Marabou++Stork

The Marabou Stork
 * **Description** || Wing span of males can reach 2.9 meters standing 1.5m tall. Their feathers seem like hair that is sprinkled on their necks and nearly bald heads. They have long magenta colored beak, and dark gray backs that contrast their white bellies and neck ruff. Their long legs are also dark gray to black. ||
 * **Habitats** || They are found throughout most of tropical Africa. Often found on dry [|savannahs] near large bodies of water. Commonly they will leave an area during the rainy season and return when conditions are dry. They are also known to follow their prey which places them near fishing villages, slaughter houses, and garbage dumps. ||
 * **Diet** || Marabous will eat just about any creature dead or alive. They often feast on a diet of small insects, such as[|termites], [|locusts] and [|grasshoppers], and they will eat [|baby crocodiles], [|flamingos,] and [|fish]. ||
 * **Reproduction** || Marabous reach sexual maturity at about four to five years of age. Once the males have established their territory, they will aggressively acknowledge others who enter their space. Courting females will act passive to the males' aggression until the males accept them as an suitable mates. Nests are located in trees or high cliffs and are reused year after year. The female lays two to three eggs that incubate fro about 30 days. ||
 * **Conservation** || Fortunately, the Marabou has been able to adapt to the surrounding human population and thus have been increasing in number. The fact that they are quite unattractive keeps them safe from hungry hunters. Because they are scavengers that help clean up carcasses and rubbish, they are seen as good neighbors to have around. ||

media type="youtube" key="jmQVvvPfmiQ" width="425" height="350" **Did you know...** •You will often find Marabou storks near grass fires. They scoot ahead of the fire to snatch up fleeing animals. •They have a pouch on their throat that they use in courtship •They are scavengers that get most of their food from lion kills, plowed fields, and garbage piles. •Storks require about 1.6 pounds a food per day.


 * References**

// Birds. Friends of the National Zoo. Retrieved 29 July, 2008, from //http://nationalzoo.si.edu/Animals/Birds/Facts/FactSheets/fact-maraboustork.cfm.

//Marabou Stork//. //Animal Bytes//. Retrieved 29 July, 2008, from [|http://www.seaworld.org/Animal-info/animal-bytes/animalia/eumetazoa/coelomates/deuterostomes/chordata/craniata/aves/ciconiiformes/marabou-stork.htm.]

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