The black stork (Ciconia nigra) belongs to family Ciconiidae in the order Ciconiiformes. These storks are distributed in the Europe, temperate Asia and Southern Africa. These birds are migratory and winter in Africa, India, Myanmar, China, Taiwan and Korea.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) had categorized and evaluated these stork species and had listed them as of 'Least Concern'.
These storks are large birds, measuring 95 to 100 cm in length and weighing 3,000 grams. The wingspan is 145 to 155 cm. They can stand as tall as 102 cm.
Male birds are slightly larger than the females. The long legs are orange or reddish. The beak is straight and pointed with red coloration. The plumage is blackish with a purplish green sheen. The tail is blackish. The lower breast, belly and undertail is white.
These storks are seen foraging in wetlands, marshes, river banks and lakes. They feed on fish, frogs, insects, snails, crabs and small reptiles. They nest on high trees and the breeding season extends from April to May in Europe.
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| Indian birds - Black stork - Ciconia nigra |
| Biological classification of Ciconia nigra | |
|---|---|
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Ciconiiformes |
| Family: | Ciconiidae |
| Subfamily: | - |
| Genus: | Ciconia |
| Species: | C. nigra |
| Binomial name: | Ciconia nigra |
| Distribution: | Indian Subcontinent, Europe, Asia and Southern Africa |
| Feeding habits: | crabs, fish, frogs, shrimps |
| IUCN status listing: |  Least Concern |
Image source: commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Black_Stork_-_Ciconia_nigra.jpg
Author: Merlin | License: CC BY-SA 3.0
Current topic in Birds of India: Black stork - Ciconia nigra.