Asian Woolly-necked Stork - BirdForum Opus

C. e. episcopus, breeding plumage
Photo © by Alok Tewari
Keoladeo National Park, Bharatpur, India, 22 June 2017

Ciconia episcopus

Identification

75–92 cm

Black overall plumage showing blue, green or maroon-purple iridescence
Woolly white neck
White lower belly, undertail coverts and tail
Glossed dark green underparts
Purple breast and belly
Bare, grey skin on side of head and a black cap

Juvenile birds are duller versions.

C. e. episcopus, a displaying pair
Photo © by Alok Tewari
Keoladeo National Park, Bharatpur, India, 6 December 2010

Distribution

Asia: India to Indonesia and the Philippines.

Taxonomy

This species was formerly included in Woolly-necked Stork together with African Woolly-necked Stork

Subspecies

Ciconia episcopus has two subspecies:^[1]

C. e. episcopus

India to Indochina, northern Malay Peninsula and Philippines. Bill greyish-red; black crown more extensive, and with sharp edge to white feathering.

C. e. neglecta

Java and Wallacea. Bill largely red, with grey at base only; black crown more extensive, and with sharp edge to white feathering.

Habitat

Wetlands with trees or within forests, and in the western end of its range, also a variety of agricultural areas.

Behaviour

Usually solitary or in pairs; sometimes in small flocks. The diet includes frogs, lizards and large insects.

This species may move around in response to water levels but is not migratory.

Vocalisation

Bill-clattering has been described.

Breeding

It builds a large stick nest in trees, and usually 3-4 eggs are laid.

References

Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, T. A. Fredericks, J. A. Gerbracht, D. Lepage, S. M. Billerman, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2022. The eBird/Clements checklist of Birds of the World: v2022. Downloaded from https://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
Gill, F, D Donsker, and P Rasmussen (Eds). 2023. IOC World Bird List (v 13.1)_red. Doi 10.14344/IOC.ML.13.1. http://www.worldbirdnames.org/
Mlodinow, S. G., J. del Hoyo, A. Elliott, N. Collar, E. F. J. Garcia, P. F. D. Boesman, and G. M. Kirwan (2022). Asian Woolly-necked Stork (Ciconia episcopus), version 1.1. In Birds of the World (S. M. Billerman and B. K. Keeney, Editors). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.wonsto1.01.1

List of references

Recommended Citation

BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Asian Woolly-necked Stork. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 18 April 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Asian_Woolly-necked_Stork

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