Greater Adjutant (Leptoptilos dubius)

Gathering in compact colonies at the start of the dry season in October, the greater adjutant nests on large, widely branched trees with few leaves (4). It constructs a large platform of sticks with an outer layer of bamboo stems and lines this with leaves. Two to four eggs are laid between November and January. After 28 to 30 days, the eggs hatch, and the nestlings are cared for until April. At the start of the wet season, the greater adjutants migrate to northern India (3). The greater adjutant feeds by sweeping its bill under the surface of the water, or by probing into the substrate. It will consume carrion, fish, frogs, reptiles, crustaceans, large insects and even injured ducks. It is also known to feed in human refuse dumps, where it will take food from other scavengers, including vultures (3).

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