Wood Stork (Mycteria americana), Gilbert Water Ranch, Maricopa County

This immature Wood Stork was discovered and photographed by Tommy DeBardeleben on 17 August 2009 at Gilbert Water Ranch at 7:20 AM in Pond 4.  It was feeding among many herons, egrets, and several White-faced Ibises. At around 9, the bird flew to pond 5, where it stayed for awhile.  It was also photographed at the same time by Brendon Grice.

At the turn of the 20th century, the Wood Stork was a regular post-breeding visitor to the Lower Colorado River and to the Salton Sea in California, but populations in Mexico have declined dramatically over the last fifty years and continue to shrink. Since 1990, there have only been five reports of this species from Arizona.

The only confusion species would be an escaped Sacred Ibis which has occurred at least once in Arizona at Painted Rock Dam.  That long staying individual was for many months misidentified as a Wood Stork.  Sacred Ibis has a black bill, head and neck and much less extensive black on the wings.  

17 August 2009, photo by Tommy DeBardeleben

17 August 2009, photos by Brendon Grice

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