Marabou Stork Skull Replica

Description

Marabou Stork Skull Replica measures 14.1 inches. Marabou Stork Skull Replica is museum quality polyurethane cast. Made in USA. Leptoptilos crumenifer is the scientific name. Made in USA. California Academy of Sciences specimen. Our precise skull can be used as a teaching tool, museum skull exhibit, home decor skull, or office decor skull.

The marabou stork or Leptoptilos crumenifer is a large wading bird in the stork family Ciconiidae. It is sometimes called the “undertaker bird” due to its shape from behind, cloak like wings held slightly back, skinny white legs, and sometimes a large white mass of “hair”. The marabou is unmistakable due to its size, bare head and neck, black back, and white underparts. It has a huge bill and a pink gular sac at its throat.

The marabou stork or Leptoptilos crumenifer is a massive bird, large specimens are thought to reach a height of 60 in. and a weight of 20 lbs. A wingspan of 12 ft was accepted by Fisher and Peterson, who ranked the species as having the largest wing spread of any living bird. Female marabou stork or Leptoptilos crumenifer are smaller than males. Bill length can range from 10.4 to 13.8 in.

Leptoptilos crumenifer eats mainly carrion. It occasionally eats other birds including quelea nestlings, pigeons, doves, pelicans and cormorant chicks, and even flamingos.

During the breeding season, adult marabou stork or Leptoptilos crumenifer scale back on carrion and take mostly small, live prey since nestlings need this kind of food to survive. Common prey at this time may consist of fish, frogs, insects, eggs, small mammals and reptiles such as crocodile hatchlings and eggs, lizards and snakes. Though known to eat putrid and seemingly inedible foods, these storks may sometimes wash food in water to remove soil.

The marabou or Leptoptilos crumenifer breeds in colonies, starting during the dry season. The female lays two to three eggs in a small nest made of sticks; eggs hatch after an incubation period of 30 days. Their young reach sexual maturity at 4 years of age. Leptoptilos crumenifer lifespan is 41 years in captivity and 25 years in wild.

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