Wood Stork and Chick

The wood stork (Mycteria americana) is a large American wading bird in the family Ciconiidae (storks), the only member of the family to breed in North America. It is found in subtropical and tropical habitats in the Americas, including the Caribbean. In South America, it is resident, but in North America, it may disperse as far as Florida. . The head and neck are bare of feathers, and dark grey in colour. The plumage is mostly white, with the exception of the tail and some of the wing feathers, which are black with a greenish-purplish sheen. The juvenile differs from the adult, with the former having a feathered head and a yellow bill, compared to the black adult bill. There is little sexual dimorphism.
The Wood Stork is one of Florida’s signature wading birds, a long-legged, awkward-looking bird on land that soars like a raptor in the air.
Like many Florida birds associated with wetlands, the Wood Stork has suffered from the destruction and degradation of our state’s wetlands. Today, the Wood Stork is classed “Threatened” by the State of Florida and the federal government.
It feeds in shallow water, stirring the bottom with its unlikely pink feet and snapping up small prey that are unlucky enough to encounter the bird’s sensitive bill. They nest in early spring, just in time for the traditional season of lowest water when prey items will be concentrated in shrunken wetlands, providing good hunting so the storks can feed their young.


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