Scientific name:
Ephippiorhynchus senegalensis

Natural spread:
Africa

co a length of 1,3-1,5 m and approximately 2,3 m of span (wing-length): 59-63 cm, the colorful saddle-stork Africa is one of the biggest Störche. The prominent one, red-black colored, big beak with its glaring-yellow horn-essay and the know-black plumage with its metallic glimmers green and blue actually admits no mix-up of the saddle-stork with other waders. Both sexes resemble from.

Way of life Sattelstörche live individually or in pairs at the rivers, seas and wetlands of Africa before Senegal and Sudan until almost at the cape of the good hope (not south from the Oranje). The big birds admittedly are widespread, nowhere however one frequently sees it. Slowly Sattelstörche stride through the flat-water-areas and push in a flash after fishings, amphibians and also reptiles. Big water-insects take in the birds probably especially gladly. In the flight, head and legs of the big Störche, which a peculiarly "broken" flight-picture yields, hang somewhat downward. At tone-remarks, only a beak-clatter is known.

Sattelstörche build big nests from powerful Reisern and sticks, that they erect in treetops and occasionally also on unapproachable rock-cliffs. The brood-season - according to spread-area - begins to quite different seasons. The nest of the Sattelstörche consists of 3-4 weak-whitens eggs (7,8 x 5,7 cm).