# Wood Stork (*Mycteria americana*)

> The wood stork (Mycteria americana) is a large bald-headed wading bird of southeastern US swamps that hunts by touch in muddy water. Adults weigh about 2.5 kg, breed in cypress swamps, and are listed Least Concern after recovering from drought-related nest failures.

- **Category:** Bird
- **Conservation status (IUCN):** Least Concern
- **Range:** Wetlands of the southeastern US, Central America, and South America.
- **Canonical page:** https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/wood-stork/
- **Last reviewed:** 2026-07-16

## Scientific classification

- **Kingdom:** Animalia
- **Phylum:** Chordata
- **Class:** Aves
- **Order:** Ciconiiformes
- **Family:** Ciconiidae
- **Genus:** Mycteria

## Facts at a glance

| Attribute | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Scientific name | Mycteria americana |
| Diet | Carnivore |
| Habitat | Cypress swamps and freshwater marshes |
| Lifespan | 15–20 years |
| Weight | 2.0–3.0 kg |
| Top speed | up to 35 km/h |
| Conservation status | Least Concern (IUCN) |

## Tactile bill in turbid water

Wood storks feed by holding the bill open in murky water and snapping shut when prey touches it — ideal where sight-hunting fails. They stand 0.8–1 m tall with dark, featherless heads.

## Fish, frogs, and crayfish

Small fish, amphibians, insects, and crustaceans are taken in shallow wetlands. Parents regurgitate food into open begging mouths at the nest.

## Cypress swamps and Everglades

Freshwater and brackish wetlands of the southeastern United States, Central America, and South America. Florida's cypress domes and Everglades marshes are strongholds.

## Drought cycles and recovery

Least Concern after rebounding when wetland restoration improved prey concentrations. Nest success still collapses in drought years when falling water levels strand fish beyond chick-rearing reach.

## Frequently asked questions

### How do wood storks catch fish in muddy water?

They grope with open bills and snap shut on contact — a tactile hunt that does not need clear water.

### Why is the wood stork's head bald?

Featherless skin stays cleaner when feeding in muddy, fishy water and may help with heat loss.

### Where do wood storks nest?

In tall trees over water — often cypress or mangroves — in colonies with other wading birds.

### Are wood storks endangered?

IUCN lists them Least Concern after US recovery, though drought and wetland loss still threaten local nesting.

### How tall is a wood stork?

About 0.8–1 m tall — among the largest wading birds in North America.

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Source: Global Animal Guide (https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/wood-stork/). Licensed CC BY-NC 4.0 — free for non-commercial reuse with attribution.