Storm’s Stork sighted at Panti Forest, Johor
Posted by BESG on 15 April 08, Tuesday
Contributed by Flexi & YC
A Storm’s Stork (Ciconia stormi) was sighted flying over Panti Forest Reserve, Johor, Malaysia on the morning of 14th April 2008 (above). It was flying south and of the many who witnessed the bird, only “flexi” of NaturePixel.org succeeded in getting an image that is posted here.
The sighting of the Storm’s Stork around Johor’s Panti Forest is not the first. Wells (1999) reports the sighting of two birds in 1995 by R. Subaraj.
This is a relatively large bird that is found around Borneo, Sumatra and Peninsular Malaysia. In Malaysia, whether in Peninsular Malaysia or in the states of Sabah and Sarawak in the island of Borneo, it is either a rare resident or an irregular visitor.
According to Elliott (1992), the bird was sighted some time ago in Thailand but probably now extinct. Its status globally was listed as “indeterminate,” but most probably it is now endangered.
Most of the world’s Storm’s Stork are confined to Indonesia, with an estimated population of less than 300. It is generally found in undisturbed freshwater habitats, especially peat swamp forests. However, with the current rapid destruction of the country’s peat forests, it is fast becoming endangered. The bird is not well adapted to disturbed habitats.
There is limited information on the stork. It is generally known that it feeds on fish. However, what other food it eats is hardly known. Its breeding behaviour is similarly poorly known.
Image courtesy of “flexi” of NaturePixel.org.
References:
1. Elliott, A. (1992). Family Ciconiidae (Storks). Pp. 436-465 in: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A. & Sargatal, J. eds. Handbook of the birds of the world. Vol. 1. Ostrich to Ducks. Barcelona: Lynx Editions.
2. Wells, D.R. (1999). The birds of the Thai-Malay Peninsular. Vol. I, Non-passerines. Academic Press, London.
This post is a cooperative effort between www.naturepixels.org and BESG to bring the study of bird behaviour through photography to a wider audience.
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