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Yellow-billed Stork
Mycteria ibis
2.98219, 36.1749
Field Notes
Description:
The Yellow-billed stork (Mycteria ibis), sometimes also called the wood stork or wood ibis, is a large African wading stork species in the Ciconiidae family. Its height is about 1m, and is mostly white stork with a strong, very long and slightly curved yellow bill; and red long legs. Breeding adult has easily recognizable naked bright red facial skin.
Habitat:
Here seen close to shores of Turkana lake in Turkana County of Kenya, among many other species foraging on shores. It is common species all over sub-saharan Africa, living close to water.
Notes:
Lake Turkana is saline desert lake and the biggest water mass of Rift valley lake system. Currently, this lake is in danger - over the past decade, Ethiopia has embarked on a massive plan which includes constructing dams, developing water-intensive irrigated cotton and sugar plantations, and irrigation canals and other infrastructure in Ethiopia’s Omo River Basin. These developments are predicted to dramatically reduce the water supply of Lake Turkana, as Omo River provides 90 percent of the water in it. Dramatic reductions in freshwater input from the Omo River into Lake Turkana will increase levels of salinity in the lake and raise water temperatures, decimating fish breeding areas and mature fish populations. Higher air temperatures will increase rates of evaporation, further increasing salinity while reducing biological productivity... which would later on influence the entire ecological system.
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