Milky Stork

photo by Ani Mardiastuti

In many countries, the stork is a symbol of life, prosperity and hope for the future.

What is a stork?

Storks are tall, long-legged, long-necked, birds that are related to ibises, herons, and spoonbills. There are 17 species of storks in the Ciconiidae family. Storks are found in Africa, Asia, Europe, and throughout the Americas. One species, the black-necked stork, is found in Australia! The wood stork can be found throughout the Americas, the Jabiru stork can be found in Central and South America, and the Maguari stork is found in South America. Storks range in height from about 2 feet (60 centimeters) to more than 5 feet (150 centimeters) tall!

Some storks have patches of bare skin on their face. Some storks have no feathers at all on their head, and the skin is brightly colored! Males and females look alike (They are monomorphic).

Storks do not have a well-developed voice box (syrinx), so they can only make grunting or hissing sounds with their voice. Most of the sounds they make are the rattles and snaps they make with their strong, heavy beak.

These tall and elegant birds are usually found in habitats near rivers or wetlands where they can search for fish, frogs, and insects to eat. Storks build their nests in trees, close together in colonies. The white storks of Europe nest on rooftops!

The milky stork (Mycteria cinerea) is called BLUWOK (blue-walk) in Indonesia and ‘burung upeh’ in Malaysia. It is found in lowlands, salt water marshes, and mangrove swamps of Cambodia, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Indonesia. Due to human disturbance of nesting colonies, habitat loss and destruction of mangroves, poaching, and rice- and fish-farming, the milky stork is an endangered species.

Milky storks build their nests in tall trees during the months of October through December. Nests are built of dried twigs and branches, arranged in big piles between tree branches. As many as 8 pairs may build their nests in one tree! A nesting colony might have from 10 to a few hundred nests.

The female of the pair lays an average of 3 eggs. Both male and female care for the young and take part in incubating the eggs for 30 days and feeding the young until they are ready to leave the nest.

about Ani….

ani

Dr. Ani Mardiastuti weighing a baby stork in a bag.

Dr. Ani Mardiastuti is a professor in the Department of Forest Resources Conservation at the Bogor Agricultural University, Indonesia. She and her team of researchers are working to conserve milky storks that breed in the Pulau Rambut Wildlife Sanctuary in Jakarta Bay, Northern Java. This small island is very important for breeding waterbirds and is the only known breeding site for milky storks in Indonesia.

baby stork "Baby Milky Storks"
photo by Imanuddin

Ani will be studying the breeding biology of the birds from the time they build their nests until the time their chicks fly away (fledge). Maybe even more important for the conservation of the storks, Ani and her team will be working with fisherman and local people in the community. There are many fish farmers on the island, and milky storks have found the fish-stocked ponds to be a good place for a fast meal! Ani and her team will be teaching local people about the importance of protecting the storks and their habitat, and Ani will be helping the community find a way for the storks and the farmers to share the same land.

Selected References:

Kuala Gula Bird Sanctuary

Kuala Selangor Nature Park Milky Stork Conservation Project

Kuala Selangor Nature Park

Nature Reserves of Indonesia

Stork Folklore

The Encyclopedia of Malaysia-Animals. 1998. Wetlands International-Asia Pacific.

Hancock, J.A., J.A. Kushlan, and M.P. Kahl. 1992. Storks, Ibises, and Spoonbills of the World

Terres, J.K. 1991. The Audubon Society Encyclopedia of North American Birds