Snail Expert

Gallery: AvianPosted April 7, 2011150 views15 comments

These Storks feed primarily on molluscs and their bills are specifically designed to extract snails from their shells. Not by using these as a nutcracker as one may think at first, but rather by using the extremely sharp lower mandible to cut the muscle that holds the snail in place. This is mostly done underwater holding the snail down with the upper mandible. Only a tiny piece at the entrance of the shell is often broken in the process, but otherwise it remains intact.
I was quite please capturing this stork in good light and pose with a snail. I am not so happy about the grasses in the FG, but despite that decided it is worth keeping.

African Open-billed Stork (Anastomus lamelligerus)
Okavango Delta, Botswana
Camera Model Canon EOS-5D Mark II
Shutter Speed 1/1000 Sec.
Aperture Value f/6.3
ISO Speed 200
Lens EF100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS USM @ 400mm
Horizontal frame cropped from sides

Comments

15 comments

Comment posted by Keith Bauer on April 7, 2011 at 9:05 AM

Nice image. Great behavioral shot. I really don't mind the grasses in the foreground. It seems to help tell the story for me. Perfect head turn to show off the snail.

Registered on November 20, 2003, 458 Posts, 4836 Comments

Comment posted by Brian Gatlin on April 7, 2011 at 9:33 AM

great pose, Vincent, and interesting description to go with it. I like the wet look of the stork and water drops. the grasses don't bother me.

Registered on March 21, 2009, 202 Posts, 4187 Comments

Comment posted by Kurt Bowman on April 7, 2011 at 10:04 AM

Vincent, the grasses don't bother me in the slightest...it provides good habitat IMO. Awesome detail in this and like the action you captured. It does feel a tiny bit tight to me, but this morning I seem to be on a too tight kick, so might just be my mood.

Registered on June 19, 2008, 1005 Posts, 8028 Comments

Comment posted by Richard Ditch on April 7, 2011 at 11:01 AM

Very interesting bird. Good position and nice exposure. The foreground grasses are not an issue for me, either.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 1031 Posts, 12705 Comments

Comment posted by Vincent Grafhorst on April 7, 2011 at 11:19 AM

Maybe I should add that I did darken and desaturated the FG grasses a bit to make them less distracting.

Registered on February 24, 2006, 504 Posts, 7203 Comments

Comment posted by Alan Murphy on April 7, 2011 at 11:20 AM

Great pose on this image. I'd like to see more room for the virtual feet.

Registered on December 3, 2003, 192 Posts, 739 Comments

Comment posted by Darren Colello on April 7, 2011 at 12:44 PM

Very, very cool species. The detail, especially in the larger version, is wonderful. Thanks for sharing another beauty Vincent.

Registered on July 27, 2009, 175 Posts, 1100 Comments

Comment posted by S Govindarajan on April 7, 2011 at 1:25 PM

Interesting species and a very nice image to go with the name, Vincent. The grass in front are not bothersome. I like the inclusion of habitat in this image. Also the great head turn and water droplets off the bill. Exposure techs are also very good. The information is very educational. Thanks for sharing this!

Registered on April 19, 2008, 115 Posts, 1921 Comments

Comment posted by Dan Harbour on April 7, 2011 at 2:16 PM

Great action and behavior, interesting subject. Very nice, Vincent.

Registered on January 4, 2008, 113 Posts, 2416 Comments

Comment posted by Wayne Willison on April 7, 2011 at 4:24 PM

Love the up close viewpoint. An interesting bird and lots to study in the image. Great techs. So this guy lives in Africa? Our Limpkin behave in the same way as to extracting snails, although they don't have the massive bill of a stork. I'll echo Alan's comment about virtual feet, but the grasses seem to belong here, since the bird is wading among them.

Registered on April 10, 2009, 292 Posts, 3967 Comments

Comment posted by Steve Balke on April 7, 2011 at 6:01 PM

Outstanding shot, Vincent. It's a wonderful capture, made particularly interesting by the information that you provide in your caption. I can see that those foreground grasses would be more of a distraction if they were bright. However, as posted, they don't distract me at all. The capture of the falling water droplets in the large version is a nice extra touch.

Registered on June 18, 2009, 229 Posts, 2915 Comments

Comment posted by Ashley Vincent on April 7, 2011 at 9:11 PM

With the rich colours and such the detail in the subject, combined with the added interest of the behavior, and even those perfectly formed droplets of water, those strands of grass are easily overlooked. Very nice shot Vincent :^)

Registered on March 1, 2011, 154 Posts, 2083 Comments

Comment posted by Matt Shellenberg on April 7, 2011 at 9:36 PM

Really nice shot of this Stork, Vincent. I like the headturn and the snail is a great addition. The grasses are not a problem for me, however I would prefer a bit more room for the virtual legs.

Registered on February 6, 2008, 168 Posts, 3118 Comments

Comment posted by Nate Chappell on April 9, 2011 at 10:07 PM

Neat portrait showing that impressive beak and the snail close up Vincent. I might take a little more room for the virtual legs but that might have brought in more oof vegetation.

Registered on February 1, 2006, 1158 Posts, 19528 Comments

Comment posted by Cheryl Molennor on April 10, 2011 at 1:24 PM

Great image Vincent.I love your angle and the colors. I even like the blades of grass in the front

Registered on June 30, 2009, 300 Posts, 5051 Comments