Common Name: Asian Openbill
Scientific Name: Anastomus oscitans
Family: Ciconiidae
Nepali Name: Dhungifoor Garud ( धुँगीफोर गरूड )
Size: 68 cm
Location: Chitwan, Nepal

The Asian Openbill is a striking wetland stork found across Nepal’s lowlands, typically between 75 and 250 metres elevation, where marshes, lakes, floodplains, and other wetlands offer ideal habitat.

During the breeding season, its plumage turns largely white, contrasting sharply with its glossy black wings and tail; in non-breeding periods, it shifts to a more muted grey body. Its long legs are pink, and the bird is easily recognized by its distinctive bill, a gap between the arched upper mandible and curved lower mandible.

These storks forage in shallow water, feeding chiefly on freshwater snails, and are most often seen wading along lake margins, marshes, or flooded fields. Their presence is an important indicator of healthy wetland ecosystems in Nepal’s Terai and other lowland regions.

Please feel free to comment below if the above species has been misidentified.