Wood Stork
Wood Stork
Wood Stork

Wood Stork (Mycteria americana)

Originally known as the Wood Ibis, this large wading bird stands about 4 feet tall and is all white except for some black on the wings and a short black tail. The head and neck are unfeathered. Until the 1960’s, the Wood Stork nested almost exclusively in southern Florida when the population declined by more than 90% due to loss of wetland habitat particularly in the Everglades. In 1984, it was listed as an Endangered Species. Since the mid 1970’s colonies of storks have been forming in central and northern Florida and as far north as the Carolinas. Often mistakenly called a “Wood Ibis” these are true storks. Because of its featherless head, it is known in some areas as “flint head. Photographed in Sanibel Island, Florida.

The Wood Storks below were photographed in Polk County, Florida. The bottom right shows a Wood Stork and an Ibis both drinking together at the pond. I like to think that maybe they were discussing the short noses on humans and how odd they look.
Wood Stork
Wood Stork
Wood Stork
Wood Stork
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