Marabus, the seductive scavengers, go into heat.

Leptoptilos crumeniferus.

The marabouts, curious birds that we can see in the dry savannah coexisting with zebras, rhinos and ostriches and that, these days, they have come into heat, so their caregivers have built them a nest to facilitate the laying of their eggs. But we not only see them in this habitat, we can also appreciate all their beauty and learn more about their role in nature in the educational bird exhibition that takes place in the park's amphitheater every day and which is a plus to the visit. A live documentary that completes "The circle of life" that we can see during the tour of the area that recreates the savannah. Thus, the marabou welcomes us at the beginning of the BIOPARC itinerary and says goodbye to us at the exhibition, helping us understand the richness of the biodiversity of wild nature.

The marabou They are known by many people for having beautiful tail feathers that have been used as decoration by women on dresses and hats for many decades. They became famous for their use as an ornament for magazine artists, which made them an icon of seduction and glamour.

Less people know that marabouts are scavenger birds, although they can also hunt live prey. Their long beak does not allow them to deflesh, so they snatch food from the vultures and, like them, are very important agents in cleaning the ecosystems they inhabit.

They are gregarious birds that form reproductive colonies, usually building nests in trees with branches and sticks. In spring and summer your gular sac changes from pink to red, an indicator that they are entering the heat phase and thanks to it they also make sounds during courtship. After copulation and the laying of 2 or 3 eggs, they are incubated for 30 days and from then on they hatch, although the chicks need more than three months to take their first flight.

Video: Building nests for marabouts

Its powerful flight allows it to reach considerable heights, taking advantage of the rising warm air currents, and it also glides majestically, keeping its head back. It is distributed throughout almost all of sub-Saharan Africa, except for the most arid and desert areas, and thus populates a variety of habitats, from dry savanna areas to swampy areas. Their life expectancy is 25 years in the wild and 44 in captivity, to which they adapt very well. The only breeding pair in Spain lives in BIOPARC Valencia.

Signature: Department of Caregivers of BIOPARC Valencia.