Ah, the Maribou Stork. This bird is one of the infamous Ugly 5.
This bird is a real stinker. Literally. A Maribou stork eats whatever’s lying around and was killed or died a reaaaallly long time ago. The first time we met this stork was in Botswana. We drove past the remains of a very, very dead water buffalo that we smelled long before we reached it. As we drove by, a head suddenly popped up. We’d interrupted a stork enjoying its supper.
In January in Arusha Park, Tanzania, we had the unnerving experience of seeing a flock of these storks flying overhead. The Maribou is huge, and it’s strange.
Maribou aren’t picky eaters. They’ll dine on termites and small birds, garbage, and the carcasses of animals, including elephants. Other storks are elegant, but not this one. A Maribou can weigh as much as 7kg, grow to 1.52m, almost 5′ tall, and an 8’8″ wingspan – 2.7 meters! When one flies by, you definitely notice.
Next up: warthogs and vultures.
NOTES: © Jadi Campbell 2026. All photos © Uwe Hartmann. To see more of Uwe’s animal photos and pics from our trips go to viewpics.de.
I am a Best American Essays-nominated writer. My books are Broken In: A Novel in Stories, Tsunami Cowboys, Grounded, The Trail Back Out, and The Taste of Your Name. Recent awards include F
Follow this link for Amazon.com.