greater adjutant greater adjutant member family genus includes lesser adjutant asia africa found widely southern asia mainly india extending east borneo greater adjutant restricted smaller range small breeding populations india largest colony populations disperse breeding season large massive wedge shaped bill bare head distinctive neck day share habit feed mainly prey english derived stiff military walking ground large numbers lived asia declined greatly possibly improved point endangered total population estimated thousand individuals 19th century especially common city calcutta referred calcutta adjutant known locally derived sanskrit word bone considered birds largely left hunted use meat folk medicine valued logo description greater adjutant huge bird standing tall average length average wingspan weights published wild birds greater adjutant largest living published measurements overlapping saddle billed juvenile greater adjutant captivity weighed comparison heaviest known wild scaling huge bill averages long wedge like pale grey darker base wing chord averages tail length exception length standard measurements greater adjutant average greater species white collar base bare yellow red skinned neck gives vulture like appearance breeding season neck bright orange upper grey legs turn reddish adults dark wing contrasts light grey secondary underside body whitish sexes indistinguishable field juveniles version adult connects air passages connected digestive tract exact function unknown involved food storage believed established student professor specimen found layered filled mainly air possible species region smaller lesser adjutant lacks prefers wetland habitats lighter grey skull cap edge upper lacks contrast grey secondary dark wings like lacks vocal muscles produces sound mainly bill low sounds especially nesting bill display bill raised high differs closely related african holds bill pointed downwards taxonomy wrote bird found calcutta based descriptions india published included illustration supplement general synopsis birds illustration based drawing collection called gigantic crane included observations african traveller named described similar bird western africa description described indian bird later indian bird based local african bird applied indian species led considerable confusion african indian species africa looks somewhat similar distribution ranges differences bill structure plumage display behaviour support treatment separate species fly neck species neck flight possibly heavy bill walking ground stiff marching adjutant derived distribution species widespread winter visitor plains northern india breeding areas largely unknown long time large nesting colony finally discovered burma believed indian birds bred breeding colony included spot billed declined size entirely vanished 1930s subsequently nest site known breeding area new sites discovered lake wildlife sanctuary breeding population estimated birds population valley considered small colony nests discovered near non breeding season indian region disperse widely mainly sightings region rare records flocks south near questioned 1800s adjutant extremely common city calcutta summer rainy season calcutta declined vanished altogether early 1900s improved suggested cause decline birds recorded bangladesh 1850s breeding recorded subsequently behaviour ecology greater adjutant usually seen singly small groups shallow lakes drying lake beds garbage found company sit long hold wings presumably control temperature large wings breeding greater adjutant breeds winter colonies include large spot billed nest large platform twigs placed end near horizontal branch tall tree nests rarely placed canopy allows birds fly easily nests nesting colony tall favourite nest trees beginning breeding season marked birds trying occupy tree sites male birds mark nesting territories chasing away frequently pointing bill upwards arch body hold wings half open female nearby male fresh twigs places male grasp female bill hold bill close gesture female paired holds bill head breast male male locks holding bill neck displays include simultaneous bill raising lowering pair clutch usually white eggs laid intervals days begins egg laid parents eggs hatch intervals days taking days date laying adults nest legs covered behaviour termed believed aid cooling hot weather adults spread wings shade chicks chicks fed nest months chicks double size week stand walk nest platform month old weeks juveniles leap frequently defend parent birds leave young longer periods nest stage young birds leave nest fly colony months continue fed occasionally parents feeding greater adjutant mainly frogs large insects birds reptiles known attack wild ducks coming reach main diet like bare head neck adaptation found garbage feed animal human 19th century calcutta fed partly burnt human corpses disposed river extremely rare reported feed desert questioned parasites diseases mortality species bird found healthy adult birds natural predators recorded causes premature mortality direct indirect actions humans poisoning shooting birds accidentally fly overhead electricity wires captive birds found susceptible high mortality noted facility thirds infected birds dying longest recorded life span captivity years status conservation loss nesting feeding habitat draining wetlands pollution disturbance hunting egg collection past caused massive decline population species world population estimated individuals greater adjutant evaluated endangered iucn red list threatened species conservation measures included attempts breed captivity reduce fatalities young natural nesting sites nearly chicks killed fall nests die starvation nets positioned nests prevent injuries falling young raising fallen birds months releasing join wild siblings culture described bird large bird india crop looks like leather bag victorian times greater adjutant known gigantic crane later common calcutta rainy season large numbers seen garbage sites standing buildings local derived sanskrit means bone species time belief protected souls dead young british soldiers known harass birds fun blowing birds feeding meat containing bones packed cartridge fuse birds calcutta considered efficient act passed protect killed bird pay fine old emblem included adjutant facing captured birds probably calcutta reached europe period covert feathers taken adjutant exported london height trade place bangladesh indian myth recorded emperor magic snake stone existed inside skull bird snake stone supposed extremely rare obtained hunter great skill bird killed letting bill touch ground case stone instantly folk medicine practitioners believed piece flesh daily cure
Greater adjutant