Photo: Tisha Mukherjee / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

Least Concern

Storks

Black-necked Stork

Ephippiorhynchus asiaticus

Black-necked Stork (Ephippiorhynchus asiaticus) — Storks of South & Southeast Asia.

Field guide · LocationsWhere to see this bird

Found across 11 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.

Regional checklists

Birds of Australia Birds of Indonesia Birds of India Birds of Thailand Birds of the United States Birds of New South Wales Birds of Northern Territory Birds of Queensland Birds of Western Australia Birds of Florida

By family

Storks of Thailand

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The Black-necked Stork (Ephippiorhynchus asiaticus) is a member of the Ciconiidae family found in Australia & Oceania and South & Southeast Asia. Adults weigh 4.1 kg. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.

Conservation status

IUCN Red List

LC Least Concern

Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.

Where it fits

Class Aves
Order Ciconiiformes
Family Ciconiidae Storks
Genus Ephippiorhynchus
Species asiaticus

Where it lives

India to Australia

Quick facts

Weight: 4.1 kg
Diet: Aquatic hunters
Family: Ciconiidae
Order: Ciconiiformes
Habitat: Wetland, lake & coast

How to identify

Similar birds

Near Threatened

Saddle-billed Stork

Ephippiorhynchus senegalensis

Least Concern

Jabiru

Jabiru mycteria

Near Threatened

Greater Adjutant

Leptoptilos dubius

Near Threatened

Lesser Adjutant

Leptoptilos javanicus

Biology & behaviour

Diet

The Black-necked Stork hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.

Behaviour

A bird of wetlands, it forages mainly on the ground.

Migration

The Black-necked Stork is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.

The Black-necked Stork (Ephippiorhynchus asiaticus) is a member of the Ciconiidae family, within the order Ciconiiformes. It is found across Australia & Oceania and South & Southeast Asia. Its distribution covers OR, AU India to Australia.

It is a very large bird. Adults weighs around 4.1 kg, with a wing length of about 57.5 cm and a tail of around 29.9 cm.

The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.

Its mapped global range covers an estimated 5.5 million km².

Frequently asked questions

How big is the Black-necked Stork?

The Black-necked Stork is a very large bird that weighs around 4.1 kg.

Where does the Black-necked Stork live?

The Black-necked Stork is found across Australia & Oceania and South & Southeast Asia with a range covering OR, AU India to Australia, where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.

What family does the Black-necked Stork belong to?

The Black-necked Stork (Ephippiorhynchus asiaticus) belongs to the Ciconiidae family, in the order Ciconiiformes.

What does the Black-necked Stork eat?

The Black-necked Stork hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.

Does the Black-necked Stork migrate?

The Black-necked Stork is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.

Is the Black-necked Stork endangered?

The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.

How large is the Black-necked Stork's range?

The Black-necked Stork has a mapped global range of about 5.5 million km².