African black duck
Anas sparsa
African openbill
Anastomus lamelligerus
The African openbill specializes in eating snails. Its thick beak acts as a nutcracker and breaks the shell. Then with the pointed end of his lower mandible he skilfully cuts the muscle connecting the animal to its shell.
Habitat
Lake edges, marshy areas lined with trees
Feed
Aquatic and terrestrial molluscs
Classification
Class
Birds
Scientific Name
Anastomus lamelligerus
Legal Status
IUCN: LC - Least Concern (2018)
Some Figures
Weight
1 to 1.3 kg
Life Expectancy
15 years old
Incubation
27 days
3 to 4 eggs
Head Height
80 to 94cm
Discover Also
Ferruginous duck
Aythya nyroca
Abdim’s stork
Ciconia abdimii
African sacred ibis
Threskiornis aethiopicus
Northern bald ibis
Geronticus eremita
Emu
Dromaius novaehollandiae