Storks (Ciconiidae)

Black Stork (Ciconia nigra) - HBW 1, p. 459

French: Cigogne noire German: Schwarzstorch Spanish: Cigüeña negra

Taxonomy: Ardea nigra Linnaeus, 1758, Sweden.
Apparently most primitive member of genus in both behaviour and morphology. Monotypic.

Distribution: Breeds across Palearctic, mostly c. 40° 60° N; winters in NE and E Africa and from W Pakistan, through N India to SE and E China; some birds probably resident in SW Spain. Also breeds in scattered populations from Malawi and Namibia to South Africa.