- Mycteria leucocephala
Identification
93–102 cm (36½-40 in)
- White overall plumage
- Dark breast barring
- Black flight feathers
- Red head
- Yellow, long, down-curved bill
- Pink tail and legs
Juveniles are similar to adults, but duller.
Distribution
Asia: found in China, Tibet
South Asia: Pakistan, India, Eastern Himalayas, Sri Lanka
Southeast Asia: Indochina, Myanmar, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Malaysia, Malay Peninsula
Taxonomy
Photo © by Alok Tewari
Keoladeo National Park, Bharatpur, Rajasthan, India, September-2018
This is a monotypic species[1].
Habitat
Shallow freshwater wetlands, marshes, ponds and flooded fields.
Behaviour
Breeding
They nest colonially in trees with herons, ibises, cormorants and spoonbills, building a large stick nest. The clutch consists of 2-5 eggs which are incubated by both adults for 27 to 32 days.
Diet
Their diet consists of a variety of fish species, with the addition of frogs and large insects. They sweep their half-open bill from side to side in water.
Gallery
Click on photo for larger image
Juvenile
Photo © by Shantilal Varu
Bhavnagar, Gujarat, India, December 2017
References
- Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2018. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: v2018. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
- Avibase
- Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive (retrieved December 2015)
- Wikipedia
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2023) Painted Stork. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 3 October 2023 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Painted_Stork
External Links
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