The White Stork - Ciconia ciconia - is a large mainly white bird, with black on its wings. They have long red legs and
long pointed red beak. A small patch of bare black skin surrounds
their brown eyes. Sexes are similar in appearance, though
males are slightly larger. Juvenile birds are duller in coloration than adults. The
black primaries are tinged with brown. Their blackish bills
and dull brown legs slowly acquire the red color of the adults
as they mature.
Though storks are considered to be largely silent birds,
most species perform some variety of a bill-clattering display.
This display reaches its most advanced form in the White Stork.
They begin by throwing their heads straight back to create
an amplifying resonance box in the gular pouch of the lower
neck. As they clatter their upper and lower mandibles together
rapidly they produce a loud machine-gun-like rattle that rises
and falls in pace.
The White Stork is a long-distance migrant, wintering in Africa as far south as the western cape South Africa. When migrating between Europe and Africa, it avoids large expanses of water, because the air thermals on which it depends do not form over water.
White Storks are highly
opportunistic feeders and eat a wide range of animal prey, including insects,
fish, amphibians, reptiles, small mammals, and small birds. It takes
most of its food from the ground, among low vegetation, and from shallow
water. Wintering birds may congregate in large numbers as they utilize
a locally abundant food source such as locust or grasshopper
swarms.
Breeding White Storks prefer lowland open habitats of wet
pastures, flooded meadows, and shallow lakes and marshes with
scattered trees for roosting and nesting. They have adapted
to nest on man-made structures and forage in freshly plowed
fields. A
very small population breeds in the Western Cape, South Africa. It is a monogamous
breeder, but does not pair for life. Both members of the pair build a
large stick nest, which may be used for several years. Each year the
female lays one clutch of usually four eggs, which hatch after 33 to 34 days. Both parents take turns incubating the
eggs and both feed the young. The young leave the nest between 58 to 64 days after
hatching, and continue to be fed by the parents for a further 7–20 days.
Conservation Status - Least Concern
These striking birds can be seen on the following Aves Birding Tours/Safaris/Adventures: -
Aves Arid Tour/Safari/Adventure.
Aves Eastern Cape Tour/Safari/Adventure.
Aves Highlands / Tembe Tour/Safari/Adventure.
Aves KZN Tour/Safari/Adventure.
Aves North East
Tour/Safari/Adventure.
Aves North West Tour/Safari/Adventure.
Aves Western Cape Tour/Safari/Adventure.
Aves West Coast
Tour/Safari/Adventure.