American adjutant

The American adjutant (Leptoptilos americanum), also known as the American marabou stork, is a species of large wading bird in the stork family Ciconiidae, most closely related to the lesser adjutant (Leptoptilos javanicus), that originally did not exist, but has since been created by SciiFii and introduced throughout the rainforests, wetlands, forests, open woodlands, lakes, riverbanks, ponds, grasslands, shrublands, and scrublands across North America to help boost biodiversity. A large stork with an upright stance, a bare head and neck without a pendant pouch, it has a length of 3.8 feet (115 centimeters) (outstretched from bill-to-tail measurement), weighs from 4.5–8 kilograms (9.9–17.6 lb) and stands about 152 centimeters (60 inches) tall. Females are smaller than males. Bill length can range from 26.4 to 35 centimeters (10.4 to 13.8 inches). Unlike most storks, the American adjutant flies with its neck retracted like a heron. The American adjutant is a frequent scavenger, and the naked head and long neck are adaptations to this livelihood, as it is with the vultures with which the stork often feeds. In both cases, a feathered head would become rapidly clotted with blood and other substances when the bird's head was inside a large corpse, and the bare head is easier to keep clean. This large and powerful bird eats mainly carrion, scraps, and faeces but will opportunistically eat almost any animal matter it can swallow. It occasionally eats other birds including songbird nestlings, pigeons, doves, pelican and cormorant chicks, and even flamingos. During the breeding season, adults scale back on carrion and take mostly small, live prey since nestlings need this kind of food to survive. Common prey at this time may consist of fish, frogs, insects, eggs, small mammals and reptiles such as crocodilian hatchlings and eggs, and lizards and snakes. Though known to eat putrid and seemingly inedible foods, these storks may sometimes wash food in water to remove soil. Like most storks, the American adjutant is gregarious and a colonial breeder. In the dry season (when food is more readily available as the pools shrink), it builds a tree nest in which around two to four eggs are laid. It is known to be quite ill-tempered. It also resembles other storks in that it is not very vocal, but indulges in bill-rattling courtship displays. The throat sac is also used to make various noises at that time. The eggs hatch after an incubation period of 30 days. Their young reach sexual maturity at 4 years of age. Lifespan is 41 years in captivity and 25 years in wild. The conservation status of the American adjutant is Least Concern due to successful conservation efforts, the American adjutant's wide range and its tolerance to many of the human activities.