Let’s be frank. Wood Storks are just plain ugly. They are large, ungainly, and bald. But they’re not just bald. Their heads and necks are covered with lumpy scale-like grayish skin with no feathers. This preening Wood Stork looks very Pterodactyl-like, even more so than the also prehistoric appearing Brown Pelican. Despite their unappealing looks, Wood Storks are considered a “keystone species,” meaning they are critical to the overall successful functioning of ecosystems in Florida, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission. And they are listed as threatened on both the Florida and Federal Endangered Species lists. The Wood Storks are right at home at Wakodahatchee Wetlands. The wetlands serve as a giant rookery and most of the clusters of trees that sprout from small islands in the middle of the marshes are dotted with the scores of pairs of Wood Storks that have built nests in each tree.