Jabiru storks in the Pantanal of Brazil

© Juan-Carlos Munoz/Minden Picture

We’re gonna need a bigger bird house

You're more likely to see jabiru storks down on the shores of ponds or on riverbanks, where they hunt for small fish, amphibians, and lizards. They're the tallest bird in South and Central America, with the largest males standing 1.5 metres. Despite their size, the jabiru stork is a graceful flier. Here in the Pantanal, a sprawling tropical wetlands in western Brazil, the jabiru storks will build a massive nest in late August or September—just as spring is beginning in the Southern Hemisphere. The storks in this image may be scouting out a good place for their nest. And once it's built, the pair will raise anywhere from two to five jabiru stork chicks.