Marabou Stork

Meet the marabou stork, a bird that might look a little strange at first, but is a true clean-up champion of the African sky! With its tall, hunched posture, long skinny legs, and a massive beak, it's sometimes called the "undertaker bird."

But don't let its gloomy nickname fool you... the marabou is a master recycler. Its bald head and neck are perfectly designed for its important job: eating leftover bits of dead animals that other predators leave behind. By doing this, it helps keep the plains clean and stops the spread of disease. You'll often see them standing silently in a group or soaring high above on their huge, powerful wings, looking for their next meal.