18th Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest Natural World
Fighting over the Spoils

These Marabou Storks were standing around a kill being stripped by vultures. Their beaks can't tear meat, but they can steal anything the vultures drop. The front stork snapped up a piece of intestine and was immediately set upon by his mates. As he ran, he attempted to eat the intestine but it got wrapped around his beak. It was amazing to watch these two immense birds fight over this morsel. Eventually, he managed to get it unwrapped from his beak and eat it- gulp, it was gone.

Photo Detail
Date Taken: 04.2018
Date Uploaded: 11.2020
Photo Location: Tanzania
Camera: Canon EOS 6D
Copyright: © Gerri Whitley