Birdsong field guide
Saddle-billed Stork
Ephippiorhynchus senegalensis
The Saddle-billed Stork is a massive, strikingly plumaged wading bird and the tallest stork in the world, reaching heights of up to 150 centimeters. It is easily identified by its long, red-and-black banded bill topped with a bright yellow frontal shield or 'saddle'.
What it sounds like
Generally silent; produces mechanical bill-clattering sounds during courtship or at the nest.
Reference call, compare with what you heard
No reference call found yet · Xeno-canto
Field notes
- Adults exhibit sexual dimorphism through iris color: males have dark brown eyes, while females possess bright yellow irises.
- The species features two small, bare red skin patches on its chest that become more vibrant during the breeding season.
- Unlike many other stork species, it is non-migratory and highly territorial, often remaining in the same wetland for life.
- They are primarily solitary hunters, using a 'bill-snapping' technique to catch fish, frogs, and small reptiles in shallow water.
- The yellow 'saddle' at the base of the bill is a keratinous plate that functions as a frontal shield.
Habitat
Freshwater wetlands, floodplains, riverbanks, and shallow lake margins.
Range
Sub-Saharan Africa, ranging from Senegal in the west to South Africa in the south.
Similar & commonly confused birds
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