Differences between Stork and Vulture

Stork and Vulture are two classes of birds that belong to the Ciconiidae and Accipitridae families respectively.

Stork is a large wading bird with long legs and long beak. Its beak and legs are usually red in color, while its eyes are grey. The color of its body could be streaks of white, black, and red depending on the geography. The bird’s head and upper neck are usually not covered with feathers. The Stork is almost mute as it has an undeveloped syrinx. The Stork family consists of about 20 species of birds such as Marabou Stork and Adjutant Stork. The family is related to Herons, Ibises, and Flamingos.

Vultures are foraging birds. They have a huge build with plumage that looks unkempt. The feathers are usually pale brown or black in color. The birds have bald heads, clawed toes, hooked beaks, and sharp vision. The talons on their long, clawed toes are blunt and their legs are rather weak. They generally maintain a hunched stance. The Vulture family consists of 23 species, which include 16 species that are native to Asia, Africa, and Europe and seven species that live in North America and South America. Some prominent Vulture species are Turkey Vultures, Himalayan Vulture, Black Vulture, King Vulture, and Lappet-faced Vulture.

Where are Stork and Vulture found?

Storks choose to live near marshes, grasslands, meadows, rivers, ponds, and lakes. They are not prevalent across the world. They exist chiefly in Asia, Africa, and Europe. One bird from their species can be found in Australia, while three others occur around Argentina and Florida.

Vultures mostly live in open plains, grasslands, deserts, and mountains. They can also be found near human dwelling such as agricultural lands and cities. Vultures can be found in all countries of Asia, Europe, Africa, South America, and North America. They do not exist in Australia, Antarctica, and Pacific Islands.

What do Stork and Vulture eat?

Storks are carnivores that mainly eat fish. They also feed on reptiles, insects, amphibians, mice, worms, mollusks, crustaceans, and even small alligators. They generally capture their prey in fields and shallow waters.

Vultures have sharp vision, which allows them to keenly observe preys on the ground. However, they have weak legs and beak, because of which they prefer scavenging dead animals or surviving on human refuse. When they hunt, they capture rodents, reptiles, lambs, calves, and tortoise.

Here are a few pointers about the eating patterns between Stork and Vulture

• Both Stork and Vulture eat Fish.
• Both Stork and Vulture eat Frogs.
• Both Stork and Vulture eat Lizards.
• Both Stork and Vulture eat Snakes.
• Both Stork and Vulture eat Turtles.
• Both Stork and Vulture eat Squirrels.
• Gophers are commonly eaten by Stork, but not by all Vulture.
• Baby Ducks are consumed by both Storkand Vulture.
• Mice are eaten by both Stork and Vulture.

Size of Stork and Vulture?

When it comes to size, Storks are huge birds. They are about two to five feet tall with wide wings that measure over 10 feet. The biggest storks in the world are the Shoebill and Marabou that stand five feet tall.. Vultures are large birds characterized by wide wings. The largest Vulture is the Cinereous Vulture, which is about 3.3 feet long with a wingspan of nearly nine feet. Necrosyrtes Monachus or the Hooded Vulture is the smallest of the species. It is about 2.3 feet long and has a wingspan of 5.5 feet.

Average weight of Storks is 3-17 pounds depending on the species. Marabou is the largest species and weighs around 17 pounds. while The weight of Vultures differs based on their species. The Cinereous Vulture weighs 27.5 pounds, whereas the Hooded Vulture weighs 5.7 pounds.

Where do Stork and Vulture nest?

Storks build their nests on trees and shrubs that stand in flooded water. They do so to keep predators away from eating the eggs. Both male and female birds participate in the construction of the nest, besides sharing the responsibility to incubate them for about five weeks, after which the eggs hatch. Baby Storks usually fledge 50-65 days after hatching. An interesting fact about parenting in Storks is that the parents sometimes throw some chicks out of the nests so that they can feed the healthy chicks well and support their survival.

Vultures make their nests in trees, cliffs, hollow logs, burrows, ledges, caves, or deserted buildings. They either build new nests using sticks and grass or use old ones by lining them with grass. Vulture eggs are greyish blue-green in color with brown or purple spots. The female lays one to two eggs, which are incubated by both partners for 28-40 days. The young ones fledge when they are 10-14 weeks old, but mostly depend on their parents for food till they are eight months old.

How long do Stork and Vulture live?

Storks can live for over 30 years in the wild. They have been known to live up to 35 years in captivity. The longest living species was a White Stork that lived for 39 years in Switzerland.

The lifespan varies for different species. Smaller birds may live up to 18 years in the wild, while the larger ones survive for nearly 50 years. For instance, Ruppell’s Vulture lives up to 50 years, the Hooded Vulture has a lifespan of about 30 years, and the Cinereous Vulture lives for 35 years. The oldest living of the species is a male Turkey Vulture that resides in California. He was born in 1974.

Are Stork or Vulture migratory birds?

Storks migrate during winters to warmer regions as they cannot find food in colder weather. They are known to migrate long distances, for instance from Europe to Africa, sub-Saharan region to South Africa or India. They mostly migrate in huge groups.

Vultures living in northern hemisphere are generally migratory. The species from southern hemisphere are mostly residents. In winters, about a million Vultures travel from Canada and North America to central and South America. Some of them even go up to Ecuador and Venezuela. Vulture species from cold regions of Europe move to Africa, while those from Russia and China travel to the Indian subcontinent.

Do Stork and Vulture fly in flocks?

A group of Storks is known as a muster of Storks or a phalanx of Storks. These birds are highly sociable. They stay together and migrate in massive flocks that can even encompass a thousand birds. However, during the breeding season they prefer smaller groups or solitude.

A flock of Vultures in flight is called a kettle, while a group of Vultures in rest is called a committee. Vultures are gregarious birds that live, eat, and roost in colonies. They migrate in large groups that sometimes could have a thousand birds. However, they hunt alone so as to not divert the prey.

Are Stork or Vulture protected?

Storks are a protected species in Asia, Africa, and Europe. Conservation laws like the African Conservation Action Plan and the African-Eurasian Waterbird Agreement have come up in response to concerns of the International Union for Conservation of Nature that the Black Storks are not protected satisfactorily.

Vultures are protected under Migratory Bird Treaty Act in USA. They are protected under similar laws in other countries like Canada, UK, France, and India. Hunting them in these countries is not permitted.

Are Stork or Vulture endangered?

Storks are extant birds. They had become extinct in the UK about 500 years back but emerged back in the 1970s. They have however become extinct in Japan, Korea, Myanmar, and Bangladesh. The Adjutant Stork is endangered in India and Cambodia, and the Painted Stork is critically endangered in parts of Asia. Very few Storks are also left in Italy due to widespread poaching.

The population of Vultures is shrinking due to poisoning by poachers and pesticides, and persecution by farmers. In Africa, Vultures are threatened by hunters who kill them for meat and for body parts that are used in traditional medicine. Presently, eight species in India and seven in Africa face the risk of extinction. Some Vultures listed as endangered include the Indian Vulture, the White-backed Vulture, the Hooded Vulture, the White-rumped Vulture, the Cinereous Vulture, the Himalayan Griffon, the Lappet-faced Vulture, and the Ruppell’s Vulture.

Can Stork and Vulture fly?

Storks fly with their neck and legs stretched out. They flap and soar with their broad wings, using thermal air currents. They can reach altitudes of 1,500 metres above sea level and touch speeds of over 110 miles per hour. During migration, they fly nearly 4,400 miles.

Vultures fly by making use of thermals and wind currents. They fly at high altitudes. Some species can fly as high as 37,000 feet above sea level. They are capable of sustaining even with low oxygen levels at higher altitudes. Vultures are known to fly at speeds of 15-20 miles an hour. They fly 62-93 miles a day in search of food. During migration, some species travel as much as 310 miles in a day. The way the birds use their wings during flight is dintinct for different species. While the Turtle Vulture can fly almost six hours without flapping its wings, species like Black Vulture flap their wings more often.

Can Stork and Vulture swim?

Storks are not swimmers. They do not prefer deep waters and usually choose shallow waters for their habitat.

Vultures are not known to be swimmers. They go to water bodies for bathing and drinking.

Mating patterns among Stork and Vulture

Storks start breeding when they are about four years old. The male bird is the first one to arrive at the nesting site. He initiates by building a nest or revamping an existing one and ducking on it. The male and female engage in elaborate mating dances. They raise a single brood each year, which consists of two to five eggs.

Vultures start mating when they are five or six years old. During courtship, the male hops around the female in circles with its wings partly extended. He also chases the female while exhaling noisily. Vultures are slow breeders, they lay one to two eggs each year.

When is the mating season for Stork and Vulture ?

The breeding season for Storks is generally the spring. This is usually from the start of February till the end of April.

The breeding season for Vultures is March-June in the northern hemisphere and February-April in the southern hemisphere. It is however unique for various species. For instance, the Indian Vultures breed during November-March and the Long-billed Vultures mate during October-May.

Do Stork and Vulture mate for life?

Storks are known to be monogamous and faithful to their partners during every breeding season and even for a few years. They may find new partners during migrations or in consecutive breeding seasons. In case of monogamous partners, they generally revisit their nesting site and use the same nests with little restoration.

Most Vulture species mate for life. They are monogamous and live together throughout the year. They also have strong family bonding.

How do Stork and Vulture sleep?

Storks roost in colonies. They sleep on trees and shrubs surrounded by water. Some storks even sleep standing on one leg in water.

Vultures roost in large communities on trees, buildings, and towers. They stay close to each other in the night to remain warm and conserve energy.

Can Stork and Vulture be eaten?

Storks are edible and some people do eat them. However, the bird is protected, and it is illegal to kill them for food.

Vulture meat is largely consumed in Africa in addition to being used as traditional medicine. However, it is not recommended to eat Vultures as they are scavengers. Many countries do not allow hunting the birds for meat.

Can you hunt Stork or Vulture?

Thousands of White Storks lose their lives every year due to illegal hunting for sport, especially in Lebanon and Italy. The birds are also shot for their meat. All this is despite existence of laws to protect the bird.

In Africa, Vultures are hunted for meat and medicine. Worldwide, they are known to be killed by farmers for destroying property and attacking livestock. However, there are laws prohibiting hunting, killing, and trading of Vultures.

Can you feed Stork or Vulture?

Feeding wild animals and birds in public places is not permitted in places like USA, Singapore, and Dubai. Storks are huge birds and need to be fed a lot of food. In captivity, these birds are fed with fish, frogs, small birds, earthworms, lizards, and meat.

Feeding wild animals is illegal in places like the USA, Singapore, and Dubai. In captivity, they are given goat meat, rodents, and some plant material.