Stork (Yellow-billed)

The yellow-billed stork is native to Africa South of Sahara and in Madagascar. This stork was in the Phoenix Zoo. The yellow-bill does not flock in large social groups and do not socialize much with one another either.  These wading birds like to isolate themselves in swamps, muddy rivers and other large areas of shallow, marshy waters.  These birds move around slowly and deliberately.  The yellow-billed storks are extremely inactive, they rest and feed for most of the day.

They have remarkable adaptation and have the quickest muscular reflex of the neck, allowing almost all food to be caught in the water. Their long, narrow, curve tipped bills allow them only to catch small prey such as small fish, frogs, insects and worms passing by in the water. Yellow-bills  are intelligent birds and have created a technique to help them catch more prey in the water. They typically use one foot to stir up the water or mud which disturbs and flushes out the prey

Photographed at Phoenix Zoo, Phoenix, AZ