Avians-The Dinosaurs Among Us
Dove


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Coin Details

  

Set Details
Coin Description:
Grade: NGC PF 65 ULTRA CAMEO
Owner: Mohawk
 
Set Category: Thematic & Topical Coins
Set Name: Avians-The Dinosaurs Among Us
Slot Name: Dove
Research: See NGC's Census Report for this Coin

Owner's Description

This coin depicts one of the most formidable and powerful of all modern dinosaurs, the Marabou Stork, species name Leptoptilos crumenifer The Marabou Stork is an interesting animal. It is a large and very powerful African stork that is one of the most important scavengers in its ecosystem. Its large size, strength and powerful beak allow it to tear open carcasses that other scavengers would have trouble with, so it actually helps the survival of other species through its own feeding behavior by allowing them access to food that they otherwise could not utilize. But, trust me, these other animals definitely have to wait until the Marabou is finished with a carcass to reap this benefit. Marabou Storks do not play well with others. However, when breeding season for these birds comes up, they become active predators as carrion does not provide all of the nutrients required by the growing chicks. The Marabou is a very large stork with a height of 5 feet, a 12 foot wingspan, a maximum weight of up to 20 pounds and a head like a spear. Adding to its intimidation factor, it is extremely ill tempered and quick to attack. While it is a highly opportunistic scavenger for most of its life cycle, its predatory phase when raising chicks is absolutely terrifying. Marabou parents will destroy and consume any animal that they can overpower and impale with their spear-like beak, from other birds to crocodile hatchlings and juveniles and anything made of meat in between. They have even been noted killing and eating full grown pelicans and flamingos when raising young. And onto Marabous raising young....These modern dinosaurs live up to all of the terror inducing power of their ancestors when raising young. As parents, they move from ill-tempered to a level of extreme aggression bordering on emotional and psychological disturbance. If a Marabou Stork parent thinks you are a threat to its young, it will do its very best to destroy you. And with its size and that huge, razor sharp beak, it can make a very good attempt. A Marabou Stork can fight off or seriously injure or kill most animals in its ecosystem, really only having to fear full grown Nile Crocodiles and Hippopotami. Adding to this already nightmarish scenario, Marabous nest communally and they protect their young the same way. If you want to have the Jurassic Park experience, go mess with a baby Marabou Stork. You'll have a pack of very large, angry and violent modern theropods running after you with murderous intent in no time. Marabou Storks can live for between 25 and 41 years. Adding to the horror is what Marabou Storks do to the nests of other modern dinosaurs. They will fly up into trees as a group and just destroy whole nesting colonies, first killing and ingesting the parents before moving on to devour all of the nestlings and eggs. I saw a video of this recently and it was honestly the first time I saw an animal exhibit a natural behavior that disturbed me. Marabou Storks are one of the modern dinosaurs that have actually benefitted from human habitation and have evolved behaviors to take advantage of these benefits. Marabou Storks heavily colonize human landfills in Africa, eating all sorts of putrid refuse. They also walk through towns and villages, looking for garbage, vermin and any house pets unlucky enough to get in their way. There have been cases of people feeding Marabous. This is extremely stupid to do. If a Marabou Stork comes to associate a person with food and that person doesn't have any, the stork will likely attack them. This is definitely a modern dinosaur that needs to be experienced and respected from a safe distance. In closing, I think a small handicraft I saw online sums up this formidable theropod best.......this stork doesn't deliver babies. It delivers nightmares. Horrible, scarring nightmares.

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