Female Black Necked Stork

Kingdom - Animalia
Phylum - Chordata
Class - Aves
Order - Ciconiiformes
Family - Ciconiidae
Genus - Ephippiorhynchus

Size and Height: 129 – 137 cm
Wing span: 230 cm

Status:
Classified as Near Threatened (NT) on the IUCN Red List 2004

Description:
The black-necked stork is a huge wading bird with a spectacular and distinctive plumage. Easily recognised by its striking black-and-white markings, this bird possesses a jet-black head, wing bar and tail, which contrast against the white plumage of the rest of the body. Other characteristic features include an iridescent neck that appears green, blue or purple depending on the angle, a massive black bill and long, coral-red legs. Sexes are identical except for the colour of the iris, which is yellow in the female, brown in the male. Juveniles are brown instead of black-and-white, and sub-adults resemble adults, but the white plumage is duskier and the legs are black.

Range:
The black-necked stork ranges from South and Southeast Asia to Australia, occurring in Pakistan, Nepal, India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Irian Jaya, (Indonesia), Papua New Guinea and Australia.

Source: Arkive.org
www.arkive.org/black-necked-stork/ephippiorhynchus-asiati...