I could stare at this photo for hours. This is one of my favorite birds. Check out this marabou stork's hair, beak, neck, and eyes. You couldn't ask for a better shot than this.This particular bird abides in Duisburg, Germany -- far from its home in Africa. But I assume that its German keepers are doing a fine job of supplying it with carrion and other delectables.
I think it's high time that the creative minds over at Disney storyboard their next animated movie around a marabou stork hero. The story can revolve around the bird's unwillingness to stick his head inside a zebra corpse. That would draw kids to the box office like flies to...well, to carrion.
Thanks for letting me use your photo, Hennie. You've truly captured the beauty of this animal.
Photo source: Hennie van Heerden
It's great. I'm worried that I won't make it through the verification word. But wasn't this guy in the Darrrk Crrrrystal?
ReplyDeleteAargh! Jack beat me to it! *LMAO!*
ReplyDelete--TwoDragons
Erm...Dark Crystal anyone? "Gelfling!!!!"
ReplyDeletenast, yet so wonderful!
OMG!! Maribou storks are fantastic!! This pic is especially great--let's his whimsical personality shine through...
ReplyDeleteIt looks like a Glamour Shot type photo with the whole "coyly looking over my shoulder" pose.
ReplyDeleteToo funny!
In fact Marabou Storks are not only scavengers, they hunt also a wide range of smaller animals like fish, amphibians, larger insects, reptiles and even birds and mammals. In some regions like in India they eat even human feces in some towns, similar to several species of vultures.
ReplyDelete"Dark Crystal" is exactly what I thought...
ReplyDeleteLOL, I was thinking Dark Crystal too. That angle for an already freakish looking creature is SO COOL!
ReplyDelete