The yellow-billed stork (Mycteria ibis) is a large African stork species in the family Ciconiidae. It is widespread south of the Sahara and also occurs in Madagascar. The yellow-billed stork lies within the genus Mycteria along with three other extant species: the wood stork (M. americana), the milky stork (M. cinerea) and the painted stork (M. leucocephala). Species within Mycteria display remarkable homologies in behavior (e.g., feeding and courtship) and morphology, with relatively few species-specific variations.
[[File:]] This medium-sized stork stands 90β105 cm (35β41 in) tall. Its body is white with a short black tail that is glossed green and purple when freshly moulted. The bill is deep yellow, slightly decurved at the end and with a rounder cross-section than in other stork species outside the Mycteria. Feathers extend onto the head and neck just behind the eyes, with the face and forehead being covered by deep red skin. Both sexes are similar in appearance, but the male is larger and has a slightly longer heavier bill. Males and females weigh approximately 2.3 kg (5.1 lb) and 1.9 kg (4.2 lb) respectively.
Colouration becomes...