The Oriental stork (Ciconia boyciana) gets its name from its native range in eastern Asia – it breeds in China and Russia – while its scientific name, Ciconia boyciana, honours Robert Henry Boyce, a 19th-century British official in China. It is larger than the European white stork, has red skin around its eyes, and a black bill as an adult. Its breeding habitat consists of wetlands like reed swamps, while wintering grounds include large freshwater lakes such as Poyang Lake and the Yangtze River floodplain, which are crucial for finding food. It winters primarily in the middle and lower Yangtze River floodplain in China, but also in smaller numbers in Japan, the Korean Peninsula, and Taiwan.
© BirdsImageStock