‘Undertaker bird’ arrives at Whipsnade Zoo

Image of Marabou storks at Whipsnade Zoo
Newly arrived Marabou storks at Whipsnade Zoo Credit: Zoological Society of London

Two Marabou storks, known as the ‘the undertaker bird’ have been welcomed by the staff at Whipsnade Zoo, Dunstable as part of their conservation breeding programme.

Most storks are associated with delivering babies, but these birds are likened to undertakers because of their huge, dark, cloak-like wingspan. They also have a penchant for rotten carcasses.

The birds are 5ft tall and have a huge 9ft wingspan, bare throat sac and hunch. Despite their appearance and morbid nickname, the two new arrivals to the UK’s biggest zoo have already won over zookeepers.

"These two will help us share the importance of the species and hopefully help a few more people see past their gloomy demeanour,” said Jamie Graham, Head Bird Keeper at ZSL Whipsnade Zoo.

“Their wild cousins living in Africa eat a wide variety of foods including meat from carcasses and food waste, often left by humans, helping to avoid the spreading of pathogens, which is essential to our environment,” he explained.

Marabou storks stand at 5ft tall and are nicknamed Undertaker Birds because of their huge, dark, cloak-like wingspan. Credit: Zoological Society of London

Amongst the largest of any bird alive today, the Zoo has welcomed the two males as part of the European breeding program (EEP) to help protect the species and are hoping to find two females to join the pair soon.  

They arrived at the zoo in December and have yet to greet any public due to the lockdown and the Zoo’s third closure.