Woolly-Necked Stork

Woolly-Necked Stork Latest News

Rare sightings of the woolly-necked stork are being reported from the paddy fields near Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu.

About Woolly-Necked Stork

• Woolly-Necked Stork,  also known as the White-necked Stork or Bishop Stork,  is a large wading bird belonging to the stork family, Ciconiidae.
• Scientific Name: Ciconia episcopus

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Woolly-Necked Stork Habitat and Distribution

• It is a widespread tropical species, which breeds in Africa and in Asia from India to Indonesia.
• In India, it is most commonly found in the northern states.
• It typically inhabits open grasslands, paddy fields, riverbanks, ponds, and other wetland areas.

Woolly-Necked Stork Features

• It is a broad-winged soaring bird, which relies on moving between thermals of hot air for sustained long-distance flight.
• It is all black except for the woolly white neck and white lower belly. 
• The upperparts are glossed dark green, and the breast and belly have a purple hue. 
• Juvenile birds are duller versions of the adult. 
• It breeds singly or in small loose colonies. 
• It is predominantly carnivorous, its diet consisting of fish, frogs, toads, snakes, lizards, large insects and larvae, crabs, molluscs, and marine invertebrates. 
• It forages by slowly walking through water or vegetation, stabbing at prey.

Woolly-Necked Stork Conservation Status

It is classified as ‘Near Threatened‘ under the IUCN Red List.

Source: TOI