Asian openbill Stork

Large wading bird in the stork family Ciconiidae

The Asian openbill or Asian openbill stork (Anastomus oscitans) is a large wading bird in the stork family Ciconiidae. This distinctive stork is found mainly in the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia.

It is greyish or white with glossy black wings and tail and the adults have a gap between the arched upper mandible and recurved lower mandible. Young birds are born without this gap which is thought to be an adaptation that aids in the handling of snails , their main prey.

Although resident within their range, they make long distance movements in response to weather and food availability.

Mangalajodi

It’s an olden village under Tangi, Odishaa block in Khordha district of Odisha at the northern edge of Chilika Lake. Scenic beauty of this village and its vast wetland attracts the visitors. In 2017 this village is declared and functioning as a separate Grama Panchayat (Mangalajodi Grama Panchayat) and now a days its a most virgin bird watching site by scientists as well as Bird Photographers and Birders across India and even from Western world visitors do congregate here during Mid October till mid of March the best time when mostly Migratory birds come here from Siberia .China and many more extreme cold continents.

These photographs I took during my last visit during December 2017 and the narrations I have compiled from web for general interest.

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