Saddle-billed Stork
The stork also has what is known as the saddle on its upper side (towards the head), which has a bright yellow coloration and gives the bird its name. The color of the feathers, like the beak, comes in two colors.
Appearance
Furthermore, the stork has on its upper side (towards the head) the so-called saddle, which has a bright yellow coloration and gives the animal its name. The color of the feathers, like the beak, comes in two colors. The chest, the underside of the wings and part of the back are white, while the rest is black. Finally, the legs should be mentioned, which are brown or pink. The saddle stork can reach a body length of up to 145 centimeters and a wingspan of 250 centimeters. In addition, it can weigh up to 6 kilograms, making it one of the largest flying birds in the world. It should be noted that the male is usually much larger than the female.
Saddle Stork - its Distribution and Lifestyle
First of all, it should be noted that the populations of these animals are rather solitary and do not occur widely. They can often be found in Senegal to South Africa and in Ethiopia. An important factor for the habitat of this stork is that it requires large wetlands. These include swamps, lakes, floodplains and transition zones. Here, the animal can most easily find its preferred food, which consists of small vertebrates, fish, snakes and frogs. If the opportunity arises, the saddle stork can also feed on rodents, insects, crabs, snails and even carrion. The hunting behavior is typical of storks, as it wades through shallow water and startles its prey, which it impales with a quick movement of its beak. The animals live in pairs in a fixed territory, which is defended against other conspecifics.
