The African openbill is unique in that the upper and lower halves of its large bill only meet at the tip, creating a gap in the middle. This adaptation helps the bird to grasp and pry the flesh out of seashells. This is a large bird (80-94 cm). The plumage is dark, almost black, with shimmering touches of green, brown and purple on the breast and mantle. The legs are black and the eyes are grey. It thrives in shallow wetlands such as swamps, flooded fields, ponds, rice fields and lake edges. It has specialized in aquatic snails and mussels. It can also eat frogs, crabs and insects when necessary. The species breeds in colonies in trees, often during the rainy season when snails are most abundant. The female usually lays three to four chalky white eggs that both parents incubate for about 25–30 days.