Mohrenklaffschnabel
| Mohrenklaffschnabel | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
.jpg)
Moor's beak ( Anastomus lamelligerus ) |
||||||||||
| Systematics | ||||||||||
|
||||||||||
| Scientific name | ||||||||||
| Anastomus lamelligerus | ||||||||||
| Temminck , 1823 |
The Mohrenklaffschnabel ( Anastomus lamelligerus ) is a species from the stork family (Ciconiidae). The nominate form ( A. l. Lamelligerus ) lives as a breeding bird in tropical Africa south of the Sahara and north of the Tropic of Capricorn , the subspecies ( A. l. Madagascarensis ) in western Madagascar . According to the IUCN, the bird's populations are not endangered.
features
The Mohrenklaffschnabel reaches a body length of 80 to 94 cm and a weight of 1 to 1.3 kg. Males get bigger. The plumage is dark and shimmers green, brownish or purple. When the beak is closed, there is a gap of about 6 mm in the middle between the upper and lower beak. The Malagasy subspecies remains smaller, its beak is more delicate.
Way of life
The Mohrenklaffschnabel lives in wetlands, in swamps, on the banks of lakes and rivers, floodplains and in damp savannas. It feeds mainly on larger aquatic snails ( apple snails ), as well as mussels, land snails, frogs, crabs, worms, fish and insects. Black beak often hang around hippos , which may be useful in foraging for food as they stir up the water or the banks.
Reproduction
The breeding season of the Mohrenklaffschnäbel usually begins at the end of the rainy season, when the food supply is optimal, but can also start at the beginning or just before the start of the rainy season. They usually build their tree nests in groups over the water or over reeds. The nest, small for storks and measuring only 50 cm in diameter, is made of twigs and reeds. Usually three to four, at least two and at most five eggs are laid and incubated for 25 to 30 days. The hatched young birds have black down plumage and normally built beaks. They leave the nest after 50 to 55 days.
literature
- Josep del Hoyo et al .: Handbook of the Birds of the World. Volume 1: Ostrich to Ducks. Lynx Edicions, 1992, ISBN 8487334105 .
Web links
- Anastomus lamelligerus in the endangered Red List species the IUCN 2009. Posted by: BirdLife International, 2009. Accessed November 24 of 2009.
- Videos, photos and sound recordings for African Openbill ( Anastomus lamelligerus ) in the Internet Bird Collection