[order] CICONIIFORMES | [family] Ciconiidae | [latin] Ciconia maguari | [authority] Gmelin, 1789 | [UK] Maguari Stork | [FR] Cigogne maguari | [DE] Maguaristorch | [ES] Ciguena Maguari | [NL] Magoeari
Subspecies
| Genus | Species | subspecies | Region | Range |
| Ciconia | maguari | SA | widespread |
Genus
Storks are rather well represented in the world fossil record, although no comprehensive review of them has been attempted. The earliest records come from the Late Eocene of Egypt. After taxa incorrectly referred to this family were removed, the earliest named species became Palaeoephippiorhynchus dietrichi Lambrecht, 1930 (Late Oligocene; Egypt). The stork family (Ciconiidae) includes 17-19 species, depending upon which classification is followed. They are widely distributed, mainly in the Old World Tropics. Being large, conspicuous, and easily observed, storks are well known birds throughout their range. Several populations are threatened or endangered. The seven species of “typical” storks of the genus ciconia are all somewhat similar, with mainly black-and-white plumage and straight bills.
Physical charateristics
These large storks have a height of up to 1 meter, a wingspan of up to 1.5 meter. A unique characteristic is the reddish orange orbital skin below the eye and a creamy white iris. The tail is forked, and they have long broad wings. This bird’s long, pointed beak turns blue-grey at maturity. The beak is adapted for grabbing prey. They have long legs for walking and wading.
Listen to the sound of Maguari Stork
[audio:http://www.planetofbirds.com/MASTER/CICONIIFORMES/Ciconiidae/sounds/Maguari Stork.mp3]
Copyright remark: Most sounds derived from xeno-canto
recorded by Miguel Angel Roda
| wingspan min.: | 120 | cm | wingspan max.: | 130 | cm |
| size min.: | 97 | cm | size max.: | 102 | cm |
| incubation min.: | 29 | days | incubation max.: | 32 | days |
| fledging min.: | 60 | days | fledging max.: | 32 | days |
| broods: | 1 | eggs min.: | 2 | ||
| eggs max.: | 4 |
Range
South America : widespread
Habitat
Maguari storks live in marshy ground, savanna ponds, and cultivated fields in lowland areas near sea level in South America, east of the Andes, from Venezuela to Argentina. They are omnivores, eating frogs, tadpoles, fish, small aquatic rodents, crabs, and aquatic insects in the wild. They feed alone or in pairs, or more often in small groups, especially drying ponds.These large storks have a height of up to 1 meter, a wingspan of about 150-180 cm. A unique characteristic is the reddish orange orbital skin below the eye and a creamy white iris. The tail is forked, and they have long broad wings. This bird’s long, pointed beak turns blue-grey at maturity. The beak is adapted for grabbing prey. They have long legs for walking and wading.
Reproduction
Maguari storks breed in June through November in the Ilanos; August through October in southern Brazil. They are found in clusters of 5 to 15 nests, which may be only half a meter apart. The nests are usually 1 to 6 meter up in the bushes or small trees, or on the ground in dense reed beds that are isolated from predators. The nest site is always surrounded by water. Their large nest is made of sticks and is almost 2 meterswide, 75 cm deep, and lined with grass. They usually lay 2 to 4 eggs, and after an incubation of 29-32 days, chicks are hatched. The first coat of down is white and is rapidly replaced with black for camouflage, the chicks fledge after about 65 days. The maguari Stork reaches sexual maturity at 3 years in males and 4 years in females.
Feeding habits
They are omnivores, eating frogs, tadpoles, fish, small aquatic rodents, crabs, and aquatic insects in the wild. They feed alone or in pairs, or more often in small groups, especially drying ponds.
Video Maguari Stork
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eqgLjzCGmpw
copyright: A. Motis
Conservation
This species has an extremely large range, and hence does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the range size criterion (Extent of Occurrence <20,000 km2 combined with a declining or fluctuating range size, habitat extent/quality, or population size and a small number of locations or severe fragmentation). The population trend appears to be stable, and hence the species does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population trend criterion (>30% decline over ten years or three generations). The population size is very large, and hence does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population size criterion (<10,000 mature individuals with a continuing decline estimated to be >10% in ten years or three generations, or with a specified population structure). For these reasons the species is evaluated as Least Concern.
This stork is rare in Suriname along the coastal plains. In the interior less scarce, observed near Kuruni and Sipaliwini Savanne.
This stork is rare in Suriname along the coastal plains. In the interior less scarce, observed near Kuruni and Sipaliwini Savanne.
Migration
Probably migratory, but not well known. Leaves breeding ground and is observerd in groups of up to 50 birds outside the breeding season. Is known to cross the Andes. Also some post en pre breeding dispersal.
Distribution map
Literature
Title MAGUARI STORK NESTING: JUVENILE GROWTH AND BEHAVIOR
Author(s): BETSY TRENT THOMAS
Abstract: Although it has a wide range in tropical South Ame..[more]..
Source: The Auk 101: 812-823