Marabou is a genus of birds belonging to the stork family. They are delightfully beautiful, able to attract the eye with their external greatness. This bird is especially revered by the Arabs due to its name. So, Muslim theologians are called marabut, from this the bird itself, according to the thoughts of the Arabs, is very wise and worthy of respect.
The length of the body of the marabou can reach 100 - 130 cm, and the wingspan is 200-240 cm. The feathers on the wings are black on top, and lighter shades on the bottom. The neck is decorated with a yellow collar. The head is not covered by anything. It is decorated only with a majestic beak. Adults from young are distinguished by a leather cover on the chest and a bright color. And if we compare this species with other types of storks, then the difference can be found in the fact that all storks stretch their necks during flight, except for the marabou.
This bird species prefers to live in whole groups and inhabits large open plains. Rarely they can be found near open water bodies and in bushes. At the same time, marabou can be seen even in settlements near garbage chutes, where they are looking for food. Marabou usually feed on various carrion, large insects and small animals. Marabou can easily enter the fray for the sake of prey.
Marabou make their nests from the leaves and branches of trees. The nest turns out to be up to half a meter in radius, and reaches a height of 15-25 cm. Birds lay from 2 to 3 eggs in the nest. Both males and females can hatch eggs. This takes approximately 28-30 days. Chicks are completely covered with plumage by the 90th day of life.
There are only three species of marabou birds. Javanese and Indian marabou are found in South Asia, while African marabou are more commonly found in sub-Saharan Africa.