co 1,4 -1,5 m of vertex-height and a wing-span by 300 cm is fitting Marabus to the biggest little sturgeon. Three types live in Africa and South-Asia.
Usual Marabu The spread-area of the actual Marabus (Leptoptilus crumeniferus) stretches over Africa of Mauritania and the Sudan far southwards until almost at the cape of the good hope. With the mighty, 32-35 cm long, whitish beak and its unbefiederten head and neck-region, "Kropfstörche" are quite distinctive birds.
The also bare, flesh-colored, 25 to 35 cm long Kehlsack doesn't stand with the esophagus in connection and serves as reserve-receptacles (crop) not for food. its function is not yet completely clarified; it stands with the nose-caves in connection and can about one little is inflated.
Way of life Marabus specialized on carrion as food many times and take over such an important role as Abfallbeseitiger, but also large masses of locusts and other insects as well as all the possible other animal loot exterminate these big Störche. Particularly if the tropical waters shrivel strongly in the dry-period through evaporation, Marabus fish the fish crowded together on close area and amphibians and other water-animals out.
As excellent sail-planes, Marabus with accelerated head hover highly in the air and are on a lookout for food. As soon as they saw a dead animal, the mighty Störche drop and land with big speed - often in the middle between vultures, which make the Marabus without further for place. Although they are not especially "argumentative", however, its powerful beaks hold the vultures as food-competitors in proper distance. Easily, the Marabus chop the stomach-blanket of perished big-animals on, in order to reach the inner organs. On this occasion, the unbefiederten skin-parts obviously are at heads and necks from benefits.
Full, recumbent Marabus offer a characteristic sight with their heads withdrawn on the shoulder - also in city-proximity, since the known usefulness of the big birds protects it largely from prosecution. Unfortunately, the sub-tail-blankets of the breast-plumage are processed as fashion-jewelry and Marabus therefore here and there bejagt.
Reproduction The brood-period begins according to spread to quite different seasons. In Mali, Gambia and Nigeria, it lasts from December to April, in Malawi and Zambia against it from May until September. Marabus brood in colonies and erect its big eyries from powerful branches and branches high in treetops or on rock-cliffs, from time to time, however, they nest also in villages and smaller cities. The nest consists of 2-3 whitish eggs (8 x 7,5 cm) and is incubated by both brood-partners approximately, whom one cannot distinguish of each other at its look, for 30 days. The nestlings have a white Dunenkleid; they are looked after by both parents, until they become independent after approximately 18 weeks, and the nest leaves.
Indian Marabu The Indian Marabu, as big malice-Ala (Leptoptilus dubius) from South-Asia (India-Indochina as well as Sumatra, Java and Borneo) is also called the 1,2-1,5 m, resembles the African type largely in its habits. "Adjutants" were baptized the "gravitätisch" of along-striding Marabus from the English colonial-soldiers.
Way of life Live also malice-Ala preferentially on the inhabitants of drying up waters as well as from dead big-animals. In the 19. Large quantities of this Störche held century open in Calcutta where they acted as "garbage-rebuff." The brood-period begins, as with the usual Marabus, against end of the rain-time (usually therefore in October) and lasts until January. The brood-behavior resembles that of the actual Marabus. The nests of this of malice-Ala often measure up to 2 m in the diameter and 1 m in the height, the nest sometimes consists of 2, usually however 3-4 eggs.
Sundamarabu The Sundamarabu or Malay-stork (Leptoptilus javanicus) live in the same area as its bigger relative, however still in addition in China's south. its less upright attitude to a height up to 1,2 m, the absence of a Kehlsacks and the small mop of hair from hair-similar feathers distinguishes it from the malice-Ala.
Way of life Sundamarabus live unsociably in swamps, floodplains and other moist-landscapes also like the two other types. However Malaienstörche avoid the proximity of the human being and are at all shier and more secluded in its way of life. they live mainly from living animals; Carrion plays only a subordinate role in the food-offer.
Particularly in nest-proximity, all Marabus beak-rattles leave as well as numerous grunting and squeaky" reputations hear.
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