The white stork (Ciconia ciconia) is a large bird in the stork family Ciconiidae. Its plumage is mainly white, with black on its wings. Adults have long red legs and long pointed red beaks, and measure on average 100–115 cm (39–45 in) from beak tip to end of tail, with a 155–215 cm (61–85 in) wingspan. The white stork is a long-distance migrant, wintering in Africa from tropical Sub-Saharan Africa to as far south as South Africa, or on the Indian subcontinent. A carnivore, the white stork eats a wide range of animal prey, including insects, fish, amphibians, reptiles, small mammals, and small birds.
This picture shows a white stork carrying a piece of plastic back to its nest and is fitted with a wildlife transmitter, photographed in Huevla, Spain.Photograph credit: Charles J. Sharp