Ephippiorhynchus is a small genus of storks. It contains two living species only, very large birds more than 140 cm tall with a 230–270 cm wingspan. Both are mainly black and white, with huge bills. The sexes of these species are similarly plumaged, but the eyes are dark brown in males and yellow in females. The members of this genus are sometimes called "jabirus", but this properly refers to a close relative from Latin America.
These large wading birds breed in marshes and other wetlands, building a large, deep stick nest in a tree. Like most storks, they fly with the neck outstretched, not retracted like a heron; in flight, they present a strange shape, with the head and large bill somewhat drooping down. They are silent except for bill-clattering at the nest.
Ephippiorhynchus storks, like most of their relatives, feeds mainly on fish, frogs and crabs, but also on young birds, and other land vertebrates. They move in a deliberate and stately manner as they hunt, in a similar way to the larger heron.
These birds are not infrequently kept in captivity by zoos or aviculturalists. Individuals occasionally escape, and these have been proposed to be responsible for sightings of "big bird" cryptids; the saddle-billed stork is the most likely basis for the kongamato cryptid.
The genus name Ephippiorhynchus is derived from Ancient Greekephippos, a saddle (literally "something which is placed on a horse"), and rhynchus, "bill", and refers to the frontal shield which saddles the bill of one species.
A prehistoric relative, Ephippiorhynchus pakistanensis, has been described from Late Miocene fossils found in Pakistan. At about the same time, another now-extinct species, Ephippiorhynchus tchoufour, occurred in eastern to central Africa.
ReferencesEdit
^"Ciconiidae". aviansystematics.org. The Trust for Avian Systematics. Retrieved 2023-07-27.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Ephippiorhynchus.
Wikispecies has information related to Ephippiorhynchus.
Barlow, Clive (1997): A field guide to birds of the Gambia and Senegal. Pica Press, Nr. Robertsbridge (East Sussex). ISBN1-873403-32-1
Grimmett, Richard; Inskipp, Carol, Inskipp, Tim & Byers, Clive (1999): Birds of India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives. Princeton University Press, Princeton, N.J.. ISBN0-691-04910-6
October 21, 2023
ephippiorhynchus, small, genus, storks, contains, living, species, only, very, large, birds, more, than, tall, with, wingspan, both, mainly, black, white, with, huge, bills, sexes, these, species, similarly, plumaged, eyes, dark, brown, males, yellow, females,. Ephippiorhynchus is a small genus of storks It contains two living species only very large birds more than 140 cm tall with a 230 270 cm wingspan Both are mainly black and white with huge bills The sexes of these species are similarly plumaged but the eyes are dark brown in males and yellow in females The members of this genus are sometimes called jabirus but this properly refers to a close relative from Latin America EphippiorhynchusTemporal range Late Miocene to RecentSaddle billed stork Ephippiorhynchus senegalensisScientific classificationDomain EukaryotaKingdom AnimaliaPhylum ChordataClade DinosauriaClass AvesOrder CiconiiformesFamily CiconiidaeGenus EphippiorhynchusBonaparte 1855Type speciesCiconia ephippiorhyncha 1 Mycteria senegalensisTemminck 1824These large wading birds breed in marshes and other wetlands building a large deep stick nest in a tree Like most storks they fly with the neck outstretched not retracted like a heron in flight they present a strange shape with the head and large bill somewhat drooping down They are silent except for bill clattering at the nest Ephippiorhynchus storks like most of their relatives feeds mainly on fish frogs and crabs but also on young birds and other land vertebrates They move in a deliberate and stately manner as they hunt in a similar way to the larger heron These birds are not infrequently kept in captivity by zoos or aviculturalists Individuals occasionally escape and these have been proposed to be responsible for sightings of big bird cryptids the saddle billed stork is the most likely basis for the kongamato cryptid The genus name Ephippiorhynchus is derived from Ancient Greek ephippos a saddle literally something which is placed on a horse and rhynchus bill and refers to the frontal shield which saddles the bill of one species Species EditThere are two extant species Image Scientific name Common Name Distribution nbsp Ephippiorhynchus senegalensis Saddle billed stork sub Saharan Africa nbsp Ephippiorhynchus asiaticus Black necked stork tropical Asia and AustraliaA prehistoric relative Ephippiorhynchus pakistanensis has been described from Late Miocene fossils found in Pakistan At about the same time another now extinct species Ephippiorhynchus tchoufour occurred in eastern to central Africa References Edit Ciconiidae aviansystematics org The Trust for Avian Systematics Retrieved 2023 07 27 nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Ephippiorhynchus nbsp Wikispecies has information related to Ephippiorhynchus Barlow Clive 1997 A field guide to birds of the Gambia and Senegal Pica Press Nr Robertsbridge East Sussex ISBN 1 873403 32 1 Grimmett Richard Inskipp Carol Inskipp Tim amp Byers Clive 1999 Birds of India Pakistan Nepal Bangladesh Bhutan Sri Lanka and the Maldives Princeton University Press Princeton N J ISBN 0 691 04910 6 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Ephippiorhynchus amp oldid 1167604618, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
