Creepy Bird of the Month #5: Marabou Stork

Ah, the stork.  The universal symbol of new life.  If you’re anything like me, the mention of a stork brings up memories of Mr. Stork delivering a sweet baby “Jumbo Jr” to his mother, Mrs. Jumbo in the classic Disney cartoon, Dumbo.  Precious.

Not so much with the Marabou Stork.  I don’t think we need to do much to convince you that this ungainly bird is prime candidate for “Creepy Bird of the Month.” 

Let’s start off with its physical attributes.  The Marabou Stork is huge and can measure up to 5 feet tall with one of the largest wingspans of any bird, averaging 7-9 feet!  It has the typical long and skinny stork legs and black and white plumage.  But that’s where the “typical” ends and “creepy” begins.  Not only does it look positively prehistoric with its ugly, naked head, thick woody beak and hideous gular sac, this massive bird also has a voracious appetite and a serious attitude problem to go with it.  

Photo Cred: walkthewilderness.net

Did I mention the beady eyes that look like they can bore a hole into your soul?

Like vultures, Marabou Storks are scavengers and feed mainly on dead and decaying matter, but they are known to be merciless carnivores when necessary.

This stork does not deliver babies, it eats them.  

Do a quick internet search and you’ll find all sorts of (incredible) footage and photos of the Marabou devouring a meal, from flamingos to mongoose to reptiles.  Other vultures know enough to steer clear of the Marabou during feeding time, as they can be incredibly aggressive.

Photo Cred: Joe Bonita

Here's another fun fact:  In most photos you'll notice the stork's legs appear to be white in color.  Well, they're actually black...and the reason they appear white is because he defecates on them.  Yup.  This bird poops on himself.  Although this is believed to be a way to keep cool, it still seems...uncouth.

Not exactly the stork of your childhood fairy tales.

All the creepiness aside, let’s focus a bit on the good things about this bird.  The Marabou Stork (as with all scavengers) plays an important roll in maintaining their habitat by keeping carrion waste under control.  They clean up the garbage that we, and most of the animal kingdom, consider putrid.  They also appear to be graceful in flight, soaring on their massive, elegant wings.  Bonus!  They are not threatening to humans!  Still, I don’t recommend hiring one to babysit your children…

All in all, this is an absolutely fascinating creature.  I would love to someday see one in person, even if it is just at a zoo.  Personally, I find these huge and hideous birds far more interesting than the “pretty” ones.  If you want to know more, then I’ve done my job well.  Do some research and let us know what other interesting facts you find.

Have any of our readers encountered a Marabou Stork?  We’d love to hear about it!

FACTS:

• Nickname: Undertaker Bird, Kaloli Bird (ugly bird)
• Average Height: 60 inches (That’s taller than my 45 y/o sister.)  
• Typical Wingspan: 7-9 Feet
• Largest Wingspan Recorded: 10.5 Feet (though a span of 13.3 ft has been reported, but not verified)
• Range: sub-Saharan Africa
• Diet: Carrion, termites, small reptiles, flamingos, smaller birds, rodents, etc.
• Random: Unofficial National Bird of Uganda

Photo cred: Ingo Gerlach via DailyMail.com