Milky Stork

Mycteria cinerea

Family: Storks · Status: Common introduced resident · Size: 95–100 cm · Conservation: Endangered

Range

Breeds in scattered sites across Cambodia, the Thai-Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, Java, and Sulawesi.

Identification

Breeding adult has milky-toned white plumage, yellow bill, and red facial skin and legs. Non-breeding adult lacks the milky tone; bill pinkish-yellow, facial skin dark red. Immature is duller overall. Separated from Painted Stork by three traits that must all be present: a clean white breast (Painted has a black breast-band); no pink flush on the tertials, inner secondaries, and wing-coverts; and clean white upperwing-coverts (Painted has black-and-white spotting). Individuals lacking any of these cannot be identified as pure Milky Storks.

Habitat

Mangroves, mudflats, and coasts.

Behaviour

Gregarious, joining flocks with Painted Storks and hybrid Milky x Painted.