Birdsong field guide
Black-necked Stork
Ephippiorhynchus asiaticus
The Black-necked Stork is a large, striking wading bird known for its massive bill and iridescent plumage, representing the only stork species native to Australia. It is an apex predator of wetland ecosystems, distinguished by a unique sexual dimorphism in eye color.
What it sounds like
Largely silent; vocalizations are restricted to low grunts or hisses, but they communicate via loud, mechanical bill-clattering.
Reference call, compare with what you heard
No reference call found yet · Xeno-canto
Field notes
- Gender can be determined by eye color: females have bright yellow irises, while males have dark brown irises.
- Though commonly called the 'Jabiru' in Australia, it is biologically distinct from the true Jabiru stork of the Americas.
- It is a highly efficient hunter capable of swallowing large prey including eels, water snakes, and small turtles.
- Unlike many stork species that nest in colonies, Black-necked Storks are territorial and usually seen alone or in pairs.
- Courtship involves an elaborate display where pairs stand face-to-face, spreading their wings and rapidly clapping their bills together.
Habitat
Freshwater wetlands, marshes, billabongs, floodplains, and occasionally coastal mangroves or mudflats.
Range
South and Southeast Asia, New Guinea, and northern and eastern Australia.
Similar & commonly confused birds
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