Pictures of Birds

White Stork (Ciconia ciconia)

The White Stork is a very large bird, the body and tail are white, wings black and the bill and legs are red.
Breeds in North Africa and Eurasia, rarely in South Africa. Gregarious, with flocks from a few birds to hundreds.
In very hot weather the stork defaecates on its legs for cooling.

Feeds on large insects such as locusts, small reptiles, frogs and young mammals found on the ground.
Numbers are declining, probably due to poisoning from insecticides used to kill locusts and in collisions with powerlines.