Black-necked Stork/Jabiru (juvenile)

Description:

I'm going to hazard a guess that this little guy is younger than six months and also that there was actually two of them!!! The first one is at: http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/182... - Juveniles younger than six months have a brownish iris; a distinctly smaller and straighter beak; a fluffy appearance; brown head, neck, upper back, wings and tail; a white belly; and dark legs. Juveniles older than six months have a mottled appearance especially on the head and neck where the iridescence is partly developed; dark-brown outer primaries; white inner primaries that forms a shoulder patch when the wings are closed; a heavy beak identical in size to adults but still straighter; and dark to pale-pink legs.

Habitat:

Sitting and walking around in the long grass at the Mankajarra wetlands.

Notes:

Reference: The Michael Morcombe eGuide to Australian Birds, Mobile App.