# Saddle-billed Stork (*Ephippiorhynchus senegalensis*) The Saddle-billed Stork is a large, colorful bird with a long beak and striking black and white feathers. It loves to wade in shallow waters, looking for fish and frogs to eat. - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Wetlands ![Saddle-billed Stork](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Ephippiorhynchus_senegalensis_-Kruger_National_Park%252C_Limpopo%252C_South_Africa-8.jpg&width=800) Photo: hyper7pro, CC BY 2.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ephippiorhynchus_senegalensis_-Kruger_National_Park%252C_Limpopo%252C_South_Africa-8.jpg) ## Appearance The Saddle-billed Stork is a very tall bird with a striking black and white body and bright red legs. Its most distinctive feature is a large, two-toned bill that is red with a black band and a prominent yellow 'saddle' on top. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Ciconiiformes - **Family:** Ciconiidae - **Genus:** Ephippiorhynchus ## Interesting facts - It's one of the tallest flying birds in Africa, often standing taller than a small person! - These impressive storks are mostly silent, communicating with bill-clattering, not songs! - They often build enormous stick nests, sometimes six feet wide, high in a tree! - Wow! The Saddle-billed Stork's eyes have a bright yellow iris with a vivid red patch! ## Special abilities - **Still Hunter:** The Saddle-billed Stork can stand perfectly still for ages because of its long legs that help it ambush fish in shallow water. - **Rainbow Harpoon:** The Saddle-billed Stork has a powerful, sharply pointed bill that helps it snatch slippery fish, frogs, and even small reptiles. - **Vivid Display:** The Saddle-billed Stork has dazzling colors on its bill and legs that help it communicate and stand out during mating. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 145-150 cm - **Wingspan:** 240-270 cm - **Weight:** 5-7.5 kg - **Lifespan:** 15-30 years - **Speed:** 45 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 1-3 - **Incubation:** 30-35 days ## Diet & Feeding This stork eats fish, frogs, and other small aquatic animals it catches with its pointy bill. - **Primary Foods:** fish, frogs, crabs, snakes, large insects - **Foraging Method:** Ambush ## Ecological connections - **Hunts:** Nile Tilapia (*Oreochromis niloticus*) — A common fish prey in its African wetland habitats. - **Hunts:** African Clawed Frog (*Xenopus laevis*) — Eats amphibians found in its watery hunting grounds. - **Eaten by:** Nile Crocodile (*Crocodylus niloticus*) — Predates on eggs and young storks, especially near water. - **Depends on:** Egyptian Acacia (*Vachellia nilotica*) — Often uses tall trees for building large, secure nests. ## Traits - [Feathered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/feathered): Feathered describes animals, primarily birds, possessing a covering of feathers. - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Piscivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/piscivorous): Piscivorous organisms are animals that primarily subsist on a diet of fish. - [Wetland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/wetland): This habitat trait identifies species found in wetlands, which are areas of land saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally, including marshes, swamps, and bogs. - [Carnivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/carnivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of animal tissue. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. ## Collections - [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/birds) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always watch birds from a distance and do not disturb their nests. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Saddle-billed Stork? Compare the silhouette, bill shape, tail length, wing bars and markings around the eyes. The same small brown bird at your feeder can look quite different in breeding plumage, winter plumage or its first year. Bird Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Saddle-billed Stork? 145-150 cm ### What is Saddle-billed Stork's wingspan? 240-270 cm ### How much does Saddle-billed Stork weigh? 5-7.5 kg ### How long does Saddle-billed Stork live? 15-30 years ### How fast can Saddle-billed Stork move? 45 km/h ### What does Saddle-billed Stork eat? This stork eats fish, frogs, and other small aquatic animals it catches with its pointy bill. ### Where is Saddle-billed Stork usually found? Wetlands ## More Birds - [Black-crowned Night Heron](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-crowned-night-heron) (*Nycticorax nycticorax*) - [Anna's Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/annas-hummingbird) (*Calypte anna*) - [Great Egret](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-egret) (*Ardea alba*) - [Blue Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-jay) (*Cyanocitta cristata*) --- Source: [Saddle-billed Stork: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/saddle-billed-stork)