BLACK STORK (Ciconia nigra):

Status: Cites Appendix-II,                  NPWC Act -Schedule:I

Distribution:
National:  Lower Koshi valley, around Koshi tappu and other parts of the Terai.

Global: Kashmir, Nepal, Europe, Africa, USSR and Asia. Breeds in Europe, the USSR and Northern Asia, wintering in the lower Koshi Valley around Koshi-Tappu and other parts of the Terai. A potential passage migrant through teh area, possibly along the Arun River itself.

Distinctive Characters: The only white bellied stork, the plumage on the back is glossy black, wings are black underneath. Coral-red bill are long conical and pointed; and the legs are red. It is a large bird with a length  of 96 cms.

Habitat: Occurs in the tropical zone along rivers, marshes and harvested rice fields.

Habit:A winter visitor only, the black stork is found solitary or in parties of up to twenty. The species feeds upon frogs, fish, crustaceans and large insects, as well as small mammals and birds occasionally.

Threats: Draining of wetlands and loss of breeding habitat.