Marabou storks are sedentary, although some living in the far north or south may migrate to central Africa to breed. They form fairly large colonies, often associated with pelicans. The male chooses a site, defends it and waits for a female near the rough nest. The nest is built in a tree between 10 and 30 metres high, near a water source, and is often renovated from one year to the next. Both parents take turns incubating the eggs and regurgitating food to their young.

Less elegant than its cousin the stork, the marabou stork regularly teams up with vultures to dispose of carcasses. Its featherless head and neck allow it to search through carcasses without getting dirty! This scavenger is often found on the lookout for scraps near villages, rubbish dumps or slaughterhouses, and may occasionally hunt small prey.

Due to its weight, the marabou stork glides rather than flies, which is more energy efficient, and uses warm air currents to rise into the air. Like herons, it flies with its legs outstretched and its neck folded. In adults, the long throat pouch, which swells as a sign of dominance, also serves to regulate body temperature.

Marabou storks are affected by environmental changes and pesticides, but their populations are dense enough that they are not endangered. They are hunted locally for traditional medicine.