Greater Adjudant

For readers who are well acquainted with Indian mythology, it is obvious that you have heard of the mythical bird, Garuda, the vahana and servant of Lord Vishnu. Have you ever wondered what species he belongs to ? In this post, I will be providing you with the answer to this question and also give you some information regarding these endangered birds. 

The Greater Adjudant, known locally as Hargila, is considered by many to be an ugly bird, which causes the decrease in its population. This hatred, (previously it used to occur more frequently than now) caused many farmers and landowners to allegedly chop down the storks' nesting trees. It was previously considered a pest, even though its diet consists mostly of actual pests like rats, bugs and of course, fish. This bird, characterized by its bare red head, long yellow legs, white-black wings, long beak and astonishing hight of more than 4 feet and wingspan of approximately 8 feet, is often confused with its cousin, the Marabou Stork. These birds, even though they were never extremely common, were previously widespread across Southern Asia. Unfortunately, there are only two populations of these birds in India, one in Assam and one in Bihar. These elegant storks are usually heard to moo, grunt or clatter their bills, especially during nesting seasons or also to warn fellow storks about approaching predators. The Greater Adjudant's conservation status is that of ''Near Threatened". Due to the involvement of various wildlife conservationists and organizations, the number of individuals has shown a significant rise.

So you see, just as so many researchers and wildlife conservationists have succeeded in protecting these birds, we can also help protect these birds by spreading information and awareness about the dangers faced by them. Bye for today!


    The Greater Adjudant stork. Illustrated by: True Indian 

Comments

  1. Nature Ria5 May 2025 at 12:45

    Very sad, indeed,that they are now found only in 2 states. What are the reasons behind their falling numbers?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. True Indian 6 May 2025 at 14:26

      Hi Nature Ria!
      Just wanted to share that even though these storks are on the IUCN's redlist, they are still increasing in number. Although they are heavily dependent on conservation efforts.

      Delete

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