:this article is about the bird; see the black stork for the 1917 film. for the pakistani special operations force known as the "black storks", see special services group.  the black stork (ciconia nigra) is a large wading bird in the stork family ciconiidae. it is a widespread, but uncommon, species that breeds in the warmer parts of europe (predominantly in central and eastern regions), across temperate asia and southern africa. this is a shy and wary species, unlike the closely related white stork. it is seen in pairs or small flocksâin marshy areas, rivers or inland waters. the black stork feeds on amphibians and insects. thumb|right|black stork in a field in the netherlands ==taxonomy and etymology== the stork family contains several genera in three major groups: the open-billed and wood storks (mycteria and anastomus), the giant storks (ephippiorhynchus, jabiru and leptoptilos), and the "typical storks", ciconia. the typical storks include the white stork and six other extant species, which are characterised by straight bills and mainly black and white plumage. within the genus ciconia, the black stork's closest relatives are the other european species, the white stork and its former subspecies, the black-billed oriental white stork of east asia. the black stork was found to be basal in 
Animals_described_in_1758 Birds_of_Africa Birds_of_Asia Birds_of_Azerbaijan Birds_of_Bhutan Birds_of_Cameroon Birds_of_Europe Birds_of_Malaysia Birds_of_Western_Sahara Ciconia Fauna_of_Southern_Africa IUCN_Red_List_least_concern_species Migratory_birds_(Eastern_hemisphere)