Home › Aves › Ciconiidae › Asian Woolly-necked Stork (Ciconia episcopus)
SPECIES PROFILE
Asian Woolly-necked Stork (Ciconia episcopus)
Ciconia
IUCN STATUS
Least Concern
CONSERVATION STATUS
Least Concern
CLASS
Aves
GEOGRAPHICAL RANGE
Indian subcontinent southeast Asia Africa
DIET
Carnivorous
HABITAT
Wetlands grasslands fields near water
🔬 Classification
PHYLUM
Chordata
CLASS
Aves
ORDER
Ciconiiformes
FAMILY
Ciconiidae
GENUS
Ciconia
📋 Description
SIZE
80-90 cm long 1-1.5 kg
COLORATION
Black with white neck woolly underparts glossy wings
ADAPTATIONS
Long legs for wading strong bill for foraging
🌿 Ecology
HABITAT
Wetlands grasslands fields near water
DIET
Carnivorous
GEOGRAPHIC RANGE
Indian subcontinent southeast Asia Africa
REPRODUCTION
Lays 2-4 eggs in tree nests incubated 30-35 days
DIET DETAILS
Fish frogs insects
⚠️ Threats & Conservation
PRIMARY THREATS
Wetland drainage hunting
💡 Interesting Facts
1
Woolly Wanderers: Asian Woolly-necked Storks wade with 1.2 kg bodies eating 200 grams of fish daily in Bharatpur's wetlands. Their woolly necks are distinctive.
2
Solitary Foragers: These storks cover 3000 sq km in Odisha's marshes nesting in tall trees. Habitat loss threatens their feeding grounds.
🔭 Sighting Guide
📍 BEST PLACES TO SIGHT
Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary in Rajasthan
Chilika Lake in Odisha
Sundarbans National Park in West Bengal
🗓️ BEST TIME TO SIGHT
October-March Dry season concentrates prey for spotting storks
🎯 SIGHTING TIPS
Watch Asian woolly-necked storks wading in wetlands
