Woolly-necked Storks nest in Padfield
Woolly-necked Storks have nested in a popular suburb in Pinetown.
LESS than a few decades ago a Woolly-necked Stork sighting would have been a rare one as the species was endangered, but thanks to conservationists’ efforts the black and white birds are commonly spotted in Highway areas again.
In Padfield Park residents were elated to notice Woolly-necked Storks have nested, producing three chicks.
In mid December, Pat Olivier said she spotted one of the birds in a busy road in the suburb: “I saw it picking up a stick in the road, and it then flew to a tree,” she said.
About three or four days later, Linda Funnell spotted the birds while driving with her husband: “I saw the stork flying low and asked my husband to slow down and follow it. Luckily I had my camera in my car and stopped to take a photo. I followed the bird, flying up to a branch. Then I spotted the nest high in a tree, which had three chicks in it.”
Pat said she remembered when the birds were endangered: “You didn’t see much of them at one stage. Jean Lindsay then saw a nest in Alfred Park in 1995. She returned regularly to look for nests. Now there are about 12 storks in the area.”
About Woolly-necked Storks
WOOLLY-NECKED Storks (Ciconia episcopus) are residential and intra-African migrant birds.
Woolly-necked Storks are generally black in colour but have a white underbelly and a woolly, white neck, which gives them their name.
White Storks (Ciconia ciconia) are often mistaken for Woolly-necked Storks, or vice versa (see pictures below for differentiation). Woolly-necked Storks were previously registered on the red data list for endangered species, but are no longer as their numbers have increased.
In KwaZulu-Natal they are becoming more common in urban areas as well as in the Midlands.
Previously they were more coastal in their distribution, but their distributional range appears to be expanding and they are being seen further inland, especially around dumping sites, sports fields and in gardens. They also appear to be less migratory and are often seen in breeding pairs or small breeding colonies of up to five pairs.
Breeding sites are usually in large trees and in close proximity to water. Breeding sites have been found in increasing numbers in suburban Durban and Pietermaritzburg areas (visit sabap2.adu.org.za).
If you spot a Woolly-necked Stork, contact Professor Colleen Downs at downs@ukzn.ac.za or call 033 260 5127.
