The black-necked stork is a large bird, 129–150 cm (51–59 in) tall having a 230-centimetre (91 in) wingspan. The only published weight for this species was a single specimen at 4,100 g (9.0 lb), but this is nearly 35% less than the mean body mass of the closely related saddle-billed stork, which also attains a similar stature. Therefore this specimen of black-necked stork could have been at the low end of sizes attainable or perhaps somewhat malnourished. The plumage patterns are conspicuous with younger birds differing from adults. Adults have a glossy bluish-black iridescent head, neck, secondary flight feathers and tail a coppery-brown crown a bright white back and belly bill black with a slightly concave upper edge and bright red legs. The sexes are identical but the adult female has a yellow iris while the adult male has it brown. Juveniles younger than six months have a brownish iris a distinctly smaller and straighter beak a fluffy appearance brown head, neck, upper back, wings and tail a white belly and dark legs. Juveniles older than six months have a mottled appearance especially on the head and neck where the iridescence is partly developed dark-brown outer primaries white inner primaries that forms a shoulder patch when the wings are closed a heavy beak identical in size to adults but still straighter and dark to pale-pink legs. Like most storks, the black-necked stork flies with the neck outstretched, not retracted lik...Learn more about Black-Necked Stork