stork
Any of the 17 species of the Ciconiidae, a family of long-legged, long-necked wading birds with long, powerful wings, and long conical bills used for spearing prey. Some species grow up to 1.5 m/5 ft tall.
Species
Species include the Eurasian
white stork Ciconia ciconia, which is encouraged to build on rooftops as a luck and fertility symbol. It feeds on reptiles, small mammals, and insects. Its plumage is greyish white, its quills and longest feathers on the wing coverts black, and the beak and legs red. It migrates to Africa in winter. The
jabiru Jabiru mycteria of the Americas is up to 1.5 m/5 ft high, and is white plumaged, with a black and red head. In the
black stork C. nigra, the upper surface is black and the lower parts are white. It is widely found in southern and central Europe, Asia, and parts of Africa. The
adjutant bird,
ibis,
heron, and
spoonbill are related birds.
