African Openbill Stork
by James Capo
Title
African Openbill Stork
Artist
James Capo
Medium
Photograph - Photograph
Description
The beak of the African Openbill is shaped with a gap between the upper and lower mandibles, which facilitates grasping the shells of the snails that make up the majority of its diet. The tips converge to prevent a spherical object like the snail's shell from slipping forward when being carried by the storks, while the curve in the lower mandible gives the stork the angle of attack needed to force its way under the operculum--the "trap door" covering at the opening of the shell--to release molluscs from their shells. The bill of the African openbill is perfectly designed for handling snails and other molluscs.
Uploaded
December 7th, 2023
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