Painted Storks On Lamp Posts Near Zoo

Taking A Break ... On Lamp Posts

If you drive along Jalan Hulu Kelang in the evenings, especially during cold days just after a heavy rain, chances are that you would have seen these birds perched on the street lamps.

Well, they are Painted Storks which the National Zoo (Zoo Negara) acquired for captive breeding in the 80s and later released to be free flying birds. These are not local birds, having originated from India and Sri Lanka.

Today there are about 460 of them and they can be seen flying around the vicinity of the zoo, riding the thermals in the afternoons or taking a break for the night along lamp posts.

The gentle birds were almost exterminated during the last outbreak of bird flu at Kampung Pasir Wardieburn Camp if not for their location.

Luck was on their side as they were not within a 5km radius of the area where all birds within the radius had to be culled. The zoo lies within a 10km radius of the point of infection and the birds were spared. But the clock is ticking as development encroaches nearer to the zoo.


Painted Storks Resting At Their Colony Island In Zoo Negara

An island has been created within the zoo for the Painted Storks to nest and breed. During the day, they fly to as far as Kapar in Klang to forage for food and you can see their unmistakable V-formation. They stop at the banks of the Klang and Gombak rivers to feed. Sometimes they could be seen at the Lake Gardens in the heart of the city or even on the roofs of the National Museum.

So far, there has been no reports of the birds nesting outside the zoo, however.

Note: Zoo Negara holds the record of having the largest colony of bred Painted and Milky Storks in the world.