African Woolly-necked Stork

The African woolly-necked stork (Ciconia microscelis), also known as the African woollyneck, is a medium-sized stork found throughout most of sub-Saharan Africa. Standing 75–92 cm tall, this bird is notable for its glistening black plumage with a distinct black “skull cap” and a downy white neck, which gives it its name. The lower belly and under-tail coverts are white, contrasting with the dark plumage. The feathers on the fore-neck are iridescent with a coppery-purple tinge and elongated, often erected during displays. The African woolly-necked stork has a heavy, blackish bill, although some specimens have largely dark-red bills. Juvenile birds are duller versions of the adult with a feathered forehead, sometimes streaked black-and-white. A unique feature is a narrow band of bright, unfeathered skin along the underside of the forearm, visible when the wings are opened, described as “neon orange-red” or “like a red-gold jewel”​​.

The African woolly-necked stork was formerly considered a subspecies of the Asian woolly-necked stork (Ciconia episcopus), but was recently recognized as a distinct species due to its allopatric range and significant plumage and morphological differences. The African species is characterized by the edges of the black cap being diffused or jagged, compared to the sharp and clean border in the Asian birds.

The African woolly-necked stork’s preferred habitats include a variety of freshwater wetlands, seasonal and perennial reservoirs, marshes, crop lands, irrigation canals, rivers, and coastal areas, including coral reefs and mudflats. This stork’s diet primarily consists of amphibians, reptiles, and insects. In suburban South Africa, nestlings have been observed being provisioned with a variety of prey, including guttural toad, common river frogs, fish, snakes, crabs, and moles. 

The breeding season varies between regions, but is from August to December in Southern Africa. The African woolly-necked stork builds large stick nests either on trees in agricultural fields or wetlands, on natural cliffs, or even on cell phone towers and other artificial structures. The female lays a clutch of 2-6 eggs, which are incubated by both parents for 30-31 days. After hatching, chicks are fed and brooded by both parents. Interestingly, more than two adult birds have been recorded provisioning chicks in one nest, suggesting cooperative behavior. The chicks leave the nest to roost in a nearby tree at about 55-65 days old and become fully independent approximately three weeks later​​.

The African woolly-necked stork is common throughout its range, and it’s population is believed to number between 10,000-100,000 individuals (2014). The population is believed to be stable. It is listed as least concern on IUCN Red list.