Family: Ciconiidae (Storks)

Authority: (Raffles, 1822)

Red List Category

Criteria: A2bcd+3bcd+4bcd; C2a(ii)

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Justification of Red List category

Over the past three decades, the population of Milky Stork has declined probably by more than 50%. Its population is now also relatively small (between 600 and 1,850 mature individuals), such that ongoing declines are of concern and the species is considered to be of relatively high risk of extinction. Accordingly it is considered Endangered. The chief drivers of decline are hunting (especially of eggs and nestlings) and the destruction of coastal breeding habitat, especially in Indonesia where more than 95% of the wild population now resides. Hybridisation with the range expanding Painted Stork Mycteria leucocephala is a potential serious future threat, especially if feral hybrids from Singapore wander more frequently to Sumatra, which hosts the majority of the global population of Milky Storks. The protection of nesting birds is considered the principal conservation action needed, and this has proven immensely successful at reversing trends in other South-East Asian stork species.

Population size: 600-1850, 1200-1850 mature individuals

Population trend: decreasing

Extent of occurrence (breeding/resident): 3,200,000 km²

Country endemic: no

Attributes
Land-mass type - continent
Land-mass type - shelf island
Realm - Indomalayan
Realm - Oceanian
IUCN System - Freshwater
IUCN System - Terrestrial
IUCN System - Marine