Friday Travel Pic, Scavenger Birds in Landfill

Greater adjutant storks resting in the landfills they call home. Having never seen scavenger birds up and close, I was stunned by the sheer size of the greater adjutant stork. I know most birds of prey are large but everything about this bird was unexpected and unimaginable.

For starters, the greater adjutant storks are huge in size, about 5 feet tall with a wingspan of 8 feet, with looks as that of prehistoric flying creatures. The landfill where I visited, while on a writing assignment, was in Guwahati, Assam. Scavenger birds are a very important part of the ecosystem, by feeding on the dead and decaying remains of creatures, they cleanup the environment and thus prevent outbreaks of deadly diseases.

While on one hand I was happy to see a large number of adjutants, on the other hand I couldn’t stop thinking and being concerned for their home was heaps and huge mounds – made up with dreadful amount of plastic/toxic waste. Fortunately, this threatened species has found new home, in a nearby town where they are safe and thriving slowly, thanks to the amazing conservationists and the incredible job they are doing.