Ciconia episcopus
The Asian Woolly-necked Stork, *Ciconia episcopus*, is a striking medium-sized wading bird with a largely resident distribution across tropical Asia. Averaging 85-95 cm (33-37 inches) in length with a robust wingspan of 150-170 cm (59-67 inches) and weighing 2.5-3.5 kg, its distinctive appearance makes it easily identifiable. Adults showcase a glossy, iridescent black body that shimmers with green and purple hues under sunlight, contrasting sharply with its fluffy, pure white "woolly" neck an...
This stork primarily inhabits freshwater wetlands, rice paddies, irrigated fields, and open grasslands with scattered trees, often found near human settlements from lowlands up to moderate elevations around 1,400 meters.
Primarily carnivorous, their diet is highly varied, consisting of a wide range of small aquatic and terrestrial animals including insects, frogs, fish, reptiles, crustaceans, and small mammals.
Asian Woolly-necked Storks are diurnal, typically foraging during the day and roosting communally in tall trees or on artificial structures at night. Their foraging strategy involves slow, deliberate wading in shallow waters, stalking prey with their keen eyesight, and occasionally chasing distur...
The Asian Woolly-necked Stork has a wide, though fragmented, distribution across tropical and subtropical Asia. Its primary breeding range extends throughout the Indian subcontinent, including India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan. Further east, populations are found across Southeast ...
Least Concern
- The species earns its "woolly-necked" moniker from the unique, soft, downy white feathers that cover its neck, creating a distinctive ruff. - Unlike some more shy stork species, the Asian Woolly-necked Stork often adapts well to human-dominated landscapes, frequently foraging in rice paddies an...