African Woolly-necked Stork

Ciconia microscelis Gray, GR, 1848

African Woolly-necked Stork, Ciconia microscelis, breeds across Africa south of the Sahara and is a resident in a range of wet and open places. It uses marshes, freshwater wetlands, rivers, irrigation canals, crop land, forest pools, coastal areas and agricultural fields, and it also nests in suburban settings. Usually seen alone, in pairs or in small family groups, it may also gather in loose flocks. It builds a large stick nest in trees, and sometimes on cliffs or towers. Its plumage is dark with a woolly white neck, a black cap, red legs and a heavy bill.

Order

Ciconiiformes

Family

Ciconiidae — Storks

Breeding range

Africa: Africa s of the Sahara