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A photo of a Yellow-billed Stork (Mycteria ibis)
Yellow-billed Stork

Yellow-billed Stork

Mycteria ibis

The yellow-billed stork (Mycteria ibis), sometimes also called the wood stork or wood ibis, is a large African wading stork species in the family Ciconiidae. It is widespread in regions south of the Sahara and also occurs in Madagascar. This medium-sized stork stands 90–105 cm (35–41 in) tall. Its body is white with a short black tail that is glossed green and purple when freshly moulted. The bill is deep yellow, slightly decurved at the end and with a rounder cross-section than in other stork species outside the Mycteria. Feathers extend onto the head and neck just behind the eyes, with the face and forehead being covered by deep red skin. Both sexes are similar in appearance, but the male is larger and has a slightly longer heavier bill. Colouration becomes more vivid during the breeding season. In the breeding season, the plumage is coloured pink on the upperwings and back; the ordinarily brown legs also turn bright pink; the bill becomes a deeper yellow and the face becomes a deeper red. Juveniles are greyish-brown with a dull, partially bare orange face and a dull yellowish bill. The legs and feet are brown and feathers are blackish-brown all over. At fledging, salmon-pink colouration in the underwings begins to develop and after about one year, the plumage is greyish-white. Flight feathers on the tail and wing also become black. Later, the pink colouration typical of adult plumage appears.
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Yellow-billed Storks on Birda

Photos

Sightings

A map showing the sighting location
🦉
Rita McFadden
Thursday 11 May 2023 - 12:39pm
South Africa
A photo of a Yellow-billed Stork photographed in  Portugal
Profile picture for Jozsef Takacs
Jozsef Takacs
Monday 24 Apr 2023 - 10:58am
Portugal
A map showing the sighting location
🐧
Andra Hennop
Saturday 22 Apr 2023 - 1:58pm
South Africa
A map showing the sighting location
Profile picture for Trevor Kleyn
Trevor Kleyn
Tuesday 18 Apr 2023 - 6:33am
South Africa
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