2020 A to Z Challenge!
S is for Wood Stork !
Large, white Wood Storks wade through southeastern swamps and wetlands.
Although this stork doesn't bring babies, it is a good flier, soaring on
thermals with neck and legs outstretched. This bald-headed wading bird
stands just over 3 feet tall, towering above almost all other wetland
birds. It slowly walks through wetlands with its long, hefty bill down
in the water feeling for fish and crustaceans. This ungainly looking
stork roosts and nests in colonies in trees above standing water.
Storks, mainly the White Stork of Europe, figure prominently in
mythology. They are revered in Greek, Chinese, and European mythologies
as good luck and harbingers of spring and birth. The association between
storks and babies was popularized by Hans Christian Andersen's fable
"The Storks," written in the nineteenth century featuring the White
Stork of Europe.
Wood Storks occur only in a few areas in the United States, so to get a
look at one, head to a wetland preserve or wildlife area along the coast
in Florida, South Carolina, or Georgia. Wood Storks tend to be busily
foraging with their head down and body held horizontally, but their
large size should help them stand out amongst the other pale herons,
ibises, and egrets in wetlands even if you can't see their hefty bill.
If they aren't foraging in areas with standing water, check nearby trees
for groups of roosting Wood Storks, or look up in the sky for soaring
birds with black-and-white wings. They are mostly silent, but during the
breeding season, sounds of begging chicks might help you find a colony.
You can click on this LINK to listen!
Or click HERE to learn more!
Enjoy and have a lovely day!
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