English: Ooieveaars.
Clades:
Ciconiiformes;
Neognathae;
Aves;
Animals.
Genera: 6: Anastomus, Ciconia, Ephippiorhynchus, Jabiru, Leptoptilos, Mycteria; 19 species.
Habitat: many regions; drier habitats than the closely related herons, spoonbills and ibises.
ZoologyStorks are large, long-legged, long-necked wading birds with long, stout bills. Storks lack the powder down to clean off fish slime, as ibises have. Bill-clattering is an important mode of communication at the nest. Many species are migratory. Most storks eat frogs, fish, insects, earthworms, small birds and small mammals.
Groups of stork are frequently referred to as a muster of storks and a phalanx of storks.
TaxonomyCiconiiformes were previously included a number of other families, such as herons and ibises.