Wooly Necked Stork

The Intercontinental Gliders

The Woolly-necked Stork is a widespread resident in India. This is a stocky bird with a ‘woolly’ white neck and a blackish cap-like patch on its head. An uncommon bird, it is usually spotted solitary or in pairs. A Migratory bird, it is known to fly out regularly to the African plains for breeding, before returning to the subcontinent.

Although Woolly-necked Storks are associated with water, they rarely wade. Their diet consists of fish, toads, frogs, crabs, snakes, lizards, molluscs, insects and marine invertebrates.

 The huge wings of the stork are ideal for soaring and long flights. It is an expert wind surfer, riding hot air thermals that take it high and far during its migration.  The wings generate enormous amounts of power during takeoff and the draft around the wings is possibly one of the highest amongst the feathered kind. The fully stretched flapping of the wings during takeoff is a sight to behold, indeed!

 The nest of this stork is often high up on trees, far out of the reach of predators and a nest contains a clutch of 2 to 5 eggs.

 These wonderful birds have one of the longest lifespans amongst the feathered kind and there are records of these large birds living for over 35 years!!

 

 

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