Why bird so motionless?

[flycaster]

Came across this immature Wood Stork that just wasn't moving. Eyes are open, but this bird did not move an inch for the 15 minutes I was watching. Obviously, alive, but I have never seen such a motionless (and apparently awake) bird. Care to offer any explanations?

 

[coldcoffee]

possibly ill?

 

[PentUp]

Zen meditation?
Some form of criminal enterprise (was your pocket picked by a lemur while you were focused on the stork)?
Trying out for a 'living statue' street performer gig?
Stoned, man...?

 

[flycaster]

Zen meditation?
Some form of criminal enterprise (was your pocket picked by a lemur while you were focused on the stork)?
Trying out for a 'living statue' street performer gig?
Stoned, man...?

I'll go for most likely stoned....

 

[cjf2]

Came across this immature Wood Stork that just wasn't moving. Eyes are open, but this bird did not move an inch for the 15 minutes I was watching. Obviously, alive, but I have never seen such a motionless (and apparently awake) bird. Care to offer any explanations?View attachment 9902

As cold coffee said it is probably ill. It is quite possibly bird flu as it is reported for Florida as in many other parts of the world. See this link https://myfwc.com/research/wildlife/health/avian/influenza/ Keep yourself and other people and animals under your control away from it and report it to any people responsible for wildlife in your area.
I was at a reserve in the north of England where there were dead gulls all over the place, too many to clear away. It is a pretty scary outlook for the future.

 

[raythentic]

We have lots of reports of bird flu over here as well and at some reserve locations authorities have erected warning signs not to touch any sick or dead birds one may come across.

 

[Barbie Heid]

I too hope it's not the bird flu, but if you frequent this area, look for it in other birds. They'll wind up infecting the healthy ones.

 

[flycaster]

I too hope it's not the bird flu, but if you frequent this area, look for it in other birds. They'll wind up infecting the healthy ones.

So far, I haven't seen any other birds looking like this one did. And, I believe, if the bird's immobility was related to a virus, then given the number of birds in this environment, the "sickness" would have rapidly spred already.

 

[cjf2]

I saw today they are going to vaccinate the California Condors of the reintroduction program. 15 recent dead birds have tested positive for the virus.

 

[Barbie Heid]

So far, I haven't seen any other birds looking like this one did. And, I believe, if the bird's immobility was related to a virus, then given the number of birds in this environment, the "sickness" would have rapidly spred already.

Unfortunately, some babies just don't make it, for whatever reason. Hopefully nothing serious is wrong, though.