The African openbill stork was kind of a nice surprise that I got when I got home and started looking at pictures. I was photographing grey herons and when I looked at my photos I found the openbill storks nearby them.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaYGH8Vb67eXooqK0KU2UQDwfDg1zqPhKEvMRVZgUBupRCj932JXlR5O0gx5k88M9ME5Hmc9t-UEvPzCswRU8xX3h34sI6caR708ksBsR8u5vi4BV_s6zdD_SWgtT5krfpyKMuAsBhOvU/s400/1b+gray+heron.jpg) |
This openbill stork is almost hidden behind the grey stork. |
It is a dark stork with glossy green, brown and purple on the mantle and breast. It has black legs, grey eyes and a large brown bill. It gets its name because even when the bill is closed there is a gap between the upper and lower beak. It is found in large parts of Sub Saharan Africa, except most of the south from mid-Namibia, mid-Botswana and extreme north South Africa down.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5QKTYzLB83D6TWlJVf3_V50R6SSKaG2ma_hbBJHmqoaBNXqcxpL_dvyfjtlCQrJ8Wy9Ws-w5sZDNBEMeSiEZwlI5rrCMf8lFQSdUu7QbCDdwu1JgqloIMobADC5WOO9vdNucHWsTaYIM/s400/2a+gray+heron.jpg) |
These two openbills are background to this grey heron. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsfTBMK0mayp6DdO5Wb_2yRFGQB7PWr9aPalkzl5nf2toXgps4J9tfId8s8003QL7_piVdEXkQ7j4PPZzmeu9yHJ1_FzlEPSncZ_ydy1ojD7NPLaeIIAxSP9ygWFiWjbzPgJvZ0IxzHlQ/s400/3a+gray+heron.jpg) |
As both birds take off, the openbill is a blur while the grey heron catches the focus. |
It primarily eats aquatic snails and freshwater mussels.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpWANuSF5btUNY_Lvf7UOqeQ6qXaIB0eHAdaA6QJgyviNwxZxDM5Zw-qUbzG3qV2ojcG-HIvHI_numiV0ftMoG-HWHGlhJQz8jtEbn8wt5MSMa9Jt1yViEpL1hyiUFZjIEJnlGxGx7FZ8/s400/10c+African+openbill+stork.jpg) |
A blow-up of the photo of the openbill in the background. |
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