Birds Around Me 0166 - Asian Openbill (घुंगिल) - Anastomus oscitans

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Asian Openbill (घुंगिल) - Anastomus oscitans
Taken on June 26, 2018
Location: Sanjivini Nagar, Jabalpur, India (Latitude: 23.172826, Longitude: 79.881881)

Asian Openbill (Anastomus oscitans)

Local name: घुंगिल Size: ~75 cm Habitat: Marshes, jheels, paddy fields, and flooded wetlands Status: Least Concern (IUCN)

Identification: A medium-large stork with a pale grey or white body, depending on the season. Breeding adults are mostly white with a black tail and wings that shimmer with green or purple in sunlight. Its most distinctive feature is the open gap between the curved mandibles of its beak, used to grip and extract aquatic snails—its primary diet. Juveniles lack this gap.

Asian Openbill (घुंगिल) - Anastomus oscitans
 Asian Openbill (घुंगिल) - Anastomus oscitans


Flight Note: Easily recognized in flight by contrasting black wings and tail, and an extended neck. Flies with slow, powerful wingbeats, often in loose flocks.

Behavior: Frequently seen foraging in shallow water or resting in wetlands. Makes seasonal local movements based on water levels and snail availability. Known for its quiet demeanor and efficient snail-hunting skills.

Fun Fact: Once referred to as the “beef-steak bird” during colonial India, it was hunted for its meat. Today, it is protected and appreciated for its ecological role in wetland systems.

Look for:
  • The unique bill shape (open-billed gap)
  • Glossy black wings contrasting with pale body
  • Feeding near water with slow, deliberate steps

Best Time to Spot: Post-monsoon and winter months, when wetlands are replenished and snail populations peak

Birds Around Me - Unfinished List (अपूर्ण  सूची) 
Ashutosh Jhureley @BirdsAroundMe

Birds Around Me - Ashutosh Jhureley

Asian Openbill (घुंगिल) - Anastomus oscitans
Taken on June 26, 2018
Location: Sanjivini Nagar, Jabalpur, India (Latitude: 23.172826, Longitude: 79.881881)
Asian Openbill (घुंगिल) - Anastomus oscitans
Taken on June 26, 2018
Location: Sanjivini Nagar, Jabalpur, India (Latitude: 23.172826, Longitude: 79.881881)


Asian Openbill (घुंगिल) - Anastomus oscitans
Taken on June 26, 2018
Location: Sanjivini Nagar, Jabalpur, India (Latitude: 23.172826, Longitude: 79.881881)

Asian Openbill (घुंगिल) - Anastomus oscitans
Taken on June 26, 2018
Location: Sanjivini Nagar, Jabalpur, India (Latitude: 23.172826, Longitude: 79.881881)
Asian Openbill (घुंगिल) - Anastomus oscitans
Taken on June 26, 2018
Location: Sanjivini Nagar, Jabalpur, India (Latitude: 23.172826, Longitude: 79.881881)


Asian Openbill (घुंगिल) - Anastomus oscitans October 2023 Sanjivini Nagar, Jabalpur, MP, India
Asian Openbill (घुंगिल) - Anastomus oscitans
October 2023
Sanjivini Nagar, Jabalpur, MP, India

Asian Openbill (घुंगिल) - Anastomus oscitans October 2023 Sanjivini Nagar, Jabalpur, MP, India
Asian Openbill (घुंगिल) - Anastomus oscitans
October 2023
Sanjivini Nagar, Jabalpur, MP, India

Asian Openbill (घुंगिल) - Anastomus oscitans October 2023 Sanjivini Nagar, Jabalpur, MP, India
Asian Openbill (घुंगिल) - Anastomus oscitans
October 2023
Sanjivini Nagar, Jabalpur, MP, India

Asian Openbill (घुंगिल) - Anastomus oscitans October 2023 Sanjivini Nagar, Jabalpur, MP, India
Asian Openbill (घुंगिल) - Anastomus oscitans
October 2023
Sanjivini Nagar, Jabalpur, MP, India
Tags: #BirdsSeenIn2025 #BirdsOfIndia #IndiAves #ThePhotoHour #Birding #Birds #Jabalpur

Contents of this post:
  • Asian Openbill stork facts
  • Anastomus oscitans identification
  • घुंगिल bird in India
  • Storks with open bills
  • Wetland birds of South Asia
  • Birds that eat snails
  • Beef-steak bird in colonial India

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