Lesser Adjudant

 In one of my previous posts, I have mentioned that many highly threatened birds can be dull looking, ( See also- Masked Finfoot) but in this post, I shall be talking about a bird that is considered genuinely ugly by many people. Boasting of a height of more than 3 feet and a wingspan of more than 8 feet, this peculiar stork is one of the largest storks in Asia. Also known as the Hair-crested Adjudant, this bird's decreasing population seems more tolerable to many people, than its looks.


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Lesser Adjudant in Gorumara National Park, West Bengal. Photography by: Rudra Dey.


Lesser Adjudants are characterized by their bare head, red face and  blackish upperwings. They are also often seen in an upright position, unlike that of their cousin, the Greater Adjudant. This bird generally feeds on fish, reptiles, frogs, rodents, large invertebrates and occasionally, carrion. These birds are usually seen solitary, often around marshes where they look for prey. They are extremely noisy during their breeding season which ranges from November to January in North eastern India and February to May in Southern India, when they are often heard to squeal, moan, hiss or clatter their bills during courtship. These birds seem to have formed quite a strong bond with the locals, who have been helping in the protection of these birds over the last few years. People, especially in places like Cambodia have been helping various organizations in the conservation of these birds. This has caused the conservation status of these birds to go up to "Near Threatened", from its previous conservation status of "Vulnerable".

Even though continuous efforts to protect these birds are being made, they are still being poached in many places. The loss of habitat is also a grave threat to the Lesser Adjudant. So, I urge all the readers here to spread information about this bird and help in every other way. 








 

Comments

  1. Nature Ria16 April 2025 at 22:56

    Wonderful.indeed nature's treasure. Are these indigenous to India or are these migratory?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. True Indian 17 April 2025 at 19:15

      No, these birds are not migratory. They are indigenous to the Indian Subcontinent and South east Asia.

      Delete

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