Ciconia ciconia

This  palearctic summer migrant is common in grasslands and fields throughout much of southern Africa. In flight, it can be told from yellow-billed stork by its white not black tail.

We first recorded this large, predominantly white stork in December 2009 at Hartford House in the Natal Midlands. Since then, we have seen it on a number of occasions near Suikerbosrand Nature Reserve, Marievale Bird Sanctuary and Olifantsfontein, Midrand.