flight, their broad wings allow them to soar efficiently on rising warm air. Unlike most storks, marabous retract the neck while flying, producing a silhouette more reminiscent of a large heron or vulture.
They breed communally, constructing large stick nests in tall trees. Colonies may occur close to wetlands or reliable feeding areas, and both parents help incubate the eggs and raise the chicks.
Interesting facts
Their bare heads are useful when feeding on carcasses. Having fewer feathers around the face and neck makes them easier to keep clean after reaching into remains.
They are skilled hunters as well as scavengers. Marabou storks catch fish, frogs, reptiles, rodents, insects and young birds when opportunities arise.
Their enormous wings are built for soaring. They ride thermal currents to conserve energy while travelling between feeding and roosting areas.