Detailed, close up portrait of a Marabou stork

Marabou Stork Portrait

Ngorongoro Crater, Tanzania, East Africa

The Marabou Stork is a massive bird with a naked head and long neck adapted to scavenging. Its bare head is easier to keep clean, as feathers would quickly become contaminated with blood and other substances while feeding on corpses. It is opportunistic, feeding on carrion, scraps, feces and small animals such as fish frogs and insects, consuming just about any animal matter.

In Northern Tanzania, near the Ngorongoro Crater, this Marabou Stork posed nicely for me. There are a host of interesting colors and textures on its head, face and skin that I find interesting. I am particularly drawn to the incompletely formed feathers and tangled “hairs” on its head. Some have categorized this bird as one of Africa’s “Ugly Five”, along with the warthog, hyena, vulture and wildebeest. But I am continually amazed at the adaptations and specializations found in nature. Photo © copyright by Dr. Edward Mikol.

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