Woodstork

   A woodstork is a large wading bird with a feather less head. These birds also have a big snout bill. The lost of the wetlands during this century has killed many of these storks. It's scientific name is myceteria americana. The woodstork is a endangered animal. The woodstork locates it's food (mostly small freshwater fish) not by sight but by dropping it's bill in shallow water. This is called "tacto location". It snaps it's bill in 25 millisecond reflex action. The fastest  known for vertebrates. In the 1930's there were about 4,000 pairs of  woodstorks. Now there are about 500 left in the everglades. Endangered woodstorks have declined from 6,000 nesting birds to just 500 since the 1960's. If recent trends continue, woodstorks no longer will exist in south florida in the year 2000. Like the everglades, the woodstork is now endangered. The woodstork is an indicator which was put on the endangered list in 1984. Although these birds are clumsy on land, they are very graceful when they fly through the sky. Believe it or not these birds can fly for miles in the air. Their nests were originally located in swamps. But today, most of the wood storks live in man made freshwater reservoirs and mangrove island.  Wood Storks nest in a brood with many other Wood Storks.  Amazingly enough these awkward looking birds can balance at the treetops. As weather conditions change, storks must often travel great distances to find food for their young.  Wood storks have a five-foot wingspan and will sometimes perform acrobatics in air. They have been seen flying upside down!
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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