Animalia Life
Ephippiorhynchus senegalensis
SUBFAMILY
Tribe Leptoptilini
TAXONOMY
Mycteria senegalensis Shaw, 1800, Senegal. Monotypic.
OTHER COMMON NAMES
English: African jabiru, saddlebilled stork; French: Jabiru de
Sйnйgal; German: Sattelstorch; Spanish: Jabirъ Africano.
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS
Length 55–59 in (140–150 cm), wingspan 94–106 in (240–270
cm); 11–16.1 lb (5–7.3 kg). One of the largest storks. Mostly
orange/red bill divided by a black band, surmounted by patch of
yellow. Black neck and flight feathers, white body feathers; dark
legs with red “knees.” Males and females differ both in size (the
male is larger) and iris color (brown in male, yellow in female).
DISTRIBUTION
Tropical Africa south of the Sahara.
HABITAT
Open wetlands.
BEHAVIOR
Mostly solitary. Flies with heavy wing-beats and neck outstretched;
makes use of thermals.
FEEDING ECOLOGY AND DIET
Mainly fish. Hunts by sight and, occasionally, touch.
REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY
Monogamous. Nests alone toward end of rainy season. Nest a
platform of sticks. Clutch size two to three eggs, incubation
30–35 days, fledging 70–100 days.
CONSERVATION STATUS
Not threatened.
SIGNIFICANCE TO HUMANS
Popular with ecotourists on wildlife holidays in East Africa.
Photo Gallery of - Saddlebill
