Storm's Stork

Ciconia stormi

Storm's Stork is a beautiful bird with long legs and a long neck. It loves to live near water and can often be seen wading through shallow ponds looking for fish and frogs to eat.

Habitat: Wetlands

Appearance

The Storm's Stork is a medium-sized stork with mostly glossy black plumage, a contrasting white belly, and striking bright red legs. It has a vibrant red bill, a red iris, and a patch of yellow bare skin around each eye, making it very distinctive.

KingdomAnimaliaPhylumChordataClassAvesOrderCiconiiformesFamilyCiconiidaeGenusCiconia

Storm's Stork

Interesting facts

Instead of singing, Storm's Storks clatter their beaks loudly to communicate!

Storm's Stork babies hatch with soft white down feathers, looking very different from adults!

They build giant nests high in rainforest trees, sometimes using old raptor nests!

This stork is so rare, it’s one of the least known birds in the world!

Special abilities

Storm's Stork can stand incredibly still, allowing it to ambush unsuspecting fish and amphibians in shallow water.

Storm's Stork has a powerful, sharp red beak that helps them quickly snap up slippery prey like fish and frogs.

Storm's Stork can ride warm air currents high above the rainforest, saving energy during long-distance flights.

Storm's Stork possesses exceptional eyesight, enabling them to spot small prey hidden in murky water from above.

Measurements & details

Length: 75-91 cm
Wingspan: 145-160 cm
Weight: 1.3-1.6 kg
Lifespan: 20-30 years
Top Speed: 55 km/h
Clutch Size: 2-3
Incubation: 29-31 days

Diet & Feeding

This stork eats fish, frogs, and other small creatures it finds in forest waters.

Primary Foods

Fish
Frogs
Crabs
Snakes
Lizards
Large Insects

Foraging Method

Foraging

Ecological connections

hunts

Snakehead Fish

Channa striata

A primary food source in forest streams.

eats

Field Frog

Fejervarya limnocharis

An abundant amphibian often caught in shallow waters.

eaten by

Water Monitor

Varanus salvator

Preys on eggs and chicks in unguarded nests.

depends on

Tualang Tree

Koompassia excelsa

Provides tall, stable nesting sites high above the forest floor.

Traits

Feathered

Feathered describes animals, primarily birds, possessing a covering of feathers.

Solitary

Solitary animals live alone for most of their lives, only interacting with others for mating or parental care.

Aerial

Aerial creatures spend a significant portion of their lives airborne, utilizing flight for various activities such as hunting, migration, or nesting.

Colorful

Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors.

Piscivorous

Piscivorous organisms are animals that primarily subsist on a diet of fish.

Wetland

This habitat trait identifies species found in wetlands, which are areas of land saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally, including marshes, swamps, and bogs.