FOUND in our game reserves and national parks and usually larger inland waters, rivers, dams, pans, flood plains and swamps in northern KZN.
Adults are silent, young beg weakly.
Found solitary or in pairs, usually shy and wary. Forages in shallow waters by walking slowly and jabbing at prey with bill.
Sometimes stands and waits for prey; may stir mud with foot and toss prey in the air before catching and swallowing it.
Feeds on fish up to 500g, also frogs, small mammals, birds and reptiles. Nips spine off larger fish before swallowing them .
Roosts in trees, flies and soars well.
Breeds from March to July in Zululand.
The nest is a platform of sticks lined with reeds sedges and mud up to two metres in diameter.
Lays two to three eggs . Incubation is 30 to 35 days and nestling 70 to 100 days.
