African Openbill
African Open-billed Stork

Anastomus lamelligerus

African Openbill, Anastomus lamelligerus, photo © by Michael Plagens

On the shore near a small pond at Nairobi National Park, Kenya. Octobet 2016.

From Wikipedia: The African openbill is an 80–94 cm long stork with a weight of 1–1.3 kg. Its adult plumage is generally dark overall, with glossy green, brown, and purple on the mantle and breast. The bill is brownish and notably large. The legs are black, and the eye is grey. The juvenile plumage is more dull and brown, with areas of pale feather tips. The African openbill feeds almostly exclusively on aquatic snails and freshwater mussels. It will also eat terrestrial snails, frogs, crabs, fish, worms, and large insects. It uses its bill to detects prey, and can use it in such a way that it easily pries open molluscs. It tends to feed singly or in small groups.

Ciconiiidae -- Stork Family

Books:

  • Birds of Kenya and Northern Tanzania by Zimmerman et al.
  • Birds of East Africa by Stevenson and Fanshawe

More Information:


Kenya Natural History

Copyright Michael J. Plagens, page created 30 Nov. 2016