Mycteria is a genus of large subtropical and tropical storks (Family Ciconiidae) with representatives in the Americas, east Africa, and southern and southeastern Asia. Two species have "ibis" in their scientific or old common names, but they are not related to these birds, and merely resemble some bald-headed ibises. Mycteria spp. are large birds, typically around 90–100 cm in length with a 150 cm wingspan. The body plumage is mainly white in all the species, with black in the flight feathers of the wings. The Old World species have bright yellow bills, red or yellow bare facial skin, and red legs; these parts are much duller in the American wood stork. Juvenile Mycteria storks are duller versions of the adults, generally browner and with paler bills. These storks are gregarious broad-winged soaring birds that fly with the neck outstretched and legs extended. Mycteria spp. are resident breeders in lowland wetlands where they build large stick nests in trees. Most species of Mycteria are diurnal, except for M. americana, which may be nocturnal. Mycteria storks walk slowly and steadily in shallow open wetlands seeking their prey, which, like that of most of their relatives, consists of fish, frogs and large insects.

Distribution

The genus Mycteria inhabits subtropical and tropical regions. M. americana is distributed throughout the Americas, from the southeastern United States to northern Argentina. M. ibis lives in tropical Africa. M. leucocephala is present in eastern Pakistan and India to Vietnam. M. cinerea lives in Southeast Asia, from Cambodia and Vietnam to Sumatra and Java.

Taxonomy

The genus Mycteria was introduced in 1758 by the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus in the tenth edition of his Systema Naturae for the wood stork (Mycteria americana), the type species. The genus name is from the Ancient Greek μυκτηρ/muktēr meaning "snout" or "nose".

Species

The genus contains four species.

Fossils

Two prehistoric relatives of the wood stork have been described from fossils: The latter seems to have been a larger sister species of the wood stork, which it replaced in prehistoric North America. Late Miocene tarsometatarsus fragments (Ituzaingó Formation at Paraná, Argentina) are somewhat similar to Mycteria but still distinct enough to be probably a distinct genus, especially considering their age. A Late Pleistocene distal radius from San Josecito Cavern (Mexico) may belong in this genus or in Ciconia. A "ciconiiform" fossil fragment from the Touro Passo Formation found at Arroio Touro Passo (Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil) might be of the living species M. americana; it is at most of Late Pleistocene age, a few ten thousands of years.