Everyone knows vultures are carrion-eating birds but there is another bird that also feeds on carrion – the marabou stork. These birds are actually waders but their main diet consists of carrion, termites as well as other birds. In fact they can eat anything up to the size of a flamingo. The marabou has an interesting adaptation – because it is so large, weight could easily be a problem for flight, so their legs have hollow bones and their toe tips are also hollow. This significantly decreases the weight of the bird. Much of their remaining weight is due to their massive wings, spanning up to 2,6m!
So if you’re ever watching a carcass being fed on by vultures and hyenas, keep a look out for the marabou storks – they may join in the feeding frenzy.
