Storm's Stork: a two-minute wildlife lesson

Storks and Ibises · day 4 of 7

Five facts

1. This forest stork of Southeast Asia is considered the rarest stork of all. There may be no more than 1,750 left in the wild.
2. Its soaring is called contagious: when one bird starts circling high over the forest, others join in, up to six at a time.
3. Couples court in the sky. Both partners do flips in flight, and the lower bird holds its feet up towards the one above.
4. It hunts by stealth, creeping slowly along muddy riverbanks deep in the forest, neck pulled in and keeping to the shade.
5. When a parent flies back with food, the chicks beg with a fairly loud call that sounds like a frog.

The quiz

1. At most, how many Storm's storks are thought to live in the wild?

• 17,500
• 1,750 (correct)
• 175,000
• 50,000

It is the rarest stork, with at most 1,750 wild birds.

2. What happens when one Storm's stork starts to soar?

• The others leave the area
• It starts to sing
• It dives to the ground
• Others join it in flight (correct)

Soaring is contagious: others join in, up to six birds.

3. What do partners do during their courtship in the sky?

• Flips in flight (correct)
• Dive into a river together
• Carry sticks across the sky
• Fly in circles all night

Both partners do flips, the lower one showing its feet to the upper.

4. Where does Storm's stork usually hunt?

• In deep, fast rivers
• On salty sea coasts
• Along shady, muddy forest riverbanks (correct)
• On high mountain tops

It creeps along muddy banks in dense forest, keeping to the shade.

5. What does the chicks' begging call sound like?

• A duck
• A frog (correct)
• A dog
• A cat

Chicks give a fairly loud, froglike call when food arrives.

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