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Asian Openbill Stork (Anastomus Oscitans) | Ranthambore National Park - Rajasthan, India (Part II) (IMG_4111.jpg)

Asian Openbill Stork (Anastomus Oscitans)

The Asian openbill (Anastomus oscitans) is a unique, medium-sized stork found across the wetlands of the Indian Subcontinent. It is mostly white or grayish-white with contrasting black wings and a forked tail. Its most distinctive feature is the specialized bill; the mandibles meet at the tip but have a prominent gap in the middle. This "open" bill is not for carrying large objects, but rather a tool for gripping and extracting its primary prey: succulent apple snails. They are frequently seen in flooded rice fields and marshes, using their sensitive bills to feel for snails in the mud.
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