The black-necked stork is a tall long-necked wading bird in the stork family. It is a resident species across the Indian Subcontinent and Southeast Asia with a disjunct population in Australia. It lives in wetland habitats and near fields of certain crops such as rice and wheat where it forages for a wide range of animal prey. Adult birds of both sexes have a heavy bill and are patterned in white and irridescent blacks, but the sexes differ in the colour of the iris with females sporting yellow irises and males having dark-coloured irises. In Australia, it is known as a jabiru although that name refers to a stork species found in the Americas. It is one of the few storks that are strongly territorial when feeding and breeding.
Region
South Asia, Southeast Asia, and northern Australia
Typical Environment
Favors freshwater wetlands including floodplains, marshes, oxbow lakes, shallow lakes, slow-moving rivers, and rice paddies. Often hunts along muddy edges and exposed flats where prey is visible and accessible. In agricultural landscapes it may forage in irrigated fields and drainage canals, but it usually requires nearby large trees for nesting. It avoids heavily disturbed wetlands with constant human traffic but can persist in mosaic landscapes with scattered wetlands.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 1200 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
Also known as the jabiru in Australia (a misapplied name for an American stork), this species is among the few storks that defend feeding and nesting territories aggressively. Males and females look similar, but females have yellow irises while males have dark brown eyes. It nests high in tall trees near wetlands and communicates largely through bill-clattering rather than vocal song.
Male in Darwin Australia
Adult female in flight at the McArthur River in the Northern Territory of Australia
Female stork at Corroboree Billabong, Northern Territory, Australia
Male with a small barramundi, in Queensland (AU)
A painting of a sub-adult by Shaikh Zayn-al-Din (c. 1780) made for Lady Impey, probably based on a bird in the menagerie at Calcutta
Temperament
solitary and territorial
Flight Pattern
soaring glider with slow, powerful wingbeats
Social Behavior
Usually seen alone or in pairs; pairs maintain large feeding and nesting territories. Monogamous, building massive stick platform nests high in tall trees near water. Both sexes participate in nest defense and chick rearing.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Generally quiet; lacks a true song. Most displays involve loud bill-clattering at the nest and occasional hisses or low grunts.
