Bird of the Week – Woollyneck stork

THE woollyneck stork stands tall at about 86cm and is an uncommon to rare resident.

The Upper South Coast is lucky to have a big population in our area, especially in parks, rivers, tidal mudflats and lagoons.

It is usually found up to Sub Sahara Africa and in higher rainfall areas.

Its voice is usually silent but it has a raucous call at the nest and bill clattering. The woollyneck stork feeds at the edge of the water, walking slowly or standing for long periods.

It forages on lawns and grassland, is attracted to grass fires and roosts in trees at night. It feeds mainly on insects, crabs, fish and frogs.

Breeding season is from August to November.

The nest is a platform of sticks lined with finer twigs and grass, and the woollyneck stork chooses a horizontal fork or lateral branch of a leafy tree in a swamp forest.

It lays three to four eggs with an incubation period of 30 days. The chicks, which are fed by both parents, nest for 40 days and begin to fly from about 60 days.

The bird’s Zulu name is isiThandamanzi (loves water).