Why do marabous have such "ugly" heads?
I've noticed that all the marabous I've ever seen in my life (whether in zoos or in documentaries) have a very strange (subjectively perceived as ugly) head and neck area. Similar to some vulture species, but with marabous it looks even more extreme. A few questions for experts, biologists, or bird experts:
- Do the chicks and young marabou birds look like this after hatching, or do the feathers on their heads fall out later?
- The head area really does look (subjectively) horrible, not only is there hardly any feathering, if any at all, but the skin also looks as if the birds had just been doused with a bucket of boiling water and then left behind the exhaust of a diesel vehicle without a filter or catalytic converter for 3 hours… In other words, the skin is not a uniform pink, but is torn and covered in black, grey and flesh-coloured spots, as if the birds had been tortured or mistreated… Is this normal??? If so, what is the cause of this, what was nature thinking???
- Is this only the case with older specimens, or also with young, adult birds that may not have yet experienced territorial or courtship fights or other stressful hunting adventures?
Thank you in advance for your answers.
(2 votes)
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Marabus are like Geier Aasfresser. They often sink their head into cadavern. Blood-crusted feathers are not only impractical but also unhygienic.
cutenhähne are also naked at the head and no aasfresser and the bartgeier has full feather at the head and eats ONLY bones and aas
It has nothing to do with ugly, it is rather useful. Aas-eaters often have bare heads, because a feather dress would simply disturb at the place if they “dive into the carcass with the head”.
cutenhähne are also naked at the head and no aasfresser and the bartgeier has full feather at the head and eats ONLY bones and aas
Well, the diet of 80% of bones of fallen animals and aas; they do not “dive” in carcass to come to inlandia. Adult birds can only feed on the bones. The beard vultures allow the larger bones to fall and eat the fragments. The Marabu, on the other hand, breaks up the abdominal ceiling and dives into the interiors and is therefore a good example of the “classical” aas-eater, to which the rule refers, which is just confirmed by exciting exceptions. The turkey is a domesticated livestock breed. The bare head belongs to the breed standard. In the case of pet breeds, evolution does not really intervene, but its appearance is determined by breeding choice.
It is typical for Aasfressers that body parts, which have intense contact with the Aas are undemanded or unhaired.
Thus, the surface of the affected body parts is easier to clean.
Best regards
gregor443
cutenhähne are also naked at the head and no aasfresser and the bartgeier has full feather at the head and eats ONLY bones and aas
To find you beautiful.
And because they put the head in the food. It’s unpleasant if there’s always feathers in there.
“So you can find yourself beautiful.” … thanks 🙂 I am a white pelican ^^