Ciconia microscelis
The African Woolly-necked Stork (Ciconia microscelis) is a striking and elegant large wading bird, measuring 83-93 cm (33-37 in) in length with a wingspan of approximately 150-165 cm (59-65 in) and weighing around 2.5-3.5 kg (5.5-7.7 lbs). Its plumage is predominantly glossy black, often with an iridescent sheen of green and purple, contrasting sharply with its bright white, fluffy 'woolly' neck and lower belly. Key identification features include a distinctive black cap, a red face, a robust...
Found primarily in a variety of wetland habitats such as marshes, swamps, riverbanks, and floodplains, but also adapts well to open savannas, grasslands, and cultivated lands, often near human settlements. It occurs from sea level up to altitudes exceeding 3,000 meters in some parts of its range.
An opportunistic carnivore, its diet mainly consists of a wide array of insects (grasshoppers, locusts, beetles), amphibians (frogs), reptiles (lizards, snakes), small fish, crabs, and mollusks, procured by slow stalking and rapid snatching.
African Woolly-necked Storks are diurnal birds, typically foraging during the day and often roosting communally in trees at night. Their foraging strategy is opportunistic; they walk slowly through shallow water or open ground, keenly observing, then quickly snatching or probing for prey with the...
The African Woolly-necked Stork is a widespread resident across much of sub-Saharan Africa. Its breeding range encompasses a broad band from Senegal and Gambia in West Africa, eastward through Central Africa, and extending south to southern Africa, including countries like South Africa, Botswana,...
Least Concern
- The 'woolly-neck' refers to the distinctively fluffy, almost downy feathers covering its neck, giving it a unique appearance among storks. - It was historically considered a subspecies of the Asian Woolly-necked Stork (Ciconia episcopus) but is now widely recognized as a separate species. - Afr...