White feathers cover the body, with black feathers under the wing and in the tail.
The head is lacks feathers, so isbald and gray or black.
This combined with the large yellow down-curved bill is distinctive for this species.
Since they have no muscles attached to their voice box, they are very quiet birds. Every now and then they will croak like a bullfrog, or hiss like a snake.
Storks can glide for a long time on warm wind currents. Sometimes they dive and flip as they soar down from high in the sky. When they do flap their wings, they look awkward and clumsy.