Abdim's Stork
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| Ciconia abdimii Lichtenstein, 1823 |
The Abdim's Stork, Ciconia abdimii also known as White-bellied Stork is a large, up to 81cm long, black stork with grey legs, red knees and feet, grey bill and white underparts. It has red facial skin in front of eye and blue skin near the bill in breeding season. The female lays two to three eggs and is slightly smaller than male.
The Abdim's Stork is distributed to open habitats throughout East Africa, from Ethiopia south to South Africa. The diet consists mainly of locusts, caterpillars and other large insects.
The smallest stork, this species is welcomed and protected by local African belief as a harbinger of rain and good luck. The name commemorates the Turkish Governor of Wadi Halfa in Sudan Bey El-Arnaut Abdim (1780-1827).
Widespread and common throughout its large range, the Abdim's Stork is evaluated as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
[edit] References
- BirdLife International (2004). Ciconia abdimii. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 29 October 2006. Database entry includes justification for why this species is of least concern
[edit] External links
