Wood Storks

Description:

Large American wading bird in the stork family Ciconiidae. It was formerly called the "wood ibis", though it is not really an ibis. The adult is a large bird which stands 83–115 cm (33–45 in) tall and spans 140–180 cm (55–71 in) across the wings. Males typically weigh 2.5–3.3 kg (5.5–7.3 lb), with a mean weight of 2.7 kg (6.0 lb); females weigh 2.0–2.8 kg (4.4–6.2 lb), with a mean weight of 2.42 kg (5.3 lb). It appears all white on the ground, with blackish-gray legs and pink feet. In flight, the trailing edge of the wings is black. The head is dark brown with a bald, black face, and the thick downcurved bill is dusky yellow.

Habitat:

These birds were flying over the stork ponds at the Silver Bluff Audubon Center near Jackson (Aiken County), SC.

Notes:

As of June 26, 2014 it is classified as a threatened species by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.