Black stork

Introduction: Black storks (Ciconia nigra) inhabit floodplains, shallows of rivers, dams, pans, estuaries, pools of water on dry river beds and occasionally on flooded grassland and marshland. Black storks are usually observed singly, although pairing and small groups are also common. Roosting is on cliffs, pylons or in trees, sometimes with woolly-necked storks.

Distribution: Throughout Namibia less for the Namib Desert, Caprivi and Kalahari Desert. Found in Etosha National Park and Fish River Canyon.

Diet: Eats sharptooth catfish, mud-fishes, tilapia, carp, frogs and toads, tadpoles, small mammals, small reptiles such as tortoise, large insects and freshwater snails.

Description: Medium-sized stork with a long, straight bill. Mainly black white plumage. Ciconia is Latin for 'the white stork'. Nigra is Latin for 'black'.

Breeding: A dry stick and reed platform, shaped into a central cup is lined with dry grass. Females lay 2 to 5 eggs between April and August incubated for up to 36 days.

Size: 110cm.

Weight: 2.8kg.

Wingspan: 1.5m.