Wood Stork Mycteria americana
(aka American Wood-ibis)
American Wood-ibis, Pantanal, Mato Grosso, Brazil, December 2006 - click for larger image Brazil

This large white stork has a bare black head and neck with black flight feathers making it look a bit like a King Vulture when it soars at great heights.

American Wood-ibis, Goiás, Brazil, February 2002 - click for larger image It hunts by touch, stirring up prey under water with its pink toes and scooping up its prey when it touches the end of its bill. This technique gives it the impression of being a more sedate eater than the spearing action of other storks and herons.
American Wood-ibis, Cristalino, Mato Grosso, Brazil, December 2006 - click for larger image They are gregarious and groups are often seen fishing and perching together. They can travel long distances and some populations migrate seasonally often in very large flocks. Photo 3 shows only part of a flock over the southern Amazon Basin in December.
American Wood-ibis, Pantanal, Mato Grosso, Brazil, Sept 2000 - click for larger image

There are illustrations in HBW, Volume 1, Page 454; and Sick, Plate 4

Previous Page Back to Index Next Page

If you do not see a menu on the left, you may have arrived at this page from another site. Please click Home to get to my main page. Fatbirder's Top 1000 Birding Websites