Storks occur in most of the warmer regions of the world and tend to live in drier habitats than the very similar herons, spoonbills, and ibises. Storks have no syrinx and are mute, giving no bird call; bill-clattering is an important mode of stork communication at the nest.
Storks tend to use soaring, gliding flight, which conserves energy. Soaring requires thermal air currents.