Birds diurnal

Maguari Stork

Ciconia maguari

The Maguari Stork is the elegant giant of the South American pampas. With its striking white plumage and piercing red eyes, it is a magnificent sight to capture on any backyard or trail camera.

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Quick Identification

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Size

97–120 cm (38–47 in) tall, wingspan 160–180 cm (63–71 in), weight 3.4–4.5 kg (7.5–10 lbs)

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Colors

Pure white body plumage with contrasting black flight feathers and tail; bare red skin around the eyes; legs are bright orange-red

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Key Features

Large white body with black wing feathers
Bright red facial skin patch
Long, straight bill with a bluish-gray base and reddish tip
Forked black tail that often looks wedge-shaped

When You’ll See Them

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Activity pattern diurnal

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Peak hours 7:00 AM – 10:00 AM and 4:00 PM – 6:30 PM

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Season Year-round, with peak visibility during the wet season and nesting (June–November depending on region).

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Diet Opportunistic carnivore that eats frogs, fish, large insects, snakes, rodents, and small birds using a 'walk and strike' method.

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Habitat Seasonal wetlands, flooded grasslands (llanos and pampas), marshes, and agricultural fields near water.

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Behavior

The Maguari Stork is a highly social and graceful bird often found in small groups or larger flocks where food is plentiful. They are masters of the air, utilizing warm thermals to soar effortlessly over vast grasslands for hours. On the ground, they are methodical hunters, walking with a slow, deliberate gait as they scan for movement in the grass or shallow water. Unlike many other stork species, they are relatively vocal, particularly during the breeding season when they engage in rhythmic bill-clattering to communicate with mates.

While they are generally wary of human presence, they have adapted well to agricultural landscapes in South America. They are often seen following tractors or livestock, taking advantage of the insects and small vertebrates flushed out by the movement. They are monogamous and tend to return to the same nesting sites year after year, building massive platforms of sticks in wetlands or low trees.

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Camera Tips

To capture the Maguari Stork, location is your most critical factor. These are large-bodied birds that prefer open vistas where they can see predators from a distance. Place your camera on the edges of seasonal ponds, marshes, or low-lying flooded pastures. Avoid placing cameras in dense brush; instead, look for 'flight paths'—open corridors in the grass where these birds are likely to land or take off.

Because the Maguari Stork stands nearly four feet tall, mounting height is key. Do not mount your camera at ground level or you will only capture their legs. Position the camera at waist height (3 to 4 feet) and angle it slightly upward if the terrain is flat. This ensures you capture the striking red facial skin and the elegant bill-clattering behavior that makes this species so unique.

Set your camera to a high-sensitivity trigger with a short video mode (15–20 seconds) rather than just still photos. These storks often stand motionless for long periods while hunting, which can trick a slow sensor. A video will allow you to see their sudden 'strike' when they catch prey or their social interactions with other storks. Ensure your shutter speed is high if your camera allows it, as their white feathers can easily 'blow out' and lose detail in bright midday sun.

While we don't recommend artificial baiting, you can use natural lures. A consistent shallow water source or a freshly mowed patch of tall grass in a wetland area will naturally attract them as they search for disturbed prey. If you are tracking a nesting pair, look for isolated trees in open fields; these act as landing stages where the birds will rest before approaching their nest, providing the perfect opportunity for a clear, unobstructed shot.

Similar Species

Species that look similar or are commonly confused with Maguari Stork.

Wood Stork

The Wood Stork has a bald, dark-gray head and a more curved bill compared to the feathered white head of the Maguari.

Jabiru

Much larger with a massive all-black bill and a distinct red skin pouch at the base of a black neck.

White Stork

Nearly identical in color but found in Europe and Africa; the Maguari is larger and has a different bill color pattern.

Frequently Asked Questions

Maguari Storks are strictly diurnal. They are most active during the early morning and late afternoon when they forage for food. During the hottest part of the day, they are often seen soaring high on thermals or resting near water.

If you live near South American wetlands, maintaining a shallow pond or an open, unmowed grassy area can attract them. They are drawn to environments that mimic their natural foraging grounds rich in insects and amphibians.

They are generalist carnivores. Their diet consists of frogs, fish, eels, large beetles, grasshoppers, lizards, snakes, and even small rodents or the chicks of other ground-nesting birds.

They are less common in dense urban centers but are frequently found in suburban areas that border large farms, rice paddies, or natural marshlands throughout South America.

The easiest way is to look at the head. Maguari Storks have fully feathered white heads with a red patch around the eye, while Wood Storks have a dark, featherless, scaly-looking head and neck.

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