Painted Stork

Mycteria leucocephala

Family: Storks · Status: Common introduced resident · Size: 93–102 cm · Conservation: Least Concern

Range

Breeds across the Indian subcontinent and east to Indochina.

Identification

Breeding adult is mainly white with a distinctive black breast-band, pink-flushed wing-coverts and tertials, and red head and legs. Non-breeding adult is duller. Immature is pale brown with a yellowish bill and lacks the breast-band. Separated from Milky Stork by three traits that must all be present: a distinct black breast-band with white barring (Milky has a clean white breast; hybrids may show a weak breast-band); a bright pink flush on the tertials, inner secondaries, and wing-coverts; and black-and-white upperwing spotting (Milky has clean white upperwing-coverts). Individuals lacking any cannot be identified as pure Painted Storks.

Habitat

Mangroves, mudflats, and coasts.

Behaviour

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