Least Concern Birds

African Openbill

Anastomus lamelligerus

A glossy blackish stork with a curious gap between its mandibles, specialised for eating snails.

Scientific name	Anastomus lamelligerus
Swahili name	Domo-wazi
Conservation status	Least Concern
Class	Aves
Order	Ciconiiformes
Family	Ciconiidae
Size	Height about 80-94 cm, wingspan about 1.5 m, weight about 1-1.3 kg

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How to identify

Entirely blackish plumage with a greenish-purple metallic sheen; the standout feature is the dark bill that leaves a visible gap between the mandibles even when closed, evolved for gripping snails and mussels

Habitat

Wetlands, marshes, flooded grassland and the edges of lakes and rivers

Diet

Feeds mainly on aquatic snails and freshwater mussels, using its specialised bill to deftly extract the flesh from the shells

When it is active

Diurnal, foraging slowly through shallow water and often gathering in flocks

Where it lives

Widespread across sub-Saharan Africa; common in the wetlands and marshes of East Africa

How to spot it

Look for flocks of black storks wading slowly in marshes and lakeshore shallows; the visible gap in the bill confirms the identification

Photography tips

Shoot in side light to show the diagnostic gap in the bill clearly; use the greenish-purple sheen of the feathers against a dark background; catch it manipulating a snail