AS part of her Honours project in the School of Life Sciences, UKZN Pietermaritzburg campus, Claire Marchant is investigating the distributional range extension and increase in numbers of Woolly-necked storks in KZN.
Readers are requested to submit observational information on these birds, particularly where they are seen frequently, where they are nesting and where they are feeding.
If you know of any Woolly-necked stork breeding sites in your area, contact Claire Marchant (email: 214580747@stu.ukzn.ac.za) or Professor Colleen Downs: downs@ukzn.ac.za or 033 2605127 (w.)
If possible, include photographs of birds seen and the geographical location (GPS points).
(In a box)
About Woolly-necked storks
The Woolly-necked stork (Ciconia episcopus) is a residential and intra-African migrant bird.
It is generally black in colour but has a white underbelly and a woolly, white neck which gives it its name.
They were previously registered on the red data list for endangered species but are no longer as their numbers have increased.
In KZN they are becoming more common in urban areas as well as the Midlands.
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
