Saddle-billed Stork

Ephippiorhynchus senegalensis

Inland wetlands. Massive red and black bill with yellow saddle diagnostic.

Storks

Not Endemic

Description

Uncommon resident. A large, strikingly coloured stork unlikely to be confused with any other either at rest or in flight. Male has small yellow wattles and dark iris; female lacks wattles and shows yellow iris. Immature has grey instead of black markings, the white areas mottled with black; bill dull, blackish. Occurs singly or in pairs in the shallows of large rivers, lakes, dams, flood plains and marshes.

Quick Facts

Bird Family

Large to very large long-legged and long-necked birds with straight, stout bills. Plumage mostly black and white; bills and legs whitish, reddish or dark. Storks walk with a stately gait and frequently rest on the ground with the lower parts of their legs stretched forward. In flight, the neck is stretched out (unlike herons, which fly with retracted necks) and the legs may trail down at a slight angle to the body. Most storks sometimes soar to great heights during the heat of the day; many are communal in habit and most frequent water or damp places to some extent. Diet ranges from large insects, reptiles, frogs and other waterlife to carrion in one species. They make guttural sounds and hisses at nests, and bill-clapping is used as a greeting between pairs. The nests are large stick structures placed in trees or on rocks, cliffs or the ground.