Ciconia nigra - Black Stork
Feather characters. Barbules are of medium length (1.1-1.2 mm) and are not pigmented. Borders between cells are visible, but hardly swollen and thus too small to qualify as nodes. These nodal structures (12-14 per mm) have about the same size along the entire length of the barbules, only slightly decreasing towards the tip. Villi are absent and internodes are straight. Short prongs may occur along the entire length and on both sides of the pennulum, but they are unequally distributed. Their length varies; in some preparations, only minute prongs are found. The longest ones are longer than 0.01 mm, but shorter than half the length of the adjacent internode.
Field characters. Size 95-100 cm. Weight 3000 g (Dunning, 1993). Form, flight and carriage as White Stork, but plumage mainly glossy black, except for the white breast, belly, and under tail-coverts. Bill and legs red. Usually shy and solitary in habits. Juveniles browner on head and neck, and upperparts less glossy; legs and bill grey-green.
Voice. On nest a clear and drawn out "chee lee chee lee".
Distribution. Regular breeding bird, mainly in eastern part of the area. Map: see MapIt.
Habitat. Builds nest in large old trees, on cliff ledges or in caves. Prefers undisturbed forested areas with streams, pools, swamps and banks of rivers.
Food. Mainly fish, but also frogs, salamanders, insects, and to a lesser extent small mammals, crustaceans, snakes, lizards. Feeds by stalking through water.