From Opus

Photo by A. Meir
Eilat, Israel.

Ciconia ciconia

[edit] Identification

100-125 cm

• Mainly white
• Black flight feathers
• Long red bill and legs (duller on juveniles)

[edit] Distribution

Europe (north to Estonia), northwest Africa, and southwest Asia (east to southern Kazakhstan).
It winters mainly in tropical Africa, down to the south of South Africa, and also in the Indian subcontinent. A good proportion of European storks winter in Spain.

Photo by bengtfalke
Teich Bird Reserve, Bordeaux, France, April 2007

[edit] Taxonomy

There are two subspecies:

[edit] Subspecies^[1]

• C. c. ciconia:

• Western Palearctic and western Asia: winters to tropical and South Africa

• C. c. asiatica:

• Turkestan; winters to Iran and India

[edit] Habitat

Open farmland areas with access to marshy wetlands.

[edit] Behaviour

[edit] Flight

Feet and neck extended when flying.

[edit] Breeding

They build a stick nest in trees, on buildings, or special platforms, in loose colonies.

[edit] Diet

The diet includes frogs, large insects, young birds, lizards and rodents.

[edit] Vocalisation

Not a very vocal bird, but claps the bill, especially on approach of partner or intruder.

[edit] References

1. Clements, JF. 2008. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to December 2008. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019.
2. Wikipedia

• List of references

[edit] External Links