Why open billed?

[Roopak Gangadharan]

The Asian open billed stork is a resident breeder found mostly in agricultural fields, wetlands and near other water bodies. The small gap between the mandibles gives the bird its name and is an unmistakable ID tip. It is believed the gap helps the bird hold Apple snails which forms its primary diet. In Malayalam the bird is called “ Namachee Oodan” which literally means Snail breaker ( it also has a similar name in Bengali if Im not wrong) . The extensive use of pesticides which is fast wiping out Apple snails in most cultivated lands forms a major threat to the future of this species.



Cropped image (sorry for the quality) ,500D, 55-250, 250mm, F5.6, 1/320, ISO-200