The Marabou stork (Leptoptilos crumenifer) is a large wading bird that breeds in Africa often near human habitation, especially landfill sites. It is sometimes called the "undertaker bird" due to its shape from behind: cloak-like wings and back, skinny white legs, and sometimes a large white mass of "hair".
The Marabou stork is a massive bird. This bird is unmistakable due to its size, bare head, and neck, huge bill, pink gular sac at its throat (crumenifer(us) - means "carrier of a pouch for money"), and neck ruff. The male and the female are alike, but the young bird is browner and has a smaller bill.
Marabou storks breed in Africa south of the Sahara. They live in both wet and arid habitats and can be found in open dry savannas, grasslands, riverbanks, lakeshores, and swamps. These birds are also frequent visitors to landfills and fishing villages.
Marabou storks are social birds and often gather in groups near lakes or rivers. They are generally silent but may sometimes make grunts, croak with their throat sac, or rattle their bills. These large and powerful birds eat mainly carrion, scraps, and feces but will opportunistically eat almost any animal matter they can swallow. Marabou storks feed by day soaring high over the open country looking for food or frequently following vultures which lead them to carrion. When feeding on carrion, marabous may wait for the vultures to cast aside a piece, steal a piece of meat directly from the vulture or wait until the vultures are done. Marabous will also forage by wading in shallow water using their sensitive bills. When prey touches the bill it snaps shut and the bird swallows its catch. Increasingly, marabous have become dependent on human garbage and hundreds of these huge birds are seen around African dumps or waiting for a handout in urban areas. Marabous eating human garbage have been seen to devour virtually anything that they can swallow, including even shoes and pieces of metal.
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