The Yellow-billed, also known as the Wood Stork or Wood Ibis, is an elegant wading bird found in the wetlands and savannas of sub-Saharan Africa. With its distinctive long, yellow bill, which is slightly down-curved at the tip, and its striking white plumage with pink-tinged edges during the breeding season, this stork is a visually striking presence in its natural habitat.
The Yellow-billed Stork stands at about 90 to 105 cm (35 to 41 inches), with a wingspan that can reach up to 150 cm (59 inches). This species is particularly noted for its specialized feeding technique, which is both tactile and reactive. It forages in shallow waters, often alongside other waterbirds, using its sensitive bill to detect and snap up prey such as fish, frogs, insects, and crustaceans. This method of feeding, known as “grope feeding,” involves the bird walking slowly through the water with its bill submerged, waiting to feel the movement of prey.
The “snap-bill” reflex is an instantaneous closing of the bill when it comes into contact with potential food – a remarkable adaptation that allows for efficient hunting in murky waters where visibility is low. After capturing the prey, the Yellow-billed Stork will typically lift its head and use gravity to help swallow the catch.
Socially, Yellow-billed Storks can be somewhat gregarious, particularly when feeding or during the breeding season. They are known to form loose breeding colonies, often in association with other species of storks, herons, and ibises. While they are generally quiet birds, they do produce low-pitched, guttural sounds, especially in the nesting colonies, which can become quite noisy with the sounds of all the different species.
When it comes to nesting, the Yellow-billed Stork prefers tall trees standing in or near water. The nests are constructed from sticks and can become quite large as they are used year after year, with new layers added each breeding season.
Distribution
Angola
Benin
Botswana
Bulgaria
Burkina Faso
Burundi
Cameroon
Central Af. Rep.
Chad
Congo-Brazzaville
Côte D’ivoire
DR Congo (Kinshasa)
Djibouti
Egypt
Equatorial Guinea
Eritrea
Eswatini
Ethiopia
Gabon
Gambia
Ghana
Guinea-Bissau
Guinea
Israel
Jordan
Kenya
Lesotho
Liberia
Madagascar
Malawi
Mali
Mauritania
Morocco
Mozambique
Namibia
Niger
Nigeria
Qatar
Rwanda
Senegal
Sierra Leone
Somalia
South Africa
South Sudan
Spain
Sudan
Tanzania
Togo
Tunisia
Turkey
Uganda
Zambia
ZimbabweAnything we've missed?
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Terrestrial / Aquatic
Altricial / Precocial
Polygamous / Monogamous
Dimorphic (size) / Monomorphic
Active: Diurnal / Nocturnal
Social behavior: Solitary / Pack / Herd
Diet: Carnivore / Herbivore / Omnivore / Piscivorous / Insectivore
Migratory: Yes / No
Domesticated: Yes / No
Dangerous: Yes / No
