EPOW - Ecology Picture of the Week

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Marabou Marauder

Credit & Copyright:  Dr. Bruce G. Marcot
  

Explanation:  Last week, we explored two enormous birds of prey that are carrion-feeders.  Here is another ... the marauding and enormous Marabou Stork of central and southern Africa. Not quite the size of condors, Marabous are still intimidating, particularly when they hang over your head in search of morsels or, more ominous, carrion.         Let's compare the Marabou Stork with the Andean Condor (measurements are of males):   Measurement Marabou Stork Andean Condor Overall length 152 cm 120 cm Wingspan 319 cm (up to 370 cm) 320 cm Weight 9 kg 15 kg The stork wins in overall length, and either ties or wins in wingspan, but the condor wins in the weight contest. Marabou Storks and condors are opportunistic feeders.  Marabous have been reported to consume quite a range of goodies, including:  carrion, refuse, rodents, insects, birds (even adult flamingos!), fish, young crocodiles (!), lizards, snakes, and frogs (Maclean 1993, Borrow and Demey 2001).         Information:    Borrow, N., and R. Demey. 2001. A guide to the birds of western Africa. Princeton University Press, Princeton and Oxford. 832 pp.    Maclean, G. L. 1993. Roberts' birds of southern Africa. Sixth edition. John Voelcker Bird Book Fund, Cape Town, South Africa. 871 pp.