Monday 25 February 2019

Woolly Necked Storks spotted at the Basai Wetland, Gurgaon



When I visited the Basai Wetland this Sunday passed, I was a little surprised to see painted storks surrounded by what seemed to be a few birds that were darker than them and had rather woolly necks. I initially assumed that the darker birds were none other than the juvenile versions of the painted storks, however, on looking closely, I noticed that they were a different sub-species. On researching further I came to know that they were none other than Wolly Necked Storks. When I checked on Wikipedia, I came to know that they are, according to an entry in Wikipedia  "is one of the species to which the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA) applies". 



Woolly Necked Storks, also known by their scientific name-Ciconia episcopus are residents of the Indian continent up to 1400 metres in the Himalayas. The bird apparently ranges from Africa all the way to the Asian Subcontinent! Unfortunately, in the photographs that I took of the Woolly Storks, they were hidden behind painted storks.


I was, however, able to take a few snaps of the Woolly Necked Storks in flight. There seemed to be little to distinguish them apart from the Painted Storks except for their distinctly woolly necks and their darker colour.













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