Tweeters,
This is not a maguari stork, Ciconia maguari. It is the white stork, Ciconia ciconia, that has been seen several times this spring in that general area, but as far away as Tukwila also. It is presumedly one of two (or possibly more) that escaped from a private aviculturist in Newcastle last year, and were reported from several locations from Portland to Everett. These two species are very similar. Maguari storks are very rare in captivity, and European white storks are very plentiful, both in zoos and in private aviculture.


Greg

Greg Toffic
Curator of Birds
Woodland Park Zoo
5500 Phinney Avenue N.
Seattle, WA 98103
(206)684-4836 PH
(206)233-7278 FAX
greg.toffic at zoo.org

"Metaphors be with you"

>>> Dan Victor <dcv at scn.org> 06/01 12:32 PM >>>
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---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: "Brunner, Kenneth R NWS" <Kenneth.R.Brunner at NWS02.usace.army.mil>
Date: Tue, 1 Jun 1999 11:08:56 -0700

On Monday, May 31, at about 6:00 P.M., I found an adult Maguari stork
foraging along the west side of Highway 167, just south of 277th St. The
bird has a white head, neck, breast, underparts, and tail, with a black
back and wings. The black on the back reaches higher than the black on
the wings, giving the bird a white-shouldered look. The bill, face, and
legs are a dull orangish-pink. The bill is long and straight. The bird
stands about 4 ft. tall (though it looks considerably shorter while
standing in the tall grass). There is an aluminum band on its right leg,
but I could not get close enough to read it. My guess is that this is an
escaped bird from captivity. To my knowledge, there are no North American
records for this species. The bird is described in various South American
bird books, but not shown in color in any book I have. The line drawings
in Birds of Venezuela and Birds of Panama both show an immature bird (the
bird in Kent is an adult).

If you'd like to view this bird, take the 277th St. exit from Highway 167,
turning to the west. Go about one block, to the old West Valley Highway;
turn left (to the south), following West Valley Highway for little less
than a mile, to 285th St. Turn left (east). This is a dead end road,
flanked by fields. It ends at the edge of Highway 167. The stork has
apparently been hanging out in this vicinity since Friday, May 28 (perhaps
longer).

If you have questions, call me at (253) 852-7523, after 6:00 P.M.; or
email me at kenneth.r.brunner at usace.army.mil.

Good Birding!

Ken Brunner