Marabou Stork (Leptoptilos crumenifer)
Illustration redrawn by AI from a real photograph

Marabou Stork

Leptoptilos crumenifer (Lesson, RP, 1831)

6.1 kgWeight

The marabou stork (Leptoptilos crumenifer) is a large wading bird in the stork family Ciconiidae native to sub-Saharan Africa.

Busiest months: November · Most records: Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda

Least Concern

Where and when it's recorded

Busiest months: November · Most records: Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda

Marabou Stork has been recorded at 361 of the 8,276 birding hotspots we track, in 30 countries and regions.

Records by month Southern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

  1. Nairobi NPKenya1,903 records
  2. Lake Nakuru NPKenya1,511 records
  3. Entebbe Botanical GardenUganda1,458 records
More places
  1. Ngorongoro Conservation Area – Ngorongoro CraterTanzania858 records
  2. Amboseli NPKenya792 records
  3. Serengeti NPTanzania697 records
  4. Tarangire NPTanzania592 records
  5. Maasai Mara NRKenya551 records
  6. Maasai Mara NR – Mara TriangleKenya530 records
  7. Queen Elizabeth II NP – Kazinga Channel Boat TripUganda416 records

Countries and regions with the most records

KenyaTanzaniaUgandaSouth AfricaBotswanaEthiopiaZambiaNamibia

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 marabou stork (Leptoptilos crumenifer) is a large wading bird in the stork family Ciconiidae native to sub-Saharan Africa. It breeds in both wet and arid habitats, 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".

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

Questions

How big is the Marabou Stork?

The Marabou Stork weighs around 6.1 kg.

Where does the Marabou Stork live?

Its breeding range: Africa: widespread south of the Sahara. It is most often recorded in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.

When is the best time to see the Marabou Stork?

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

Is the Marabou Stork endangered?

The IUCN Red List classifies the Marabou Stork as Least Concern.

What does the Marabou Stork eat?

Main food: Omnivore.

What family is the Marabou Stork in?

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

At a glance

Weight
6.1 kg
Habitat
Grassland
Diet
Omnivore
Lifestyle
Active on the ground
Migration
Resident (barely migrates)
Conservation
Least Concern
More measurements
Wing
708 mm
Tail
266 mm
Bill
316 mm
Tarsus
266 mm

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

Range

Africa: widespread south of the Sahara

Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2

Classification

Family
Storks Ciconiidae
Genus
Leptoptilos

Other birds in the genus Leptoptilos

Marabou Stork

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Free to use with credit: “Illustration: Bird Album (birdalbum.com)”. Drawn by AI from a reference photo by ugqira52-. ↗

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