A Comparison of the Maguari Stork, Ciconia maguari, with the White Stork, Ciconia ciconia
Thomas, B.T. 1988.
A comparison of the Maguari Stork, Ciconia maguari, with the White Stork, Ciconia ciconia.
Le Gerfaut, 78: 113–119.
Abstract
A long-term study of the Maguari Stork, Ciconia maguari, in Venezuela resulted in evidence supporting its close relationship to the White Stork, Ciconia ciconia. Breeding behavior, displays, egg-laying, nestling care, nestling behavior, food, philopatry, and age at first breeding are similar between the two species. Nest–site differences are probably a result of human behavior. Some morphological differences between adult Maguari Storks and White Storks, such as iris and orbital-area color, are shown to be the results of later ontogeny, and not different in the two species of young storks. This paper supports other authors who have found that the Maguari and White Storks are probably more closely related to each other than to any congenerics.
