Marabu is a very interesting and unlike other bird

A bird with an interesting name marabu belongs to the family of stork and lives, as a rule, in South Asia, as well as in the south of the Sahara. In translation from the Arabic "marabu" - this is a "Muslim theologian". It should be noted that representatives of the Islamic religion consider this bird wise.

Marabu (Bird): description of species

In length representatives of this species reach almost one and a half meter, young birds have, so to speak, a motley color - the lower part of the feathers is white, the upper part is black. The head is almost devoid of feathers, on the neck of adults there is something like a leathery bag. This throat bag has a connection with the nostrils, so it can be recruited by air and decay, while the marabu (bird) rests. The photo clearly demonstrates the bright, uncommon appearance of the creation.

The lack of plumage on the head and neck of the bird is due to the peculiarity of its nutrition. The fact that the marabou feed on carrion, so nature prudently deprived them of such a cover, so that the feathers do not get dirty during meals. Like all representatives of the detachment of the stork, they have an expressive, thick beak, 30 cm long. With such an "instrument", a bird easily penetrates the animal's skin, and can also swallow whole bones. Also, the marabou can absorb rodents, some amphibians and insects.

Reproduction

Marabu are birds that build large nests, fortified on the tops of trees. "Lodge" of these feathered individuals can reach a diameter of one meter. Birds carefully lined it with leaves and branches of trees from the inside. Individuals of this species live in pairs, incubating eggs are taken in turn. As a rule, there are 2-3 eggs in the nest. The process of ripening of the chick lasts about a month, after which it appears in the light.

Food

The main competitors of this type are the vultures, but without the help of a marabou in the cutting of dead carcass, the latter can not be dispensed with. Only they can easily cope with the opening of the dead animal, thanks to its sharp beak.

Their prey they look out, rising high into the sky, sometimes they can rise to 4,500 meters from the ground. This seems surprising given the fact that the marabou is, to put it mildly, a heavy bird, but it provides such a grand flight by using upward air currents.

Habitat features

As already noted earlier, these birds live in warm countries, where the climate is hot, but rather humid. Marabu are birds that settle in colonies. They settle their settlements, as a rule, next to the pastures of various artiodactyl animals, as well as near farms and dumps.

These birds are not assigned the most aesthetic role, but someone must clean up the garbage, and, by the will of nature, they become such "sanitars". Because these birds prevent various epidemics, the foci of which flare up here and there in these climatic conditions. These birds seldom leave their habitual residence, however, if they have to move in search of a place for a new "feeding", they do it together - the spectacle, it should be noted, is rather majestic and impressive.