
Woolly-necked Stork
The African woolly-necked stork or African woollyneck is a species of large wading bird in the stork family Ciconiidae.
Species insights
Recorded year-round
Recorded in every month, so no month is the wrong month to look. We would rather say that than invent a best time.
Curve from 2,446 national iNaturalist observations, not from one property and not from this province. Single-month spikes are discarded as upload artefacts, and below 50 records we show no curve at all.
KwaZulu-Natal and beyond
Provinces where Woolly-necked Stork is most recorded. Tap one to find places to stay.
2,446 records, iNaturalist
Parks where hosts record the Woolly-necked Stork
Stays that give back
Across KwaZulu-Natal
Reliably seen · Birder friendly · Grassland biome · Bushbuck · Vervet monkey
Gives back to Isibindi Foundation
From R 795 a night
Woolly-necked Stork recorded here · Savanna biome · Leopard · Lion
From R 1,420 a night
Woolly-necked Stork recorded here · Savanna biome · Leopard · Lion
From R 900 a night
Woolly-necked Stork recorded here · Savanna biome · African wild dog · Spotted hyena
Gives back to Isibindi Foundation
Price on request
Woolly-necked Stork recorded here · Savanna biome · Nile crocodile · Hippopotamus
From R 190 a night
Woolly-necked Stork recorded here · Forest biome · Humpback whale · Southern right whale
Gives back to Isibindi Foundation
Price on request
Reliably seen · Birder friendly · Forest biome · Hippopotamus · Nile crocodile
Gives back to Isibindi Foundation and 1 other
Price on request
Indian Ocean Coastal Belt biome
Gives back to Isibindi Foundation
From R 13,000 a night
Grassland biome
Gives back to Royal Drakensberg Education Trust
From R 4,280 a night
Birder friendly · Savanna biome · Leopard · Lion
Gives back to Zululand Conservation Trust
From R 1,280 a night
Grassland biome
Gives back to Royal Drakensberg Education Trust and 2 others
From R 5,400 a night
Birder friendly · Grassland biome
Gives back to Isibindi Foundation
From R 5,990 a night
Grassland biome · Spotted hyena · Leopard
Gives back to Royal Drakensberg Education Trust
From R 1,140 a night
Birder friendly · Grassland biome
Gives back to Royal Drakensberg Education Trust
From R 1,691 a night
Birder friendly · Grassland biome · Blesbok · Serval
Gives back to Zululand Conservation Trust and 3 others
From R 1,200 a night
Grassland biome
Gives back to Royal Drakensberg Education Trust
From R 1,950 a night
Birder friendly · Grassland biome · Bushbuck · Common eland
Gives back to Royal Drakensberg Education Trust and 1 other
From R 6,800 a night
Grassland biome · Bushbuck · Serval
Gives back to Royal Drakensberg Education Trust
From R 4,100 a night
Savanna biome · Leopard · Lion
Gives back to Endangered Wildlife Trust
Price on request
Indian Ocean Coastal Belt biome
Gives back to National Sea Rescue Institute
From R 3,995 a night
Savanna biome · Leopard · Lion
Gives back to Endangered Wildlife Trust
Price on request
Birder friendly · Savanna biome
Gives back to Zululand Conservation Trust and 2 others
From R 1,840 a night
Birder friendly · Savanna biome · African elephant · Cape buffalo
Gives back to BirdLife South Africa
From R 14,000 a night
Savanna biome · Leopard · Lion
Gives back to Endangered Wildlife Trust
Price on request
Rolling green hills, dairy farms, and pottery studios
See places that give backPlanning a trip
When and where to find the Woolly-necked Stork
Hosts have recorded the Woolly-necked Stork at stays in or beside Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park, iSimangaliso Wetland Park and Ndumo Game Reserve.
Best hours of the day
- The first hours after sunrise, and late afternoon. Birds call and feed most in the cool.
- Midday. Quieter, especially in summer heat.
Species
Ciconia episcopus
Records
2,446
iNaturalist observations
Every booking on Spekboom supports conservation.
Questions travellers ask
A record means a host has seen the Woolly-necked Stork on the property or nearby. It is never a guarantee of a sighting.
Which parks and reserves are best for the Woolly-necked Stork in KwaZulu-Natal?
Hosts on Spekboom have recorded the Woolly-necked Stork at stays in or beside Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park, iSimangaliso Wetland Park and Ndumo Game Reserve. A record means a host has seen it on the property or nearby, which makes these the places to base yourself; it is never a guarantee of a sighting on any given day.
Where can you see the Woolly-necked Stork in South Africa?
The Woolly-necked Stork is most recorded in KwaZulu-Natal (72% of records), Mpumalanga (18% of records), Limpopo (10% of records), based on 2,446 iNaturalist observations. 7 places to stay on Spekboom in KwaZulu-Natal have recorded the Woolly-necked Stork on site or nearby.
When is the best time to see the Woolly-necked Stork?
The Woolly-necked Stork is recorded throughout the year, so no month is the wrong month to look for it. For the parks where hosts record it most, these are the best seasons they give. Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park: year-round, dry season May-Sep; iSimangaliso Wetland Park: year-round, dry season May-Sep; Ndumo Game Reserve: year-round, dry season May-Sep. In the dry months animals concentrate at water and the grass is short.
What is the Woolly-necked Stork?
The African woolly-necked stork or African woollyneck is a species of large wading bird in the stork family Ciconiidae. It breeds singly, or in small loose colonies. It is distributed in a wide variety of habitats including marshes in forests, agricultural areas, and freshwater wetlands across Africa.
























