Lesser Adjutant
Encyclopedia
The Lesser Adjutant, Leptoptilos javanicus, is a large wading bird in the stork
family Ciconiidae. It is a widespread species which is resident breeder in southern Asia
from India
east to southern China
and Java.
This is a huge bird, typically 110–120 cm (43–48 in) tall with a 210 cm (83 in) wingspan and a body weight of 4.09–5.71 kg (9–12.6 lb). It is, however, the smallest member of the Leptoptilos
genus. Its upper body and wings are black, but the belly and undertail are white. The head and neck are bare like those of a vulture
. The pale bill
is long and thick. Juveniles are a duller version of the adult.
Most storks fly with neck outstretched, but the three Leptoptilos
species retract their neck in flight like a heron
.
The Lesser Adjutant breeds in wetland
s in tropical lowland. It builds a stick nest
in tree
s. It often forms small colonies.
The Lesser Adjutant, like most of its relatives, feeds mainly on frog
s, fish
and large insect
s, but also small birds, reptiles and rodent
s during the breeding season. However, unlike the larger Greater Adjutant
and Marabou Stork
s, it rarely eats carrion and human garbage outside of the breeding season, still preferring small, live prey all year around.
Stork
Storks are large, long-legged, long-necked wading birds with long, stout bills. They belong to the family Ciconiidae. They are the only family in the biological order Ciconiiformes, which was once much larger and held a number of families....
family Ciconiidae. It is a widespread species which is resident breeder in southern Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
from India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
east to southern China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
and Java.
This is a huge bird, typically 110–120 cm (43–48 in) tall with a 210 cm (83 in) wingspan and a body weight of 4.09–5.71 kg (9–12.6 lb). It is, however, the smallest member of the Leptoptilos
Leptoptilos
Leptoptilos is a genus of very large tropical storks. Two species are resident breeders in southern Asia, and the Marabou Stork is found in sub-Saharan Africa....
genus. Its upper body and wings are black, but the belly and undertail are white. The head and neck are bare like those of a vulture
Vulture
Vulture is the name given to two groups of convergently evolved scavenging birds, the New World Vultures including the well-known Californian and Andean Condors, and the Old World Vultures including the birds which are seen scavenging on carcasses of dead animals on African plains...
. The pale bill
Beak
The beak, bill or rostrum is an external anatomical structure of birds which is used for eating and for grooming, manipulating objects, killing prey, fighting, probing for food, courtship and feeding young...
is long and thick. Juveniles are a duller version of the adult.
Most storks fly with neck outstretched, but the three Leptoptilos
Leptoptilos
Leptoptilos is a genus of very large tropical storks. Two species are resident breeders in southern Asia, and the Marabou Stork is found in sub-Saharan Africa....
species retract their neck in flight like a heron
Heron
The herons are long-legged freshwater and coastal birds in the family Ardeidae. There are 64 recognised species in this family. Some are called "egrets" or "bitterns" instead of "heron"....
.
The Lesser Adjutant breeds in wetland
Wetland
A wetland is an area of land whose soil is saturated with water either permanently or seasonally. Wetlands are categorised by their characteristic vegetation, which is adapted to these unique soil conditions....
s in tropical lowland. It builds a stick nest
Bird nest
A bird nest is the spot in which a bird lays and incubates its eggs and raises its young. Although the term popularly refers to a specific structure made by the bird itself—such as the grassy cup nest of the American Robin or Eurasian Blackbird, or the elaborately woven hanging nest of the...
in tree
Tree
A tree is a perennial woody plant. It is most often defined as a woody plant that has many secondary branches supported clear of the ground on a single main stem or trunk with clear apical dominance. A minimum height specification at maturity is cited by some authors, varying from 3 m to...
s. It often forms small colonies.
The Lesser Adjutant, like most of its relatives, feeds mainly on frog
Frog
Frogs are amphibians in the order Anura , formerly referred to as Salientia . Most frogs are characterized by a short body, webbed digits , protruding eyes and the absence of a tail...
s, fish
Fish
Fish are a paraphyletic group of organisms that consist of all gill-bearing aquatic vertebrate animals that lack limbs with digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and cartilaginous and bony fish, as well as various extinct related groups...
and large insect
Insect
Insects are a class of living creatures within the arthropods that have a chitinous exoskeleton, a three-part body , three pairs of jointed legs, compound eyes, and two antennae...
s, but also small birds, reptiles and rodent
Rodent
Rodentia is an order of mammals also known as rodents, characterised by two continuously growing incisors in the upper and lower jaws which must be kept short by gnawing....
s during the breeding season. However, unlike the larger Greater Adjutant
Greater Adjutant
The Greater Adjutant is a member of the stork family, Ciconiidae. Its genus includes the Lesser Adjutant of Asia and the Marabou Stork of Africa...
and Marabou Stork
Marabou Stork
The Marabou Stork, Leptoptilos crumeniferus, is a large wading bird in the stork family Ciconiidae. It breeds in Africa south of the Sahara, occurring in both wet and arid habitats, often near human habitation, especially waste tips...
s, it rarely eats carrion and human garbage outside of the breeding season, still preferring small, live prey all year around.