African Openbill (Anastomus lamelligerus)
Illustration redrawn by AI from a real photograph

African Openbill

Anastomus lamelligerus Temminck, 1823

80–94 cmLength1.1 kgWeight

The African openbill (Anastomus lamelligerus) is a species of stork from the family Ciconiidae.

Busiest months: October–November · Most records: Uganda, Botswana, Kenya

Least Concern

Where and when it's recorded

African Openbill has been recorded at 326 of the 8,171 birding hotspots we track, in 33 countries and regions.

Records by month Southern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

  1. Entebbe Botanical GardenUganda1,246 records
  2. Nairobi NPKenya511 records
  3. Chobe River – boat tripBotswana504 records
More places
  1. Macaneta – Wetland, dune forests and coastMozambique422 records
  2. Nguuni Nature SanctuaryKenya416 records
  3. Mabamba SwampUganda363 records
  4. Kruger NP – Lower Sabie Rest CampSouth Africa343 records
  5. Kisumu WaterfrontKenya333 records
  6. Chobe River – west of KasaneBotswana309 records
  7. Mkhuze GRSouth Africa293 records

Countries and regions with the most records

UgandaBotswanaKenyaSouth AfricaZambiaNamibiaTanzaniaMozambique

eBird records via GBIF up to 2024-12-31. A record means someone listed it; more records partly mean more birders, not more birds.

About

The African openbill (Anastomus lamelligerus) is a species of stork from the family Ciconiidae. It is widely distributed in Sub-Saharan Africa and western regions of Madagascar. This species is considered common to locally abundant across its range, although it has a patchy distribution.

Excerpt from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · authors · Read more on Wikipedia

Questions

How big is the African Openbill?

The African Openbill is about 80–94 cm long and weighs around 1.1 kg.

Where does the African Openbill live?

Its breeding range: Africa: widespread. It is most often recorded in Uganda, Botswana and Kenya.

When is the best time to see the African Openbill?

At the hotspots we track, it is recorded most in October and November (Southern Hemisphere).

Is the African Openbill endangered?

The IUCN Red List classifies the African Openbill as Least Concern.

What does the African Openbill eat?

Main food: Fish, shrimp & shellfish.

What family is the African Openbill in?

It belongs to the family Storks (Ciconiidae), order Ciconiiformes.

At a glance

Length
80–94 cm
Weight
1.1 kg
Habitat
Wetland
Diet
Fish, shrimp & shellfish
Lifestyle
Active on the ground
Migration
Partial migrant
Conservation
Least Concern
More measurements
Wing
394 mm
Tail
178 mm
Bill
178 mm
Tarsus
144 mm

Averages from the AVONET dataset; length from field guides where available.

Range

Africa: widespread

Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2

Classification

Family
Storks Ciconiidae
Genus
Anastomus

Other birds in the genus Anastomus

Asian OpenbillAsian OpenbillAnastomus oscitansMarabou StorkMarabou StorkLeptoptilos crumeniferLesser AdjutantLesser AdjutantLeptoptilos javanicusGreater AdjutantGreater AdjutantLeptoptilos dubiusWood StorkWood StorkMycteria americanaYellow-billed StorkYellow-billed StorkMycteria ibisPainted StorkPainted StorkMycteria leucocephalaMilky StorkMilky StorkMycteria cinereaJabiruJabiruJabiru mycteriaSaddle-billed StorkSaddle-billed StorkEphippiorhynchus senegalensis
African Openbill

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Free to use with credit: “Illustration: Bird Album (birdalbum.com)”. Drawn by AI from a reference photo by Gigi Laidler. ↗

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