Wood Stork (Mycteria americana) is in the Storks family (Ciconiidae). Across the U.S., iNaturalist users have logged 24,454 research-grade observations of it in our sample, peaking in January.
Seasonal pattern in the national data: year-round resident. Counts also reflect when people are out photographing, so compare months within a state rather than across states.
When to photograph Wood Stork: observations by month (U.S.)
About Wood Stork
The wood stork (Mycteria americana) is a large American wading bird in the stork family Ciconiidae. It was formerly called the "wood ibis", though it is not an ibis. It is found in subtropical and tropical habitats in the Americas, including the Caribbean. In South America, it is resident, but in North America, it disperses to as far as South America. It was originally described by Carl Linnaeus in 1758. It likely evolved in tropical regions....From Wikipedia via iNaturalist — article, CC BY-SA.
Wood Stork by state
| State | Observations | Peak month | Main season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Florida | 18,423 | January | Oct–May |
| South Carolina | 2,282 | August | Jul–Jun |
| Texas | 1,414 | September | Jun–Oct |
| Georgia | 1,105 | June | Jan–Nov |
| Louisiana | 229 | July | Jul–Sep |
| North Carolina | 170 | August | Jun–Sep |
| Alabama | 162 | July | Jul–Oct |
| Mississippi | 138 | September | Jul–Oct |
| California | 88 | April | Apr–May |
| Colorado | 54 | August | Aug–Aug |
| New Jersey | 48 | August | Aug–Sep |
| Maryland | 44 | August | Jul–Sep |
| New York | 44 | October | Oct–Oct |
| Virginia | 41 | August | Jul–Aug |
| Ohio | 36 | August | Jul–Sep |
| Pennsylvania | 28 | August | Jul–Aug |
| Connecticut | 24 | July | Jul–Aug |
| Tennessee | 24 | August | Jul–Sep |
| Arkansas | 17 | September | Aug–Sep |
| Illinois | 16 | July | Jul–Sep |
| Michigan | 13 | August | Aug–Aug |
| Massachusetts | 8 | November | Nov–Nov |
| Oklahoma | 8 | July | Jun–Sep |
| Arizona | 6 | September | Sep–Sep |
| Delaware | 6 | May | May–May |
| New Hampshire | 6 | August | Aug–Aug |
| Iowa | 5 | July | Jun–Jul |
| Kansas | 5 | August | Aug–Aug |
Main season = months with at least 30% of the state's peak-month count.
Photography tips
- Use a fast shutter (1/2000 s or faster) for birds in flight.
- Focus on the eye and shoot at the bird's eye level.
- Approach slowly and stop if the bird changes behavior; never bait or flush birds.
- Morning activity peaks in the first two hours after sunrise.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Wood Stork?
Nationally, January has the most observations, with the main season from December to November.
Where is Wood Stork most often seen?
The most observations come from Florida, South Carolina, Texas.