WOOD STORK

1370               WOOD STORK                  Mycteria americana

USA.          20

The wood stork is a large wading bird in the family Ciconiidae (storks). Originally described in 1758 by Carl Linnaeus, this stork is native to the subtropics and tropics of the Americas where it persists in habitats with fluctuating water levels. It is the only stork species that breeds in North America.

PAINTED STORK

Photographed in Kuala Lumpa, March 2017

(*  1091)                   PAINTED STORK            Mycteria leucocephala

MALAYSIA              4

Found in marshes, lakes, freshwater swamps and sometimes rice paddies. 93-102 cm. Vagrant to Peninsula Malaysia.

BLACK-NECKED STORK

March 2017

(*   113)           BLACK-NECKED STORK              Ephippiorhynchus asiaticus

SRI LANKA            146

Found in lagoons, tanks and water holes in adjoining forest. 129-150 cm. Very rare breeding resident in south-east coastal area, occasionally in north.

PAINTED STORK

March 2017

1091                 PAINTED STORK                 Mycteria leucocephala

SRI LANKA             104

Found in marshes, tanks, lagoons, chiefly freshwater. 93-100 cm. Fairly common breeding resident in dry lowlands; an introduced population in and around Colombo.

WOOLLY-NECKED STORK

Subspecies episcopes, photographed March 2017

(*  383)                   WOOLLY-NECKED STORK              Ciconia episcopus

SRI LANKA                 58

Found in marshes, tank edges, water holes and paddy fields, usually in pairs or small groups. 75-92 cm. Uncommon breeding resident in dry lowlands.

BLACK STORK

Photographed at Beeshazar Wetlands, Nepal, March 2017

(*   258)                BLACK STORK                   Ciconia nigra

NEPAL            114

Found in marshes, rivers and cut-over paddy fields. 90-100 cm. Widespread winter visitor and passage migrant.

(juvenile)

WOOLLY-NECKED STORK

Photographed in Chitin NP, Nepal, March 2017

(*  383)                   WOOLLY-NECKED STORK                       Ciconia episcopus

NEPAL             110  

Inhabits flooded grassland, marshes, irrigated fields and riverine areas: usually near open wooded country. 75-95 cm. Fairly common and widespread resident.

MILKY STORK

Photographed in Singapore November 2016

909               MILKY STORK              Mycteria cinerea

SINGAPORE               (55)

found in coastal regions, favours mangroves and low-saline swamps. 91-95 cm height. Occurs in Cambodia, peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra, Java, Bali, Sumbawa, Sulawesi and Buton.

WOOLY-NECKED STORK

383           WOOLY-NECKED STORK           Ciconia episcopus

South Africa          (76)

Also known as Bishop Stork, White-necked Stork, Episcopos or Mannickjore. 85 cm tall. Widespread  tropical species which breeds in Asia, from India to Indonesia, and also in Africa. Found in wetlands, along rivers and streams, mangroves, coastal mud flats and reefs, attends fires.

YELLOW-BILLED STORK

367           YELLOW-BILLED STORK            Mycteria ibis

South Africa              (60)

Range across Africa south of the Sahara and in Madagascar. 97 cm.

ASIAN OPENBILL

Photographed in Chitwan, Nepal

318         ASIAN OPENBILL          Anastomus oscitans

Nepal              (2)

Also known as Asian Openbill Stork. Found mainly on the Indian sub-continent and South-East Asia.   68 cm in height. Found in inland wetlands, rarely seen along river banks or tidal flats. Feed on larger mollusc. During hot part of the day soar on thermals high above feeding areas.

BLACK STORK

258            BLACK STORK         Ciconia nigra

South Africa       (20)

95-110 cm, 2.5-3.2 kg; Ranges over most of South Africa. Uncommon and decreasing at lakes, rivers ad estuaries; population around 1,000 pairs. Breeds singly on cliff edges, reusing same site for years.

BLACK-NECKED STORK

113       BLACK-NECKED STORK       Ephippiorhynchus asiaticus

Australia     (113)

Also commonly known as Jabiru. Also found in India and se Asia, Indonesia and PNG. c. 1.4 m, wingspan c. 2 m. Ranges across northern Australia from Port Hedland (WA) to c. coast NSW. Found coastal wetlands, mangroves, mudflats, open woodlands, dams, ponds.