African Woolly-necked Stork (Ciconia microscelis)
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African Woolly-necked Stork

Ciconia microscelis Gray, GR, 1848

2.1 kgWeight

The African woolly-necked stork or African woollyneck (Ciconia microscelis) is a species of large wading bird in the stork family Ciconiidae.

Busiest months: November · Most records: South Africa, Kenya, Uganda

Least Concern

Where and when it's recorded

African Woolly-necked Stork has been recorded at 316 of the 8,171 birding hotspots we track, in 32 countries and regions.

Records by month Southern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

  1. Umlalazi NRSouth Africa338 records
  2. Eshowe – Dlinza ForestSouth Africa316 records
  3. Mkhuze GRSouth Africa282 records
More places
  1. Maasai Mara NR – Mara TriangleKenya255 records
  2. Mole NP – Mole Hotel & waterholeGhana254 records
  3. Nguuni Nature SanctuaryKenya249 records
  4. iSimangaliso WP – Eastern ShoresSouth Africa234 records
  5. St Lucia – iMfolozi River mouthSouth Africa184 records
  6. Mida CreekKenya180 records
  7. Bela Vista WetlandsMozambique174 records

Countries and regions with the most records

South AfricaKenyaUgandaGhanaMozambiqueGambiaTanzaniaBotswana

eBird records via GBIF up to 2024-12-31. A record means someone listed it; more records partly mean more birders, not more birds.

About

The African woolly-necked stork or African woollyneck (Ciconia microscelis) is a species of large wading bird in the stork family Ciconiidae. It breeds singly, or in small loose colonies. It is distributed in a wide variety of habitats including marshes in forests, agricultural areas, and freshwater wetlands across Africa.

Excerpt from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · authors · Read more on Wikipedia

Questions

How big is the African Woolly-necked Stork?

The African Woolly-necked Stork weighs around 2.1 kg.

Where does the African Woolly-necked Stork live?

Its breeding range: Africa: Africa south of the Sahara. It is most often recorded in South Africa, Kenya and Uganda.

When is the best time to see the African Woolly-necked Stork?

At the hotspots we track, it is recorded most in November (Southern Hemisphere).

Is the African Woolly-necked Stork endangered?

The IUCN Red List classifies the African Woolly-necked Stork as Least Concern.

What does the African Woolly-necked Stork eat?

Main food: Fish, shrimp & shellfish.

What family is the African Woolly-necked Stork in?

It belongs to the family Storks (Ciconiidae), order Ciconiiformes.

At a glance

Weight
2.1 kg
Habitat
Wetland
Diet
Fish, shrimp & shellfish
Lifestyle
Active on the ground
Migration
Resident (barely migrates)
Conservation
Least Concern
More measurements
Wing
480 mm
Tail
193 mm
Bill
153 mm
Tarsus
162 mm

Averages from the AVONET dataset; length from field guides where available.

Range

Africa: Africa south of the Sahara

Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2

Classification

Family
Storks Ciconiidae
Genus
Ciconia

Other birds in the genus Ciconia

Abdim's StorkAbdim's StorkCiconia abdimiiAsian Woolly-necked StorkAsian Woolly-necked StorkCiconia episcopusStorm's StorkStorm's StorkCiconia stormiBlack StorkBlack StorkCiconia nigraMaguari StorkMaguari StorkCiconia maguariWhite StorkWhite StorkCiconia ciconiaOriental StorkOriental StorkCiconia boycianaAfrican OpenbillAfrican OpenbillAnastomus lamelligerusAsian OpenbillAsian OpenbillAnastomus oscitansMarabou StorkMarabou StorkLeptoptilos crumenifer
African Woolly-necked Stork

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