A photo of a Painted Stork (Mycteria leucocephala)
Painted Stork

Painted Stork

Mycteria leucocephala

The painted stork (Mycteria leucocephala) is a large wader in the stork family. It is found in the wetlands of the plains of tropical Asia south of the Himalayas in the Indian Subcontinent and extending into Southeast Asia. Their distinctive pink tertial feathers of the adults give them their name. They forage in flocks in shallow waters along rivers or lakes. They immerse their half open beaks in water and sweep them from side to side and snap up their prey of small fish that are sensed by touch. As they wade along they also stir the water with their feet to flush hiding fish. They nest colonially in trees, often along with other waterbirds. The only sounds they produce are weak moans or bill clattering at the nest. They are not migratory and only make short distance movements in some parts of their range in response to changes in weather or food availability or for breeding. Like other storks, they are often seen soaring on thermals. This large stork has a heavy yellow beak with a down-curved tip that gives it a resemblance to an ibis. The head of the adult is bare and orange or reddish in colour. The long tertials are tipped in bright pink and at rest they extend over the back and rump. There is a distinctive black breast band with white scaly markings. The band continues into the under-wing coverts and the white tips of the black coverts give it the appearance of white stripes running across the under-wing lining.
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Painted Storks on Birda

Photos

Sightings

A map showing the sighting location
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Bird Guide Malaysia
Sunday 19 Mar 2023 - 7:00am
Malaysia
A photo of a Painted Stork photographed in Paradip College Hostel India
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SUBHI MAHAPATRA
Wednesday 15 Feb 2023 - 8:35am
India
A map showing the sighting location
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Matt Last
Tuesday 14 Feb 2023 - 10:38am
Thailand
A map showing the sighting location
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Lucas Corneliussen
Thursday 05 Jan 2023 - 10:47am
Thailand
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