Wood Stork

Wood Stork, adult

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Wood Stork, adult in flight

Wood Stork, juvenile

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1. Description
2. Sound
3. Other Names
4. Full detailed species account

A large, white, bald-headed wading bird of the southeastern swamps, the Wood Stork is the only stork breeding in the United States. Its late winter breeding season is timed to the Florida dry season when its fish prey become concentrated in shrinking pools.

Description

• Huge, long-legged white bird.
• Long, thick, down-curved bill.
• Head black and bald.
• Wings white with extensive black flight feathers.

• Size: 85-115 cm (33-45 in)
• Wingspan: 150-175 cm (59-69 in)
• Weight: 2050-2640 g (72.37-93.19 ounces)

Sex Differences

Sexes look alike.

Sound

Usually silent. Nasal barking calls at nest.

Other Names

Tantale d'Amérique (French)
Cigüeña americana (Spanish)
Wood Ibis (English)

Sources used to construct this page:

Coulter, M. C., J. A. Rodgers, J. C. Ogden, and F. C. Depkin. 1999. Wood Stork (Mycteria americana). In The Birds of North America, No. 409 (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.). The Birds of North America, Inc., Philadelphia, PA.