# 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. - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Rare - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Wetlands ![Storm's Stork](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Stavenn_Ciconia_stormii_00.jpg&width=800) Photo: Stavenn, CC BY 2.5 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Stavenn_Ciconia_stormii_00.jpg) ## 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. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Ciconiiformes - **Family:** Ciconiidae - **Genus:** Ciconia ## 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 - **Silent Hunter:** Storm's Stork can stand incredibly still, allowing it to ambush unsuspecting fish and amphibians in shallow water. - **Precision Grabber:** Storm's Stork has a powerful, sharp red beak that helps them quickly snap up slippery prey like fish and frogs. - **Thermal Rider:** Storm's Stork can ride warm air currents high above the rainforest, saving energy during long-distance flights. - **Eagle Eye Vision:** 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 - **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](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/feathered): Feathered describes animals, primarily birds, possessing a covering of feathers. - [Solitary](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/solitary): Solitary animals live alone for most of their lives, only interacting with others for mating or parental care. - [Aerial](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aerial): Aerial creatures spend a significant portion of their lives airborne, utilizing flight for various activities such as hunting, migration, or nesting. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Piscivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/piscivorous): Piscivorous organisms are animals that primarily subsist on a diet of fish. - [Wetland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/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. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Threatened](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/threatened): Threatened status denotes a species likely to become endangered in the foreseeable future without effective conservation interventions. - [Endangered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/endangered): Endangered status indicates a species is at a very high risk of extinction in the wild in the near future. ## Collections - [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/birds) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always watch birds from a distance and do not disturb their nests. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Storm's Stork? Compare the silhouette, bill shape, tail length, wing bars and markings around the eyes. The same small brown bird at your feeder can look quite different in breeding plumage, winter plumage or its first year. Bird Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Storm's Stork? 75-91 cm ### What is Storm's Stork's wingspan? 145-160 cm ### How much does Storm's Stork weigh? 1.3-1.6 kg ### How long does Storm's Stork live? 20-30 years ### How fast can Storm's Stork move? 55 km/h ### What does Storm's Stork eat? This stork eats fish, frogs, and other small creatures it finds in forest waters. ### Where is Storm's Stork usually found? Wetlands ## More Birds - [Black-crowned Night Heron](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-crowned-night-heron) (*Nycticorax nycticorax*) - [Anna's Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/annas-hummingbird) (*Calypte anna*) - [Great Egret](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-egret) (*Ardea alba*) - [Blue Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-jay) (*Cyanocitta cristata*) --- Source: [Storm's Stork: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/storms-stork)