The Marabou Stork

Gallery: AvianPosted March 31, 2013130 views7 comments

I was in the middle of Serengeti and all of a sudden this huge bird (1.6meters, (60 in), wingspan of 3.7 m (12 ft)) appeared right next to me. The beak was frightening – 70cm long, which made me believe that this bird was a frequent baby killer/thief in Africa. I took a photo an ran away as fast as I could!!!! I am not too sure about the background but I love the ‘portrait’. It is considered an ugly bird by everyone in Africa, but strangely…I find it pretty in my photo! Please advise me what should I do to improve its ‘reputation’!

Comments

7 comments

Comment posted by Carol Nichols on March 31, 2013 at 6:13 PM

This is a very pretty ugly bird Nora. The colors in the beak, head and eye are just absolutely amazing and that hair! I think you took an outstanding portrait considering you were terrified as I would have been. Thanks for letting me see this "beauty".

Registered on November 7, 2007, 161 Posts, 1420 Comments

Comment posted by Nora De Angelli on March 31, 2013 at 6:18 PM

Thank you very much Carol. Yes,...the 'hair' - Transformed feathers I believe….
Thank you very much for your encouraging words! Really glad you liked it!

Registered on March 31, 2013, 1 Posts, 3 Comments

Comment posted by Catherine Reilly on March 31, 2013 at 7:44 PM

Fascinating and absolutely horrible looking! What an amazing photograph in any case, but especially considering your fright. I think I probably would've dropped my camera and ran! As to improving it's reputation... hopeless. So glad you showed it to us. I think.

Registered on August 16, 2006, 603 Posts, 9192 Comments

Comment posted by Tonia Graves on March 31, 2013 at 9:48 PM

Nora, wonderful portrait here. The colors and detail are spot on. While it's not the prettiest of birds, you really did a great job capturing it!

Registered on October 29, 2011, 92 Posts, 1035 Comments

Comment posted by Martin Dunn on April 1, 2013 at 3:41 AM

Nora, Marabou Storks re not baby killers, so don't worry. In fact in some countries they are though to be wise birds, much the same way our children's stories say that owls are wise.
No doubt at all that they are ugly. The colours you captured are amazing, I love the green tinge the background has given the hair on the back of its head.
Did you push the saturation at all or are these colours completely natural?

Registered on February 20, 2013, 198 Posts, 1011 Comments

Comment posted by Philip Hodgkins on April 1, 2013 at 3:09 PM

Wonderfully ugly bird, and an amazing portrait. I doubt it kills babies, unless it frightens them to death.

Registered on July 24, 2006, 2741 Posts, 12349 Comments

Comment posted by John Sherman on April 2, 2013 at 1:05 AM

Ugly? Nothing a little hair gel couldn't fix. BG looks good and lets this mug shot pop, but it looks overdone with the saturation to my eye. As wild as this looks in color, I wonder if it wouldn't have just as much impact in B&W because of all the rich detail you captured. I hope I look this good at this age

Registered on March 10, 2013, 31 Posts, 142 Comments