While each Stork is different, most lay between two and six eggs per clutch, with three or four as the average. Many species are monogamous, and breed with the same partner year after year. Mating behaviors and reproductive rates vary from species to species. Colonial breeders sometimes build their nests alongside other species of birds, like herons, pelicans, ibis, pelicans, and more. Other species are solitary while breeding, but live in groups outside of the breeding season.įinally, some species live in flocks all the time, and breeding birds form large colonies with many nests. Some species are solitary and live primarily alone. The different Stork species have different social behavior. Their diets include fish, mice, rats, clams, shrimp, and more. Veterinarians make recommendations for their diets based on the species and the individual. Zoos try to replicate the types of environments that the bird would naturally live in by providing similar trees, bushes, nesting locations, and water features. Zoological care of these birds depends on the species. They are incredibly large, and eat lots of food, which means that they produce lots of poop! In many places, it is also illegal to own a Stork as a pet. Humans have not domesticated any Stork species. Some threatened species include the Oriental, Milky, and Storm’s Stork, all of which the IUCN lists as Endangered. The IUCN recognizes several different species of Storks that are in danger of extinction. Other threats include invasive species, hunting, poisoning, and egg collection.

Because these birds often rely on aquatic habitats, pollution and destruction of wetlands and similar habitats often cause population decline. This species is so specialized that their saliva contains special toxins to relax the snail and make it easier to pull from the shell! Stork and Human InteractionĪs is the case with most groups of animals, human impact varies from species to species. For example, African Openbills prey mostly on snails that they carefully extract from the shells. While many species feed on just about anything they can catch, some Storks specialize in specific prey. They eat an incredible range of prey types, including fish, small mammals, invertebrates, insects, reptiles, and amphibians. All Storks are primarily carnivorous, which means that meat makes up the bulk of their diet. This group of birds eats a wide variety of different foods. Some species live in just a small region, while others have extensive distributions. These birds live in South America, Central America, parts of North America, Eurasia, Africa, and Australasia. They inhabit many different continents across the world, with the exception of the Polar Regions. Distribution of the Storkĭifferent species live in many different regions, and each species has their own range and distribution. For example, Wood Storks and Black Storks both forage primarily in aquatic habitats with muddy bottoms, but the Black species also inhabits mountainous regions.

Habitat preference depends on the species and the region that the species lives in. Some of the different ecosystems that these birds inhabit include wetlands, marshes, grasslands, swamps, lakes, estuaries, mangroves, streams, tidal flats, and more. Many species rely on aquatic habitats to catch prey, but some forage in dry regions as well. These birds live in a variety of different ecosystems and habitats. This species has a bright red bill with a black patch around it, and a yellow “saddle” on top.

Saddle-Billed Stork – The Saddle-Billed is one of the tallest members of the family, standing about five feet tall on average.

To make things even more pleasant and not at all disgusting, when the babies get too hot the parents simply vomit water on them to cool them down.

Following the trend of their distant cousins, these Storks also have bald heads and necks. Wood Stork – This species lives in the southern portions of North America, and their range extends into Central America.They may look a little ugly, but that bald skin helps these birds keep clean while they feed on carrion. Its skin is reddish-pink, and the base of its neck has a large flap of skin known as a gular flap. Marabou Stork – If you thought the Jabiru looked strange, the Marabou will blow your socks off! This bird has a face, and head, and neck, that only a mother could love.Jabirus live primarily in Mexico and Central America. The skin at the base of their necks is bright red colored. Their bills, heads, and necks lack feathers, and their skin is black. Jabiru – The Jabiru looks like he will jabi-you! These birds have long, thick, sharply pointed bills.Learn more about some specific species of Storks below. Several different species of have incredibly unique characteristics. across, though researchers have not officially verified this. across at the largest, and some people report birds with wingspans 12 ft. Several species reach heights up to 5 ft.

Dinosaur stork bird