Milky Stork

Common name for a type of stork with the scientific name Mycteria cinerea. This wading bird grows to a height of about 97 centimeters, has a naked red face and a yellow to orange bill, similar to the Asian Painted Stork (Mycteria leucocephala) and the in Africa living Yellow-billed Stork (Mycteria ibis). The difference between the above species is best visible from their plumage, which in the Milky Stork is overall white with black flight-feathers and tail; rather pinkish-white in the Yellow-billed Stork with pink and white scapular bars and extensive black colouring on the lower wings, lower back, rump and tail (fig.); and dull white in the Painted Stork, with grey to black and white bars on the scapulars and some pink colouring on the wingtips and tail (fig.). The Milky Stork has a restricted distribution in Southeast Asia and is usually listed as living in Cambodia, Peninsular Malaysia and on many of the Indonesian islands, though some sources also list it as occurring in Thailand. This species is listed as vulnerable with an estimated world population of about 5,500 birds. In Thai it is called nok krasah pahk leuang, which confusingly translates as ‘Yellow-billed stork’, the name which in English is used for the Mycteria ibis. 回