Painted Stork (Mycteria leucocephala) is a tall slender bird with a large heavy yellow beak and an orange/red head. It is white in color with black markings and delicate pink on the lower back and has pink legs. Nest is usually built in forest trees.
The bird flies with its neck outstretched. The adult is 95 to 100 cm tall, mainly white with black flight feathers. The head is red, while the long downcurved bill is yellow. Legs and tail are pink. There is dark barring on the breast.
The bird walks slowly and steadily on the ground in open plains seeking its prey. Diet consists of fish, frogs and large insects.
The bird can be seen in Chitrangudi Bird Sanctuary, Tamil Nadu.
