Wood Stork Similar Species Comparison
Main SpeciesWood Stork
Adult
Massive wading bird with long legs and a long and heavy curved bill. White overall with black flight feathers. The head is bare and scaly.
© Rio Dante / Macaulay LibraryPuntarenas, September 11, 2018Juvenile
Juveniles look similar to adults, but have a pale bill that darkens over time and grayish feathers on the neck that are slowly lost as they get older.
© Jason Denesevich / Macaulay LibraryNew Jersey, August 22, 2017Adult and juveniles
Nests in colonies where it builds a messy stick nest in trees near water.
© Timothy Barksdale / Macaulay LibraryFlorida, April 01, 2001Adult
Massive wading bird with an enormous wingspan. White overall with black flight feathers. Often soars in thermals like raptors, with long neck extended and long legs trailing behind.
© Jay McGowan / Macaulay LibraryTabasco, December 24, 2017Adult with Turkey Vulture
Often seen soaring in thermals with vultures or other raptors.
© Brian Sullivan / Macaulay LibraryFlorida, January 25, 2014Adult
Tall wading bird with a bald and scaly head and neck. White overall with black flight feathers.
© Anonymous / Macaulay LibraryFlorida, July 01, 2017Adults
When approaching a roosting site, it drops its legs and awkwardly comes in for a landing.
© Timothy Barksdale / Macaulay LibraryFlorida, April 01, 2001Adult
Colonial nester in trees and shrubs in flooded woodlands or coastal sites.
© Philip Andescavage / Macaulay LibraryFlorida, June 01, 2017Adults
Walks slowly through wetlands with its bill in the water feeling for fish and other prey. This video has no audio.
© Jay McGowan / Macaulay LibraryGeorgia, September 30, 2014Similar SpeciesWhite Ibis
Adult
The White Ibis is smaller than the Wood Stork, with reddish skin on the face, reddish legs, and white feathering all the way up the neck unlike the White Stork's bare neck and dark bill and legs.
© Melissa James / Macaulay LibraryFlorida, April 29, 2017Similar SpeciesWhite Ibis
Adult
In flight, note that the White Ibis lack's the Wood Stork's entirely black primaries and secondaries.
© Tony Leukering / Macaulay LibraryFlorida, March 04, 2017Similar SpeciesAmerican White Pelican
Flock
The American White Pelican has a shorter neck, and a very large, yellowish bill, unlike the Wood Stork's longer neck and darker bill. The black on the wings doesn't extend across the entire wing as it does on Wood Stork.
© Jason Newton / Macaulay LibraryIllinois, February 28, 2017More to Read
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